Filming and TV

ABC Flights owns 5 un-branded balloons, which can be used for filming and TV. We regularly work with the main broadcasters and independent production companies as a balloon offers a very stable camera platform and can carry cameraman, director and presenter - something a drone can’t do! ABC is also a BBC and ITV Approved Aerial Filming Contractor. The balloons are available for use in the UK and abroad, on a daily or weekly basis.

Our unbranded balloons are available for use in the UK and abroad, on a daily or weekly basis. We have a long association with a number of professional cameramen, including Lee Curran. Lee came to Marrakech with us, to film Richard Branson’s last Global Challenge flight for BBC and has produced our own Corporate Videos, the ‘Dog’ videos for Churchill and the Despicable Me2 Minion Balloon video for Universal Pictures. Lee has flown with Pilot Nick Langley many times and has produced stunning aerial and ground-based images for our Clients. At the 2019 Bristol Fiesta, we flew Photographer Nick Smith and his wife, BBC Presenter Ali Vowles. Ali produced a TV piece for BBC Points West and several interviews for her Saturday morning BBC Radio programme, during the flight.

These unbranded hot air balloons can also have banners produced, which are attached to the balloon envelopes, with a logo or image printed on them. This can give the impression of a bespoke hot air balloon without the same price tag – perfect for one off filming or advertising jobs. This Morning and Weight Watchers used this option for a filming job in Bristol, using the bannered balloon as a backdrop whilst presenters were filmed for the advertisement. As we own a number of hot air balloons, we can also fly two alongside each other to enable filming to take place between the two balloons; this gives another option for production teams.

ABC worked closely with Flying Pictures last year, for the production of our KAWS:UK video, using a Squirrel (Eurocopter AS350) helicopter, DJI drone and FPV drones, plus ground based videographers to produce an online video for the international street artist.