Outdoor Filming
The natural world is the ultimate film set.
Outdoor film footage draws your audience in and creates a shared sense of meaning and escapism. Watching videos that feature wild windswept Cornish beaches, rolling Devon hills or serene woodlands, is a restorative and calming experience. Few things can inspire us to take action as much as nature.
With many of our clients in the environmental, education and heritage sectors, we are experts in outdoor filming at Fresh Ground Films. Based in the beautiful South West, we have some of the UK’s most spectacular scenery on our doorstep and it regularly forms an integral part of the visual stories we create for our clients.
Here’s a taster of some of our outdoor filming projects:
Great Trees In The Clyst Valley
Our main hero film and shorter social media films supported an exciting new outdoor programme designed to encourage local people to explore, record and restore the heritage landscape of trees across East Devon’s Clyst Valley
We waited until the best season to film in order to capture the beauty of Clyst Valley. We then shot a mixture of aerial and ground level footage, as well as filming people engaging in activities at the site such as running and sampling local food and drink.
Our film formed part of a successful bid for a £52,100 National Lottery grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
“The films are beautifully crafted, and it has been a pleasure to work with Fresh Ground Films, who really listened to what we wanted, and have provided an excellent service from start to finish.”
– Jon Freeman – Great Trees Project Officer
The Eden Project HotHouse Creative Leadership Programme
The Eden Project’s HotHouse creative leadership courses take place across their stunning site, in the surrounding woodland and on the coasts.
Our promotional films captured the essence of these unique courses by documenting activities unobtrusively. We told the story of the participants’ journeys into the natural world and how this allowed them to access their passions, talents and dreams.
We filmed ‘invisibly’ outdoors from a distance; capturing authentic, personal footage against the backdrop of the stunning Cornish landscape.
“Fresh Ground Films has made a couple of films for us, which we’re delighted with. They’ve always been super easy to work with and a very talented team.”
– EDEN PROJECT
The National Trust Cotehele Apple Project
Our shareable social video was designed to lift the lid on The National Trust’s investment in sustainable food. We showed how Cotehele House & Gardens in Cornwall use home-grown produce, such as apples, in their cafes and shops.
We captured large outdoor spaces like the orchards, accounting for shifting light, weather and wind to ensure our footage was top quality and consistent. We wanted to give viewers a real sense of the beauty of Cotehele as a physical place.
Our video achieved huge success across social media and was featured in several campaigns for The National Trust.
“Ross is highly professional, well organised and reliable. The final films look terrific and really help communicate our story to a wider audience.”
– NATIONAL TRUST
Ambios Wildlife Survey Course
Our promotional video for Ambios was designed to be both informative and inspiring, highlighting the scope of their Wildlife Survey & Interpretation Skills Courses.
We filmed wildlife conversation work and training in action in stunning outdoor locations around their UK residential centre in Sharpham, Devon.
Our top tips for outdoor filming
- Preparation is everything
We visit key locations to get a feel for the light and sounds of the natural environment. That allows us to choose the best time (and sometimes even the best season) for filming. It also reduces the risk of any logistical delays – like tricky site access or a lack of food and drink facilities – on busy filming days
- Flexibility rewards
When you’re in the great outdoors anything can happen. We see that as a hugely positive part of the filming process and not something to try and resist. The real magic happens when film crew and participants react naturally to the unexpected and allow nature to wow, surprise and challenge us. Like the time we were filming on Dartmoor and were greeted by a pack of friendly Llamas! Or when a rainbow appeared centre shot….
- Light and sounds
One of the best things about filming outdoors is the beauty of natural light, and how it changes throughout the day, and throughout the seasons. Whether it’s a stuuning sunset or sunrise, or the comforting tranquillity of an overcast day, natural light wins every time. Coupled with the soft rustle of trees or birds chatting in the background, the ambient soundscape of the outdoors can add a relaxing score without you lifting a finger.
- Leave it as you found it
With sustainability at the heart of the Fresh Ground Films ethos, we tread as lightly as we can when filming outdoors and let nature do the talking. That means we bring as little equipment as possible; we don’t overshoot; we never leave anything behind and we film as unobtrusively as possible to respect the wildlife and the people around us.
- Always check the weather!
It sounds obvious, but it’s not just for the footage itself. We make sure we’ve packed any necessary protective gear for ourselves, our kit, the crew and participants. Rain, dehydration, sunburn, wind and midge bites can all slow progress down on a shoot. We channel our inner scouts and always bring a first aid kit but you’ll be relieved to know that we’ve rarely had to use it!
Nature is good for the soul; it lifts our spirits and reenergises us. That’s why it’s so important that we strive to protect it. Cinematic films can convey the beauty, power and importance of the natural world in a way that resonates deeply with your audience and inspires action.
Get in touch to discuss your outdoor filming project
01392 325973
