10 of the Wildest Shoots These Production Service Companies Have Ever Seen

Working with dangerous animals, pulling off risky stunts, recreating any number of different locations and finding unique solutions under immense pressure, life as a production services company can certainly be wild. Often tasked with bringing the seemingly impossible to life, these crews of producers, coordinators and creators have seen it all while helping their clients achieve their vision.

With this in mind, we asked production service experts about the most ambitious or unconventional feats of ingenuity they've had to pull off during a project - and they didn't disappoint. Sharing some of the craziest challenges they've faced and how they overcame them are leaders from an international array of production service companies, spanning the UK, Canada, Hong Kong, Spain, Ukraine, Uruguay and Brazil.

From dangling one of the biggest popstars in the world from a helicopter in the Scottish Highlands to turning Brazilian locations into eight different countries, you can read all of their wild stories below.

"I got a call about putting a polar bear on a glacier..."

Karen Silver, MD at Sterling

I got a call about putting a polar bear on a glacier with no other polar bears. The only polar bear at that time you could work with in an uncontrolled environment was in  Vancouver. [It was] 2,400 km to truck her up to Whitehorse, Yukon, then 1.5 hours on an ice road to Atlin, British Columbia, then a half-hour helicopter ride to a glacier… Easy, right?

The owner/trainer would not sedate her nor would he let us belly her via the chopper, so we built a cage for her. She weighed 700 lbs and the cage would only fit in a Sikorski helicopter. She was to come in and out each day over four days. Day one test day, the helicopter pilot says, “No way I am taking her in and out - she comes out once.”

Hot lines are set up, the path is good to go, and the trainer says, “No way she will get out of the hot lines.” She does - and runs straight for the craft tent… We are obviously alive to tell the tale.

"We sent [Harry] Styles soaring..."

Sarah Drummond, MD and EP at LS Productions

When it comes to our wildest shoot, it still has to be the video for Harry Styles' debut single ‘Sign of the Times’. Shot back in 2017, it still goes down as one of the most audacious projects LS Productions has taken on. It’s not every day you need to figure out how you send the world's biggest pop star 1500ft up into the air in the remote Scottish Highlands, whilst dangling from a wire attached to a moving helicopter. 

With Styles adamant he was doing his own stunts, the complexity of the challenge was clear. How could we deliver a spectacular creative result, whilst keeping our A-list talent as safe and comfortable as possible? (Not to mention the Scottish weather playing its part and keeping the whole thing secret from the press and Styles' adoring fanbase). 

Things really came together when we brought on board Will Banks, owner and pilot of GB Helicopters, and stunt-safety expert, David Pearce, who we’d worked with previously on Bear Grylls, Running Wild, to help our producers solve the logistical and technical challenges. The LS locations team also brought their A-game, scouting stunning locations on the Isle of Skye that allowed the team to rappel the popstar from one helicopter, whilst a second had enough space to manoeuvre alongside to capture the footage. 

With a crew of 65, shot over three days, including dive teams and water safety experts, this was a complex, wild and incredible piece of work to be involved in and we will forever be proud that we sent Styles soaring across the iconic Skye landscape, launching his solo career in spectacular style.

"... drones, cranes and A LOT of confetti."

Mariano Avellaneda, founder and EP at ATLANTICO CONTENT

When you receive a script from a Japanese client and read ‘cherry blossom petals in his hand are scattered with the wind, magically causing a storm of flower petals’, the first thing that comes to your mind is ‘post production’. Well, we were challenged to do as much as possible on camera, real FX, like the old days! 

We were shooting in Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay. Location scouting had to be very precise to be able to recreate an international city with an amazing skyline and multiple rooftops to place the turbines, cameras and confetti launching points. We had to get some compressed air turbines, wind machines, cherry pickers, drones, cranes and A LOT of confetti. We had different shapes and sizes for hero, foreground and background cherry blossom petals - we bought tons of confetti. 

We had 200 extras on set and were allowed to shoot on a full weekend at the main square in Montevideo. Location shooting permits were given after presenting a full detailed cleaning plan to local authorities and environment offices, and a letter of commitment to be on standby for two weeks to clean any place that requires it after the shoot. Fortunately no one complained.

"How do foils work?"

Cat Isakson, head of production TVC & Photo and Steph Howe, marketing manager, at Palma Pictures

We were thrilled to work on this complex shoot for Uncommon Creative Studio and Pulse Films, to create the Avios ‘Everyday’ campaign. From the start, this brief had all the ingredients for a wildly epic project - it was ambitious, one-of-a-kind - it had never been done before. The tranquil final film was a labour of love, and not without its challenges!

One central and decisive aspect was: How do foils work? We needed to become experts in every aspect of how they functioned. Then, casting the foil riders, and pulling them together group by group, having them learn how to foil safely - whilst fully dressed, carrying props… It was no easy feat.

Lots of wardrobe choices had to be re-thought, as some were not acceptable in these conditions. Then, practising the formations… Add the crew boat, the camera boat (with a crane), the drone boat, the safety boats, the rescue boats, the crowd control jet skis, and the water flotilla base camps - it was a massive operation. 

From every angle, it was a huge logistical and creative challenge - but the end product made it all worthwhile! 

"Have you ever seen someone crash through the roof of Versailles?"

Alina Sharokhina, production coordinator, and Alena Babenko, producer, at Family Production

Alina> At the time, we had no idea how daring top French models could be. This YSL project presented a formidable challenge from the outset. Director Nathalie Canguilhem envisioned a complex puzzle that we couldn’t fully grasp until filming concluded and the results were unveiled. This commercial was shot across three continents - Asia, North America, and Europe - with its final scenes filmed in Kyiv. We were in for a real action-packed experience, filled with extreme and even dangerous stunts.

Have you ever seen someone crash through the roof of Versailles? We had one rehearsal just to make sure it would work.

But the real story unfolded later. One of the scenes required a body double for a French model to jump out of a window in her Paris apartment. We constructed a section of the fascade and used special SFX glass for three takes. 

For this single shot, DoP Philippe Lesourd gathered all the lights available in Kyiv because it was filmed on a Phantom camera. The first take: the stunt double executed a perfect jump, the glass shattered, and everyone remained calm. The second take; also flawless. One take left. And then? In a classic twist, the director suddenly said, 'This looks incredibly beautiful, but it lacks authenticity. I want the real model to jump out of the window'. Million-dollar contracts, risks, budgets - none of it mattered at that moment. She was convinced it would only work this way.

After lengthy negotiations, with 200 crew members holding their breath while the production team and director made a decision, the model agreed without hesitation.

Alena> Even now, my palms sweat when I think back to that moment. But what can I say - at that moment, a legend was born.

"The director requested Mr. Ricola to fly..."

Angie Cheung, executive producer at The Kitchen

There were two TV commercials that we did in Hong Kong which were quite challenging. Firstly, for a Ricola spot, the director requested Mr. Ricola to fly into the most chaotic and busiest street called Mongkok. All the roads are very narrow and there are many people at the intersections. We needed to set up scaffolding and a layer of the roof for the stand-in to jump into. We also needed to talk to the shops to get their approval to set up in front of the shops - some were not easy and we spent a lot of time negotiating.

Secondly, for a MINI Cooper TVC, we needed a car to fly down from the air, as well as a talent, with parachutes. When we got the brief, we were quite worried, so we had lots of discussions with the technical and wiring team about how to hang the car up. Safety was certainly the main issue.

"An impeccable bank set... Fully equipped for real explosions..."

Twentyfour Seven on Samsung's 'The Vault'

One day, we got a call asking if we had a location suitable for explosions, smoke and other special effects. We said we had some locations that might work, but handling special effects and stunts would be complicated. They then proposed constructing a bank hall, about 50 by 30 meters. The catch was it had to be ready in less than three weeks with an impeccable marble-finished, grand American-style bank look, and it had to be built on set. Luckily, one of the best builders in Spain was available, and we jumped into action. In just two days, we went from no project to full production mode.

We managed to create an impeccable bank set with hand-painted marble finishes and linoleum marble-style floors, fully equipped for real explosions, interventions with special effect elements, a colossal tank, giant props, pulleys for stunts, smoke effects and LED laser grids. This massive production, which could have easily taken two months, was completed in just four weeks. In other European countries, they said it couldn’t be done in less than six to eight weeks, but we made it happen in record time.

The project ['The Vault' for Samsung] was a testament to our team's dedication, creativity and ability to work under extreme pressure. We coordinated seamlessly with various specialists and ensured every detail was perfect. The result was a stunning, high-quality set that exceeded all expectations and showcased our capacity to deliver exceptional work on an incredibly tight schedule.

"... An endless list of contrasting and visually striking situations."

Laura Diez, managing director at Camino

As a service production company, we are used to filming in incredible landscapes, recreating New York, Paris and London in a single location, or shooting cars speeding down roads that seem to be from another planet. In this case, we’re not going to talk about locations, but about a project where aesthetics and art direction take centre stage.

We shot the Monzo campaign a few months ago in a large studio near Barcelona. From the first reading of the treatment, we knew it would be a creatively exciting and a very special project. Working alongside RSA under the incredible vision of Marie Schuller is always an exciting challenge. Under her gaze, everything is possible, and this is where the magic of production steps in, requiring the best solutions and a top-tier team to meet all expectations.

In the Monzo project, the premise was clear: an endless list of contrasting and visually striking situations. Everything was built and designed specifically for the shoot. The art team worked day and night to make each scenario possible. There were moments when they seemed like scientists creating a revolutionary new invention. They worked hand in hand and perfectly coordinated with the styling team, SFX, and a top-notch local cast. It was a three-day, race-against-time shoot with the best team, of which we are extremely proud.

"How Cape Town can replicate virtually anywhere in the world..."

Beccy Kellond, partner at Moonlighting

Crazy, ambitious and authentic... I would say this is the new normal of production services, and we thrive on it. Moonlighting recently shot a globetrotting Subway commercial with Mark Zibert and the Scouts Honour team for Dentsu Creative Canada - a jewel of an ad that showcases how Cape Town can replicate virtually anywhere in the world through our range of diverse locations and talent. Our hero chef travelled through India, Vietnam, Cuba, Nashville, Argentina, the Middle East, Italy and Tibet on his epic recipe-finding mission, walking, running (being chased by an ostrich) or by train, horse, bus, rowing boat, moped, plane and Harley Davidson; from desert and mountain to ocean and tropical jungle.

We cast and shot the ad in Cape Town, shooting three to four locations a day over five action-packed days. Every scene was a production design gem, including the bustling Indian and Middle-Eastern markets, a Cuban street scene, an Argentine asado (BBQ), an Italian mama’s kitchen, a Nashville bar and a rodeo.

"We needed to reproduce eight countries..."

Cristian Marini, partner and executive producer at Ocean Films

The Coca Cola campaign ‘It’s Magic When the World Comes Together’ was undoubtedly one of the most challenging commercials, since we needed to reproduce eight countries - including France, India, China, Japan, Brazil, the US, Nigeria and Argentina - between locations and casting, in only one country. There were 14 scenes in 14 different locations representing different cultures with more than 100 main cast members representing diverse ethnicities, and more than 400 extras.

With cast selection, one of the biggest challenges was researching real Olympic and Paralympic athletes from different ethnicities. We also represented Scandinavia on a fishing boat on the high seas. We had to shoot up to three locations per day, including company moves in parallel with still and social media units, and we managed to produce a six day shoot only in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Among the biggest challenges in terms of art, we managed to reproduce a village in Lagos, Nigeria; a museum in Paris; a Pato game in Argentina; and an Olympic swimming pool in France. The art direction was carried out by the talented Fiona Crombie, and the film was directed by experienced director Nicolai Fugslig, represented by the production company MJZ, from the UK.