Bringing Miami to Life for the BBC

The translight Craig Denis put together for the BBC series Twenty Twenty Six.© Amazing Aerial Agency | Craig Denis

By Rebecca Duras

Miami-based Amazing Aerial member Craig Denis will see his work on the BBC after Amazing Aerial connected him to a TV production company. We caught up with Craig and Expectation TV to talk about how this collaboration came about.

A man gazes at the Miami skyline from his office. What he’s really looking at is the work of Amazing Aerial member and Miami-based photographer Craig Denis, whose work was used in the BBC series Twenty Twenty Six.

Craig spent nearly a year collaborating with Expectation TV, the production company behind this series, providing material to bring the Miami scenes to life. This collaboration, which came about through Paul Prescott and Amazing Aerial, gave him the opportunity to see his work on one of the biggest TV broadcasters in the world.

We caught up with Craig to discuss the experience of working with a massive TV production, how this type of work differs from other projects he’s worked on, and his advice for photographers who want to find similar gigs.

Behind the Scenes: Why TV Companies Rely on Local Talent

The translight Craig Denis put together for the BBC series Twenty Twenty Six. © Amazing Aerial | Craig Denis

Craig’s role was to contribute images and videos from Miami which could be edited into the series, which was not filmed on location. Many production companies engage local photographers and videographers for specific footage used in editing and post-production (that is how Andy Smith’s work was featured in Frankenstein).

Catherine Gosling Fuller, a producer with Expectation TV, explained why companies like theirs rely on local talent for specific shots. “Our lead actor was based in the UK and he and another of the returning cast were both shooting other shows at the same time, which meant that there wasn’t an option of shooting in the US,” she said. The reasons why production companies shoot in a studio rather than on location are often logistical, such as cost, transportation, and actor availability.

For Craig, collaborating on such an important project remotely was a new experience. “What was different about this production was the production team was all in London so they relied on me and my knowledge of Miami to help choose shooting locations to approach for the type of shots they were looking for,” he said. “After the initial preproduction call it was on me to bring this thing to life.” Craig’s local expertise was a significant factor in why Expectation TV chose to work with him.

How Amazing Aerial Made TV Magic Happen

Aerial view of the complex Sawgrass Interchange in Davie, Florida, a suburb of Miami. Still image from footage Craig captured for Expectation TV. © Amazing Aerial | Craig Denis

Paul Prescott was the person who made the initial contact with Expectation TV, making Craig’s work possible. “Paul Prescott from Amazing Aerial contacted our Director of Production, Philippa Catt, on spec and the timing happened to be perfect as we were looking for options for our translight (the photo which is blown up and sits outside our studio set windows),” says Fuller. The translight needed to measure 25m x 5 meters, creating a massive panorama, which had to be perfectly framed and stitched.

Paul then contacted Craig, one of Amazing Aerial’s 1000+ photographers, who he knew was based in Miami. “We sent over everything I had but it wasn’t quite right,” Craig says. “I reached back out to Paul and asked him if they would like to just commission a shoot where we can get them exactly what they are looking for.”

Expectation TV realized that it was better to commission a shoot from Craig rather than settle for an image that was not what they wanted. “We couldn’t find a perfect existing shot so realized that being able to direct Amazing Aerial with all the specifics our Director, Designer, and DoP required would give us the best possible version of the shot,” Fuller explained.

Production companies often have very specific requirements for content shot on location, so they can be edited into the existing footage, which is why commissioning work is a better choice for them than stock footage. Amazing Aerial was able to connect Expectation TV with the right photographer from their team of hundreds of creatives, and made this opportunity for Craig possible thanks to their proactive work on behalf of their team.

How to Bring Miami to a London Studio

Aerial view of the illuminated Miami skyline at sunset with the JFK Causeway in the foreground. Still image from footage Craig captured for Expectation TV. © Amazing Aerial | Craig Denis

Once the project was agreed upon, Craig and Expectation TV got to work.

The first order of business was to prepare the translight. Since the production needed a very specific image to serve as the backdrop for a 12th floor office in Miami, they sent Craig detailed instructions. “From there we had a preproduction Zoom call with their producers and, utilizing Apple Maps, we pinpointed a location in downtown Miami that worked out perfectly. I executed the shot a few days later and they were thrilled,” he says.

Executing the shot itself was no easy feat as Craig had to meet the production company’s precise specifications and gather images to later stitch together into a large panorama. “For the translight image I actually shot it as a traditional manual panorama where I pivoted the drone in place on its axis,” Craig says. “I was able to get the drone far back enough to take in the cityscape and create a 6 shot panorama without distortion.” Using some creative drone moves, including flying sideways to avoid any distortion, and precise editing, he created the perfect translight to serve as a backdrop for a Miami office.

After the translight was finished, Expectation TV realized that if they wanted to maintain the vision of Miami on a London soundstage, they needed a lot more footage of Miami. “We had access to some aerial shots of the freeways but needed many, many more – some from specific parts of Miami, particularly for some of the car scenes where our characters are going between locations,” Catherine Gosling Fuller said. Such specific shots are difficult to get for a production company which is not on location, but crucial to a good TV show. Otherwise, viewers who are familiar with the city where the show is supposed to be set will notice discrepancies. “Again, being able to give our individual requirements to Craig meant we could get the variety we needed, and get shots which worked well with the footage we had access to for the back projection shoot we did on a Volume stage in London,” Fuller continues.

Aerial view of the Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay. Still image from footage Craig captured for Expectation TV. © Amazing Aerial | Craig Denis

Delivering this footage was another commissioned project for Craig. “While I had a lot of existing footage that they were willing to and did license, there were still some key locations and specific shots that they were still looking for, so again we commissioned another project. This time it was a 2.5 day shoot for me to head out and pick up new footage at 5 different locations,” he says. For Craig, this meant more revenue, as commissioned projects are a secure source of revenue for creatives, and an exciting creative challenge.

Craig had to balance the freedom the production company gave him in choosing locations with very specific technical instructions to meet the quality of the shoot. “They had some guidelines on how they wanted the drone moves to be and were very specific on the frame rate they wanted me to shoot in too which was 25fps,” he says. Working for a production company requires considerable technical knowledge and advanced equipment to create the right quality.

If you watch Twenty Twenty Six, you’ll see Craig’s work through the windows of the primary set and in almost all of the aerial images of Miami. However, these images look very different to the raw files that Craig shot. “The cool part about this shoot was that’s all it was, the shooting aspect of it,” Craig explains, clarifying that he did none of the editing. “They requested the d-log footage for their team to color grade and match with their in house footage.” he says. Some of his work is visible in the trailer, available on YouTube. Craig recommends that photographers keep their raw files if they want to collaborate with production companies just in case an opportunity comes up.

“All the departments need to work together to sell the fact that we’re in Miami and not in London,” Fuller says, explaining why the raw files are important. “The DoP [Director of Photography] needs to establish lighting which feels realistically hot and sunny,” she says. This includes the way that the production incorporates footage shot on location by Craig, which is why it was so important for that footage to be edited in-house. “The colourist will work to give the overall programme a sunny, warm feel. The VFX team fills in where we have gaps—covering up road markings, adding the occasional bird into shot on the Translight[...] These are all just examples of how we can help sell the fact that we’re set in Miami, aside from the local GVs: Research, and the skill and hard work of everyone involved in the project.”

Even after commissioning a local creative, the work is not done for a production company, but having that local know-how makes bringing Miami to life in London much easier.

Opening the Door for More Production Opportunities

Aerial view of Biscayne Bay with the Julia Tuttle causeway in front of the Miami skyline. Still image from footage Craig captured for Expectation TV. © Amazing Aerial | Craig Denis

Expectation TV says that Craig made maintaining high quality standards for their production possible. “Being able to get local, specific GVs to supplement what we could get from archive companies made being able to sell the idea that we were also local to Miami much more possible,” Caroline says, explaining the advantage that commissioning a local photographer has over just using archive shots. “It’s never going to be as perfect as having the director on site and for them to be able to sign off/give notes as the shoot is happening, but with the right creatives it’s a very good next best option.”

For Craig, the opportunity to see his work on such a major channel’s TV programming is an unforgettable one. “It’s pretty awesome, a first for me having my work showcased and integrated into a series like this,” he says. “I was able to see a couple of trailers where they flashed some of my drone shots & it looks epic! They seamed together very well with the rest of their footage and it definitely helps tell the story. It’s super cool to be a part of something like this.”

UK-based viewers can catch the series on the BBC iPlayer on April 8th, and viewers in the US and Canada can watch it on Tubi starting on May 1st.

Working with TV productions is an exciting opportunity for any photographer, an opportunity to earn revenue and recognition while exercising your creative muscle. Craig has one piece of advice for creatives who want to chase similar opportunities. ”I would say you’re in the right place,” he says. “Getting involved with Amazing Aerial is the reason this happened. With the rate we are moving and the traction Amazing Aerial is gaining, opportunities like this should start happening more often.”

Amazing Aerial, by providing a single point of contact for hundreds of talented photographers from around the world, and acting on behalf of their team members in finding new opportunities, making exciting opportunities such as this one possible.