RFE International: Reebok One Series

One Series, Multiple Filming Locations

We were asked by RFE International to create a video promoting their new Reebok One Series range of fitness equipment. The brief involved showing the equipment being used indoors, with an outdoor “echo”, showing the real-life version of the discipline involved – not only would we film rowing machines and exercise bikes, but we’d also film the same model rowing and cycling in suitable filming locations to bring home the realistic application of each training method.

Working on a limited budget, we had the challenge of arranging 6 general shooting locations (river, off-road cycling, road cycling, road running, track running and indoor training), with 2 or 3 sub-locations within each. Each had to be visually interesting and “real” – e.g. Box Hill for the cycling, or Henley on Thames for the rowing.

We contacted the various authorities involved, including The National Trust, Henley Rowing Club, St Mary’s College, Twickenham, and put in place all of the shoot plans and risk assessments required in order to utilise the locations. Of course, these filming dates had to work with the availability of the models and the crew, so the management of the project took up a considerable amount of the pre-production time.

We filmed multiple outdoor elements in slow motion with DOP Mark Langton using the Sony FS7, shooting up to 150 frames per second, knowing that once we’d brought the footage into the edit suite we could play with the speed of the footage, ramping between slow and fast motion, which became a feature of the video. Director Matt also shot supplementary steadicam footage, such as the shot which follows the model up the stairs, to add movement and dynamism to the video.

Over the course of 4 shoot days we amassed the footage we needed to create the finished video, which then needed additional grading, sound FX and graphics to bring the video to life, and ensure the key messages were carried.