The Challenge
“out with the old, in with the new”
In collaboration with ‘Amey’ and ‘National Highways’, ‘Sir Robert McAlpine’ replaced the A553 expressway bridge just outside ‘Runcorn’. ‘Sir Robert McAlpine’ contacted us regarding this project with the aim of recording the construction and installation of the new bridge as well as the demolition of the old bridge. These processes spanned 2 different weekends across 2022 with the demolition taking place in early 2023. The challenge for our film/editing team was showing the grandeur and scale of the project, which is delivering a bridge that will last for generations to come.
The Approach
Instead of condensing a project of this scale into a single video, we opted to break it up into three separate short films. Each film based around a different section of the works. One film for the assembly of the bridge deck, the second for the installation of the bridge and the third being the demolition of the old bridge.
For the assembly of the bridge beams, we decided upon a combination of on the ground filming, short timelapse recordings and aerial footage from a DJI Mini 3 Pro drone. All captured in 4k quality. This approach provided a variety of footage from multiple points of view, making for a captivating edit on the first film.
The installation and demolition processes took place over multiple days and nights. To capture the entire process we utilised our high specification timelapse systems. Our engineers placed them in strategic locations to maximise the coverage of the work. Furthermore, we wanted to capture the detail of the installation and demolition works. GoPro’s and dslr cameras captured the smaller processes, as well as the DJI Mini 3 Pro drone for an aerial view of the action. Utilising these methods of filming creates a rich bank of footage allowing great flexibility in the edit.
The Result
Each draft film was well received by ‘Sir Robert McAlpine’. Changes to the structure of the video were minimal. The only adjustments were to branding within and at the start of the edits. Senior project manager, Chris Buckley approved the final edits. He intends to continue to use the films to showcase the project. The completed trio of films document the journey of the expressway bridge in terrific fashion. It shows the intricate processes behind construction, installation and demolition. They demonstrate the importance of the bridge which is set to last for the next 120 years.
“The videos catch the human aspect of the team completing the works not just the work activity itself and the real time footage to the timelapse blended makes for a product that is more visually appealing and easier to view.”
Chris Buckley – Senior Project Manager
