When Channel 4, which champions unheard voices and is renowned for taking bold creative stands, was searching for a large venue to shoot its latest brand film, it required a special events space. The UK television broadcaster chose the QEII Centre’s flagship space The Churchill for its main shoot in October 2020 and used the first floor open-plan space The Pickwick as a breakout and refreshment space to keep its crew fully fuelled. Filming was wrapped up in a day with Channel 4 praising QEII’s great space and lighting, helpful staff and ‘excellent’ COVID-secure measures.

Objective

In order to film its brand film, designed to outline Channel 4’s future vision and set to be viewed by more than 1,000 people, the television broadcaster needed a flexible professional backdrop as well as access to high quality lighting and audio.

The TV crew of up to 15 brought their own cameras and minimal lighting and supplied GFX and video, but asked for QEII to provide an audio, lighting and video technician to support them while they were on-site.

Execution

Following a site visit by the film’s director, the Channel 4 crew opted to use the QEII’s impressive and highly versatile Churchill suite. Named after one of Britain’s greatest inspirational leaders, the space has previously hosted world leaders, industry leaders and some of the greatest minds of our age, so offered the perfect creative backdrop to record its future vision.

On 20 October, a small crew from Channel 4 arrived with kit and set up in The Churchill. A technician from QEII’s in-house AV team QEII Live was on hand to provide additional support as and when required.

Once set-up, actor Siobhan McSweeney, who plays Sister Michael in the hit comedy Derry Girls, was filmed on-stage delivering a mock presentation outlining Channel 4’s vision for the future.

Refreshments, including vegan and vegetarian options, were supplied to the Channel 4 team throughout the day. QEII’s award-winning in-house catering team QEII Taste set up a coffee machine in The Pickwick – QEII’s open-plan first floor space offering views of Westminster Abbey – to allow them to prepare their own quality coffees as and when, and served a selection of breakfast baps to the crew on arrival.

At lunch, attendees could choose from a delicious bento box food menu. The boxes, which are single portions and sealed for added safety, included a cold box of Mediterranean salad and hot boxes of chicken tikka masala and vegan coconut dahl, both served with rice and naan. Desserts were chocolate torte and vegan trifle.

QEII Taste also supplied other hot drinks, orange juice and homemade biscuits and cakes to keep the Channel 4 crew fuelled through the day.

Results

The whole day of filming went smoothly with no challenges and the outcome was very positive. Channel 4 were thrilled with the result and praised the professional team at QEII.

Rory Maclean, producer at 4Creative, Channel 4, said: “We initially chose The QEII Centre for the space, but it also has great lighting, staff were very helpful, and the Centre had excellent COVID-secure measures in place. The audio and lighting supplied were fantastic and we were very happy with our experience. The team were all brilliant. I would certainly use the QEII Centre again in the future. It’s a very well-run organisation.”