Film boat hire on the River Lea
The Lee Navigation runs down through east London from Tottenham and Hackney, past Hackney Wick and through the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to Bow and the Thames. From a boat you can frame the London Stadium, the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the park's bridges, then the warehouses and graffiti of Hackney Wick a few minutes upstream.
Like the canals, the Lea is narrow and slow, so we use a narrowboat or a small electric boat with room for a camera and a small crew, and a skipper who knows the locks. Through the park the water is calmer and more open, which suits steady tracking shots.
Permission. The Canal & River Trust looks after the navigation, and the park has its own managers, so filming needs the Trust's permission on the water and the park's on land. We line the two up.
Speed and locks. Boats keep to 4 mph. The locks, and the tidal water below Bow Locks, are planned into the day.
Events. Matches, concerts and events at the stadium fill the park and its towpaths, so we check the calendar before we fix a date.
Drones. The park sits outside London's restricted areas, about 2.6 km from London City Airport's flight restriction zone. Crowds and park rules still shape where and when we fly, and any take-off in the park needs its managers' agreement.
Filming on the tidal river as well? The Thames section covers it from Teddington to the sea.
The Canal & River Trust looks after the navigation and the park has its own managers, so filming needs the Trust's permission on the water and the park's on land. We line the two up.
The park sits outside London's restricted areas, about 2.6 km from London City Airport's flight restriction zone. Any take-off in the park needs its managers' agreement, and crowds and park rules shape where and when we fly.
Yes. Matches, concerts and events at the stadium fill the park and its towpaths, so we check the calendar before we fix a date.
