The light. The South Bank faces north across the river, so the sun is behind it for most of the day and the Embankment side catches the light. After dark the Eye and the bridges are lit up.
The reach. This is King’s Reach, the stretch from Westminster Bridge down to London Bridge that the Port of London Authority named in 1935 for George V’s Silver Jubilee.
The traffic. Trip boats and river buses call along both banks all day. Our skippers work around them, and we plan the shots that need clear water for quieter moments.
Holding position. The stream runs strongly through the bridges here, so we choose where the boat holds and for how long with the tide, not against it.
On the water. Commercial filming on the tidal Thames needs permission from the Port of London Authority, and we apply for it as part of the job.
In the air. The London Eye and this stretch of the river sit inside the Hyde Park restricted area (R157), which reaches down to the river here, so drone shots need NATS permission before the day. For tda!’s aerial shoot from our boat on this stretch, the flight was cleared with NATS, the Met Police Film Unit and Merlin Entertainments, who run the Eye.
On land. The London Eye, the Southbank Centre and the riverside walks are private or managed land, so filming or taking off from them needs the owners’ agreement. We tell you early which you need.
London EyeWestminster BridgeBlackfriars Bridge
ProductionsLondon’s landmarks from the ThamesOur RIB as the drone platform for early-morning aerials of London’s landmarks and red buses.Read the job
Our productionsThe Glaukos roundtable, filmed on the ThamesFive eye specialists around one table, filmed on board as the boat passed Westminster and the London Eye.Read the job
ProductionsBTS ARIRANG World Tour on the ThamesOur film boat as the drone platform, and our drone crew in the air, for the Thames activation of BTS’s ARIRANG World Tour.Read the jobYes. It is one of the most filmed views on the river, and from the water you get the Eye, County Hall and the bridges together. We apply for PLA permission and plan the runs with the tide.
Only with NATS permission, as the Eye sits inside the Hyde Park restricted area (R157), and the agreement of the Eye’s operators. We have done it before, and we start the applications as soon as you book.
The South Bank is in its own shadow for much of the day, so early morning, late evening and after dark, when the Eye is lit, are the strongest times from the water.
At a point near the location that suits the tide and the shoot, which we confirm with the call sheet.
