The Grand Tour: One for the Road 2023

Challenge

Advising as location producer and providing safety for a scene crossing the largest man-made lake in the world: Lake Kariba, 220km in length. The lake has no communication options in the middle and is prone to wind producing 1m waves. The presenters planned to load each of their cars onto small boats and travel the full length of the lake as part of their journey across the country.

Our Approach

To support the production team from an initial location recce, including identifying local crew and boats, through to planning the logistics for the final crossing scene shoot. We also provided a UK safety team from Adventure Consultancy to support the production team of 60 people on boats.

Delivery

From the initial recce, we identified route locations and loading/unloading points for cars on small boats, made contact with local boat builders and explored potential boat options, travelled across the lake to test communications, and assessed the varied weather patterns.

Over a number of months we then worked with the local team in Zimbabwe and the production team in the UK to plan the proposed shoot in terms of timings, safety considerations and scene management.

A small team of Adventure Consultancy staff arrived two weeks before the shoot to test and adapt boats with vehicles loaded for stability and handling, calculate travel speeds, and prep a full fleet of safety boats, a car ferry and passenger craft for crew. In total, a flotilla for 60 people, multiple cars on boats, and all production equipment.

Outcome

With everything in place, we loaded the cars and began a two-day overnight crossing as part of the shoot, filming the start and finish points. Our team managed the craft through the night, helmed and crewed safety boats and camera boats, and ensured it all went smoothly. The production team then continued filming their journey across the country, while our team managed the return journey back across the lake over another two days to take all craft back to their start points.

Key Results

Working with some amazing local crew, we successfully facilitated the planned scene and all the unplanned happenings that came with it, including challenging weather and water conditions and plenty of crocodiles watching our every move.