The latest film from veteran director Martin Campbell has been released in cinemas in the US. Starring Maggie Q, Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton, The Protégé is a slick action-thriller about an assassin out for revenge. Maggie Q plays Anna, an expert contract killer who started her training as child after being rescued by legendary assassin, Moody (Samuel L. Jackson). The star-studded cast, along with the director that brought us arguably the best Bond films to date, GoldenEye and Casino Royale, deliver a superb action packed summer thriller. Maggie Q excels in her role as the world’s deadliest assassin, as she travels the world in her pursuit of revenge.
Filming took place Bucharest, London and Da Nang, and it was in London that The Aerial Film Company played its part. Principal photography began in January 2020 and our first flight over the city was set for March. However after just a few hours of filming, the UK went into full lockdown and production was halted. It wasn’t until July, after some restrictions were lifted, that production resumed and we were able to get back in the air.
The project called for aerial shots of the city during the morning golden hour. As this was now happening in July instead of March, it meant for a much earlier start to the day. Lifting in one of our London based AS355’s (G-LINE), we headed towards the city, ready with our GSS C516 camera system and ARRI Alexa Mini. Flown by Will Banks and Aerial Camera Operator Mike Parker, they approached the iconic skyline as sun began to peak over the horizon. The weather couldn’t have been better the city was bathed in golden light.
Along with capturing London in the early morning, we were to get shots of some of the city’s iconic landmarks and streets that were eerily quiet due to the pandemic. This not only requires special permissions from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), but also required extra safety measures to be in place to protect everyone involved against COVID-19.
While the film has been released in cinemas in the US, a UK release date has yet to be announced.
