London is known worldwide for its amazing period properties and heritage locations. These offer location filming a level of authenticity and historical accuracy that is hard to find anywhere else in the world. However, preserving and protecting these locations from the activity of a busy film or television production, can be a challenge unto itself.

Film London’s Winona Navin-Holder spoke to some of our partners about the different creative ways in which they protect and conserve heritage locations, and parkland.

Finding the Best Suppliers to Protect your Location

A film crew can inevitably create unnecessary damage to a location. Displayways, a large format printing business, has some ingenious answers to this problem. Company Director Nick Bishop told us more.

Nick: No matter what the location, a film shoot can take its toll. If your camera is turning over in a prestigious environment such as a beautiful stately home or medieval castle, you want to minimise the potential for even the smallest scratch. Displayways has the answer for this. The business specialises in the production and installation of signage and graphics for Film & TV, with expertise in producing and applying graphics and signage to a wide variety of surfaces, both indoors and outdoors.”

We create replicas of floors, windows, interior walls and wallpapers, as well as exterior mainstays and bastions, all of which we turn into graphics. The graphics are made actual size and applied to the surface to minimise any chance of damage. This could include replicating an 18th century wallpaper design or reproducing an existing mosaic floor.

It means the tracks of a heavy camera dolly will not leave any visible marks or a shooting platform can be installed without damage to the original floor. At Displayways, a lot of care goes into the choice of adhesive used. Strong adhesives often leave a slight residue or take off paint or varnish when removed. Because of this the team now have a wide range of alternatives available so when the graphic is finally removed, the area returns to the way it was found.

They can also replicate different floor surfaces to protect the floor and make it shoot friendly. For example, if you’re shooting a fight scene with blood being splashed around, (and who isn’t these days) Displayways can replicate the original floor using a washable lino. They also replicate carpets, which can be laid over the top of an original and then set on fire.

Concerned about an antique table or desk being upturned in a fight scene? Fear not, Displayways can help you replicate the furniture down to the ornate patterns on it, so it can be destroyed to your hearts content. Worried about a medieval tapestry being damaged? Again, a large fabric banner can replicate wall coverings, and ceilings and Displayways can print onto slate, stone, glass, and all types of woods to help with false floors, walls and different areas to replicate the real thing.

Find out more about Displayways here.

If you’d like to find out how Displayways can help protect your film location, just drop Nick Bishop a message at: film@displayways.co.uk