Picture Boats
Sourcing and supplying the right picture boats for filming on the River Thames
Livett’s helps production teams source, secure, and supply the right picture boats for filming on the River Thames.
Although we have one of the largest and most diverse fleets on the river, we do not rely solely on our own fleet.
Where a production needs a particular style, size, or type of vessel for the screen, we work with trusted industry contacts and wider marine networks to find the right boat for the brief – whether that means sourcing locally, securing a specialist vessel, or arranging transport from further afield.
For many productions, the right picture boat needs to look right on camera, fit the creative direction, work within the practical constraints of the location, operate safely, and be available within a tight production schedule.
With decades of Thames filming experience, extensive marine coordination knowledge, and an enviable track record in vessel sourcing and wrangling, we help productions identify exactly what is needed, secure the most suitable craft, and support the practical delivery of the shoot from start to finish.
Whether the requirement is a period rowing boat, a luxury passenger vessel, a hero boat for a key scene, or a superyacht charter for an international production, we can help make it happen.
We also help productions refine the brief where needed, so the vessel selected works creatively on screen and practically on the day.
What we can help with
Sourcing the right vessel for the brief
Some productions need a vessel moved into position, brought into London, relocated to another filming location, or supported with wider transport planning. Livett’s has extensive marine logistics and towage experience and can help coordinate transport, relocation, and practical delivery requirements where needed.
Hero boats and featured vessels
Where a boat needs to play a prominent on-screen role, the requirements are often more specific. We can help source hero boats and featured vessels that fit the look, scale, and tone of the production, while also considering how the vessel will actually work on the river and during filming.
Period, luxury, and unusual craft
Not every production can be served by a standard workboat or camera boat. We have extensive experience sourcing more distinctive vessels where the creative brief demands it – including period craft, luxury passenger vessels, and highly specific specialist boats. Past requirements have ranged from custom-built period rowing boats, through to luxury passenger vessels and superyacht charters for filming in global locations.
Boat wrangling and production liaison
Finding the vessel is only part of the job. We can also wrangle the practical side of securing and managing picture boats for productions, including owner liaison, availability, scheduling, movement planning, access, and making sure the vessel works within the wider marine setup for the shoot.
Transport and logistics where required
Some productions need a vessel moved into position, brought into London, relocated to another filming location, or supported with wider transport planning. Livett’s has extensive marine logistics and towage experience and can help coordinate transport and practical delivery requirements where needed.
Integrating picture boats into the wider filming plan
We can support the wider shoot with marine coordination, safety boats, camera boats, drone platforms, permissions guidance, stakeholder liaison, and practical operational planning to make sure the vessel works as part of a joined-up production plan.
Supplying from the Livett’s fleet where appropriate
In some cases, the right picture boat may already exist within the Livett’s fleet. With access to luxury passenger vessels, yachts, specialist craft, speed boats, camera boats, safety boats, tugs, barges, pontoons, and support vessels, we can often provide suitable options directly where the brief allows.
Insurance for sourced picture boats
Once a hero boat or specialist vessel has been secured, productions then need the right insurance cover in place for filming. That can be difficult and expensive for clients to arrange themselves, particularly where the vessel sits outside their usual production cover. Livett’s can help simplify that process: we have a bespoke insurance arrangement that allows us to add hero boats and other sourced vessels onto our policy as required, for a small premium. That means productions do not need to manage separate insurance relationships or try to piece together cover independently.
Picture boats for a wide range of filming requirements
Whatever your production needs, we help clients source the right picture boats for filming on the River Thames and beyond, combining vessel sourcing expertise with practical marine planning and on-water delivery.
Depending on the brief, we can help procure vessels such as:
- Hero boats for a key scripted scene
- Period or character vessels with a very particular look
- Luxury passenger vessels or yachts for a premium shoot
- Background boats to help build a believable on-water environment
- Specialist vessels sourced from outside the Livett’s fleet
- Vessels sourced from outside London or transported in for the shoot
What picture boat sourcing means in practice
Successful picture boat sourcing is about more than matching a boat to a moodboard.
In practice, it often involves understanding how the vessel needs to look on camera, how it needs to function during filming, whether it needs to carry people or equipment, how it will access the location, how it fits with permissions and safety planning, and whether it needs wider support vessels around it.
That is why productions benefit from working with a marine team that understands both the creative brief and the practical realities of filming on the Thames.
In practical terms, picture boat support can include:
- Understanding the visual and operational brief
- Recommending suitable vessel types
- Sourcing craft from trusted contacts where needed
- Liaising with owners, operators, and other suppliers
- Planning access, timings, and vessel movements
- Coordinating transport or relocation where required
- Integrating picture boats into wider filming, safety, and permissions planning
- Supporting the shoot itself with marine coordination and on-water delivery
The aim is not simply to find a boat; it is to secure the right vessel, in the right place, at the right time, with the right support around it.
Why production teams choose Livett’s for picture boats
Extensive vessel sourcing and wrangling experience
Livett’s has extensive experience sourcing and wrangling vessels for productions, from straightforward support craft through to highly specific hero boats and specialist requirements. That experience matters because the right vessel is often shaped as much by the practical filming brief as by the creative one.
Strong understanding of what productions actually need
We work closely with production teams to understand exactly what style of vessel is needed, what the boat needs to do, how it needs to look on camera, and what constraints the shoot has around access, movement, safety, and scheduling.
More than just a sourcing service
We do not just make introductions and leave the rest to the production. We help shape the brief, assess whether a proposed vessel is realistic for the shoot, handle practical wrangling, and tie the boat into the wider marine plan.
Extensive Thames knowledge and wider marine capability
Sourcing the right boat is only part of the challenge. Productions also need to know whether it can operate where required, how it will access the location, what permissions may be needed, what safety support should be in place, and how it fits into a busy tidal river environment. That is where our extensive Thames experience becomes especially valuable.
Able to support unusual and high-end requirements
Where the brief calls for something more specialist, premium, or unusual, we can draw on trusted contacts and broader marine experience to help secure the right solution. That includes experience around luxury passenger vessels, yachts, and superyachts, as well as highly specific or bespoke craft requirements.
Supported by a wider filming fleet and coordination team
Picture boats are often only one part of a larger filming operation. Because we also provide marine coordination, camera boats, safety boats, drone platforms, and permissions support, we can help productions manage the wider job in a more joined-up and efficient way.
How we work
1. Understand the brief
We start by understanding what is needed on screen, what kind of vessel the production is looking for, where the shoot is taking place, and what the boat needs to do operationally.
2. Recommend the right picture boat approach
We help assess whether the requirement can be met from the Livett’s fleet or whether an external vessel should be sourced through trusted contacts. We then shape the sourcing approach around the creative, operational, and logistical needs of the job.
3. Source and wrangle the vessel
Where external sourcing is needed, we identify suitable options, liaise with owners or operators, and help manage the practical process of securing the right vessel for the shoot.
4. Plan the practical delivery
Where needed, we support access, timings, safety considerations, permissions guidance, logistics, and wider marine coordination so the picture boat works as part of a properly planned shoot.
5. Deliver experienced support on the day
With the right vessel and plan in place, we provide experienced marine support to help the shoot run smoothly, efficiently, and with fewer surprises on the day.
River Thames picture boats FAQs
Can Livett’s source picture boats that are not in your own fleet?
Yes. We can source and wrangle specialist vessels through trusted industry contacts where the right option is not already within the Livett’s fleet.
What types of picture boats can you source?
That depends on the brief, but it can include hero boats, period craft, luxury passenger vessels, yachts, superyachts, background vessels, and other specialist boats needed for production.
Can you help if we do not know exactly what vessel we need?
Yes. We often work with productions to understand the creative and practical brief first, then recommend the most suitable type of vessel based on what is needed on screen and what is realistic for the shoot.
Can picture boat sourcing be combined with other filming services?
Yes. Picture boat sourcing can be combined with marine coordination, safety boats, camera boats, drone platforms, permissions support, stakeholder liaison, and wider filming logistics.
Can Livett’s help with transport or relocation of a sourced vessel?
Yes, where required we can help coordinate the practical logistics around moving or relocating vessels as part of the wider production plan.
Can you source picture boats for productions outside London?
Yes. While the Thames is one of our core areas of expertise, we can also support productions more widely across the UK and internationally where required, including sourcing or helping procure vessels for shoots far beyond London.
Need help sourcing the right picture boat for your shoot?
If your production needs a specific type of vessel for filming on the River Thames, getting the right boat in place can make a significant difference to both the look of the scene and the practicality of delivering it.
We can help you define the brief, source or secure the right vessel, coordinate the practical side of the job, and support the wider filming plan needed to make the shoot happen smoothly, safely, and with the right craft on screen.
Speak to Livett’s about picture boats for your Thames shoot: