Blitz
BETTER BY WATER
PROJECT DETAILS
When: January 2023
Where: Wapping Pier
Vessels used: Bravo Lima GB; Dart; Echo Lima I; Equity; Thames Vixen; Various hired vessels
London was thrown back to the early years of World War 2 for the production of drama Blitz, directed by Oscar-winning Steve McQueen.
Here’s how we helped make it happen…
PROJECT VIDEO
HOW LIVETT'S MADE IT HAPPEN
This war drama, starring Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson, and Elliott Heffernan, tells the story of a defiant young boy who goes on an adventure in London during the Blitz whilst his distraught mother searches for him.
Our highly regarded River Thames filming and marine coordination team, led by Ed Livett, were recruited to help produce scenes on the water. This included a major special effects set piece, in which an ablaze German aircraft slams into riverside buildings.
To ensure the scenes were era-appropriate, we sourced two period barges suitable for the 1940s setting. Further illustrating our credentials in stress-free boat wrangling services for all filming requirements, we also sourced two additional lighting vessels.
Scenes were filmed in and around Wapping Pier across two nights in January 2023. During filming, several Livett’s-owned vessels were deployed:
- Bravo Lima GB was used as a camera boat
- Dart hosted key lighting equipment
- Echo Lima I and Equity acted as safety boats
- Thames Vixen was the on-site tug
We also hired in Developer, which was used as a dedicated special effects barge to create the dramatic walls of fire on the Thames.
Filming went perfectly to plan and the resulting scenes – a snippet of which you can see in the trailer – make for spectacular viewing.
Blitz received critical acclaim following its release in select cinemas and Apple TV+ in November 2024. It was instantly tipped for awards season, with buzz of it receiving Oscar nominations in several categories.
