CONTEXT

But the travelling doesn’t stop at the Irish border. Over the years, we’ve also been lucky enough to bring our cameras abroad. We’ve covered the Tour de France and Cheltenham for Off The Ball, filmed in London for Trend Micro’s CloudSec event, travelled to Norwich Stadium for BRISK AI, filmed at the World Travel Market 2024, and worked with Future Ticketing in Cardiff, Dundee, and Cheltenham. When a client asks, “How would you feel about flying to Scotland for this shoot?” the answer is always an easy yes. We love it.

The Logistics of Travelling for Work

Of course, travelling with a van full of kit or flying with half a studio on your back isn’t always glamorous. Organisation is key. Mark is the head of packing at 528, and in seven years we’ve never once turned up to a shoot missing a piece of equipment (touch wood). That’s no small feat when you’re dealing with multiple cameras, drones, lenses, tripods, stands, and lighting kits.

• Protective gear: All our cameras travel in Pelican cases with trackers built in. That way, even if someone decides to fling them around at baggage handling, we know they’re safe and we know exactly where they are.
• Flying with batteries: Batteries must always go in carry-on, and we’ve had our fair share of “conversations” at airports about this. In fact, earlier this year an airport mistakenly took our batteries off us, believing we were over EU limits. Thanks to Instagram, we managed to connect with an English videographer, Keith, who kindly lent us his batteries for the shoot. We later met with the head of security at that airport, showed them the EU regulations, and got everything cleared up. Lesson learned: always expect the unexpected.
• C-stands & tripods: We’ve got a dedicated bag for stands and tripods. Flying with bulky kit isn’t always fun, but the peace of mind of having our own reliable equipment makes it worth it.
• Testing before you travel: Every single cable, every battery, every memory card is checked before we leave. Forget a lead in Cork and you can always nip home, forget one, and realise in the middle of remote Scotland, and you’re in trouble.
  

Road Trips, Ferries, and Flexibility

Not every job involves a flight. For one Scotland shoot earlier this year, no flights were available. Rather than risk letting the client down, we drove to Belfast, got the ferry over, drove to Dundee, shot the project, stayed over night, and drove all the way back. It was a long haul, but it was a time-sensitive situation, and that’s just what needed to be done. We don’t mind a road trip if it means the client gets what they need.

The truth is, this type of work is unpredictable by nature. Weather changes, schedules shift, people don’t turn up. Being flexible and adaptable is just part of the game. Our job is to make sure that no matter what happens, the client gets the content they need, on time and to the standard they expect.

Why We Love It

Travelling for work isn’t always smooth sailing, but we wouldn’t change it for the world. We’ve seen places we never thought we’d see, worked in stadiums and city centres across Europe, and met people who started out as clients and are now friends. Whether it’s a four-hour drive across Ireland, a ferry to Scotland, or a flight to France, the road is just part of what makes this job so exciting.

Looking for a team that goes wherever the story takes them?

From every county in Ireland to shoots across Europe, 528 Creative brings the same energy, organisation, and creativity on the road as we do at home. If your next project needs a crew that’s ready to travel, let’s make it happen.