Badminton Horse Trials is one of the great fixtures in world equestrian sport. First held in 1949, it has grown into one of the most prestigious three-day eventing competitions in the world, attracting the sport's elite riders. Attended by hundreds of thousands of spectators it sits alongside Burghley and Luhmuhlen at the very top of the sport's calendar. Marking its 75th anniversary was an occasion that warranted something genuinely cinematic.
Klaxon were hired to shoot the anniversary VT - a pre-event film that would play on the big screens around the event site as well as across digital channels. The brief was a Netflix-style documentary look, referencing The Last Dance - atmospheric, interview-led with high production values.
All interviews were shot in a single day at Badminton House itself and shooting in a space like that comes with its own set of challenges. The scale of the rooms created significant acoustic problems; sound blankets were rigged to deaden the echo and give the audio the expected clarity. The large windows meant light levels shifted constantly throughout the day as the clouds moved in and out, requiring continuous adjustment to keep the look consistent.
The film was shot on our Sony FX9 cinema line cameras with Sigma Prime lenses, a combination chosen specifically for the depth and character it brings to interview work. The end result reflects the efficiency of the production - a single shoot day, a small crew, and the right kit choices to deliver a result that holds its own against productions with significantly larger budgets.
Filming horses, riders, and events at a professional level requires a specific set of skills - fast-moving subjects, unpredictable outdoor conditions, and environments that demand both technical precision and discretion. Show and competition horses are highly strung animals, and working around them requires a crew that knows how to move quietly, set up efficiently, and not spook a horse that's probably worth considerably more than the production budget!
Kit is always specified to the brief. For interview work, such as the Badminton project, we shot on Sony FX9 cinema line cameras with Sigma Prime lenses, chosen for their low f-stop and the cinematic quality they bring to that style of filming. For live sport, where flexibility and speed matter, we'd typically move to a lighter camera set-up such as the Sony FX6 paired with a high-end zoom lens like the Canon CN-E range, giving us the reach and flexibility needed for live sports.
Yes. Content destined for large outdoor screens has specific technical requirements such as resolution, aspect ratio, and overall visual impact. All of that needs to be considered at the production stage rather than in post, we factor this in from the outset.
Yes, we regularly supply crews and kit to other production companies and agencies. Whether that's a DP and camera package, a full crew for a multi-day shoot, or anything in between. We're happy to work on a white label basis or as a named production partner, depending on what the project requires.