A construction time-lapse can run for a few days or several years. The right length depends on what you want the film to show: one moment, one phase, or the whole build from empty site to handover.
The short answer
| What you want to show | Typical length |
|---|---|
| A single event | A few days, for a major lift, a bridge or crane installation, a concrete pour or an opening |
| One phase of work | Weeks or months, for an internal fit-out, a demolition or a frame going up |
| The whole build | The full programme, often several years: at London Luton Airport three cameras filmed three years of redevelopment |
Filming the whole build
For a film that tells the full story, start the camera before work begins on site and keep it running until handover. The empty site at the start is what makes the finished building look impressive at the end, and it cannot be filmed afterwards.
Long-running cameras also pay for themselves during the project. Images arrive every few minutes, so the portal becomes a time-stamped record of the site that teams use for progress reports, client updates and checking what happened when.
As the build changes, the best view often changes too. Camera moves are included in our service, so a camera that starts on the ground can move to a neighbouring building or a higher bracket as the structure rises.
Filming a single event
Short-term cameras suit moments that happen over hours or days. At Broadgate, short-term cameras filmed the jacking of the Fulcrum sculpture alongside the long-term cameras on 100 Liverpool Street. Tower crane mounts give a high view for short-term coverage.
Things that affect the length
- Your programme. Programmes change, so plan for the camera to stay until the building is finished rather than to a fixed date.
- Phases and plots. On large sites, cameras can start and stop as each plot or phase begins and ends.
- What the film is for. A marketing film needs the dramatic parts: groundworks, frame, cladding and landscaping. A progress record needs everything.
- Budget. Long-term cameras are priced monthly (ours start from £220 a month), and short-term filming is quoted per project.
After the cameras come down
At the end of the project we edit the final film and the portal stays open free for six months, so you can still download images and clips. Longer access is available for a small monthly fee.
Planning cameras for a project?
Tell us about your site and we will recommend the cameras, positions and duration, then confirm it all at a free site survey.
Related: time-lapse camera hire · how many cameras do I need?
