THE BOYS IN THE BOAT

Martin Ruhe ASC visited The Helicopter Girls HQ in early pre-production to explore aerial options for the film's epic race sequences. With the film shot entirely in the UK but set on the waters of Lake Washington, scale and authenticity were everything.

Pete Ayriss flew from a separate vessel while Phil Arntz operated from the same boat as Ruhe and Clooney — enabling real-time creative communication with zero margin for error. Flying as low as 20cm above the water surface, Pete could capture performances without creating wash for the rowers.

When the production suggested the drone should hold at the start line as the boats pulled away, it was Pete who proposed chasing the boats down — moving through the middle and around the front before settling alongside the hero boat in a four-minute fluid tracking move. George Clooney later said he didn't know where to cut out of it because it kept developing.

"Pete and Phil are great craftsmen, understanding, efficient and artists with drones. They like a challenge and deliver. The collaboration was great."

— Martin Ruhe ASC, DOP