News Time-lapse in the public interest
With construction projects especially, site monitoring functions are a valuable intermediary solution between the contractor, clients, and the wider public throughout the duration of a project.
Additionally, a completed time-lapse video edit provides a visual record that can be used for archival and promotional purposes beyond completion.
This blog spotlights several benefits of utilising time-lapse capture and site monitoring on projects with a high investment of public interest.
Time-lapse and site monitoring offers flexible, versatile solutions for projects across a variety of genres. Particularly in the public sector, any development large or small will potentially affect the daily lives of many people.
Works for services such as military and police forces, infrastructure, public transport, education, and health care, often attract significant attention from local and national news providers. Such services stand to benefit society as a whole, and so it is crucial that relevant information is communicated.
Project file #1 – Hanley City Centre Bus Station construction
Location: Hanley Bus Station, Stoke-on-Trent
Project value: £15 million of £350 million City Sentral regeneration
Our client: VINCI Construction UK
Capture duration: 15 months
Images captured: Over 21,000 images from one camera system
In 2012, VINCI Construction UK commissioned one of our camera systems for the dual purpose of site monitoring and time-lapse capture.
Installed on the roof of the Victoria Hall theatre, the camera system looked towards the south of the city to capture the construction of Stoke-on-Trent’s state-of-the-art bus terminal.
This build was a fundamental component of wider £350 million major developments and regeneration works underway to transform the city centre into a regional shopping destination.
This completed two-minute edit shows the complete trajectory of the project, following initial groundworks, the construction itself, through to the bus station in its full working capacity.
Time-lapse is often a key component in the video marketing campaigns of construction companies, an ideal tool to enhance your brand according to your own individual identity.
Time-lapse video documenting construction projects in the public sector can work in a similar way for local councils as well as the contractor.
Following completion of the works in question, a fully comprehensive video edit can be incorporated on authority websites, blogs, as well as various news platforms to provide a visual element to such reports. An added advantage comes from social media as that news of public developments may be dispersed quicker and to broader audiences.
Site monitoring solutions also contribute to a wider scope of visibility via the networked possibilities of an online viewing platform.
Project file #2 – Watford FC’s Sir Elton John Stand construction
Location: Watford Football Club, Vicarage Road, Watford
Project value: £3.5 million
Our client: GL events
Capture duration: 36 weeks
Images captured: Over 13,000 images from one camera system
In late 2014 we captured a key rejuvenation at Watford Football Club stadium at Vicarage Road in Watford.
Our camera system documented the long-awaited replacement of the stadium’s old Main Stand, which had been out of action since 2008 due to concerns over health and safety.
Capturing the full demolition and construction of the new Sir Elton John Stand, images populated an online viewer throughout the entire duration of the project. GL events publicly shared the link to this viewer on their website so that progress could be shared with the football club and their fans. It was also a hit on social media.
Construction monitoring allows seamless communication relating to a particular project between all invested parties.
Via sophisticated online wireless networks connected to the camera system on-site, images then populate remotely on a viewing platform, which can be accessed from multiple desktops and handheld devices.
Viewers can be embedded onto company/ service provider websites as a means of offering ‘live’ progress to the public.
Particularly where developments offer exciting improvements to public services, like for sports and leisure facilities, these intermediary platforms have the potential to generate continued excitement throughout the duration.
Our solutions have also been used to capture works across other public sectors with similar benefits, including:
- Military-based projects
- Infrastructural works on UK road and rail networks
- And developments in the education sector.