Flying Pictures merges with The Lens Foundry

The Lens Foundry supplies drones, dollies, gimbals and tracking kit primarily to TV productions.

Flying Pictures, which was founded in 1998 by Colin Prescot, provides camera crew, pilots and camera aircraft for the film industry.

Prescot said: “Flying Pictures has been around for some time and has a somewhat ageing population, so we were looking for youth and innovation. We focus on film but [The Lens Foundry’s] portfolio is mainly TV. We are looking to create breadth in both disciplines.”

The deal was completed on Thursday. The new group will trade under the Flying Pictures banner.

Flying Pictures’ James Hunter Smart will continue in his role of managing director of the merged business, with The Lens Foundry’s Adam Sculthorp joining the board of directors as head of cameras and Deane De-Beger taking on the position of client and business development manager. He will work alongside Flying Pictures head of film services Andy Stephens.

Some of Flying Pictures recent credits include London Has Fallen, Eddie The Eagle and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The Lens Foundry has specialised in lightweight stabilised cameras since 2012. Its credits include Sherlock, Poldark and Downton Abbey and film The Huntsman: Winters War.

The Lens Foundry will continue to offer its range of facilities including drones, Movi rigs, cable-cams and tracking vehicles. It will also remain a reseller for Cineflex and Freefly Systems.