Filming in Germany for Premier Inn
When we were tasked with capturing the culture, tourism, and unbeatable comfort of Premier Inn across Germany, we knew it was going to be an unforgettable project. The brief? Travel across the country, and capture the unique vibes of Frankfurt and Stuttgart, and highlight exactly why Germany is the perfect investment opportunity for growth for Premier Inn.
But, as any video production team knows, the final cut only tells a fraction of the story. The real adventure happens behind the scenes – from navigating foreign roads in the dark, to flying drones over historical castles.
We wanted to show a quick glimpse into our German filming road trip!
Lugging Gear and Left-Hand Drives
Every international shoot starts with a logistical puzzle – what kit should we take, how do we travel there, are there any travel restrictions, where do we stay etc etc. Trying to get everything to align takes a lot more work than you’d think!
We had three suitcases and a few carry-ons to get everything over, so we had to do some serious reorganisation of our kit to optimise the amount of space in our luggage that we were allowed to take on the flight, and check any flight restrictions for things like lithium batteries going into cargo (big no-no!).
For this project, we took a divide-and-conquer approach to our travel arrangements due to prior commitments. I hauled all the film equipment and camera gear on a Lufthansa flight out of Birmingham and eventually met up with Ben on the Frankfurt side, who flew in from London. Carrying all those bags isn’t easy!
We grabbed our rental car – a surprisingly sleek, upgraded Vauxhall Astra Tourer – and immediately faced our first hurdle: driving on the right side of the road in the dark. With no other cars on the road to act as a guide, making sense of the foreign road layouts and confusing floor markings was a baptism by fire.
Confusing Roads and Cultural Comforts
Navigating Frankfurt’s streets was tricky, especially when we arrived at night and could barely understand what was going in around us. Germany is incredibly bike-friendly, which is amazing to see, but trying to figure out where to turn amid a maze of tram lines and cycle paths definitely kept us on our toes!
After a stressful nighttime arrival, getting to the Premier Inn Frankfurt Messe was a massive relief. We checked in late with an early call time looming. Thankfully, the hotel delivered exactly what it promises: an incredible night’s sleep. We woke up refreshed and headed down for a classic, hearty German breakfast – think massive platters of local meats, cheeses, and fresh pretzels – not forgetting the large volume of coffee needed for the day ahead. It was exactly the fuel we needed.
The Shoot & The City: While Frankfurt is famous as a financial hub, we found a surprisingly traditional charm during our time there. When we weren’t filming inside the hotels, we were out exploring the city and eating incredibly well. We fuelled our shoot days with authentic Turkish pita, local German kola, and a must-try regional specialty: traditional schnitzel served with Frankfurt’s famous Grüne Soße (green sauce).
The Autobahn to Heidelberg
You cannot do a German road trip without experiencing the Autobahn. Traveling between Frankfurt and Stuttgart, we safely tested the derestricted zones, hitting 200km/h for a brief stretch – a bit of a “rite of passage” ritual for driving in Germany! However, most of the journey was spent carefully navigating the busy intercity traffic.
Our route included a heavily anticipated, planned detour to Heidelberg. We pulled over to send the drone up and capture sweeping, cinematic shots of the historic Heidelberg Castle. Getting that scale and epic scenery was a massive win for the video’s tourism angle.
Modern Cityscapes and Park Views
Arriving in Stuttgart, the vibe shifted immediately. While we expected Frankfurt to be the purely modern city, Stuttgart felt incredibly contemporary, packed with bustling shops and sleek cityscapes. We were stationed slightly outside of the city this time, so opted for local trains and dott (e-bike) for transport! You’d be surprised how mobile you can be with a couple of backpacks stuff with kit.
Because we were constantly on the move, capturing footage between dense city centres and more open areas like the beautiful Höhenpark Killesberg, we kept our camera setup relatively lightweight. However, lightweight doesn’t mean compromising on quality. To capture the culture and tourism angles, we shot several vox pops of customers, and strategic interviews along the way. We utilised a portable autocue and a compact lighting setup that we had managed to squeeze into our checked luggage, allowing us to get polished, professional interviews anywhere.
The Wrap
Flying back to Birmingham, the feeling was overwhelmingly positive. Sometimes, business trips are just business. But this project for Premier Inn gave us the mutual benefit of exploring Germany’s rich culture while capturing it on camera.
From the confusing midnight roads of Frankfurt to the modern energy of Stuttgart, it was a memorable, highly productive shoot. We cannot wait to share the final videos – and maybe grab another schnitzel with green sauce the next time we are in town.
If you have an exciting project that needs the support of a well-travelled video production company, then get in touch!