How XM2 PURSUIT helped bring 'F9: The Fast Saga' to life
Film franchises don’t get much bigger than Fast & Furious, and F9: The Fast Saga isn’t taking its foot off the gas.
Directed by Justin Lin, F9 marks the ninth installment in this high-octane series, and XM2 PURSUIT is proud to have helped bring it to life. Operating on multiple continents, our teams captured intense stunt sequences across Main and Second Units as well as highly detailed content for visual effects. For two decades, the Fast & Furious franchise has been known for its incredible chase sequences and stunts, and the vast experience and knowledge of our pilots, camera operators, and technicians provided the expertise to deliver the creative vision.
During production, XM2 PURSUIT had one aerial team working on Main Unit with Director Justin Lin and DP Stephen Windon on a set built at Leavesden Studios in southeast England. At the same time, we had teams traveling to Krabi, Thailand and then Tbilisi, Georgia with Second Unit Director Spiro Razatos and DP Igor Meglic, as well as a Splinter Unit in Edinburgh, Scotland. Each team was deeply involved in the planning and safety analysis of the stunt sequences, which often involved pyrotechnics and airborne vehicles, all happening around the main car chase sequence. To keep up with the action, our teams operated out of a chase vehicle with the drone pilots often secured onto the back of a flatbed truck in full safety gear. On a set like F9, the stakes are high and there is only one chance to nail the perfect shot, and that is exactly what we did.
The extreme level of planning and coordination that goes into each action sequence in F9 is on display in the video below. This particular stunt involved the XM2 Tango aircraft operating in close proximity to cars being flung into the air.
In addition to drone filming capabilities, our team provided VFX data capture services through aerial and ground-based LIDAR and photogrammetry. This resulted in highly detailed digital 3D models for post-production work. Our engineers also developed the Manta array, a customized remote head, carrying three synchronized ARRI Alexa Mini LFs to create ultra-high-resolution aerial and ground plates.
XM2 PURSUIT prides itself on innovation, collaboration, and professionalism which allows us to push the boundaries of what is possible in filmmaking. Our skilled global team tackles each project with unique and open perspectives that cater specifically to the needs of each project, and our work on F9 showcases just that.
You can watch the full F9 trailer below.
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