Behind the scenes: filming Voodoo’s 2022 range of bikes

During the summer, Voodoo released their 2022 range of bikes including all-new hardtail mountain bikes, adventure and hybrid bikes as well as a junior range. These bikes were launched with an incredible suite of images and videos which captured these amazing bikes in action.

Months of planning and long days in remote locations across the UK were required, but in the end, the results were epic! Here’s what went into capturing video and still shots of the new Voodoo range.

The locations

Selecting the right locations for the shoot was no mean feat. As the range included different styles of bike, the locations had to be varied while remaining just as epic as the bikes we were filming. From capable hardtail mountain bikes which were crying out for technical descents and flowing berms to mile-munching gravel bikes, we needed somewhere that had it all. In the end we settled on North Wales and it didn’t disappoint!

Location 1: Revolution Bike Park

Nestled at the foot of the Berwyn Mountain range, Revolution Bike Park is a familiar name to many avid mountain bikers in the UK. With wonderfully varied sections of trail, it was the perfect location to put the hardtail bikes through their paces. The park also has epic fire roads that open out into sprawling views, providing the perfect opportunity to capture stunning shots of the gravel bikes.

Filming took place in early spring while the park was closed, giving the crew free roam to set up camera equipment targeting various sections of trail.

Before the riders were let loose, each bike was carefully positioned throughout the park in a spot befitting its capability. The photo and film crews dropped by to capture the key features, taking stunning static shots, and capturing slow panning video to use on the final edits.

With the static shots taken care of, it was time to see the bikes in action! Stationed at the top of the park, the crew sent the riders down the trails where carefully placed cameras and a drone caught footage of the bikes. Once through the filming spots, the riders and bikes were back on the Land Rovers ready to hit the line again.

By the end of the day, we’d captured lots of epic footage, but the most exciting shot of the first day was capturing the new Bizango as it flew through a gap in the trees. Just as the sun started to go down and the dense woods got darker, the crew pumped smoke through the trees and switched on bright lights to create an atmospheric effect. From behind the smoke, the bike and rider disappeared with those watching left in awe-struck silence as it become airborne. Thanks to an experienced rider and a well-rehearsed crew using clever angles, the footage was captured safely but with epic results.

After two days of filming, we packed up at Revolution Bike Park, with the riders loving the bikes and having only had a puncture or two to deal with, and we headed down the mountain very excited to move onto location number 2!

Location 2: Snowdonia Mountains

“The Ridgeline” as it became known to the crew was an expansive area of privately-owned land which included a stunning lake, tall mountains and, as the nickname would suggest, a ridgeline that stretched up for over a thousand feet.

This was the perfect setting for epic wide shots, inspiring stills and, thanks to miles of paved and gravel roads, the ideal location to capture the rigid bikes in action.

Arriving while the morning mist still covered the mountains, half of the team headed up the ridgeline while the other half started shooting the stationary shots of the gravel bikes and hybrids. The ridgeline team slowly made their way uphill as the mist cleared revealing incredible views of Snowdonia and the lake below. 

From the lakeside, the team below watched on as the tiny figures of the riders and crew moved along the ridgeline above. Those with sharper sight could make out the drone which was chasing the riders along the trail.

The incredible job put into selecting the perfect location quickly became apparent when it came to shooting the Nakisi. The earth-toned colours of the frame were complimented by the landscape behind, and the brighter bikes stood out against this epic backdrop.

The riders

Prior to the shoot, we knew we had got the location nailed, had a range of bikes that looked great and were going to get Voodoo riders (new and old) pumped. All we needed were some epic riders for the shoot to tie everything together. We found the perfect riders for the job! 

Katie Purvis

Focussing mainly on the downhill discipline, Katie is a highly skilled mountain bike rider who won the English Championships back in 2019. Her skills were instantly apparent on the shoot, effortlessly guiding the bikes through the trails. Katie rode the Soukri and Bizango Pro as well as the Nakisi and Marasa. It was great to get her feedback on the bikes and we’re happy to report she loved them!

Riley Scott

Riley too is a very skilled downhill mountain bike rider with a host of accolades to his name gained over more than five years of competitive riding. Again, it was a pleasure to watch him tear down the trails and it was Riley that rode though the smoke-filled gap in the trees to provide us with the epic footage of the Bizango Pro – a moment when his skills really shone through as he kept his cool even when surrounded by the crew and equipment.

Davi Roberts

Davi is a familiar face to those who have followed Voodoo bikes for a few years, having featured on previous shoots for the brand including the latest e-bikes video. A recognised name in 4x (fourcross) racing, Davi has immense skill in the air which was demonstrated during the shoot. On day 2 at Revs, the entire park fell silent as Davi hit 50:01 in the Zobop E e-bike. Having gauged the correct speed from a few practice runs, Davi went full send and gave us all an epic show.

Junior Riders

It’s always exciting to see junior riders out on the trails - if not slightly frustrating when they’re faster than you!

For the Voodoo shoot, we had to find some of the best junior riders out there, who in the near future will no doubt be challenging our adult riders for their medals!

The riders for the shoot were 7-year-old Noah, his 9-year-old brother Austin, and 12-year-old Bethany. Joined on the shoot by their families, the junior riders brought an amazing energy and a sense of excitement to the “set”.

Having got their bikes dialled in, the riders took to the trail. Instantly the crew were in awe, seeing riders as young as seven taking on trails which intimidate adults. Memorably, a rapturous round of applause and cheering came through the trees as Noah conquered a tricky berm section on the 20” Sobo.

On the 24” Nantai, Austin took smooth and controlled runs through the red-graded trails while Bethany effortlessly controlled the 26” Nzumbi through the air to capture a hero shot.

Our talented junior riders and their families left the bike park at the end of their day’s filming to whoops and cheers from the crew.

All of our riders were blown away by the new Voodoo range, and you can find out what they had to say about the bikes here.

The gear

As soon as any of the bikes were propped into position for their static shots, we all started eagerly snapping photos on our phones, but it quickly became evident why the right gear makes all the difference.

Cameras mounted on sliding rails were used to capture slow, panning shots of the bikes. Watching these through the monitor stationed just behind the camera gave an instant appreciation for how perfect the locations were. These cameras were switched between various mounts throughout the days as they captured more of the action.

A still camera was also used throughout the three-day shoot, and it was great to watch the photographer pop up throughout the set. He was often found lying in the woods or peeking out from behind a tree to get the perfect angle. 

For the first two days we also had a high-speed camera on shoot. This was positioned in spots along the trails and was designed to grab atmospheric moments when gravel was knocked loose, puddles were disturbed, and the bikes soaked up the rough stuff beneath their tyres. The weather and conditions certainly aren’t predictable in the Welsh mountains so smoke machines were used to emulate early-morning mist floating through the trees. It was great to watch the team perfectly time their shots as huge plumes of smoke dissipated into scene-setting whisps of mist.

Surprisingly, we didn’t see any rain throughout the three-day shoot – surprisingly, sun cream was never too far from reach on the deceptively sunny slopes. Despite this, lights were used in all settings to make sure all the components across the bikes were clear to see. Shots taken deeper into the woods relied on large powerful lights and huge sheets to help diffuse their beams.

It’s fascinating to witness this complicated and expensive gear in the hands of experts, but nothing grabbed the attention of the team like watching the drone operators in action. Using both remote monitors and virtual reality headsets, the incredibly skilled pilots chased our riders along the trails. The most memorable moment of the entire shoot was watching one of our drone operator follow Davi through a jump line on a full suspension e-bike. Davi’s insane riding skills were mind blowing, but it was only made more captivating by the presence of a drone buzzing along behind him. 

Preparing the bikes

There are many more things you need to consider when shooting during a pandemic, and one impact was on the bikes themselves.

Due to supply issues, we could only fly in one complete model of each bike for the shoot. This of course meant we had to trust our rider’s abilities to safely bring them down the trails but caused further complications. We had multiple riders of different sizes riding the same models and had to swap components across frames on location to enable us to get the right shots. At Revolution Bike Park we had the luxury of tables to work from but at the more remote “ridgeline” the back of our van had to suffice.

As much as we tried to capture static shots before riding shots, on some bikes this wasn’t possible. The unexpected dry weather led to very dusty conditions at the bike park meaning after a few short runs the bikes were neatly coated in dust. For the gravel and hybrid bikes, full strip downs and cleaning was required prior to setting up for the static shots.

Our riders also needed the bikes dialled so they could show off their incredible abilities. This meant setting exact pressures on the air forks for each trail as well as setting precise tyre pressures to maximise grip along with various sizing adjustments.

With riders used to clipping in, there was an endless task of switching the riders’ pedals between bikes – ensuring Davi and Riley’s matching pedals weren’t missed up!

The crew

And behind it all was an amazing crew.

Packing away on the final day, the Voodoo team, riders and filming crew knew we had the footage to create incredible videos and shots that would inspire our customers and perfectly highlight the amazing new Voodoo range. The hard work wasn’t over yet though, with hours of editing ahead, but the team spirit was high and despite the very limited amount of sleep, everyone stayed to say goodbye and well done before setting off back home.

Epic bikes, high-quality equipment, unforgettable locations and a dedicated crew, there’s a lot that went into capturing footage of the new Voodoo range – and you can see the epic results here.

And don’t forget to check out Voodoo’s full range of bikes over at Halfords.com.