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Film Set Scaffolding Suppliers and Movie Scaffolding

South Africa has become a haven for film productions. Cape Town is a particularly popular location, but the rest of the country has also seen an increase in the number of films being produced.

With the increased number of productions being shot in both studios and on location in South Africa, the demand for film set scaffolding suppliers has increased in recent years. Film productions make heavy use of scaffolding and rigging, relying on scaffold hire contractors to provide film set scaffolding.

South Africa has very diverse scenery, perfect for films needing to be shot in a multitude of locations. There are first-class beaches, attractive business districts with high rise buildings, deserts, wetlands and lakes, small rural towns and high mountains that are snow capped during winter. Labour in South Africa is also comparatively cheap, lowering production costs significantly.

The Rand exchange rate is favourable to overseas film makers and South Africa offers a setting which has all the necessary scenery and facilities at a fraction of the cost of filming in other locations around the world.

The film industry in South Africa is booming with many film and production companies available to assist on films. These few points are just a couple of the many reasons that South Africa makes a great location for film productions.

Scaffolding Requirements in the Film Industry
When films are produced, scaffolding is required for many purposes. Film sets, temporary structures, platforms and access ramps for high areas are some of the uses of scaffolding on a film set.

Enormous sets require a lot of scaffolding to create items such as fake streets and imitation buildings. Scenes shot from an elevation require scaffolding and platforms to allow the equipment and crew access to high points, while assuring the safety of the crew and the equipment.

Film set scaffolding suppliers in South Africa are usually contracted to provide the movie set scaffolding and rigging.

The equipment used in filming can cost millions of Rands, making the stability and reliability of scaffolding a key concern for film makers. Scaffolding used also needs to be adaptable to different terrains. Many films are shot in locations where the ground is unstable or uneven; making the need for scaffolding that is able to perform its duties on unstable locations extremely high, as well as upholding the health and safety of the crew and equipment whilst constructed on uneven ground.

Health and Safety
Scaffolding used on film sets not only needs to be safe for the filming equipment, but also for the safety of the staff, crew and actors. If scaffolding does experience a problem in terms of a collapse or any other issue, even if no one is hurt, filming can be delayed which causes massive problems with budgets, the time schedules and many other important factors which the film depends on to be reliable.

Flexibility and Reliability
'Time is money'; a statement which could never be truer than in the film industry. When producing a movie, film makers depend on efficiency and the ability to shoot the production without delays. For this reason the scaffolding used in films for sets, temporary structures and access platforms needs to be quick to assemble, dismantle and move around. The production of a film can be more expensive and delayed by scaffolding which is not easily constructed and dismantled. Complex scaffolding that is difficult to work with will require more man power, increasing costs further.

When a film is in production, certain unpredictable elements such as natural light and the weather are important factors, yet these are not easily replicated artificially and require swift movement to have everything ready in order to film when conditions are perfect. This is another reason why the scaffolding used needs to be very dependable in term of its ability to be erected and dismantled quickly and efficiently.

Kwik-Stage Scaffolding and Self-Lock Towers
Scaffolding types such as Kwik-Stage Scaffolding systems and Self-Lock Tower systems are extremely useful and popular in this regard. These types of scaffolding are extremely reliable for many reasons.

Kwik-Stage Scaffolding and Self-Lock Towers are very easily assembled and just as easily dismantled requiring much less man power to do so than other types of scaffolding. Because the scaffolding is dependable in terms of time saving and lessened need for manpower, Kwik-Stage Scaffolding and Self-Lock Towers are a massive benefit to the film industry as they save time and cut back on costs.

The Kwik-Stage System is also very useful in the film industry as it is able to be erected on uneven terrain without compromising on efficiency or safety. This scaffolding system adheres to strict health and safety regulations. The scaffolding system is tested by engineers before use to make sure that it is compliant with the standards needed for heavy industrial scaffolding.

Using reliable scaffolding such as Kwik-Stage and Self-Lock systems from a film set scaffolding supplier in South Africa, the film industry reaps a sizeable benefit in terms of time saving, less man power and ultimately lowered costs. Couple this with a favourable exchange rate and dramatically different types of scenery within close proximity to one another; South Africa is a prime location for successful film production.

About the Author:
Cape Formwork Contractors (CFC) is a Cape Town scaffolding contractor supplying scaffolding to the film industry for film sets, as well as supplying a host of other products and services to clients for construction and formwork, special events and other needs.