Aberdeen-based film company Signal braved the scorching heat of the Gulf of Mexico summer to create a marketing film for the drilling company Noble, promoting its Globetrotter-class vessels.
The Globetrotters, uniquely versatile mobile drilling vessels, live up to their name by operating worldwide. To capture footage for the project, Signal’s film crew traveled from Scotland to New Orleans before taking a vessel across the Gulf of Mexico to board Globetrotter II, which was undergoing upgrades between campaigns.
The crew filmed the vessel as it conducted a series of unique operations and captured interviews with some of the onboard crew members. While this type of shoot was fairly routine for Signal, with its three decades of offshore filming experience, this particular assignment presented some notable challenges.
Cameraman Greg Thom described the experience: “After a long-haul flight, we drove from New Orleans to Port Fouchon to take a boat to the drillship. Once we arrived, we transferred between vessels in a Billy Pugh. It was an exciting challenge to deal with jetlag, seasickness, and being hoisted on a line between two ships, which was a first for me.”
However, the challenges did not end there. Greg Thom noted: “It was very hot. Working in the intense temperatures, wearing full PPE, while carrying heavy cameras made it more interesting! Thankfully, we got some quality time for R&R at the end of the trip to explore New Orleans and sample the local culture.”
Despite these difficulties, the team persevered, and the completed film is now being used by Noble to promote the Globetrotters’ unique capabilities.
Schuyler Dugle, Noble’s senior communication specialist, commented: “This kind of work requires a specialised skillset. Signal is highly experienced in filming internationally and offshore, and we needed that experience to showcase the unique capabilities of our vessel.”
This was not the first project Signal has undertaken for Noble. Last year, the company produced NORMS, a film promoting Noble’s brand-new Houston-based Noble Operational Risk Management Support center, as well as films for two of its jack-up rigs, Noble Innovator and Noble Intrepid.
Signal currently has six additional Globetrotter technical films in post-production, all utilising footage gathered during the trip to the Gulf of Mexico.
These technical films are tailored for the engineering teams of prospective customers. Additionally, Signal captured material for an upcoming series of recruitment films, aimed at promoting offshore career opportunities available at Noble.