Member Article

From Rawtenstall to the Rhine – Bigtank Productions cruises to success

Bigtank Productions Ltd has been commissioned by Canadian cruise company, Journeys by Jerry Van Dyke, to make a promotional film for their European cruising tours.

The appointment follows the recent success of the Manchester and Rawtenstall based production company’s ‘Moscow to Mongolia’ film produced for luxury train company, Golden Eagle Luxury Trains.

It also adds to its impressive roster of global clients including American Airlines, Hilton Hotels and Marco Pierre White.

There’s no better marketing tool than word-of-mouth, which has proved the case for Bigtank who were highly recommended to Journeys by Jerry Van Dyke by Golden Eagle Luxury Trains. The company could speak only too highly of Bigtank’s phenomenal work on the 10,000km Trans-Siberian Express route from Moscow to Mongolia.

So, after taking a peek at the film on the Golden Eagle website in March earlier this year, Jeremy Van Dyke, MD at Journeys by Jerry Van Dyke, immediately called the Bigtank office and asked if they could replicate the Golden Eagle film.

He said: “We just asked for the train to be replaced with the cruise ship!”

What the cruise company really required was a film that would highlight their sixteen-day voyage through Bavaria, Austria and Budapest on the bespoke Da Vinci cruise ship.

Guests would experience the beauty of southern Germany along with Austria, Slovakia and Hungary over 16 relaxing days, discovering the highlights of the ancient Danube and Hapsburg Empire.

Filming will start on 11th August 2014 for three weeks, meaning it will be a summer away from loved ones for Bigtank, but a completely new challenge as the company has not yet filmed aboard ship.

Although slower in pace compared to their work on the Golden Eagle trains, capturing the essence of what makes the Jerry Van Dyke tours unique and special will be no less demanding.

The scenery as they cruise through Bavaria, along the Danube, and eventually arrive in Budapest, ‘the star of Central Europe’, will certainly help alleviate the feelings of homesickness.

Rob Hallam, Bigtank managing director, said: “We are thrilled to have been approached by one of Canada’s leading independent travel companies to make a film about such an amazing European journey.

“Special thanks must go to Tim Littler of Golden Eagle who recommended us so highly — we’re hoping that Jerry Van Dyke will continue this theme, and be recommending us to another travel company after we deliver the film for them — it’s a great way to see the world!”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .