Infrastructure NSW have commissioned Images for Business to document all aspects of construction for the highly anticipated Powerhouse Parramatta.

Located on the banks of the Parramatta River, Powerhouse Parramatta is one of Australia’s most significant structural engineering and architecturally complex projects. It is also the largest investment in cultural infrastructure by the NSW Government since the Sydney Opera House.

To mark a significant milestone in building the Powerhouse Parramatta, Images for Business captured the installation of the first truss piece, the heaviest element of the museum’s structural design. Images For Business used on-the-ground time-lapse video, stills photography, video and drone.

Capturing the milestone in multiple formats adds incredible detail and insight into the project. Movement is communicated in seconds using time-lapse. The drone images convey scale, dimension, and the museum’s location. Plus, video provides additional details on the human effort involved in construction.

The result: magically crafted footage of the milestone event and a pleased client.

The process of capturing these milestone events is its own project within the project.

Images for Business used a team approach for the first truss lift at Powerhouse Parramatta; multiple personnel operated cameras to ensure they could capture all angles and were ready to go when the action unfolded.

“We don’t know how these things will go. We must be ready for anything. Sometimes they can be fast and happen within minutes, or can take hours.”

Toby Shain, General Manager, Images for Business

Time-lapse video

Time-lapse was captured in two different ways. Firstly, Images For Business’ three permanent, long-term time-lapse cameras were set to a ‘fast capture’ mode. This was done remotely and pre-scheduled the day before, so the crew were able to ‘set and forget’ and focus on capturing incredible footage ‘on the ground’. At the same time, the permanent time-lapse cameras clicked away, ensuring nothing would be missed.

Drone

The Powerhouse Parramatta project has the added complexity of having three massive tower cranes on site. Images for Business restricted the drone’s flight path to only travel over the Parramatta River to keep clear of the high-risk works on site and the general public below. Using drone stills and video enabled us to demonstrate the scale of the museum’s construction and the sheer enormity of the truss pieces while ensuring safety protocols. Images for Business holds CASA-accredited certifications for the business and its pilots.

The footage has been used in official communication, including press releases, national television news updates and social media.

The Powerhouse site shot from an Images for Business aerial drone

Pre-production makes the magic possible

As with all construction projects, meticulous planning during the pre-production phase is critical to capturing successful and detailed footage.

Images for Business manages a thorough pre-production plan for every project. Cost-effective solutions are designed to deliver the desired results and help with budget planning.

During pre-production, Images for Business will produce timelines and outline responsibilities and deliverables so that expectations are aligned and business stakeholders are fully confident in the project’s result.

Importantly, the pre-production process also includes seeking approvals from the client and their contractor before production. Images for Business can work solely with their client to gain approval or a combination of their client and contractor for efficiency.

Once operational, Powerhouse Parramatta will attract over two million visitors annually. There’s still a lot to do before it opens, but the Images for Business team has thoroughly enjoyed being part of the journey thus far.

“Documenting the progress of a high-profile project like this is exciting. The design and architectural detail of this building are truly fascinating; it makes shooting pictures a real pleasure. Powerhouse Parramatta is one of those rare projects that is both large scale and unique.”

Toby Shain, General Manager, Images for Business.

A still photograph of the enormous truss being lifted into place.