Lights, Camera, Magic: Filming at Disneyland Paris

Samuel Lardner • February 23, 2026

This job really was a pinch me moment!

Man smiling in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris, wearing glasses and a hooded jacket. Nighttime.

A video camera on a tripod in a dimly lit event space with a chandelier.

Camera on a gimbal pointed at Disneyland castle with people milling about. Blue sky.

Goofy poses with a man wearing glasses at Disney World. Goofy wears orange and blue, man in black.

There are some jobs you say yes to immediately. When Recap Media asked me to support them on a large-scale live corporate event at Disneyland Paris, I didn’t hesitate. As a freelance videographer, opportunities like this — combining the creative, shooting abroad in such a unique location — are exactly why I do what I do.

Midlands to Paris — With a Car Full of Kit

Because of the scale of the event, flying wasn’t really an option. Between multiple cameras, lenses, tripods, gimbals, audio gear, lighting, backups, and all the “just in case” equipment you never leave behind on a job like this, we needed the space and flexibility of travelling by car.

We set off from the Midlands and headed for the Eurotunnel, taking the shuttle across the channel. When you're transporting a lot of kit, the short crossing time and staying with your vehicle makes a huge difference. No baggage handlers. No airport security juggling peli cases. Just drive on, 35 minutes through the tunnel, and drive off into France ready to go. From there, it was a smooth journey straight to Disneyland Paris (with a few village detours on route thank you Google Maps)

Taking over Newport Bay & Hotel New York

The main setting across the week had us based in two hotels; the Newport Bay Club & Hotel New York - The Art of Marvel. The last time I visited these hotels was over 17 years ago as a child with my family - things hadn't really changed a whole lot, little rebrand here and there. We were based in the convention centre which was a HUGE space! Can't share much of the content throughout but it equally matched the expansive and spectacular feel of it's surroundings.

Torrential Rain, Zero Hesitation - Tackling Frontierland

On one of the evenings the delegates entered the park, unfortunately the heavens decided to open. Not drizzle. Proper, torrential rain. Thankfully it didn’t dampen the energy. One of my main highlights from the trip was capturing delegates navigating through Frontierland in the downpour — laughing, huddling under umbrellas, embracing the experience. Rain hitting the boardwalks, reflections from the themed lighting bouncing off wet surfaces, coats flapping in the wind — visually, it was incredible. From a filmmaking perspective, it meant constant lens checks, quickly wiping the lens, protecting gear, adapting positions, and staying mobile. But those conditions made for an unforgettable experience.

The Castle Show — Capturing Reactions in Real Time

As night fell, everything built toward the fireworks and projection show on the castle. Standing there with cameras positioned to capture both the spectacle and the audience reactions was a reminder of why live event filming is so exciting.

The projections illuminated the castle in waves of colour, fireworks cutting through the night sky — and just as important — the faces.

Gasps. Smiles. Seeing their faces light up — quite literally — against the backdrop of the castle projections was the perfect closing sequence for the event film.

The Value of Preparation

Jobs like this remind me how much preparation matters. Travelling by car gave us flexibility. Taking the shuttle saved crucial time and cost. Getting to support Recap Media meant being part of a team that understands live environments, fast turnarounds, and high client expectations. From the Midlands to Disneyland Paris, it was a full-scale production in every sense — unpredictable weather, complex logistics, and unforgettable visuals.

I would do it all over again in a heart beat!

Sam

< Older Post

People in a darkened room with screens and equipment, possibly a control room. Most are focused on their work.

Kicking off the SJL Works Blog

By Samuel Lardner • January 28, 2026

So… this is our first blog post. About time, right? It's been an amazing journey over the last 2 years but we thought it was finally time to start sharing a bit more of what goes on behind the scenes — the projects, the people, and the moments that make this industry so special! If you’ve worked in the media industry, you’ll know no two days are ever the same. Recently we’ve been out on a mix of filming and vision mixing jobs, jumping between very different environments — from tight show cues, large-scale corporate conferences to awards shows and gala dinners. Keeps things interesting, to say the least. One of the highlights recently was working on a Broadway-style show. These kinds of productions are always a buzz — everything is meticulously timed, creatively driven, and there’s zero room for error. Vision mixing in that environment is all about precision, creativity, and making sure the audience sees exactly what they’re meant to see, exactly when they’re meant to see it. At the other end of the scale, we've been out on brand shoots including an automotive competition that focused on competitive windscreen repair (who'd have known) All have different pressures — but just as demanding. Capturing visuals over multiple days, dozen's of interviews and turning around edited content on the day to playback in the evening. When it works, it’s seamless. When it doesn’t… well, that’s why we’re here. Whether it’s capturing content for future use or delivering a polished live mix in the moment, the goal is always the same: make it look effortless (even when it absolutely isn’t). The image above is a snapshot of one of those moments — one of our team locked in at the crew desk, keeping an eye on multiple feeds, mixing cameras and making sure the programme hits every mark. Why we’re starting this blog... W e want this blog to be a place where we can: Share what we’ve been working on Talk about the industry from the inside out Give a bit of insight into filming, vision mixing, and technical delivery And occasionally show off some behind-the-scenes moments No over-polished marketing fluff — just honest updates from a team that genuinely enjoys creating content and working in the media industry. If you’re a brand, agency, venue, or fellow tech who’s curious about how we approach things, hopefully this gives you a better idea of what SJL Works is all about. More posts soon — once we've finished the next few jobs of course!