Company:
Custom Covers 1984 Ltd. Southampton, HAM

Project Details

Fabric 1

Canvas
Producer: Serge Ferrari North America Inc.
Supplier: Serge Ferrari North America Inc.


Design Company
Custom Covers (1984) Ltd

Fabrication Company
Custom Covers (1984) Ltd


Please describe the project specifications

We were approached by Chump Productions to produce a studio tent for their upcoming Amazon Prime Video series The Grand Tour. The main goal was to produce a portable studio structure capable of supporting cars and an internal lighting rig, whilst also being able to be transported around the world during the filming of the series, which began in Lucerne Valley, California.


What was the purpose of this project? What did the client request?

The project involved the design and manufacture of a studio tent for The Grand Tour series, the tent was influenced by the tent from the 1970s sitcom MASH but wanted the functionality of a modern aluminium structure. The client requested that the structure be able to travel around the world, and support filming and production equipment, as well as a variety of cars. A good visual profile was necessary to allow aerial camera shots.


What is unique or complex about the project?

The project had a few unique requirements, firstly it needed to be transported and installed around the world. To assist with the logistics of the studio tent, two identical tents were manufactured with the idea of leapfrogging over each other to meet the show’s touring schedule.
The studio tent featured a clear window which covered a 6m span. Designed to provide a view of the different landscapes as a backdrop throughout the Grand Tour. This was achieved by the use of a bespoke 6m eave rail that provided enough support for 2 bays, without the need for a leg, giving a clear view of the outside.
To support the cars and production equipment within the tent, the floor was reinforced with additional metal bracing bars in the steel sub-frame flooring. With a ramp extension added into the entrance of the tent to enable easy access for the featured vehicles.
The exterior was specifically designed to emphasise the design brief using military green canvas for effect. A special reveal blind was also built into the structure.


What were the results of the project?

The structure was 15m x 21m, with 4.5m hip ends either side standing at a 30° pitch. Covered with roof comprised of 3 sections, a roof and two hip ends, all constructed from Nato Green Ferrari on the outer skin, and a Nato Green Canvas on the inside skin, finished off with a printing of the Grand Tour logo in the middle of the roof. The whole structure was bar tensioned, with decorative ropes added into the structure for an aesthetic look similar to the iconic canvas pole tents that the structure is based on. We were proud to see the client placing emphasis on the tent during their branding campaign for the release of the series, using as part of the iconography for the series.


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