At the end of November 2025, I was invited to capture a one-day automotive video shoot for a new and genuinely innovative fuel company called FU3L.
The brief was simple on paper, but far more interesting in execution: create a promotional automotive video that focuses less on speed and spectacle, and more on the pure enjoyment of driving. No racetracks. No aggressive edits. Just a modern car, quiet country lanes, and the kind of scenery that reminds you why people still love driving in the first place.
The chosen location was the Cotswolds, using a mix of village roads and open countryside lanes. FU3L hired a modern BMW for the shoot, and my role was to capture both interior and exterior footage as we followed a pre-planned route through the area.
This article breaks down the shoot, the approach, the kit I used, and how the final video came together.
The Brief: Capturing the Joy of Driving
From the outset, the team at FU3L were clear about what they didn’t want.
This wasn’t about aggressive cornering, launch control, or trying to make the car feel like it was on a racetrack. The focus was on the quieter moments of driving:
- Hands on the steering wheel
- Sunlight coming through the windscreen
- The rhythm of country roads
- The feeling of being disconnected from traffic and noise
Automotive content doesn’t always need to shout to be effective, and some of the strongest car and motorbike pieces I’ve worked on have been built around atmosphere rather than action.
Filming Automotive Content on British Country Roads
The Cotswolds are an ideal setting for this type of shoot, but they come with their own challenges.
Narrow lanes, blind corners, uneven surfaces and unpredictable traffic mean you have to work efficiently and safely. Everything was planned in advance, from stopping points to camera positions, so that we weren’t blocking roads or rushing shots.
Because this was a one-day shoot, there was no room for wasted time. Every stop needed a purpose, and every lens change had to make sense.
The Vehicle | BMW M8 Competition
FU3L supplied a modern BMW M8 Competition for the shoot, which worked perfectly for the brief.
Modern interiors are ideal for promotional automotive video work. Clean lines, well-designed infotainment screens, subtle lighting and quality materials all translate well on camera. Especially when paired with controlled movement and natural light.
The exterior design also lent itself well to longer focal lengths, allowing me to compress the landscape and isolate the vehicle against the rolling countryside.
Automotive Video Gear Used on the FU3L Shoot
This shoot was a good example of why I like to carry a versatile kitbag, even for relatively short projects. I didn’t use everything, but having the options mattered.
Camera and Support Gear
- Sony A7IV Mirrorless Camera – Read my review
- DJI RS2 Gimbal
- Manfrotto Tripod
- Lexar Professional 2000x V90 SD Cards – Read my review
The Sony A7IV continues to be a solid workhorse for automotive video. Reliable autofocus, strong dynamic range and excellent colour flexibility in post make it ideal for shoots like this.
The RS2 gimbal was used for smooth exterior walk-arounds, rolling shots, and interior movement where handheld footage would have felt too unstable.
Lenses Used on the Shoot
- Sigma 35mm DG DN Art Lens – Read my review
- Sigma 56mm f1.4 Lens – Read my review
- Sigma 150–600mm DG DN Sports Lens – Read my review
The Sigma 35mm Art did most of the heavy lifting. It’s wide enough for interior shots without distortion, and works beautifully for exterior details and mid-range compositions.
The Sigma 56mm f1.4 came into its own for interior detail shots, hands on the wheel, dashboard elements, and tighter compositions that benefit from subject separation.
The Sigma 150–600mm Sports might seem excessive for an automotive shoot, but it allowed me to capture compressed exterior shots from a distance without interfering with traffic or the flow of the drive. It’s also invaluable when you want to isolate a vehicle against a busy background.
Filters and Accessories
- K&F Concept Variable ND Filters
- Urth Variable ND Filter
Variable ND filters were essential for maintaining consistent motion blur and exposure as lighting conditions changed throughout the day.
I also brought a three-point suction car mount, but after assessing the route and conditions, we decided not to use it. Sometimes the best decision on a shoot is knowing when not to mount a camera to a moving vehicle.
Interior Automotive Filming – Keeping It Natural
Interior shots can easily look staged or overproduced if you’re not careful.
For this project, the goal was to make the viewer feel like they were in the car, not watching a commercial. That meant:
- Minimal camera movement
- Natural hand placement
- Real driving, not simulated motion
- Using available light wherever possible
The Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG DN Art Lens was particularly useful here. Its sharpness and subject separation help draw attention to small details without making the footage feel artificial.
Exterior Shots – Letting the Landscape Do the Work
One of the advantages of filming in the Cotswolds is that you don’t need to force visual interest.
Rolling hills, stone villages, hedgerows and long winding roads provide enough variety that the car never feels visually static. By using longer focal lengths and slower movements, I was able to let the landscape frame the vehicle naturally.
This approach also aligned well with FU3L’s brand messaging, calm, considered, and forward-thinking.
Using Stock Footage to Enhance Automotive Video Edits
In the edit, I incorporated landscape and nature B-roll from my own stock video library.
This wasn’t filler. It was a deliberate choice to set the tone before the car even appears on screen. Establishing shots of countryside, light moving through trees, and environmental details helped create a stronger introduction and made the transition into the automotive footage feel more organic.
Having a personal stock library is something I’d strongly recommend to any professional videographer. It allows you to elevate projects without relying on generic clips or external libraries.
Editing for Multiple Formats and Platforms
The finished video was delivered in multiple dimensions and formats, ready for use across:
- The FU3L website
- Other social media platforms
Modern automotive video projects rarely live in just one place anymore. Shooting with multiple crops in mind ensures the footage works whether it’s viewed full-screen on a website or vertically on a phone.
This is something I factor in from the shooting stage, not as an afterthought in the edit.
Why Automotive Brands Choose One-Day Video Shoots
Short, focused shoots like this are becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason.
With proper planning, a single day can produce enough high-quality content to support months of marketing across multiple platforms. The key is knowing what to prioritise and how to work efficiently without rushing.
For brands like FU3L, this approach offers flexibility without compromising quality.
Automotive Photography and Videography Across the UK and Beyond
This project is a great example of the type of automotive work I enjoy most. Thoughtful, story-led content that reflects how people actually use and enjoy vehicles.
If you’re a brand, dealership, startup or manufacturer looking for:
- Automotive videography
- Automotive photography
- Promotional car videos
- Social media automotive content
I work on projects of all sizes, across the UK and internationally.
Get in Touch
If you’d like to discuss an upcoming automotive project. Whether that’s a one-day shoot like this or a larger campaign, feel free to get in touch via my contact page.
I offer photography, videography, or a combined approach depending on what best suits your project.
