A UK television production company is bringing
sailing fans the latest action from the America’s Cup using
“military standard” cameras leased from Azule Finance.

Amis
Productions
has leased two Flir cameras,
which are worth over $1m (€729,000), in a three-year
contract.

Amis, which broadcasts water sports and
social and environmental documentaries, needed new camera
equipment but was turned down for finance by high-street lenders,
Azule said.

Simon Aldridge, director at Amis, said: “We needed a very specific
broadcast solution that was resilient, versatile and dependable.
Although very expensive, the water-based Flir cameras have an
immensely strong build quality. They are designed to military
specifications and so they are hermetically sealed, water resistant
and allow us to film those essential rock-steady shots from the
water that we need, this will really bring the America’s Cup to
life for viewers.” 

Peter Savage, managing firector at Azule, said it
was seeing growing demand from production teams
for “increasingly sophisticated” and specialist broadcast
technologies.

The British leg of the America’s Cup was
in Plymouth last month. The competition will finish in
San Francisco in 2013.

Azule leases assets including cameras and
sound systems and fixtures and fittings to media, leisure
and retail companies.