Here at Medical Hire, we’ve been lucky enough to supply medical props and healthcare equipment for many intensive care unit and high dependency unit film scenes, so we know a thing or two about the equipment and accessories that set designers need to create a realistic set.
Here are our top tips and things to consider….
1. Create the right ambience
When filming a scene set in ICU or HDU, it’s crucial to create the right ambience. It could be high on drama, or it could be incredibly emotional; whichever sentiment it’s tapping into, the set needs to be equipped and dressed correctly so that it looks completely authentic. That means ensuring you have the right equipment types in place, such as specialist ICU beds and ventilators, plus the correct accessories and consumables such as tubing, oxygen masks, needles, dressings and so on. We can help with this by recommending the full range of products and props that you’ll need for your scenes and storyline.
2. Use working medical machinery
Another key element of an ICU or HDU film set is to have working medical machinery. To make each scene true to life, the machines need to be set up and working correctly so that they portray real-life scenarios. For example, vital signs monitors need to show accurate readings, and life support machines should be moving as if they were truly helping to keep someone alive. This is another area where Medical Hire can help; our team can assist by setting up equipment ready for filming, plus we offer simulator solutions to provide real-life machinery readings to fit the specific scene.
3. Create real-life drama with accurate machine readings
A final thing to consider for an ICU or HDU film set, are scenes where a patient takes a sudden turn for the worse. These scenarios are incredibly tense and dramatic, so this needs to be reflected during filming. A crash/resuscitation trolley with accessories is the essential piece of kit required, but this is another area where accurate machine readings are crucial to make the scene completely realistic. Again, Medical Hire can help here by providing machinery with simulated readings.
If you’re planning a storyline set in ICU or HDU but aren’t sure what equipment you need, our team of specialist advisors can work with you and will recommend items for you.
Here are some of our products that are ideal for ICU and HDU film sets…
