Zac Quinn 
The most recent video that showcases the Ford Ranger Raptor in Europe has the next-generation pickup truck escaping a cargo plane, sliding under an aircraft, and powering through mud and water on an airfield. Now we get a behind-the-scenes look at the Hollywood-style action film, and it certainly wasn’t an easy feat to accomplish.
Ford Ranger Raptor: Behind The Scenes Video
Almost three months of planning preceded the shoot, which included 38 crew members working for three days in controlled conditions at a secure airfield that was previously used to build and test military jets. Before even making it to the real-life location, a concept animated storyboard was created for the film. Over 200 hours of work went into producing the animatic, which was then used to approve each shot and provide a template for the actual filming.
The jumps and drifts were developed and performed by Paul Swift, a world leader in precision stunt driving with over 30 years of experience. Swift also drove the 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor in Ford’s live European reveal event for the vehicle. He commended the powerful 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 and advanced Fox suspension that allowed him to perform the incredible stunts. The Ford engineers involved in planning the video were so confident in the vehicle’s abilities that every shot shows a production model with zero mechanical enhancements. The only modification was to fit a multi-point driver safety harness in place of the standard seat belt.
The pilots shown in the film are the actual pilots of the cargo plane, who are more used to moving freight across Africa than carrying new pick-ups. Nevertheless, the script required the eight-person aircrew to fly down the 1,800-meter (1,958 yard) runway at 200 km/h (124 mph), so high-speed cameras could show the Ranger Raptor’s dramatic escape from 22 meters of steel chain in the cargo hold.
The film crew used drones, specialized electric buggies, and a “Robo Arm” camera car to capture the sequences. Once all the footage was captured, Ford’s creative agency partner Imagination then spent hundreds of hours in post-production to create seven different edits of the final film for various platforms and audiences.
