A visit to photograph Fortnum & Mason’s Christmas windows in 2014 also became a record of a foie gras protest outside the Piccadilly store. This Roberts London behind-the-scenes edit follows the demonstration, the unveiling and my commentary during the evening.
First published on 4 November 2014, it accompanies a separate festive extravaganza edit of the visit.
A Christmas filming trip to Piccadilly
I came to Piccadilly to photograph Fortnum & Mason’s Christmas windows and make a festive behind-the-scenes film for the blog. At the beginning of this edit, I am standing across the road from the store with the window blinds still down.
The introduction sets out a straightforward plan: wait for the unveiling, take pictures and record the displays. What follows is a different account of the evening from the festive extravaganza edit, because an animal-rights demonstration becomes a substantial part of the footage.
Time before the unveiling
There is almost an hour to fill before the windows are due to be revealed. I explain that I will head towards Piccadilly Circus to take some pictures for Instagram, then return to the store. Traffic continues along Piccadilly beneath the brick frontage.
These opening scenes establish why I was there. The film begins with a Christmas assignment and a camera, rather than with a plan to cover a protest. The change in subject happens as I walk back towards Fortnum & Mason.
The demonstration outside the store
On returning, I hear amplified voices and initially think the unveiling may have started. As I get closer, I realise the sound is coming from demonstrators campaigning against the sale of foie gras. The camera shows people with banners outside the covered windows.
In the commentary I say that I have encountered the campaign on previous visits. The footage records this particular evening in 2014: the demonstrators, their signs, the store frontage and the movement of people around them.
A crowd viewed through Piccadilly traffic
For part of the sequence I remain on the opposite side of the road. Black cabs and other vehicles pass between the camera and the crowd, repeatedly interrupting the view. The store’s illuminated upper windows and small Christmas trees remain visible above the pavement.
I also remark on a double-decker bus passing slowly at the moment I want to film the unveiling. It is a practical frustration familiar to anyone trying to photograph a busy London street, captured here alongside the much louder demonstration.
The windows are revealed
As the blinds are lifted, the Christmas displays become visible behind the gathering. People stand close to the glass, while others watch from further back. The film moves from the broad street view towards the newly lit windows.
The unveiling does not bring the demonstration to an end. The two activities share the same stretch of pavement, giving this edit a different atmosphere from a film focused only on the decorations and shopping inside.
My commentary at the time
In the 2014 narration I say that I agree with the campaigners’ objection to force-fed foie gras, while questioning whether pressure on one retailer addresses the wider demand. I also say that I would like to see an alternative developed.
I explain that I am not associated with the protesters and intend to remain a Fortnum & Mason customer. Those remarks form part of my response during this historical visit. The article records that response alongside the images, without turning the film into an account of present-day store policy.
Looking at the displays amid the crowd
The camera still finds time for the Christmas windows. Bottles and gifts are arranged in elaborate winter scenes, with visitors posing nearby and photographers looking for a clear angle. The green frames and bright interiors stand out against the evening pavement.
This part of the recording brings the original purpose of the visit back into view. The decorations are there to be photographed, but the surrounding voices, people and movement remain part of the scene.
The longer record of the evening
The closing section lets the demonstration continue on screen, with chanting and applause outside the windows. Visitors and passers-by move through the frame as the camera records the pavement at close quarters. The edit keeps much more of the street sound and atmosphere.
First published on 4 November 2014, this is the companion to the Fortnum & Mason Christmas extravaganza film, covering the shop, hampers and window displays. Together, the two edits show different parts of the same evening.
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