AFI lights Lionel Richie in crisp commercial

When Lionel Richie sang his famous song "Say You, Say Me" with the lyrics changed for a new Walkers crisps commercial, UK rental company AFI-Uplift was on hand to help film the scene - and also capture Lionel stealing a crisp from ex-footballer and sports presenter Gary Lineker

Four AFI Genie booms and two Skyjack 9250 scissor lifts were hired by Weilands Production to film the Walkers commercial. The scissor lifts each carried two 18 kw lights, whose tripod mountings were secured to the scissor lift handrails for additional stability.

The scissors, together with the Genie 24.4 m and 13.7 m (80 ft and 45 ft) booms were used to light a number of the scenes featuring in the commercial, including Lionel on a double decker bus, singing as he watches a group of friends having a picnic, and taking one of Gary Lineker's crisps in a newsagent's shop.

Tim Kendall, AFI's media sector manager, said, "The machines were supplied by our London West depot at Iver and were on hire for a week. It was much more practical for the production company to use powered access machines rather than an overhead crane, telehandler or lighting tower because boom and scissor lifts are quicker and easier to manoeuvre.

"Television and film companies are increasingly turning to powered access machines because of their stability and versatility. AFI is ideally placed to respond quickly to the needs of this sector because we have a fleet of over 4000 machines located in 18 depots throughout the UK," he added.