ASSIGNMENTS 2005

The busiest year yet started with the caving horror film the Descent then four TV "Survivor" docu dramas in Turkey, Canada, France and Italy. Between these rock climbing for Top Gear, adverts for Vodafone, filming on the Eiger and finishing with the Emmerdale Xmas special!

THE DESCENT

Highly rated horror feature film shot on 35mm
For Celador Films / Pathe
Director Neil Marshal
Producers – Paul Richie, Christian Colson
D.O.P. Sam McCurdy
Location - Pinewood, UK
January

Actor training – Take 6 actresses and director down Giants Pothole, Derbyshire. Climbing and Caving technique training and physical fitness at Westway Climbing Centre, London.

Advice on set design (with Simon Bowles), costume and action.
Rigging ropes for action, safety and stunts in Pinewood studio.
Abseiling rigging and safety on location.
Working in close collaboration with Stunt coordinators Jim Dowdall and Paul Hornsby


A Actress Nora Jane Noone deep inside Giants Pothole, Derbyshire during the training prior to filming The Descent.

B Climbing stunt double Siobhan Coughlan and Crawler stunt double Michael Byrch take a break from filming the Descent at Pinewood Studios.

C Actress MyAnna Buring after a particular gory climbing fight scene. All the actresses had to go through intensive training in climbing and caving techniques. They also had to build body strength for many of the strenuous scenes.

 

TOP GEAR

For BBC series
Presenter – Jeremy Clarkeson
Director – Nigel Simpkiss
D.O.P. Casper Leaver
Climbing Cameraman Keith Partridge
Digi beta
Location – Verdon Gorge, Provence, France. September

Spectacular Rock Climbing and Base Jumping action with Audi RS 4. Top rock climbers Leo Houlding and Tim Emmett race Jeremy Clarkson. Then Base Jump of the cliff (BASE safety and filming by Shaun Elison). Rigging and film crew safety.

A Leo Houlding speed climbing a thousand feet above the ground trying to race Jeremy Clarkeson’s Audi. He is on the difficult “Marche du Temp” grade 7a in the Verdon Gorge, South France.

B Tim and Leo are both highly skilled at the extreme sport of BASE jumping. Tim’s shoot has just opened perilously close to the cliff face and he has to skilfully work the canopy and land in a small clearing in the trees.

C After the climbers race Clarkeson to the top of the gorge they made an audacious BASE jump from the lip. Here specialist BASE jumping cameraman Shaun Elison lands on a “sixpence” at the bottom of the gorge.

D Rigging safety ropes for cameraman Keith Partridge high above the ground in the Verdon Gorge requires a high level of skill and strength.

E Climbers Tim Emmett and Leo Houlding win their bet with Clarkeson.


 

DOUGAL HASTON - MEMORIES OF A MOUNTAIN MAN

Pelicula Films for BBC
Producer Douglas Eadie
Director – Mike Alexander
Climbing cameraman – Keith Partridge
Location – North Face Eiger Switzerland
August

Filming an interview and action on the North Face of the Eiger for doc on one of the world's greatest mountaineers.

Safety and location advice. Filmed out of the Eigerwand "window". Climbing action doubling.

A The famous North Face of the Eiger can be one of the most dangerous places in the world. Careful planning and the right conditions are essential. In this documentary we filmed action and interviews high on the face.

 

LOST ON THE MOUNTAIN

Drama / Doc – 1 hour
For ALIVE Series for Ch 4 & Discovery
Production Company - Darlow Smithson
Series Producer – Alex Merango
Director Bren Simson
DOP Paul Lang , Chris Hartley
Producer Erika Dodd

Location – Turkey - Kartalkaya, near Bolu (North West of Ankara)
Feb / March

Survival story of father and child in a ski resort and surrounding mountain forest area.
Ski and wilderness safety. Location hunting. Logistics and load carrying in the ski area. Equipment and clothing advice. Training and assessment of actors skiing.
Still photographer.

A Much of the action took place in snow covered locations on steep slopes. Finding locations that were both safe and easy to access yet looked remote was an important part of Film & Mountain’s role.

B D.O.P. John Christie and actor using a doggy cam in a deserted village in Katalkaya , Turkey. Access and safety in this snowy wilderness was organised by Film & Mountain during the 2 week shoot.

C Night time filming on skis using the actors rather than doubles provided a tricky safety dilemma which had to be managed very carefully.

 

LOST IN THE SNOW

Drama / Doc – 1 hour
For ALIVE Series for Ch 4 & Discovery
Production Company - Darlow Smithson
Series Producer – Alex Merango
Director – Mary Crisp
D.O.P. – Toby Moore
Location – Yukon, Canada
April / May

Lost in the N American mountain wilderness survival story of a young couple and their baby.
Location advise. Managing crew and actor safety in snow covered wilderness locations. Clothing and equipment advise. Doubling. Risk Assessment.

A Remote Yukon terrain was used to replicate the US Sierra landscape in winter.

 

TRAPPED AT TEN THOUSAND FEET

Drama / Doc – half hour – digi beta
For Survivors series ITV
Producers – Charlie Roger & Cat Lewis
Director Baz Taylor
D.O.P. – Michael Timney
Location – Mt Blanc region of France & Italy Alps
April

The story of the tragic mountaineering accident of Jamie Andrew and Jamie Fisher.
Mountain location advise. Safety and rigging in the mountains. Risk Assessment. Clothing / equipment advice and hire. Mountaineering action and stunts. Actor training.

A Much of the action on this drama / doc centred around a dramatic helicopter rescue from the summit of Les Droites above Chamonix. We organized the re-enactment of the rescue with Brian Hall being lowered from the helicopter.

 

VODAFONE

Advert produced by New Moon
Director Daryl Goodrich
D.O.P. Simon Werry
Climbing camera man Keith Partridge.
16mm & DV
Commando Ridge, Bosigran sea cliffs, Cornwall, UK

Filming quadruple amputee Jamie Andrew climbing sea cliffs for mobile phone ad.
Location advice, rigging, safety of camera crew and Jamie Andrew.
Risk Assessment.
Helicopter communications.


A The sea cliffs around Cornwall provided an impressive backdrop for the Vodafone advert. Quadriplegic climber Jamie Andrew climbs the famous Commando Ridge at Bosigran.

 

EMMERDALE

YTV (UK)
YTV light entertainment / popular soap – Christmas day special.
Studio & Outdoor location near Leeds, UK

Safety and rigging for filming mine shaft rescue. Risk Assessments. Working in conjunction with stunt coordinator Stuart St Paul.

A Action at height provides dramatic footage in soaps. We have worked with stunt coordinators a number of times on Emmerdale. On the edge of quarry cliffs, roofs of houses and in mine shafts both in studios and on location.