Martin Pailthorpe
Case Histories - Production
In the past year I have undertaken a number of shoots at extremely short notice - in one case as little as two days. I was able to bring my many years of experience to bear on scripting, scheduling, safety and risk assesment to ensure a sucessful shoot.
Texas - a shoot for the Plimsoll Productions/Discovery series `Life of Dogs'. Filming dogs and their handlers at the Lackland Air Force Base training facility near San Antonio. This involved filmings the teams in several scenarios (including roadside IED detection, drug searches, building sweeps and firearms familiarisation) and interviewing key members of the programme.
Northern Quebec - also for the Plimsoll Productions/Discovery series `Life of Dogs'. Filming mushers and handlers based in the Inuit community of Wakeham Bay, 100km north of Montreal. The shoot involved taking a 60k trip out of town to a fishing hut, which we used as a base for seal hunting and ice fishing. All carried out in temperatures of around -40C. It also involved dealing with the complexities of cultural sensitivities around filming with the Inuit community.
Kruger NP, South Africa - Plimsoll Productions/Discovery series `Life of Dogs'. Filming the K-9 dog team involved in anti poaching patrols in Kruger National Park - training and deployment, interviews with key players, and wildlife B-roll. This shoot required a high level of diplomacy to deal with a very sensitive subject, and one that the authorities are not keen to highlight. The shoot included being first on the scene of a recently killed rhino, and following the forensic team's efforts to gather potential evidence.
Southend, UK - Plimsoll Productions/Discovery series `Life of Dogs'. Closer to home this time, but again with very limited notice/pre-shoot time. Filming a young diabetic boy and his medical detection dog.
KwazuluNatal, South Africa. A return to S Africa, this time for the Tigress/ITV series `Wild Animal Reunions', with just 2 days notice. Co-ordinating two crews filming a reunion between a veterinary scientist and the two orphaned rhinos that she fostered at a wildlife sanctuary. Complex logistics trying to film with wild animals, and very limited time in which to get key sequences with our contributor.
