and in Thailand for a human trafficking issue.


A typical assignment


involves shooting interviews with people involved in or affected by a social issue, scenes related to the topic and scenic shots of the country, culture and geography. Depending on the issue, some investigative research and filming might be required. The shoot in Thailand for an independently-produced documentary film involved meeting with ex-victims of forced labour on fishing boats. Asking the victims to speak about their harrowing experience at sea is not easy, and sticking a camera in anyone's face can be intimidating too.


Time has to be spent


getting to know them so they feel comfortable and get used to the camera's


presence. As


it was a subject involving organised crime, we also had to do a bit of discreet filming in areas where activities related to human trafficking occurred.


Other countries where you have worked? I have worked in almost every country in the Asia Pacific region and at least one of the Pacific islands.


Have you been busy? It varies. As a freelancer, I can get a day's notice to go overseas on a shooting assignment for 10 days or more. Earlier in 2013, I was away


for six weeks and shooting every day. The next six weeks, nothing happened except for a


First shooting job? My first real video job was with UN Habitat, filming in remote areas around SE Asia where people had no access to clean or treated water. We had a tight schedule. I was a one-man crew and had to ensure everything went smoothly without any assistance. I am still amazed at how


anything that could go (have gone) wrong did not! And the clients were very happy with the shots.


Current equipment you use?


As a basic kit for light travel and urgent jobs, I use the Panasonic HMC 152 and/or Nikon D600. I also have GoPro cameras, Sennheiser wireless


few days of editing and 'minor' filming work.


mic sets, Røde mics and simple lighting sets on my travel kit. For jobs with specific


requirements, I have rented the Sony FS700 and Canon C100; both cameras I really like working with. Melbourne is a fantastic place for gear rentals and I look forward to trying out other models.


Other gear you have access to?


Steadicam Merlin with arm and vest, and multi-track audio recording with ProTools.


Equipment "wish list"? What would you ideally like to have? There's no ideal wish list, in the same way there's no ideal camera. Equipment lists always vary on the budget and shooting requirements. In my opinion, 90 percent of


the job is your skills and creativity. The camera and other gear are only the tools of your craft.


What piece of gear do you wish someone might make? A lightweight, travel friendly, 'tripod-slider-dolly-stabiliser,' all merged into one.


What's the biggest hassle in your current working life? The check-in process at airports can be a hassle. Airlines are getting stricter with weight limits on check-in and carry-on luggage, even when you have the budget to pay for excess luggage. On urgent travel assignments, before paper work on film permits have been cleared, customs officials can hold you back for questioning if they notice your camera gear.


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February-March 2014 I TV Technology Asia-Pacific


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