Stories in Motion.

With a soft spot for a great still, I’ve really fallen in love with moving images. We all know how film has become such an important part of how we experience stories, bringing people, places and ideas to life in a completely different way. I absolutely love being involved in that process, from the first idea and creative direction through to the hands on shooting, directing and lang hour in the editing bay.

With a clear soft spot for a great still, I’ve really fallen in love with moving images. Film has become such an important part of how we experience stories, bringing people, places and ideas to life in a completely different way. I love sitting down with founders, athletes and the people behind a product or place, hearing their story and finding the bits that make it worth telling. Then getting out there and create and documenting it, hunting down the B roll, finding the little moments while the A-cam takes a break, and making the most of whatever we have with us.

A lot of the time that means remote places, limited gear, backups on backups and being smart with batteries that definitely don’t last forever. I love that part of it too. Figuring it out, staying hands-on and finding the story wherever you are.

Anyway, here a few moving stories I’ve been lucky enough to help bring to life and worth sitting down for:

The Endless Pursuit.

Pindang Country, in the North of Western Australia, became our studio for The Endless Pursuit.

Nothing about this shoot was staged or controlled. We worked with weather, light, distance and a landscape that doesn’t adjust for production. Wild bulls, dingoes, fresh and saltwater crocodiles and long stretches of remote country shaped every decision.

We went in with a small, off-grid team to capture the heart of Sea to Summit, a brand built and tested over 35 years in some of Australia’s harshest environments.

Creative and production moved as one process from start to finish. In a place like this, separation doesn’t work. You respond in real time, or you miss it.

That proximity to the brand changed the work. You’re not interpreting from a distance, you’re inside it, understanding the history, the gear, and why it exists.

“The details that go missing,” a line from Tim Miller in the film, has stayed with me. It doesn’t only speak to Sea to Summit products, but to creative work more broadly, where the thinking, time and effort behind what you see often disappears into the final frame.

Grateful to the team for the trust - Samuel Hesketh, Salty Davenport, Daygin Prescott, Roland Tyson, Tim Miller, Paramjeet Singh, Mark Spillane.

Beyond the Trail.

Three flights, 1000mm of rain, and a chance to meet one of the true legends of thru-hiking. Worth it.
After leaving WA, I landed in New Zealand’s South Island just before a major weather system hit the West Coast. Together with the crew Deanna Gerlach, Samuel Hesketh, and Daygin Prescott we went in and got it done.

We were there to capture the story of Elina Osborne, filmmaker, storyteller, and long-distance hiking legend and the spirit of self-supported travel through wild terrain.

Long days of shooting and camping in rugged, off-grid locations pushing gear and ourselves through wild terrain while also having to find shelter when the storm rolled in. Later, we found out that two Aussies we’d crossed paths with on the trail didn’t make it out and had to be choppered to safety. Classic New Zealand: unpredictable, raw, and always worth it. Grateful they were okay.
Another one for the books and for the beautiful brand Sea to Summit Global. Massive thanks to everyone involved for the energy and grit. Here’s a quick look behind the scenes for your entertainment. Enjoy.

Open Horizons.

Part of what I do for work - There is something so beautiful about starting a concept and coming up with a story I want to tell that relates to the brand I work for and the new products that are coming out. It all starts with; finding the right people to be in front of the lens with an actual good story to tell. Who will be part of my crew? How far does my budget go? What will the location be? How do we get there and where do we stay. Pitching the concepts; what will the feedback be. Create the plan, and how do I get it ‘on brand’ or, in this case, how should this new category become a new part of the brand. Styling; what works what doesn’t and the there is the music and sfx.

Telling these stories is a combination of taking a deep breath and being patient, but also winning over people’s trust. Listen to feedback but follow my gut is what is key. Thanks to those who helped telling this story; and thanks Seatosummit letting us do so.