sv evi

So…do you want to be in the movies?  You may want to think before answering this question when delivered from a random person you pass on the street.  I accepted and fortunately my experience was wonderful,  filled with the process of building interesting props, developing and editing the logistics of the screenplay, acting in as well as running safety support for the crew since the entire shoot was performed at Poor Knights Islands, NZ. 

BBC Films, which produced all your favorite series Blue Planet, Planet Earth and others was currently filming “South Pacific” when I met the crew in NZ.  Unfortunately the US version was named “Wild Pacific” as to not be confused with the 1950’s classic  American film.  And worse the edit was different in many ways as they changed the music, specific film footage and lastly replaced David Attenborough with Sigourney Weaver as narrator.  Bummer.  Not knowing this at the time I still agreed to be in the film, as if I would decline…..so…rolling on 1….and, ACTION!

The storyline was from the true events of the book “In The Heart of the Sea"  by Nathaniel Philbrick.  Basically the true story of the Moby Dick saga.  Man kills whales, whale sinks boat, men sail 3000 miles, against the weather,  back to S. America instead of the couple of hundred miles to the Marquesas, for fear of cannibals.  Starve, die, kill and eat each other anyway.  A great read…i highly recommend it.  So..this it what we are filming to put a ‘human element’ into the BBC nature films.

As with most big budget films they spared no cost.  Based in Tutukaka for the shoot we were housed at the Pacific Rendezvous Resort, fed and watered as well as paid fairly for our time with the production which was about 2 weeks.  It was quite unfamiliar to sleep in a big bed, hot showers, TV while looking down at Guava Jelly anchored in the harbor below the cliffs.  

Each day would start with the make-up call at about 5AM.  Tho we were an ugly, salty bunch to start with they still felt it necessary to glue a bunch of crap to my face every morning.  A little hair here, crusty scab there, rouge for sunburn, swab some dirt all over…perfect.  I played the harpooner and had some close-ups so they really did me up.  Then onto the dive charter Pacific Hideaway owned and operated by Mark from Tutukaka, for the 12 mile trip from the coast to the Poor Knights Islands.  A world heritage site, dive mecca, Maori sacred grounds…very special.  Needed to get beyond the islands and film east towards the sea for the background as they were ‘lost at sea’ and land would ruin the shot.  Sailing the whaleboat, stepping the mast and rigs in a hurry between shots, sailing in some less than perfect weather was quite challenging…and heaps of fun.  Typical directors..this is how one shot unfolded with him and the cameraman in a fancy zodiac shadowing us

Director: That looks great guys..now can you turn that way so we can get the light right..go ahead and turn that way.

Whaleboat Crew (8 sailors including me)  The wind is on the nose that direction.

D:  Yes..but we need you to go that way..the light will be perfect

Whaleboat Crew:  The wind is on the nose that direction. Can’t go that way.

D: yes..you said that, but i need you to turn, you know for the light…and we can’t have the islands in the shot.

Whaleboat Crew: The wind is on the nose that direction.

D:  TURN THE BOAT..NOW…WE ARE LOSING THE LIGHT AND THE SHOT

WC:  (8 quiet dumb stares in his direction)

Turned up..tacked thru the wind and continued to sail off, close-hualed, and loving it

D:  OK..Great…but that is to far…come back a little..come back

We continued to sail, ignoring him and having a hoot…what were they gonna do..fire us?  I think someone may have explained it to him the physics and we spent the remainder of the day happily sailing our whaleboat.