Before I made films, I was an extreme adventurer. It turned out to be good training for documentary work.
Three peaks, three pots
3 Peaks, 3 Pots follows John Beamson, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as he climbs three of Britain's toughest mountains and goes down three of its hardest caves. A "pot" is a caver's word for a pothole, a shaft going down into the ground.
Keep up first
In places like that the first job is to stay safe and keep up. If the director can't move at the pace of the person being filmed, the film ends up being about the crew. That means travelling light, knowing the ground, and working with people who know it better.
Underground there's no daylight, so every shot depends on the light you carry. Headtorches, a couple of small lamps and the shine off wet rock are often all there is. You only see a few metres ahead, and so does the audience. That becomes part of the film.
About the person
Adventure films get sold on scenery but remembered for people. What makes 3 Peaks, 3 Pots worth watching is someone choosing, again and again, to keep going. It's what I look for in every documentary, on a summit or on a street.
If you've got an expedition or endurance story, have a look at my services or get in touch.
