REACHING THE MASSES
As the film crew unloads into the Kauaeranga Valley car park, I’m relieved to be carrying a half-full day pack. I’m used to hauling a lot of camera gear, but nothing like this.
The drone batteries alone weigh twice as much as the mirrorless camera I’ve packed, and that’s the tip of the iceberg. When filming in the outdoors, every backup needs a backup. There are two drones – one so big its rotors are pushed through holes cut through a modified multi-day pack – a 360 camera, film cameras, tripods, and of course, trusty high vis vests.
The talent – Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley, his wife Tina and their two kids – are also prepping for the tramp; sorting food, sleeping gear and clothes between four packs. The shots may be staged, but the tramp is not,
