Strange Days on Planet Earth Host Shoot

Well it finally happened...we filmed our host, Edward Norton in LA. We would have filmed him earlier in the month, but a freak storm put an end to that plan.

The second planned shoot went very smoothly. Our line producer, Brook Holston spent weeks working on the pre-production plans. We only had two days, but we managed to film all of the scenes starring Edward Norton for both new episodes of "Strange Days on Planet Earth". "Dirty Secrets" and "Dangerous Catch" will be premiering on PBS in April 2008 (the day after Earth Day).

This shoot was especially exciting for me because I was brought on as the still photographer. This was the first time I had been on a crew where it was my sole responsibility to take photos. Normally, I am a PA (production assistant), so my job usually consists of doing whatever anyone tells me. Plus, I always take photos anyway. But this time I had the pleasure of focusing on just the photography. Also, someone hooked me up with a headset so I could listen in to all the production-speak. I am a scientist and a photographer by background, so the whole LA film scene was new to me. We had a 40 person + film crew this time. There were assistants for the assistants! Everything had to be perfectly choreographed so that we could film Edward Norton at all of the correct locations in the perfect light. We shot at a pier, a culvert, a fish market, a parking lot, a beach, and a water treatment plant.





Imagine getting that many people set up, tore down, and moved around in just two days. Kudos Brook!

The day in the life of an AP in Africa

Brook Holston (Associate Producer)
July 17, 2007 Mole National Park, Ghana

Despite a giant thunderstorm yesterday, we are miraculously on schedule and have shot most everything that was planned and scheduled.

Justin Brashares, the scientist we are here with is a star and has been great on camera and a huge help all around. Justin's grad student, Cole Burton (also at Berkeley) is here and has been a huge help as well and we've been filming with him quite a bit.

I am currently in the town of Tamale, which is about 2 hours outside of Mole Park. Even though I came into "town", I am still chasing down one suitcase that's been missing since we arrived, which contains most of our tapestock. It should arrive here soon on a flight from Accra. As the "services" are limited at the Mole Motel, I'm also here making a supply run for things the hotel is low on or out of: fruit, water, fuel for our generator (as the power is quite random in Mole and battery charging has been a challenge), money changing, DHL (where I'm picking up tapestock that I ordered should the suitcase never makes it back to us), etc, etc!

So far the crew is doing great, although a bit tired, and the good news is all of our equipment has been working good in the heat and humidity. We are working closely with the Wildlife Division in Mole Park and they have been extremely helpful - yesterday we shot elephants and today will be shooting some Baboons. There are baboons at the Mole Hotel who are quite cheeky - they hang out right in front of your room hoping you'll drop your bag so they can have a look. Yesterday they stole a woman's backpack and she didn't get much back!!

Scout Trip: Mexico (Day 2)

PLEASURE IN CANCUN
SAND AND SUN
CANCUN is an invented city that was designed 37 years ago. The Mexican Caribbean is today a tourist destination that attracts 7 million people every year. And the number is growing… Tourists come for the white beaches, the sun, the fun…


THE OTHER SIDE TO CANCUN
In Cancun, every morning shortly after sunrise, workers rake and cart away sea grass that has washed up on the shore to make sure that the beaches are clean for the tourists. (The grasses are actually very beautiful.) Aesthetics of cleanliness are very important -- notice the man's white suit. Ironically, while the beaches are clean, scientists have real questions about water quality in both the marine and fresh water systems. (One day while swimming, David and Ana found themselves in some untreated sewage and quickly made their way to the beach.)


MEET GABRIEL, BORN IN THE YUCATAN AND HAS WORKED IN CANCUN FOR 17 YEARS. GABRIEL'S COLONY...NO WATER, NO ELECTRICITY, AND NO ADDRESSThis is the other face of Cancun: no water, no electricity, no basic services… not even addresses thirteen minutes from the beaches of Cancun.


ANA RIDES THE BUS

After a hard workday, the workers leave the ‘Zona hotelera” to go back home. A 6 pesos-bus ride connects both realities.


MEET DR. ROBERTO IGLESIAS-PRIETO, SCIENTIST
Dr. Roberto Iglesias-Prieto is concerned with water quality of both the freshwater and marine systems. He's working with colleagues to better understand the underground rivers system of the Yucatan, which is home to the largest underground river in the world. It's suspected that much of the river system is being harmed by pollutants which seep through the soil, enter the rivers, and pollute drinking water before arriving in the sea. To learn more, visit: http://www.icmyl.unam.mx/ Dr. Iglesias-Prieto has dedicated much of his life investigating the cryptic lives of corals. And his work is showing how another pollutant, CO2, may be compromising the future of coral reefs the world over by playing a factor in rising ocean temperatures. According to Dr. Iglesias-Prieto, rising ocean temperatures can inhibit coral's ability to build their hard skeletons, and it can lead to a chain of events that eventually leads to starving the coral to death.

Scout trip: Mexico (Day 1)

Ana, Brook and our fixer Claudia plan another day as we have breakfast. Ana gets to work scouting and doing some "on the street" interviews. (Her Spanish is really good and she helps us incredibly, like . . . on the first day when we got pulled over by the police because she didn't have a seat belt on!)
On the first day, after scouting a helicopter and meeting with the pilot, the crew takes a cab ride to meet cave diver and explorer Sam Meacham at his house.

MEET SAM MEACHAM, CAVE DIVER Sam is really cool! His work exploring underwater caves is amazing, and he gives us a bunch of footage and offers to work with us in any way he can. (We like Sam. And Sam likes us.)

COZUMEL

David swims . . .
Cozumel, far from the tourist crowds . . .

Leaving for Mexico!

ARE WE THERE YET? David, Ana and Brook have a coffee in San Jose as they prepare for their big adventure

Ana gets in some last minute work before heading to the gate. She doesn't like wasting any time.
Brook stands by . . . as . . .
. . David takes pictures of his feet.
On the plane, last minute preparations before departing.
David likes his snorkel and contemplates wearing it for the flight.

The team flies and sleeps.


After landing in Mexico and a long drive, the crew is lost (actually only a few blocks from the hotel.)