Shooting Everest in XDCAM HD

July 2nd. , 2007 .-

Two treks to Everest are the subject of a new documentary made by Cozmic.tv, shot tapeless in XDCAM HD.

These treks are more than just challenges for those who took part, however, with the charity that runs them opening new schools en route.

"I’ve been trying to make a film in Nepal for over ten years,” says Jason Graham, founder of independent production company Blackpool-based Cozmic.tv. Now he has his chance: a documentary focusing on the work of UK charity DCWC (Development of Children and Women Centre) Nepal, whose two main aims are to build schools and fund a Tuberculoses vaccination programme in a country where the disease kills one in ten people. “That’s very frightening when you consider it is a preventable disease,” explains Graham.

The charity fundraises from corporate sponsorship and taking adventure travellers on treks of Nepal and Tibet. “The idea [of the film] is to follow the exploits and adventures of two treks,” says Graham. As an added interest, actor Sean Wilson (Coronation Street’s Martin Platt), was one of the trekkers, adding to plans by Graham to sell the idea to ITV.

Both treks took place this spring. The first, starting in Kathmandu, Nepal, travelled to the Tibetan capital Lhasa and finished on the Chinese side of Everest, an area little seen on television. The group stopped to open a school in a remote region on the way. The second trek, featuring Wilson, involved a trip to Everest base camp, along with a further school opening. “It’s a journey of about 25 miles, although the crow doesn’t fly very much around there,” says Graham, “ so it equals 11 days walking.”

Vox pops

“We were vox popping the trekkers and grilling them along the way – finding out how they were reacting to what they see. They have not been selected as for a reality show format, they are genuine people who are going on the trip to see the region and help the charity,” comments Graham, who met representatives from the charity on a trip to the region and decided to make a documentary about them. In the first part of the journey, to the Chinese side of Everest, Graham was the only crew, taking a PDW-F350 XDCAM HD camcorder and shooting in HD. On the second part of the trip, there was an additional HVR-A1E professional HDV camcorder. “The HDV was useful for internal shots, places where we don’t have much room,” he explains. The second section of the trek also had a crew: Tim Royal as second cameraman and assistant, and Christopher David Clark as sound engineer.

Cozmic.tv was started in 1999, with help from the Princes Trust. “In that time, as well as earning money, we’ve tried to keep it exciting,” comments Graham, who has been involved in a variety of shows including the international reality game show, Bragging Rights.

Why XDCAM HD? “Having owned Sony cameras before, I wanted something that was reliable and robust,” he explains. “This is a very robust format, with tapeless acquisition a big plus, there are not so many moving parts to cause problems and transportation is much easier. We took 50 discs with us on the trip. The camera and discs are as tough as old boots and it is all very light, not much more than 5kg, without the lens, which helps when you are trekking at high altitude.”

Performing at high altitude

The PDW-F350 exceeded expectation, he adds. “The camera performed brilliantly, as high as 5365m at the Everest base camp. We were shooting mainly in progressive, because we want that real filmic feel. Those who have filmed in mountain ranges using 35mm report that when it is transferred to video it loses something, but this doesn’t happen with this camcorder. It keeps the filmic look. It is also very versatile, being able to switch from HD to SD.”

Graham was keen to use all the features of the camera. “For instance slow motion, 50 frames a second, perhaps to emphasise the difficulty of walking in the snow, or of altitude sickness. Also the stop motion, high speed function, four frames a second, which is built in – perhaps by locking off the camera and filming a sunrise over Everest.” He says he was shooting 25p in the day and switching to 50i during the night, to cope better with low light.

The resulting documentary will last around one hour. “Commissioning editors like the idea of the film and want to tinker with it, but I want to remain in control. I want it to be a very gritty view of Nepal and Tibet, while showing the contrasts between the two countries, but not losing any of their picturesque and often stunning views,” says Graham.

“It is a place of great poverty and war as well as beauty. For instance, the area where we opened the school is very remote and the people are not used to technology, they get up at 4am to fetch water and might celebrate something by slaughtering a goat. It is not all a welcome with garlands. We want to capture the essence of this place,” Graham concludes. “Although I’ve got outlines and treatments, I’m loath to sum the programme up, I don’t want to pigeon-hole it, but be ready to embrace the unexpected.”