“Beyond Boundaries 3” for BBC2 in Ecuador 5.3. - 8.4.2022
by Wolfgang Knoepfler – Line Producer9 out of 10, the expedition was a real success. Our young disabled explorers held up really well to all the problems thrown at them. Extreme heat and high humidity in the Amazon and on the Pacific coast. Rain that soaked everything from the expedition members, to the film kit and expedition equipment. Sleepless nights in wet cloth in wet sleeping bags. Cold and altitude sickness in the Andes, the young explorers stayed cheerful, kept their humour and light heartedly conquered the Andes from the Amazon to the Pacific
In the words of expedition leader Ken Hames “This was the hardest expedition I have ever done – but whatever we throw at these young people they just keep on going”.
The core crew from the previous 2 series: Ken Hames Expedition Leader, 1st AD Danny Cane, the Austrian sound mafia Joe Knauer, Roland Winkler, Georg Brodegger, the AP Samuel Simon and myself Line Producer Wolfgang Knoepfler were up to the challenge. The new team members David Johnson – series producer, Jennifer Nicol – selfshooting director, Nigel Dupont – camera, AP Emanuelle MacLean and Expedition doctor Fiona Ramsden were up to the task. We had a fantastic fixer: Richard O. Cynus and an equally fantastic crew of guides, drivers, camera assistants from Ecuador. Our logistic manager Jorge Salaverri and the cook Guilermo Cobos kept us going. We benefited from the generous support of the Ecuadorian Army and the Ministry of Tourism, which provided us with a Hercules plane, a truck and 5 soldiers. Probably the only camera currently on the market that could survive the conditions we filmed in did not let us down. The Sony XD-Cam is a very reliable camera under all circumstances.
9 out of 10 – only 16year old CP sufferer Dale Speight had to leave the expedition just when we reached the Andes plateau on Antisana, after he fell from his wheelchair and insured his neck. We carried him for 4 hours on stretcher to the next road and the drove him for 2 hours to the nearest hospital. He had to spent 1 night in a hospital, was released with a neck brace and flown back to the UK after one week. He still has to wear his neck brace until the end of April, but he is recovering well and there will be no permanent damage.
Last week we digitized the rushes and sound and on Monday April 16th our editors Tim Lovell and Nico Bee together with series producer David Johnson and producer/director Jenny Nicol have started editing.
We look forward editing the series over the next 14 weeks and hope to deliver an exciting and inspirational series even better then the first two.
