Videographer for Magawa the Hero Rat
Part of the assignment as a videographer and photographer on the story of Magawa the hero rat for Apopo was to produce a video to be shown at the PDSA annual awards ceremony.
The PDSA Animal Awards Programme recognises the role of animals in society that have shown extraordinary bravery and exceptional devotion to duty. The medal is the animal equivalent of the George Medal and it is predominantly awarded to animals who have served in conflict zones, post-conflict zones, post-disaster areas and with the police.
Previously the medal has previously been awarded to dogs. Magawa was the first rat to win the award.
Magawa was going to travel to London to receive the award, but due to Covid, the ceremony was held virtually and the videography work I did formed part of the ceremony, with Magawa being handed the medal, one of his handlers talking about the incredible work he’s done and beneficiaries talking about how mine clearing operations undertaken by Magawa have changed their lives.
Some of the footage from the shoot was given to international news agencies and publications. It was great to see how the different agencies used my footage to tell Magawa’s story in so many different way. Videos including my footage were published by CNN, Ruptly and many others.
Photographer to cover Magawa the Hero Rat being given his medal
I worked as a photographer and videographer for PDSA, to cover the story of Magawa the Hero rat being awarded the PDSA Gold Medal for his work saving lives by clearing mines in Cambodia.
I was contacted by Apopo, a mine-clearing NGO, who realised that they could train rats to smell TNT, which is used in landmines. The rats are trained at Apopo’s training facility in Tanzania before coming to Cambodia to work clearing the mines. The rats are too light to set off the mines, are more reliable than the landmine detecting dogs and are much quicker a detecting the mines than using the traditional method using a metal detector.
It was great to work alongside Michael from Apopo, who over the course of the shoot shared his encyclopaedic knowledge of mine clearing and working with rats to clear the mines.
Photos and videos from the shoot were widely shared with local and international publications including The Phnom Penh Post, The New York Times, The Guardian, The BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera.
Working as a videographer for Zoomin TV
Zoomin Tv got in touch with me work as a video journalist on a video about eating scorpions in Cambodia. I found a place in Phnom Penh where they eat scorpions, got permission to film at the restaurant and headed down there to make a short video about how the scorpions are cooked and people trying the delicacy for the first time.
Working as a director and camera operator on a video for UNICEF
I directed, filmed and edited this 5-minute training video for UNICEF Cambodia to train Cash Transfer Programme Focal Points on how to use the app and lead beneficiaries through the process of registering and collecting payment as part of the Social Protection in Cambodia programme.
The video looks good, but it would’ve been good to ADR the sound. This was always the plan, but due to the tight turnaround and constant changes in the script, unfortunately we ran out of time.
It was great to be involved on a project that helps support the people most in need during these difficult times.
Working as a videographer for a PTV shoot for Behind the Scenes with Laurence Fishburne
What seems like a long time ago in a different world, Margaret Donnelly contacted me to work with her as a videographer and drone operator on a video about Uniworld’s river cruise from Kampong Cham in Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
The ship, The Mekong Jewel, has the highest number of staff per guests of any cruise ship in the world. All the staff were incredible. It was great to spend a couple of days living the life of luxury.
Unfortunately, the river border between Cambodia and Vietnam was closed shortly after I disembarked as tourists on another Mekong cruise ship tested positive for Covid. The Mekong Jewel was one of the last cruise ships to cross the border.
Above are a couple of drone shots I took of the ship. Hopefully the Behind the Scenes video, including an introduction by Laurence Fishburne will be released after everything has returned to some semblance of normality.