On the last day of filming ‘The 7 of Daran’ in the Namibian desert, a skeleton crew stayed behind for the last few aerial shots .
The first shot from the air was, Johan the 10 year old Star & his co-Star Ketrice (9) lost in the desert. Ava our AD (assistant director), myself & two guides were asked to take the kids into the Dunes on 3 Quad bikes.
It didn't take long before Ava handed her quad bike over to me, only because I had driven one before- baring in mind that helicopters are very expensive & everybody was waiting for us, so we had to be quick. The last time I was on a quad bike I realized that it’s all about speed, so off I went, Ketrice clinging to my back, hurling over the dunes for a rendezvous with a helicopter in the distance.
It didn't take long before Ava handed her quad bike over to me, only because I had driven one before- baring in mind that helicopters are very expensive & everybody was waiting for us, so we had to be quick. The last time I was on a quad bike I realized that it’s all about speed, so off I went, Ketrice clinging to my back, hurling over the dunes for a rendezvous with a helicopter in the distance.
On one occasion my nerves failed me half way up a huge dune, I made a U- turn & came back, but I realized there was no other way…I had to go up. We got to the top of the dune and the guide was standing on a precipice signaling for me to ‘go slow’, Johan(10) turned & looked at me, his eyes like saucers as they vanished over the edge.
Three story’s high almost straight down – but down we had to go. It was incredible, the sound of the sand that rushed underneath us, for those few seconds it drained out the rest of the world.
Finally they got the shot & we maid it to our second location (the runway used in Flight of the Phoenix) just in the nick of time. I was still reeling with adrenalin, a big, fat grin fixed on my face.
The next moment the helicopter flagged us down, complete with a wiggle from side to side, just like U see in the movies. The director hung out of the window & signaled for me to follow them.
So of course I chased after the helicopter, it landed so that the DOP (Director of Photography) could jump on the back of my bike. Without hesitation he yelled, “Go, Go, Go! “ – So I went.
It turned out that the truck they were filming got stuck & he was on his way to help. Of course just as we got there, the truck started to move & we were now in shot…”MOVE MOVE MOVE!”
So this is how I was chased at high speed by a helicopter, down a “runway”, with our DOP hanging on for dear life…Only in the MOVIES, ha ha?
By Christa
So this is how I was chased at high speed by a helicopter, down a “runway”, with our DOP hanging on for dear life…Only in the MOVIES, ha ha?
By Christa
U B .beautiful. Partner
Ps. Have a look at our gallery! @ http://www.ubbeautiful.co.za/ for some amazing photo’s
Ps. Have a look at our gallery! @ http://www.ubbeautiful.co.za/ for some amazing photo’s
