This advice page highlights the special circumstances that location film teams operate under and details how WMT can support film and media organisations in their pre-travel medical planning, preparations and medical training.
Tight schedules and complicated filming logistics often takes its toll on the production team. The pressure of working on location and the fact that ‘time is money’ means getting ill or injured is just not an option as the consequences can be disastrous – both from a health and financial viewpoint.
With experience of having worked with production companies such as the BBC and Cicada, WMT has a clear idea about the unique type of health issues likely to face a film crew which can vary from slips and trips associated with shooting in difficult locations, to environment related illnesses (cold or heat related) when the cameras need to roll. Of course, many film teams are vehicle based in developing world countries with a poor infrastructure so vehicle related trauma is a real threat.
Specialist WMT expedition medical training is a worthwhile investment in the grand scheme of film and TV project budgets. The film crew, drivers, fixers, local staff, porters and celebrities and subjects can all have medical needs which must be taken into account when devising medical training and the team’s medical supplies, emergency backup plans, risk assessments and communications planning. It will be certainly more cost effective to train up crew members than to take a paid medic with a film team. However, even if you do have a medic, you need to think about who can look after them if they get ill or injured and the team when they are incapacitated.
Some WMT instructors have first hand experience of working on location with TV teams (David Attenborough & Never Seen a Doctor) and WMT has trained the BBC’s Human Planet and Frozen Planet teams and Bruce Parry’s Tribe team.
We appreciate that some projects do not get the financial green light until the 11th hour. We will always do our best, at the shortest notice, to meet your training needs and to put together a suitable bespoke medical kit that’s ready to travel with you. We can run a bespoke training course where and when you require, or if you have sufficient time, you can consider sending people on our public Explorer courses; Far From Help or Advanced Medicine.
WMT can also help you find a medic to accompany you. We don’t charge for this. Just send Barry an email outlining your requirements and we’ll gladly forward it to the hundreds of doctors we’ve trained.
To discuss your requirements please contact WMT.