Filming Orangutans in the swamp forests of Sumatra was the most challenging project I’ve taken on to date. One minute you’re walking on solid ground the next you could be up to your neck in swamp water. 

10 hours a day every day for a month carrying 20kg of camera kit through this environment over the course of 2 years was a challenge in itself. It was a miracle that it didn’t drop in the swamp, get smashed by branches or get caught out in tropical storms. That was job 1. 

Job 2 was to try to keep up with the Orangutans. I had, on average, 5 seconds from seeing a shot through the trees to getting the camera on the tripod, framing, focusing and recording. For every 30 times you did this only one attempt was successful as the Orangutans would of course move off the moment everything was set up. 

Resilience, patience and above all teamwork was key to us bringing back this film.