Ryan Wilkes & Harry Seagar directed 2021 WMFF feature “Fly The Roof”. We asked them a few questions, see our Q&A conversation below:
What is in your gear bag/kit?
Our main cameras for “Fly The Roof” were a pair of Panasonic GH5s paired with native Panasonic lenses. One of the cameras was on a Ronin-SC for the majority of our trek. The thing I love most about my kit is how compact it is. Everything fit into one Shimoda Explore 40 bag that I carried for the whole trip. To keep everything charged during our 7-day trek, we used the Goal Zero Nomad 28 and Sherpa 100 AC. Co-director Harry Seagar used a Canon 5D Mark iii and Canon…
Most necessary character-quality for a director?
Being adaptable is an essential quality for a director. Things will go wrong – it is just a matter of when! Especially when you are shooting a documentary and you aren’t exactly sure how the story is going to play out. Being able to regroup and refocus when conditions are constantly changing is really important.
Favorite on-set memory?
On the second day of our trek up Mt Kilimanjaro, all of our guides and porters sang for us in front of one of the most beautiful sunsets I have every witnessed. We were above the clouds and the summit was lit up with orange light. After a hectic few days of travel, this was the moment when I finally felt like I was present on the mountain and could take it all in.
Craziest on-set/en route to set adventure?
As we were flying in to Tanzania we were able to see Mt Kilimanjaro from the plane. It was so surreal to see this massive mountain sticking up out of the African savanna and thinking “we are going to be climbing that in 3 days from now, and then trying to paraglide from the top”. The sight of the mountain paired with a breath-taking sunset made for the perfect welcome into Tanzania.
More About Ryan Wilkes and Harry Seagar
Ryan Wilkes (CAN) is a videographer and photographer focused on capturing stories about travel, adventure and wildlife. Ryan is a highly sought after Director of Photography known for being able to shoot a full production out of his backpack. www.ryanwilkes.com
Harry Seagar (NZ) is dedicated to raising awareness of environmental and social change through his entrepreneurial production skills. Using his experience within the creative sector to provoke thought and change into the minds of many. www.harryseagar.com
