Thread: Where can I hire a safety team for filming at a river?

Hi there. I want to make a very ambitious but different type of music video by getting someone to film me floating on my back down a stream or river like in the film 'The Two Towers' where Viggo Mortensson floats down 'The Greenstone river' in New Zealand.
I've been told that some streams or rivers would be dangerous because of under currents which could pull me under water.
Could I hire a safety team for recording? If so where?!
How do I know which rivers or streams are safe enough to float down?!!
Here is the link to this particular scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suSotC3Jatk
Regards,
Richard Steed

Try your local diving club.

What..seriously?

Or your local Sea Cadets.

How do I know which rivers or streams are safe enough to float down?!! Well you just need to use a bit of common sense!

The example in the clip is short, if that's all you need why not choose a shallow area, you could always attach a rope to your belt out of view of the camera and have someone hold it from the bank while you get the shot. Then you can edit out the safety rope should it come into view.

Originally Posted by R.STEED

What..seriously?

Yes, really. Perhaps I should have said sub-aqua club and not diving club. They have all the expertise and health and safty qualifications you will need for your shoot.

I love that shot in the movie too
Good luck and be careful ......
Sea cadets / sub aqua diving clubs sound like logical places to start your inquiries as already mentioend.

Right:
Sea Cadets and Diving clubs will only get you so far. If you want people to run safety on rivers, ask some kayakers. If people live locally they might even do it for a beer.
Kayakers obviously live on the river, and have appropriate safety and rescue qualifications suitable for the majority of moving water scenarios.

If you are in the UK the place to ask is here:

www.ukriversguidebook.com - uk rivers guidebook Resources and Information.


For that particular scene, to be honest put a bouyancy aid on underneath your clothes, and have someone on the bank with a rope.

Hi, try the people (canoeists) at Song of the Paddle Forum : : The call of the Open Canadian Canoe They will surely help you. And they know a lot about most rivers in UK. There are many canoeing instructors there, and they all have experience on safety and rescue in rivers. Tell there that TonyBR (from Brazil) sent you!!! hehehe

Filming in a dry dock that was flooded for the 'storm' sequence, the local sub-aqua club provided a safety boat and divers, and St John Ambulance provided a first aid team - both organisations had a proper scale of 'donations' that we covered. The county fire service attended too, using it as a training opportunity - watching what was happening and considering how they would be able to assist. They were approached and invited as an interested party. No problems on the shoot - but every possibility covered.