Veteran Hollwyood Action Director and Filmaker Dallas Tanner finds the perils and dangers of filming in paradise
Veteran Hollwyood Action Director and Filmaker Dallas Tanner finds the perils and dangers of filming in paradise
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April 30, 2006 (FPRC) -- Hollywood action TV director Dallas Tanner and Oscar Nominated Director Jonathan Heap decided to skip the coziness of filming on Hollywood studio lots for the perils and dangers of filming in paradise. The two just returned from filming over two months in the very beautiful islands of Hawaii, the new action adventure series "Destination X Hawaii" and got up and close with the dangers that lurk beneath paradise. Undaunted by the challanges, Tanner stated that he is are already planning to develop additional series this year including an exciting but more dangerous shoot in Brazil which will be filmed this summer. The new adventure survival twist in the series is already picking up steam with broadcasters from around the world lining up to take delivery of the first 13 episodes by the summer.
According to veteran action sports filmmaker Dallas Tanner, filming in paradise and exotic locations is not always as easy going as filming on a studio lot. "On both expeditions while filming in Hawaii to complete the series, the cast and crew constantly faced extreme conditions. We were chased on three islands by a Pacific storm which just a week before had claimed the lives of 7 people caught up in storms in beautiful Kauai. Our crews end up doing just as dangerous stunts as the cast, and often came back home with more scrapes and bumps than the cast who pulled off the stuntwork and extreme sports expeditions. On our last shoot, once we finished filming a spectacular skydive shoot over the North Shore of Hawaii, minutes later one of the camera crew from the sky dive team had to open his emergency shoot. We all looked up in disbelief at the incredible realization that our cast and crew had just done the previous jump. The dangers and perils did not end there. One of our camera crew bodly got in the water unprotected with about 20 man eating sharks out in the pacific ocean to film a scene with our cast in a cage, and all the while the all female cast was often caught dangling their hands or feet out of the cage as the menacing sharks rattled their razor sharp teeth against the bars of the cage. This is not like anything you will see on tv series like "Survivor" or "Fear Factor"ˇKwe use no stuntmen, or invisible wires to protect our cast during stunts. Its all real and it keeps the cast and crew pumping with adrenalin all of the time and every day while filming its a new adventure. Its dangerous and in our tv series we want to let the audience experience the rush and excitement when our team of fit and athletic women take on paradise". Tanner announced that the next series to be filmed in Brazil and in the dangerous Amazon River region will be even more dangerous. " Giant Anaconda and dozens of other venomous snakes, flesh eating pirana fish and the threat of kidnappings for our cast and crew deep in the most far reaching desolate locations on the planet , will surely keep our cast and crew on edge". Tanner has experienced first hand just how dangerous it can be for his cast and crew to film in extreme conditions. On the last extreme sports series that he directed, five people who appeared on the series at various times, ending up loosing their lives while persuing their interests in outdoor extreme sports, one of them included a former producer of the series who was killed in a tragic big wave accident while surfing.
"We dont just face the dangers of nature, but also man. We have even been threatened in far off locations by gangs and local thugs who even have stolen our equipment or extorted our crew while filming", Tanner stated. "As the producer and director, I guess I get to have my share of stress and dangerˇKit keeps me excited in a strange way".
The production company is currently shooting a tv series that features an all women cast who are up for the challenges as the women team up to pick their dream destination and adventure and then carry out the dream while overcoming their worst fears. Fit women participants are choosen from around the world and even with the dangers involved, Tanner stated that they have a long list of submissions from women who want to join up from around the world to play out the next female "Laura Croft" action hero in the series.
A preview of the series can be viewed at http://www.destinationxtv.com
Send an email to Michelle Winkofer of Ascent Media
310-966-0710
Keywords:
dallas tanner, eric dallas tanner, destination x hawaii |
