Defending Europe

I produced and directed 3 of 6 hour-long episodes – Britain, The Netherlands and Spain – for this brand new National Geographic history series, working with a new Bristol based company on their first commission. The series delves into a range of stories from across the defensive past of six nations in Europe, with a team of talented expert presenters investigating the technology, design, engineering and innovation that have shaped each country’s defences over the centuries. Filming involved action-packed sequences: firing and demonstrating historical weaponry, flying aircraft, explosive experiments, filming onboard boats, from heights and underground. Using drone, archive and specially commissioned graphics to piece together the defensive stories of different nations, we brought these unique and often hidden histories to life onscreen. I also edit produced The Netherlands episode, working closely with the graphic design team to come up with custom maps and 3D rebuilds to help bring stories to life. On location I directed our range of talent to get the best performances on camera, including Alexandra Churchill, Andy Torbet, Arthur Williams, Danielle George, Onyeka Nubia, Tony Pollard as well as local presenters in The Netherlands and Spain.