THE BRIEF

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Following the huge success of the first series of SAS: Who Dares Wins, which we shot on the coast of South-West Wales in a disused ammunition store, both Channel 4 and its viewers wanted more. Minnow Films wanted to partner with The Complete Camera Company to film it again, but there was a catch; Series 2 was going to follow the

"Jungle Phase" of the SAS Selection process, so the location would be a little different to south Wales…

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Once again, a team of ex-Special Forces soldiers were drafted in to create a unique version of the jungle phase,

and they would challenge 25 civilian men to complete it.

We would be responsible for capturing each terrifying and exhausting moment.

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This kind of documentary is unique as we are not just visiting an already functioning environment e.g. a hospital, a school, or someone’s home; here the SAS team have to create the perfect conditions for filming so that they can emulate their own selection experiences as closely as possible. We therefore had to make sure that

we supported their decisions, along with Minnow’s production team and Art Director,

to help create the most authentic set-up possible.

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THE CHALLENGES

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CCC Director, Ben, travelled with a team from Minnow Films on recces in both Panama and Ecuador to assess the pros and cons of filming in each location. Highlights included a visit to a cave full of bats, trekking through virgin rainforest, and seeing the Panama Canal in action. It was agreed that Ecuador would work best both visually and practically, and we followed up with a final recce to confirm specific shooting locations,

camera positions and to prepare for the rig.

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The Complete Camera Company prepared around 3.5 tonnes of equipment, including 25 kilometres of cable and 1100 individual items that would go on to build an engineering department

and a full production gallery in the middle of the jungle.

​It was vital that we built strong, reliable relationships with the fixers on the ground and

were able to guarantee the safe arrival of a huge amount of technical equipment.

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The biggest challenge for a rig like this is the conditions in which the equipment must function. Heavy rain, hot temperatures and high humidity meant we used our specialised outdoor camera housings to protect each remote PTZ camera, keeping them waterproofed and cooled, while the gallery was fitted with specialised air-conditioning units to keep everything running its at optimum operating temperature.

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SAS: Who Dares Wins Series involved rigging the recruit dorm, recruit mess, torture room, interrogation hut,

mirror room, prayer room, SAS dorm, and parade ground. We used a mixture of camouflage netting and spray paint to disguise the kit so that it was all as discrete as possible, helping both the contributors and the

directing staff to focus on their work rather than being distracted by the cameras.

 

THE RESULTS

The final show is a 5 x 60 minute series following the jungle phase of the notorious SAS selection process – known as the toughest military entry test in the world, and all the blood sweat and tears that go hand-in-hand with it.

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FACTS & FIGURES

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Filmed: May 2016
Aired: Autumn 2016
Channel: Channel 4
Location: Ecuador
Viewers: 2.16 Million
Cameras: 35

 

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

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"This horribly entertaining programme about beefed-up, broken men will really test your reality TV survival skills."

The Guardian

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"In an age where we have become obsessed with physical challenges, as evidenced by the

Tough Mudder phenomenon and every second friend and colleague doing a half-marathon,

undergoing SAS training is the ultimate status symbol."

I News

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"A brutal reality TV show in which 25 ordinary men are put through SAS training in an Ecuadorian jungle."

The Daily Mail

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"There's a moment in this gripping reality show sequel that will stop you in your tracks."

The Radio Times

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"Eat your heart out, Lord Sugar. Your firing finger’s got nothing on these shouty tough nuts."

The Telegraph