Cameramen go underground

Press, 15 June 1983, Page 10

Cameramen go underground

Under Mount Arthur in Nelson there is a place called Soft Rock Cafe — a place very few people will ever visit It lies close to the explored limits of the Nettlebed Cave Systems and is a kind of underground oasis for the cavers who come to explore the dark unknown regions of one of the world’s great caves. The “Lookout” documentary screening on One Sunday night is about a “journey to a place which in time will become just another along the way,” says Produced by lan Taylor, “Two Days to Soft Rock Cafe” was one of the most difficult filming assignments undertaken in New Zealand. The four-man film crew spent three weeks on location at the caves, working 18 to 19 hours every day and spending up to five days underground at a time. “During Christmas 1982, 55 cavers from New Zealand and around the world arrived at the cave in order to explore it even further,” says Taylor. “The documentary tells the story of the cave from its discovery, in the form of two days travelling underground. “The first day brings us to the Salvation Hall Camp, which sleeps 18, and the second day we arrive at Soft Rock Cafe.”

Not only did the crew have to get themselves through the caves, they also had to contend with five cameras; 17 100 watt filming lights and batteries; three 250 watt lights and batteries; 20,000 ft of film and three tape recorders; scuba gear and individual caving equipment “It took four helicopter loads and four vehicles to get all the gear into the area before the other cavers arrived,” says Taylor. “All the equipment had to be the smallest size you can possibly get in order to get it through some of the squeeze holes we encountered. We also had to have special protective gear made for everything as the conditions we were working in were very cold and dark.” Taylor and his crew — cameraman Paul Donovan, sound recordist Merv Aitchison and assistant Neil Dolman — trained for six weeks before they left on the assignment. This included regular weight-train-ing courses and instruction from a professional climber, who had been scaling walls and buildings for practice. “It was a great help,” says Taylor, “but nothing like the real thing!”

The crew also filmed underwater sequences inside the cave, and often called upon the cavers for assist-

ance. “At one time we were trying to film an underground waterfall, and we had 27 people helping to carry the gear. “The cavers gave us 100 per cent support throughout the assignment — it would have been impossible

to make if they hadn’t been ; right behind us,” he says. “Two Days to Soft Kock *• Cafe” is the first time caving has been filmed to this extent, and already there ; has been considerable in- •’ terest in the documentary • from overseas sources.