DCL

2. Give us some examples of the major production challenges (supplies, power, communications, wildlife, etc.)

SAM BROWN: Safety was probably the biggest production challenge we faced on location. Filming on an active mining site in the middle of nowhere presents a lot of hazards, not to mention the grizzly bears that call the place home. But we had a great bunch of local security guards who kept us safe and we all learned very quickly to watch each other's backs. I think it's a real achievement that we managed to last the whole shoot without even one injury.

SIMON EVERSON: The biggest challenge! Sheer hard work! As Supervising Producer overseeing three documentary camera teams - 12 hour shifts on location and then a drive back to base to collate the days shooting and plan and prepare for the next day. Collapsing into bed only to be up at dawn for a conference call with managers in London and the lower 48, all before setting off to location to do it all again. This was the schedule for at least six days a week, sometimes seven and felt like eight! That makes it tough to keep energy levels up and maintain high morale especially when things go wrong and nothing runs like clockwork.

JAMIE BERRY: Bears were always a concern for both the miners and the crew. When they started appearing in camp in broad daylight we knew we were dealing with hungry, fearless creatures. We were all equipped with a can of pepper spray and a fog-horn (they don't like loud noises) to ward off the beasts but our greatest asset was our team of safety officers. They had guns just in case a bear attacked one of us and were on constant watch when we were out filming. We could not have made the film without them.

WATCH VIDEO: The First Bear Invasion

MATT TESTA: Where to start? Haines, Alaska is situated on the end of a peninsula that lies at the top of the world's longest fjord, so getting supplies and shot tapes in and out was no small matter. Unless you drive down from the Yukon, Haines is only accessible by ferry and small plane. The flights are very weather dependent, which can make travel, and the mail, pretty unreliable. TV productions run on very tight deadlines, but we had to get by without being able to call FedEx at the last minute and know that a shipment would arrive the next day. And since the production office is in London, there was a lot of lag time in sending gear or footage around the globe. When it came to moving people around, there were a lot of missed connections due to weather. That said, the pilots up there are the greatest!

Communications were rough at times. There is no cell phone service at the claim or at our cabin, so keeping track of the crew and staying in touch with the main office in London was a challenge. We had two satellite phones but they are not always reliable. Fortunately our tech wizard, Colin Bowes, was able to whip together some ingenious solutions. He installed satellite internet, powered by a generator, up at the mine, which enabled us to not only send emails from the wilderness but to make Skype calls from our smart phones. He also put in a very reliable VHF radio system so the production cabin could talk to the claim. In a terrific stroke of luck, Colin got the VHF system running the day before little Olivia Hoffman stopped breathing back at the mining camp. As a result, we got the emergency radio call at the production cabin and summoned the ambulance from town, a 45-minute drive from the claim. The paramedics were able to meet Todd and the miners midway between town and the claim, cutting their response time way down. It's nice to think that this made a difference in Olivia's recovery and may have even helped save her life!