Jamie Berry, the producer-director for the first episodes of Gold Rush, films the miners' convoy along an Alaskan highway during the last leg of their journey to Porcupine Creek. Getting film crews in position at the right times along the route from Oregon to Alaska proved to be the first big challenge faced by the production team.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
A camera and sound team catches the action as Todd and Dorsey secure the cables used to raise the shaker.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
While doing an initial survey of the claim, Dorsey and Director of Photography Duane McClunie check out an abandoned truck probably left behind by mine owner Earle Foster.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
Photographer Paul Kirsop gets a close-up of the newly installed trommel while Safety Supervisor Pattrick Price keeps an eye out for bears. About the only support that the production crew provided for the miners was to team up on security measures to keep everyone safe.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown & Simon Everson / Raw T
Young Hudson Hoffman and Safety Supervisor Pattrick Price can't resist a "conehead" gag. In addition to his shotgun, Pattrick used portable air horns (like the one hanging on his belt) as bear deterrents that also doubled as warning signals to alert humans when danger appeared.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
Safety Supervisor Pattrick Price has a conference with miner Safety Officer Jim Thurber about coordinating resources for bear patrols and other safety priorities. These included marking off dangerous terrain and making sure that the film crews stayed clear of equipment hazards.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
In one of the more dangerous production shoots, a helicopter with a camera crew makes a low pass over the wash plant and camp. Aerial footage is an essential component of adventure productions but it always carries the risks inherent in wilderness flights.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
After a cleansing swim in one of the nearby lakes, one production crew member slathers on DEET, the only defense against the constant swarms of biting flies, mosquitoes and no-see-ums.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
A cameraman rigs a remote mini-cam on the arm of the 400 excavator. Dozens of small cameras were used to capture equipment action while keeping camera crews safe from the hazards of heavy mining operations.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
A camera team takes advantage of a brief work stoppage to film Todd at the controls of the excavator. Such intrusions were few and far between, since the production crew did everything possible to stay clear of the miners when they were working.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
Producer Sam Brown and Director Jamie Berry are ready to wrap up shooting after a long day in camp. With the extended summer daylight, the film crews routinely worked 12 hour shifts. In addition to the long evenings, the crews often had to set up during the dawn hours while the miners were waiting for enough daylight to start moving dirt.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
Director of Photography Paul Kirsop takes a lunch break with Todd and the boys on the front porch of the Porcupine Creek cabin.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
After a couple of months in camp with Harness and the other bearded miners, Safety Officer Nathan Jones can proudly show off his own facial display. With his mechanical genius, gentle nature and remarkable endurance, Harness quickly became one of the production crew's most admired miners.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
Late arriving miner Chris Doumitt (left) wasted no time sharing his favorite smoking pastime with production crew members, including producers Sam Brown and Sam Maynard.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
Dorsey relaxes in the cabin of the salmon boat he worked on in late summer, joined by sound man Colin Bowes and producer Sam Brown. Other than ferry rides, the production crew had made no plans for filming at sea, but when Dorsey decided to try fishing, a team went with him to capture this side story.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Brown and Simon Everson / Raw TV
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