LMGI COMPASS
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Winter 2025
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45
Crew support
Maintaining crew welfare is tough but vital. Shooting in the
winter cold is extreme. There's usually only a small window of
sunlight. And yet productions can still turn up unprepared.
"I often have to talk to the HoDs about the crew they're bringing.
No one's got time to babysit anybody up there. If they're not
willing to bend, then they're going to be a liability," says Brooker.
SLM Dillin adds: "Many of them have filmed around the world
or been snowboarding (and bring that gear), but they can soon
run into trouble. Not only is it -40, but they don't realise that
filming in the snow is actually like filming in the desert, in that
it gets dry and dehydrated, all the moisture comes out of the
air. They don't want to drink water because it seems strange in
the cold, but it's vital."
It's the same with food. "We have to remind crew to keep doing
everything they would normally. It's boring but if they don't,
hyperthermia can set in," adds Ensor. "They soon come around
and many wear the insulated bibs we provide with shiny space-
age metal inside to keep them warm."
"On the film The Revenant, they even had a separate Heat Team
whose sole job was to keep everyone warm," says Dillin.
Keeping safe
Safety is paramount. This is where local expertise and good
prep again come into play. "We always scout for crevasses and
cordon off a safe zone where everyone can walk," says Cassata.
Ensor adds: "It's about being disciplined. On regular sets, the
team move around freely to look at different angles, but you
can't do that here. There are fissures and cracks everywhere.
We always count people in and out each day."
Brooker also points to the importance of mountain guides and
health and safety experts to navigate the environment and
everyone wearing the right gear. "This is something that no
production should scrimp on."
Kjartansson warns temperatures can vary from +10 to -20 pretty
quickly, so you need proper gear, not only for the cold, but also
rain and even sleet. "We send a list to our crew of clothing
that's needed and appropriate," he says. "Then we have a store
at base camp in case anything's missing."
Weather change
But it's not just about
managing the cold, the
weather can dramatically
change in many ways,
from lightning storms
to extreme blizzards,
which has got worse
with climate change.
Expert guidance and
latest weather apps
certainly help. "A lot of
productions will bring
in a meteorologist as
a consultant," says
Brooker.
Elli Cassata/LMGI, Jokulsalon mid February
Mandi Dillin/LMGI
