NEP Europe has released details of its work to support Netflix show, Celebrity Bear Hunt.
The company provided a range of solutions for production company Workerbee to enable filming in the Costa Rican jungle. More than 30 technical experts and engineers from NEP UK were provided, along with services including:
- RF camera facilities enabling coverage across remote locations
- 50 PTZ cameras equipped with custom waterproof casings
- 1 Bear Pit mini-gallery and 2 fully operational production galleries with vision engineering, audio mixing, and remote camera operators controlling the PTZ cameras for dynamic coverage
- RF-equipped 4×4 vehicle and support unit for mobile operations
- A bespoke IP streaming solution for secure, real-time video and audio feeds from remote locations.
Enabled to meet the challenges of the harsh environment, the production team captured more than 430 hours of coverage across a nine-week period. Tim Deacon, technical project manager for NEP, commented, “This production tested every facet of our expertise. From the Costa Rican fires to the relentless rainy season to encounters with uncommon wildlife, we collaborated brilliantly with the team from Workerbee to constantly adapt and innovate, and this was critical to the overall success of the production. The unique solutions our teams provided ensured that the production team had full operational capabilities, no matter the conditions. We’re extremely proud to have been part of this, supporting Workerbee to bring Celebrity Bear Hunt to life for Netflix.”
Utilising advanced RF solutions with specialised hardware from NEP Speciality Capture, the company was able to minimise equipment weight and optimise battery consumption. The mobile ‘Bear Pit’ mini gallery provided directors with real-time remote monitoring capabilities, even when operating in dense jungle.
Space-based IP connectivity provided reliable base camp communications and private video streaming services regardless of location. Cables, cameras and microphones were field tested in UK woodland prior to deployment, with custom backpacks also designed for PSC crews on location, said NEP.
