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ABOUT

Tom

I'm a wildlife and documentary cinematographer, who has adored the natural world and everything about it since I was a boy.

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I am just as comfortable with a RED & CN20, as I am flying an Inspire 2, setting a motion controlled time-lapse going or using a gimbal to do POV's or a parallax.

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I'm have filmed high speed hunting behaviour both from the land and air. However, I also pride myself on my composition and ability to use light to get stunning images that really make the audience feel absorbed by the film.

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I'm also physically very fit and have carried heavy kit over vast distances in extremely challenging terrain, not only can I do it, I relish it. 

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People fascinate me too, I've shot many documentary style films on people, including scientists working at the ends of the earth doing incredible research.

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LONG LENS

I'm accustom to using Long Lens to cover behaviour both from a vehicle in difficult terrain, run and gunning with kit on my back, or in a hide.

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I pride myself on my composition and ability to follow fast paced action in high pressure scenarios. 

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I have used the CN20 on RED, ARRI & SONY cameras, as well as an array of smaller lenses such as specialised kit for night filming on A7sIII.

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An example would be filming Hyena's chasing down Wildebeest at night in a lightning storm, with a modified A7sIII, that was very, very fun.

DRONE

I am a CAA certified and experienced Drone pilot. I have flown the DJI Mavic, Phantom & Inspire around the world in extremely challenging scenarios.

 

I have used Drone's in difficult terrain and weather, in extreme heat & cold and over the sea following marine mammals. I've used them to track & locate wildlife too.

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I am just as comfortable filming high speed predatory behaviour as I am shooting stunning scenics and landscapes.

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I enjoy shooting top down, parallaxing landmarks and using drones for big reveals. Every time I'm flying I try to think of new and different ways to use aerials to cover a landscape or behaviour.

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GIMBAL & TIMELAPSE

I own and operate a Ronin RS2 Gimbal, which I have used countless times on shoots. 

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I have used the RS2 for both tracking wildlife and revealing scenic landscapes, as well as doing animal POV shots, from Lion cubs to Giraffe.

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I have also used the DJI Ronin for paralaxing shots of wildlife and steady low wides.

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I thoroughly enjoy shooting time-lapses, star-lapses and time studies too.

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I'll never forget standing under the Milky Way in the deep south, waiting 4 hours for my star -lapse to finish and not feeling cold at all, despite the freezing temperatures, because I was completely mesmerised by the sky, as well as the fascinating sounds of wildlife all around me too.

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CREDITS

2023/24

Plimsoll Productions - NDA Production (Long Lens / Drone / Gimbal)

Plimsoll Productions - NDA Production (Long Lens)

Humble Bee Films - Airborne (Long Lens & Macro)

Humble Bee Films - Secret World of Sound (Studio Macro)

Brian Leith Productions - NDA Production (Long Lens & Macro)

BBC Springwatch 2023 - 3 VT's (Beefly / Blossom / Bluebells)

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2021/22

Wall to Wall - Islands - Sky Nature

Plimsoll Productions - Mama's Season 2 - Roku

Plimsoll Productions - Big Beasts - AppleTV (2 Months Tanzania)

Plimsoll Productions - A Year on Planet Earth - ITV

Humble Bee Films - Attenborough's Life in Colour - Netflix / BBC

BBC - CBeebies (2 Episodes)

BBC Springwatch - Newts VT

BBC Countryfile - Ichneumon Wasps - VT

BBC Morning LIVE (2 Episodes)

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2020

Plimsoll Productions - A Year on Planet Earth - ITV

Mason Bee Hotel - VT - Countryfile

Adonis Blue - VT - The One Show

Ladybirds - VT - The One Show

Mayflies - VT - The One Show

BBC NHU: A WILD YEAR (2 Episodes)

Channel 4 - ITN: Dawn Chorus VT

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2019

Plimsoll Productions - Mamas - ROKU (2 Months Kenya)

Winter Gnats - VT - The One Show - 2019

Sunflowers - VT - The One Show - 2019

Toadlets - VT - The One Show - 2019

Sabre Wasps - VT -The One Show - 2019

Cashmere Goats - VT -The One Show - 2019

Shore Crabs - VT -The One Show - 2019

Red Deer Rut - VT -The One Show - 2019

Winter Light - VT - Winterwatch - 2019

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2018

Steve Backshall's Home Patch - VT - Springwatch - 2018

Crab Spiders - VT - Springwatch - 2018

Bluebells - VT - The One Show - 2018

Poppy Fields - VT - The One Show - 2018

Flying Ants - VT - The One Show - 2018

Great Yellow Bumblebee -The One Show - VT - 2018

Northern Brown Argus - VT -The One Show - 2018

Ospreys & Red Kites - VT -The One Show - 2018

Mayflies - Wild Britain - Plimsoll Productions - 2018

Starlings - Hugh's Wild West - KEO Films - 2018

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2017

Green Hairstreak Caterpillars - VT -The One Show - 2017

Fungi - VT - The One Show - 2017

Wood Ants - VT - The One Show - 2017

Long Horned Bee's - VT -The One Show - 2017

© 2023 by Tom Hartwell

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