I started discussing this video with Resolution Copper during a lunch last summer. Shooting a video deep underground is not an ordinary undertaking. Our window of opportunity was short and would include us spending much of a day inside a mine. We first convened at a Resolution Copper office to ensure we had a plan, the correct resources in place and properly prepared for an experience of a lifetime. Who would we interview? Would we have firm, level and dry footing for our camera equipment? We bought a camera rain cover after hearing water might trickle on our heads while shooting. We would voyage nearly a mile underground and show the skills and capabilities of a new generation of miners. On the day of the shoot, we met early one sunrise at a small building in Superior, a town about 65 miles east of Phoenix. We dressed as miners, watched safety videos and learned how to use equipment we had never seen before. When we reached our destination below the Earth, the task was even more than we expected. We had little room to maneuver. Men were pouring concrete. Watching your step was critical. Light was in small supply. In some areas, our tripod stood on a platform I can best describe as a large grate. Mud made up other parts of the ground. It’s one thing to shoot video in the controlled environment of an office. This was unlike any office. I remember thinking we had little time to worry about how to shoot under these surroundings. We just pushed forward both carefully and enthusiastically. A TV reporter takes part in many experiences much of the public does not. But I had never faced telling a story in a place such as this. This reminded me of being a kid and fearing the amusement park rollercoaster. Once the ride ended, you couldn’t imagine turning the opportunity down. We felt a sense of accomplishment. And Loren and I may have been the first husband and wife team down the mine. Check out our more than 100 still photos of our visit. To learn more about the mining project itself, click http://www.resolutioncopper.com/ And to watch our video shot nearly one mile underground, click below.
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/38616178[/vimeo]