Why did you make Scratching the Surface ?

Scratching the Surface formed the final film project for my Masters Degree in Wildlife Filmmaking at the University of the West of England which I graduated from in October 2019.  

How did you go about finding a subject?  

I wanted to create a film about our human relationships with animals and I was also very interested about the idea of animals in conflict zones. I wanted the film to also emphasise the value of animals to human societies, giving a reason for us to protect them. With this brief in mind, I began searching the internet for an organisation that displayed all of these features in their work. When I came across APOPO, I knew that their work fit my brief perfectly.  

 What attracted you to the rats?  

Firstly, I knew that rats would make great characters in my narrative. A popular perception of rats is that they are smelly, disease carrying animals, but the HeroRats trained by APOPO are incredibly intelligent animals. I believe emphasising this side of their rat nature would make my characters engaging and unique. And secondly, I was so impressed by the sheer amount of trust the mine clearance operatives have in these rats. The real bond and relationship displayed between the humans and their rat counterparts is very moving and once I understood this, I knew they would make great characters for my film.  

 What were the potential problems with visiting the minefield? 

To film the rats and the human deminers actively working to clear the mines and unexploded ordnance still present in areas of Cambodia was a crucial part of this story. This was also a challenging part of the shoot as I had to make sure I kept myself safe, but that I also didn’t endanger any members of the APOPO team. Therefore, before I travelled to Cambodia, I did a lot of research into how demining teams operate, the international safety standards they have to follow and how I should keep myself safe whilst filming on a minefield. I also had to adapt the camera equipment I took. I opted to take lightweight cameras and GoPros and shoot handheld on the minefield to ensure I could move around easily. I took as little as I could onto the minefield to keep myself nimble and also avoid dropping anything.  

 What was your shooting plan?  

My shooting plan consisted of two main shoots where I would capture the two central threads of the story. Firstly, I filmed at the Physical Rehabilitation Centre in Siem Reap. Here I interviewed and filmed with patients who were obtaining new prosthetics after they had unfortunately lost limbs to landmines. This was to emphasise the devastation landmines continue to cause in Cambodia and highlight the importance of APOPOs work. The second main shoot focused on the rats actively working on the minefield and finding and clearing any mines they came across.  

Were there problems taking equipment into the country?

I worked hard to get customs clearance and filming permits to film in Cambodia. As this was a learning experience for me too, I wanted to make sure I followed proper procedures and obtained the proper paperwork. This was challenging as due to the fact that I had crowdfunded for the film, my budget for these documents was very limited. Thankfully however, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Art who look after filming permissions took into account that I was a student and completed these documents for me.  

 Did you manage to keep to your plan when you started filming?  

For the most part the shooting script I had when I began the shoot, stayed consistent. However, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to film extra activities I hadn’t considered. Firstly, APOPO had a new batch of HeroRats travelling from Tanzania to Cambodia. And once they arrived, they acclimatised by completing a number of sessions on the training field. I was lucky enough to be able to film one of these sessions and this added another thread to the story and allowed me to get some great close up shots of the rats safely. Secondly, whilst in Siem Reap I came across the Cambodia Landmine Museum. Here I managed to get some great static shots of deactivated landmines and an interview with Bill Morse, the head of the centre. These two extra shoots really add to the overall film.

 Would you do anything differently? 

If I could add something into the film, it would definitely be a sequence to show how the deminers dispose of and blow up the mines they find. I think this would add further jeopardy into the final film and highlight to the audience the power and destruction these unexploded ordnance can cause. Unfortunately, I was unable to film this during my time in Cambodia as I couldn’t stay long enough to capture this happening. Understandably many civilians living in the areas APOPO are currently clearing suffer from PTSD and to constantly hear the sound of unexploded ordnance being blown up can trigger painful memories. Therefore, the organisation collect the landmines together and then chose a designated day to blow all of them up at once. Informing the communities beforehand and making sure the areas is clear and safe.  

What effect has shooting this film meant to you and your career prospects? 

I have learnt so much in the creation and production of this film. It was a real learning curve for me and a great chance to really get involved in an issue I feel passionately about. I am glad to say too that the film has been recognised positively not just by APOPO and the Physical Rehabilitation Centre in Siem Reap, but by others around the world. The film has been officially selected for Wilderland Film Festival, was longlisted for the One World Media Awards, won best shot film at SCINEMA International Science Film Festival and recently made the top three finalists for best documentary at the Student BAFTA Awards. This recognition means so much as it gives exposure to the incredible work APOPO is currently conducting in Cambodia. For me personally, I am also incredibly thankful for the recognition. It inspires me to continue to create films about social and environmental issues and highlight stories around the world that need to be told.