Full Speed Ahead: Through the Filmmaker's Lens on Nordfjord
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Time to read 4 min
Racing to Davik: Nordfjord at Full Speed
The cool water of the fjord covers me in a fine mist, and the rushing air nearly causes me to lose my hat as we speed along in a RIB – shorthand for a Rigid Inflatable Boat. I remove my hat and tuck it under my leg as I attempt to hold my camera steady enough to grab a few usable seconds of the path ahead of us. It’s a lost cause: we are absolutely hauling. The team and I are speeding west on Nordfjord, along the western coast of Norway. We are en route to Davik, a picturesque village located right on the water. There, Stephanie, Karen and Frank will don authentic Viking attire and board a meticulously recreated Viking ship. A captain will teach them to row, like their Norse ancestors before them.
But for now, I’m periodically checking and rechecking that the GoPro I secured to a rail on the boat is holding, since some of these waves are hitting pretty hard. The last thing I’d want is to capture a great ride out, only to hear PLUNK… and see the camera descending the depths of the chilly waters, taking the content along with it. Cameras can be replaced: that kind of footage cannot.
We arrive at the dock half an hour later, where I detach the clamp holding the camera, quickly putting it back in my bag. This shoot has been moving FAST for the last 7 days and today will likely be no different.
We are met at the dock by a dashing-looking gentleman who arrives at the same time as us on his own boat. He has a big smile, swept back grey hair, and a whole lot of energy, and he is excited to welcome us. His name is John, and we learn that he is a local entrepreneur who is breathing more life into Davik and the surrounding community by making it a destination. It’s his Viking boat we will be boarding shortly.
Sitting down to lunch in his restaurant that overlooks the water, plenty of delicious Norwegian pizza and coffee is ordered as we learn about our guides for the day, John, and Davik. It’s easy to lose track of time, and we certainly did. I thought I heard the Call Sheet – the document that has been guiding the shoot from the moment breakfast is served to the moment we break for the day and head to bed – lightly crying in our Production Manager’s backpack as we blew past our assigned Viking rowing start time.
On the Water: Rowing Like the Ancestors
As we regained control of time, we headed outside and our cast were provided extremely accurate reproductions of Viking-era attire. Photos were taken, laughs were had, and then we boarded the boat. John had generously offered to bring out his boat midway through the rowing so I would be able to capture footage close up inside the Viking boat, then jump into his for some wide “chase” shots.
We pushed off the dock, and the captain was completely in character, barking orders and explaining how they were to row. They took to it quickly. Later, I learned from the captain that compared to other groups out, they learned much faster than average… perhaps its further proof of the Viking blood running through their veins! There was a pretty special moment during the row that I won’t spoil here (make sure to watch the film when it comes out!), and then I noticed John’s boat speeding towards us. He had his wife on board, as well as my wife (who is serving as Production Manager as well as second camera when needed for the film). I climbed aboard, and we started to slowly circle the Viking boat. I wanted a lower angle, just over the surface of the water as we moved. I hung the compact cinema camera rig over the side.
“John, can we move a little further away and do another circle?”
With a smile, he happily followed my suggestion and did the motion – the and the sun poked through the clouds and backlit the ship in the most amazing way. Now I was smiling from ear-to-ear, too.
Axes, Bullseyes & the Race for the Ferry
Once we were back on land, a while later, our fearless cast tried their hand at ax throwing. Now this wasn’t the ax throwing that we’re used to in the US, with little axes: these were legit, full-sized axes that you’d use to chop down a tree! With practice as well as instruction from John, the aim got better and better. Stephanie ended up throwing the most precise bullseye to a loud cheer. However, SOMEONE happened to step in front of the camera so the bullseye strike wasn’t seen. I won’t say any names, but his initials are FRANK BERG TANSØ. It’s okay, we love him anyway.
There was still another amazing location we needed to hit and then race off to catch the last ferry to our next location. After suiting back up for our return trip, we informed the captain of our tight timetable. He nodded and shouted, “full speed ahead!” We were off.
