Death in Paradise
Death in Paradise
BBC1 - 9pm - Tuesday 8th January
"Death In Paradise is a fish-out-of-water story about a quintessential English cop posted to the Caribbean island of Saint-Marie. To anyone else it would be paradise, but for Detective Inspector Richard Poole (Ben Miller) it's hell!"
Death in Paradise was shot on location last year in the Caribbean. Stefan Krzysiak worked on the BBC Drama in the camera department and he tells us what it was like to work on. Stefan is a member of thecallsheet.co.uk and has worked on film, drama and comedy such as Fresh Meat, Centurion, The Sweeney and Grandma's House...
Where was ‘Death in Paradise’ filmed?
We filmed on a French Caribbean Island called Guadeloupe. there was an amazing and diverse landscape which included beautiful beaches, dormant volcanoes and jungle. A truly Spectacular location. I was out there for a total of 13 weeks and worked on episodes 5-8.
How many UK cast and crew worked on the project?
There were around 40 British cast and crew out there at any one time. The majority of the crew worked on the project for the full term. There were also a team of French and local crew making up the production.
What was the most challenging part of film in the Caribbean?
The main challenge we faced on a daily basis was the heat. By 10 in the morning it was 40 degrees and everyone struggled. We drank up to 5 litres of water a day and made sure we were well protected from the harsh sun. It was a two camera shoot on Arri Alexa and cooke primes. The Alexa was a true work horse and coped brilliantly in such an extreme environment.
Logistically some of the locations were tough to film in but we pulled together amazingly well to overcome these problems. There was a real sense of everyone working as a team out there. The support was excellent with every department helping each other out. The mosquitoes were also a nightmare but as the locals would say “Once you have been bitten 1000 times, you’re accepted and they leave you alone”. That is certainly how I felt by the end.
How did you get on with the local crew?
The local crew were incredible and especially our camera trainee Jerry, who worked extremely hard. The facilities boys were also amazing. There was nothing they couldn't fix and there was nowhere they couldn't get a truck, it was amazing to watch these guys work.
The locals were also an excellent source of knowledge about the island from places to visit to picking fruit off the trees for us to experience. They always had a smile on their face and no task was ever a problem.
Did you get a chance to explore Guadeloupe?
We explored the island at every opportunity and found some amazing hidden treasures from waterfalls deep in the jungle to diving on the reefs. One weekend we hired a boat to take us to a small island off the coast and we camped overnight. An experience I will always remember!
What else did you do while working on location?
When you’re working away from home with a close knit crew it is the little things that matter. Our weekly Karaoke sessions and film nights became a major part of the social side of life and something to really look forward too. One of my fondest memories will be finishing a hard days work, driving back to the hotel and jumping straight into the warm Caribbean sea and watching the sun go down. Heaven!
Watch the trailer for Death in Paradise: series 2.
Several members of thecallsheet.co.uk worked on Death in Paradise, members can see the production list on the link below
thecallsheet.co.uk is a members only network for professionals working in Film and TV in the UK. With over 1700 members and a database of over 35,000 productions, people and companies, we make it easy to find the best in the industry.
If you work in Flim or TV in the UK, join for FREE here > http://www.thecallsheet.co.uk/user/register