Explore skills: effective expedition filmmaking

In remote environments, you are often the director, camera operator, and sound recordist all at once. It is easy to get bogged down in technical gear – or in dealing with an unfolding crisis – and lose sight of the 'human story' that imparts a film with deep and lasting impact.

Drawing on real-world broadcast experience, this workshop will teach you the art of 'shooting for the edit'. You will learn to predict story beats ahead of time, recognise key moments as they happen, and make creative decisions that serve the narrative, ensuring you come home with the material you’ll need to craft broadcast- or festival-worthy narrative documentary films.

What you will learn:

• Developing characters, narrative arcs, and shooting plans.
• Camera and sound choices for remote locations.
• Ethics and consent when filming vulnerable communities.
• Hands-on practice with expedition-friendly camera setups.
• Setting team expectations and aligning with expedition objectives.

What you will take home:

• Expedition filmmaking checklists (gear, shot lists, and story prompts)
• A Story Development Worksheet to refine your project idea

Meet your trainer

Beki Henderson is a BAFTA-nominated producer with over a decade of experience capturing stories for National Geographic, Disney+, Apple TV, and the BBC. She has worked with global talent like Will Smith and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Making a booking

• Advance booking for this event is required. In order to book you will need an account on our website. If you already have an account you will be prompted to log in when you click 'book now'. Please create an account if you do not have one yet (you do not need to be a member of the Society to create an account).
• Due to the administration involved, we are unable to provide invoices for this event. Payment must be taken at the time of booking.
• We do not issue tickets (electronic or physical) for this event. Instead your name will be on a list at the door.

Accessibility at our events

We want everyone to feel welcome at our events. Key accessibility features of this event include:

• Step-free access to the event
• Accessible toilets
• Assistance dogs are welcome
• Hearing loop

For full details, please visit our accessibility page. If you have any questions or specific access requirements, feel free to get in touch with us on access@rgs.org