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| Oscar Pistorius documentary for BBC 'involved huge challenges' | Oscar Pistorius documentary for BBC 'involved huge challenges' |
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| From the time the BBC gave Mentorn Media the go-ahead this was always going to be an ambitious film to turn around. | From the time the BBC gave Mentorn Media the go-ahead this was always going to be an ambitious film to turn around. |
| The arrest of Oscar Pistorius on a murder charge has, arguably, been South Africa's biggest story for decades. | The arrest of Oscar Pistorius on a murder charge has, arguably, been South Africa's biggest story for decades. |
| The cocktail of different themes – one of the world's best known sportsmen under arrest, a beautiful woman and her violent, seemingly inexplicable death – this was a story that was always going to generate headlines around the world. | The cocktail of different themes – one of the world's best known sportsmen under arrest, a beautiful woman and her violent, seemingly inexplicable death – this was a story that was always going to generate headlines around the world. |
| The first challenge we faced was in assembling a team, both editorial and technical, that could deliver the hour-long film in a little over two weeks. | The first challenge we faced was in assembling a team, both editorial and technical, that could deliver the hour-long film in a little over two weeks. |
| Such was the huge international interest in the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp, there were no available camera crews in Johannesburg. We were forced to go further afield to Cape Town to hire the cameraman and sound recordist. | Such was the huge international interest in the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp, there were no available camera crews in Johannesburg. We were forced to go further afield to Cape Town to hire the cameraman and sound recordist. |
| As is common practice in staffing-up such rapid turnaround films out of the UK, local expertise is essential. The idea of someone from outside the country just turning up, making local connections, then disappearing back to Blighty with the necessary footage is simply impractical, particularly when the international media have descended and are hoovering up resources and potential contributors. | As is common practice in staffing-up such rapid turnaround films out of the UK, local expertise is essential. The idea of someone from outside the country just turning up, making local connections, then disappearing back to Blighty with the necessary footage is simply impractical, particularly when the international media have descended and are hoovering up resources and potential contributors. |
| We were hugely indebted throughout to our Cape Town-based "fixer", Karen Schoonbee. Knowing just which friends of Oscar and Reeva could be approached saved us a great deal of time. | We were hugely indebted throughout to our Cape Town-based "fixer", Karen Schoonbee. Knowing just which friends of Oscar and Reeva could be approached saved us a great deal of time. |
| Providing the journalistic beef was Shekhar Bhatia, a former chief reporter of the Sunday Express and well-versed in liaising with police. | Providing the journalistic beef was Shekhar Bhatia, a former chief reporter of the Sunday Express and well-versed in liaising with police. |
| While they "set up" interviews, we filmed other material – general shots of Oscar's gated compound and pieces to camera with the film's presenter, Rick Edwards. | While they "set up" interviews, we filmed other material – general shots of Oscar's gated compound and pieces to camera with the film's presenter, Rick Edwards. |
| One of the all-important lessons about making films in a hurry is always to fill the day even as you wait for more significant elements. | One of the all-important lessons about making films in a hurry is always to fill the day even as you wait for more significant elements. |
| That is not to say that everything went smoothly. Originally, we had planned to send back the material to London to be edited, assured that our hotel's internet could handle the transfer of such data. | That is not to say that everything went smoothly. Originally, we had planned to send back the material to London to be edited, assured that our hotel's internet could handle the transfer of such data. |
| Constant crashes and funereal speeds described by our cameraman as "like Mozambique 15 years ago" made us think again. Problems when they occurred were sorted out by our London-based production team. | Constant crashes and funereal speeds described by our cameraman as "like Mozambique 15 years ago" made us think again. Problems when they occurred were sorted out by our London-based production team. |
| There have been other challenges, too. | There have been other challenges, too. |
| The cost of archive, particularly for films that will be sold internationally, is sky-high. And, in our case, it was not simply about money but whether the owners of footage of Oscar Pistorius would release it to us. So, you will see Oscar Pistorius running in the 2012 Paralympics, but not the Olympics. | The cost of archive, particularly for films that will be sold internationally, is sky-high. And, in our case, it was not simply about money but whether the owners of footage of Oscar Pistorius would release it to us. So, you will see Oscar Pistorius running in the 2012 Paralympics, but not the Olympics. |
| Years ago, a veteran of many quick-turnaround documentaries told me that there were two essential requirements for anyone contemplating this type of high-pressure film making. The first was simple – "surround yourself with a strong team." The second – "get it on air." | Years ago, a veteran of many quick-turnaround documentaries told me that there were two essential requirements for anyone contemplating this type of high-pressure film making. The first was simple – "surround yourself with a strong team." The second – "get it on air." |
| • Nick London is the director of Oscar Pistorius – What Really Happened? which airs on Monday at 9pm on BBC3 | • Nick London is the director of Oscar Pistorius – What Really Happened? which airs on Monday at 9pm on BBC3 |