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  • PDV-Welcome
    Pieter de Vries ACS

    SELECTED CREDITS

The Friendship

Locations: Argentina & Antarctica / 1 x 90 minutes / Sony FS7

This feature length documentary is about a leadership, strategic and science initiative for women set against the backdrop of Antarctica. A four week shoot 

The Great Wall of Iron

Locations: China & Tibet / Super 16mm / 4 x 60 minutes

A documentary mini-series about the worlds largest fighting force – The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army. A fourteen week shoot directed by Scott Hicks (“Shine”) and produced by Beyond International for the BBC, NZBC and The Discovery Channel USA

Ghosts of the Abyss – IMAX 3D

Location: Newfoundland / 1 x 45 minutes topside DP / Sony CineAlta 3D

A cinema released film centred on the expedition to fully explore the exterior and previously unseen interior spaces of the wreck of Titanic using Sony/Panavision IMAX 3D cameras. For this eight week shoot, the crew of forty was based aboard the Russian oceanic research ship, Akademik Mstislav Keldysh positioned above the wreck. Directed by James Cameron

Rat

Locations: New York & Los Angeles / Super 16mm / 1 x 90 minutes

Family life and survival in New York from a rats point of view. Directed by Mark Lewis for Radio Pictures, Los Angeles. Six weeks location filming in New York and a three week studio shoot in Los Angeles. Received an Emmy nomination for cinematography

Middle East mentor and lecture series

Rome, Crete, Haifa, Suez Canal, Egypt, Oman & Dubai

Working as a photography mentor and cinematography lecturer on board the Regent Seven Seas, Nautica

Antarctica mentor and lecture series

Locations: Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island & the Antarctic Peninsula

A three week journey working as a cinematography mentor on the Aurora Expeditions ship, Polar Pioneer

Submarines – Sharks of Steel

Locations: Russia, Latvia, Germany, UK & USA / 4 x 1 hour / 16mm

A series produced for The Discovery Channel (USA) about the submarines and submariners of the Russian & the American Navies. An Emmy was awarded to director Scott Hicks (“Shine” & “Snow Falling on Cedars”)

The Space Shuttle – a Butterfly on a Rocket

Locations: Florida & Texas / 1 x 90 minutes / Super 16mm

A documentary feature for The Discovery Channel (USA) about NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Eight weeks filming at Cape Canaveral and Mission Control in Houston. Directed by Scott Hicks (“Shine”, Snow falling on Cedars”)

4 – Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons

Locations: Arctic Finland (Winter) Tokyo (Spring) New York (Autumn) Central Australia (summer) / HDCAM

1 x 90 minute cinema release music documentary. In four corners of the globe, on four days throughout the year, four outstanding violinists go on an extraordinary journey through their four distinct homelands. Directed by Tim Slade and produced by Joanna Buggy and Tim Slade

Shake Sister Shake

Locations: Chicago & Clarksdale Mississippi

Produced and directed by Lisa Eismen, this music documentary tells the story of women in Blues, the incredible Blues singers of Chicago. Shot in some of the world’s most iconic Blues clubs, Blues on Halsted, Chicago Blue, Kingston Mines, Buddy Guy’s House of Blues and Ground Zero, Clarksdale Mississippi

Local Justice

Locations: Sydney / 10 x 30 minutes / Sony FS7

This series follows the day to day flow of defendants, their highs, the lows and the dedicated people who make the justice system tick. A ten week assignment as Director of Photography utilizing twenty cameras and numerous lighting fixtures

VMware 3D Spectacular

Locations: Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Osaka & Seoul / Sony TD300 3D camera system / 1 x 4 minutes

A presentation showcasing a software suite for US computer software giant, VMware. The final presentation was screened in a purpose built 3D theatre for an international software conference and exhibition in Sydney Australia

Atlas – Australia Revealed

Location: Australia / 1 X 120 minutes / HDCAM

A signature series of 2 x hour experiential journeys through individual countries across the globe. Discovery Channel’s most extensive documentary series

Howard on Menzies

Locations: Sydney & Northern Rivers NSW / 3 x 60 minutes / Sony FS7 / 2nd Unit camera

Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard talks to past and present colleagues about the life and politics of Sir Robert Menzies

Sweat of the Sun – Tears of the Moon

Locations: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Chile & Argentina / 11 x 1 hour / 16mm

A extensive nine month shoot in South America. A look at aspects of life in Latin America. An ABC/BBC co-production. Nine months filming in South America

Asia & Russian Far East mentor and lecture series

Locations: China, Taiwan & Japan / Sony FS7

Working as a photography mentor and cinematography lecturer on board the Silversea, Silver Spirit

Inside Nature’s Giants

Locations: Queensland, South Australia & Alice Springs NT / XDCAM HD / 3 x 60 minutes

This is an award-winning UK series that gets under the skin of the largest animals on the planet. By exploring their anatomy in their environment, scientists show how these creatures really work. These episodes featuring the Kangaroo, Cassowary and Camel

On Tour with the Queen

Locations: New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji & Australia / Digital Betacam / 3 x 60 minutes

A documentary series that retraces the journey of Queen Elizabeth on her Coronation Tour of the Commonwealth in 1953/54. Directed by Nic Young, Lion Television, London

Intuition – Asia

Locations: India & Bhutan / 1 x 90 minutes / Sony FS7

Producer and director Bill Bennett explores the way our intuition influences our decisions big and small

Man on the Rim

Locations: Fifteen countries & territories / 11 x 1 hour / 16mm

Probably the most extensive television series of its kind, “Man on the Rim” examines human migration drifts from China and South-East Asia before European settlement. A thirty week shoot circling half the globe. ABC/BBC co-production

Intuition – USA

Locations: Texas, Missouri, California, Oregon, Chicago & Toronto / 1 x 90 minutes / Sony FS7

Producer and director Bill Bennett explores the way our intuition influences our decisions big and small

Northern Europe mentor and lecture series

Stockholm, St Petersburg, Tallinn, Copenhagen & London

Working as a photography mentor and cinematography lecturer on board the Silversea, Silver Muse

Darwin’s Lost Paradise

Locations: Australia, Galapagos Islands, USA, Germany, France, UK & Cocos Islands / HDCAM

2 x 1 hour drama documentary celebrating the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of the Species“. Directed by Katharina Von Flowtow for Penny Chapman Films (Australia), Monaco Films (Germany), Film a Trois (France)

Tales of the Unexpected – Fortune’s Hand

Locations: New York, Maysville Kentucky & Chennai India / XDCAM / 1 x 60 minutes

The film explores whether our hands can really tell us anything about our past, our present or our future. This episode is one of a series produced for the Smithsonian Institute and SBS Television

The Elders

Location – Dhaka, Bangladesh / XDCAM HD / 1 x 30 minutes

Andrew Denton interviews Muhammad Yunis who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and micro finance

Dark Shadows – Emerging Light

Locations: Poland, Israel, France, UK & Australia / Canon C300 / 1 x 90 minutes

This documentary is currently in production

Crime Investigation Australia

Locations: Sydney / Digital Betacam

A long-running series depicting infamous crimes from Australia’s past. DoP for the drama re-constructions directed by Gary Deans. Produced by Graham McNeice

Natural Wonders – The Great Barrier Reef

Locations: Cairns, Townsville Australia / HDCAM

A series from the UK producers of “Walking with Dinosaurs” this time looking back in time showing the formation of the worlds greatest and most famous natural wonders. Director Toby McDonald, October Films UK

Big Bugs

Locations: USA, Panama, Venezuela & Australia / HDCAM / Panavision Frazier lens / 2 x 50 minutes

A natural history series using the Panavision/Frazier macro lens system with the Sony/Panavision CineAlta HD camera, the film looks at insects from a unique extreme macro point of view. Director Nick Fletcher, Natural History New Zealand for Discovery HD Theatre (USA)

Philip Glass – a Portrait in Twelve Parts

Locations: Australia & Germany / HDCAM / 2nd unit camera

1 x 120 minute feature cinema release. The film documents the life & work of the renowned US musician & composer. Directed by Scott Hick (“Shine”, “Snow falling on Cedars”, “Hearts in Atlantis”)

3D Halloween

Location: Scotland, Isle of Mull, Inner Hebrides & Sydney / 1 x 45 minute tele-movie

A ghostly children’s feature film using the Pulfrich 3D video camera system shot in and around some of the most beautiful castles in Scotland. Written and Directed by Rory McCourt

Coca-Cola TV/Cinema commercials

2 X 90 second Coca-Cola TV/cinema commercials / 35mm

Fourteen day shoot in Broken Hill for Coca-Cola Australia. Director, Rory McCourt, Agency, Equator.