Kimberley, Australia Expedition Day 4 of 14
Written by Scott David Martin | May 2, 2023

The Dash [ - ] goes behind the scenes of a WABU filmmaking expedition in the remote Northwest region of Australia, The Kimberley. In this 14-part series, we’ll share the highs and lows, from marathon shoots aboard luxurious yachts to heart-stopping encounters with nature's fiercest creatures.

**WABU Director Scott at Gantheaume Point with Talent Manjit & Britt**

On day four, my stomach is still doing jumping jacks.
And Broome is just a warm-up.

She held only 5% of our storyboard.
Once we board our vessel, it’s game time.

The Kimberley Coast? That’s our main act.
95% of the locations we’d prepped for over the past six months.

You could feel the shift in the air on Day 4.
The crew is buzzing to wrap Broome and embark Akiko.

Akiko was our Endurance.
She would take us deep into one of the most remote and untamed regions on Earth.

But before boarding, we had two final shots to capture in Broome.

First: sunrise at Gantheaume Point.
And our much-anticipated dinosaur footprint.

**Broome, Australia 17.9618° S, 122.2370° E**

**WABU Director Scott with Talent Britt**

Enter Manjit and Britt.

We cast them for two reasons.
First, they were perfect for brand…

Elegant.
Grounded.
Aspirational.

Second? Chemistry.
On-camera and off.

They trusted us, and we trusted them.
Why?

Maybe because we’ve spent an unusual number of hours crammed into very small spaces together.

**Shooting Submarines with Manjit & Britt in the Caribbean**

On day one of knowing each other, we spent 10-hours in a submarine.
You learn a lot when you’re bumping knees underwater.

That bond grew after shoots across the globe.
They became part of the WABU, not just talent.

And that closeness matters.

We believe closeness is a key to high-performing creative teams.
You feel that intimacy on screen.
That vibe matters.

Our sunrise goal:

A human hand pressing into a 130-million-year-old dinosaur footprint.

We had a 15–18 minute window after sunrise.
Then, the light vanishes. After that, the opportunity is gone.

Our call time is 4:00 AM.
We arrive in darkness.

Writer Andrew and I are the first on the rocks.

As the sky changes colors…
We see the textures of Gantheaume begin to glow.

The light is perfect.

**Gantheaume Point at Sunrise with Manjit & Britt**

Before our hero shot,
we execute a “double-barrel” setup:

I shoot active lifestyle stills & video.
Drone Operator Chris captures aerials.

This is a rare window.
We can get photo, video, and drone.
All in the same scene. All in the same light.

This is a critical moment in delivering a full 360 marketing campaign.

When the ball of fire finally crests, shutters fire.
The crew moves like a NASCAR pit team.

Every second counts.
WABU mode.

The team dance together like ballerinas on stage.
And…we nailed it.

Hero video.
Lifestyle photo, drone…all in the can.

The morning ends in high-fives.

Half the crew returns to the hotel to prep for embark.
Marc, Chris, and I return to Roebuck Bay for one final interview.

Spirits are very high. I remember thinking,
What an incredible start!
Then the day turned.

The interview subject has a last-minute emergency.
He might arrive in an hour…or maybe a few hours.

We have a choice:
wait and risk losing daylight for boarding. Or leave.

We said six months ago.
We can not embark in the dark.

Marc, our line producer, logistics ninja,
and production heartbeat springs into action.

He coordinates with the Akiko team.
Our transportation contacts.
And our gear crew.

Chris and I wait at Roebuck Bay, hopeful.

We want this interview. Badly.
But after a long wait, we had to call it.
We had no choice. Pivot back to the hotel.

There is still a chance to embark before dark.
Back at the hotel, the team hustles.

It’s the most complicated move of the production:
Embarkation of crew & equipment to Akikko at Cable Beach.

The gameplan:
Load all gear onto 4x4s.
Unload. Drive onto the beach.

BUT we couldn’t board like usual.

We had to hand-carry every case.
One by one. Through 50 yards of knee-deep water.

Finally, our tender boat.
That tender ferries us out to the Akiko, waiting in the bay.

The day’s chaos isn’t over.
Our last tender boards in darkness.

**Boarding the Akiko at night (exactly what we said we wouldn’t do)**

Preparing to embark, Robin, our expedition leader greets us.

“We just had a 3.5-meter hammerhead shark right here,”
he says, pointing to where we embark.

Producer Marc and I look at each other. “Here?”
Robin just grins, “Yes.”

Welcome to the Kimberley.

Finally, we step aboard the Akiko.
And meet the second half of our team:

Ben - Captain, Akiko
Ben - Chief Engineer
Peter - Kimberley guide & historian
Josh - Adventure guide & Nyaid captain
Seb - Chef
Bronte - Crew Chief
Alex - Deck Hand
Briar - Cabin Steward

Now we are 18 strong.
A full Water Buffalo herd.

We believe in Pixar’s view of teambuilding:

Getting the team right is the necessary precursor to getting the ideas right.
It is easy to say you want talented people.
And you do.

But the way those people interact
with one another is the real key.

Even the smartest people can form an ineffective
team if they are mismatched.

-Ed Catmul
Former President of Pixar & Disney Animation

In remote filmmaking, the team is everything.
These aren’t 9–5 jobs.

This is emotional, mental, and physical work.
Tight quarters far from home.
High-stakes moments.

What is the best way to setup everyone for success?

We follow the Navy SEALS performance vs. trust model.
Performance is what you do under pressure.
Trust is what you build when no one’s watching.

If you can build trust in the quiet moments.
That connection shows up on screen.
And that is the WABU way.

Up next on The Dash (—):

On Day 4, the herd is built.
On Day 5, WABU is ready for lift off.

The Start of Something Bigger 🦕

Full Steam to the 8th Wonder of the World 🛥️

Predator Eyes & Sunset Lies 🐫