A massive thank you to everyone who attended our event with Olly Lambert & Ed Watts last night.
They joined our MD Matt Born to share their experiences and knowledge of documentary filmmaking in hostile environments, telling guests the stories behind the making of two of the most critically acclaimed current affairs documentaries of recent years about the conflict in Syria and northern Iraq today: Escape from ISIS and Syria: Across the Lines.
Ed & Olly (and Olly's dog Eddy!) were both brilliant panelists who gave not only stories of their own experiences but practical advice for those wanting to work in hostile environment including security (not to distance yourself from the local people you're filming and working amongst), protocols with commissioners, the importance of encrypting the drives with your rushes, as well as the craft of current affairs storytelling. 
We were live tweeting over the course of the evening over on @tvtalentmanager for those of you that couldn't make it, where Ed & Olly agreed that no time is too long to find the perfect fixer - a local who will know right and wrong more than any other member of your crew.
Both emphasised the importance of focussing on the humanity of your contributors rather than the ''bullets and bangs'', as well as the physical hardship of being a self-operator in remote, war-ravaged parts of the world where film-making can be ''as much athletic as aesthetic.''
It was "both a brilliantly thought-provoking and practical masterclass" (Jennifer Shaw).
Our next event will be on the evening of July 13th on casting, with execs and senior producers who've worked on everything from The Island and First Dates to Child Genius appearing on the panel. Details are to be released in the next week or two - but keep July 13th free & comment below, send us an email or tweet us if you'd like first dibs on tickets!
Natalie Gurney
Natalie is Social Media & Marketing Assistant at The Talent Manager, so if you want to get your blog on our site, get in touch