Behind the Lens: Making West Harbour Heroes

When I first signed on to West Harbour Heroes, I knew it would be an adventure.

What I didn't expect was just how much this project would challenge me, inspire me, and deepen my appreciation for British Columbia's coast — and the people who call it home.

Over the last year, I've been fortunate to work as Director, Producer, and Series Director of Photography on a new documentary series produced by Attraction. The job took me from remote fishing communities and busy harbours to search and rescue stations, conservation projects, and Indigenous Guardian programs — from planes and helicopters to some of the most spectacular coastlines I've ever seen.

As someone who grew up exploring this coast with a camera in hand, these were stories I had always hoped to tell.

Across ten one-hour episodes, West Harbour Heroes follows the people whose lives and livelihoods are tied to the Pacific Ocean. From Search and Rescue teams and Coast Guard crews to Department of Fisheries officers, commercial fishers, marine biologists, Indigenous Guardians, divers, seaplane operators, beach cleanup crews, and countless others working behind the scenes — the series offers a rare look at the people helping coastal communities thrive.

But what struck me most wasn't just the work they do. It was the pride they take in doing it.

Again and again, we met people who weren't looking for recognition. They simply cared deeply about the places they live, the communities they serve, and the coast they're helping protect. While audiences will experience the story across an entire series, the journey to get there was far bigger than what will ever fit on screen.

We filmed for more than 160 days across British Columbia and beyond. Some days had us coordinating aircraft, underwater crews, aerial units, helicopters, emergency response teams, and some of the west coast's most remote locations — where every piece of gear had to be carefully planned, weighed, and packed.

What viewers may never realize is just how many people it took to make this series possible.

As a cinematographer and director, I'm in the thick of the action — but that's only a small part of the process. Every frame in this series represents the work of producers, researchers, coordinators, story teams, camera operators, editors, production managers, and countless crew members solving problems long before the cameras start rolling.

Our Line Producer, Ravelle Thomas, summed up the scale of the production: "This one was a beast! We were filming all over BC, Alberta, and California — sometimes with double, triple, and even quadruple units shooting at the same time. Every shoot felt like its own production with its own set of challenges."

And yet somehow, every challenge led us to another incredible story.

Responsible for finding many of those stories was Story Producer Josh Deosaran. Long before cameras rolled, Josh spent months researching communities and the people quietly doing extraordinary work along the coast.

"I'm the type of person who needs to find the people who don't post things on social media — the ones doing amazing work on the coast without any recognition."

That approach became one of the defining strengths of the series. Some of my favourite stories feature people most viewers have never heard of, despite the profound impact they have on their communities every single day.

For Josh, the experience left a lasting impression: "BC seems so pristine, and the people who live or move there know that — and make an effort to keep it that way."

One of the most rewarding parts of the series was spending time with Indigenous communities and Guardians working throughout coastal British Columbia. Learning about traditional knowledge, stewardship, conservation, and the relationship many First Nations have with the land and sea offered a perspective that enriched the entire production.

Those stories became some of the most meaningful of the season, and reinforced just how deeply interconnected people are with the coast they call home.

Executive Producer Jonathan Dueck believes that connection became the real story of the series.

"I thought we were making a show about people who do tough, often invisible work up and down the coast. But we ended up making a show about a place — and about all these people who are quietly holding coastline communities together."

He's right. Somewhere along the way, West Harbour Heroes became about more than jobs, boats, fisheries, or conservation projects. It became about the people who show up every day to care for a place they love.

As a director of photography, one of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to capture those stories as they unfolded naturally. Unlike a scripted production, there are no second takes. These aren't actors performing scenes — they're real people doing real jobs in real time. A rescue call doesn't happen twice. A commercial fishing crew can't stop hauling gear because the camera wasn't in the right position. Wildlife doesn't wait for you to change lenses. Success comes down to anticipation: understanding the story, reading the environment, and being ready before something happens rather than reacting afterward.

I worked a lot as a one-person operation, carrying everything I needed to tell the story while moving between boats, docks, helicopters, beaches, forests, and remote coastal communities. That meant keeping my camera package streamlined, reliable, and adaptable enough to handle whatever the day threw at me.

My go-to setup throughout the series was a RED Raptor paired with a Canon 24-105mm f/2.8 lens, a 7-inch monitor, Sennheiser shotgun microphone, Tentacle Sync system, Camrade rain cover, and a Cine Saddle. For aerial sequences, I relied heavily on a DJI Mavic 3 Pro, while DJI Osmo cameras and Tentacle lavalier microphones helped capture additional perspectives and audio in challenging environments.

Some of the most memorable days happened underwater. For those shoots, I used the RED Raptor inside a Nauticam housing paired with a Canon EF 28-70mm lens and WACP-1B system, with GoPros and DJI Osmo cameras rounding out the kit for additional coverage.

Underwater filming presents its own unique challenges — limited visibility, changing sea conditions, tides, currents, and a completely different pace of storytelling — but it also produced some of the most rewarding images of the entire production.

Those dive shoots also gave me the opportunity to work alongside my fiancée, Cailin Lindsay. Cailin joined the production as both Assistant Camera and Safety Diver, helping manage equipment and ensure everything ran smoothly beneath the surface. As a paramedic, she also brought an extra layer of safety and confidence to some of our more complex field operations. More than anything, it was simply special to share that part of the experience together.

Documentary production often means long stretches away from home, working in remote places under unpredictable conditions. Being able to collaborate on those shoots let us spend more time together doing something we both love. Some of my favourite memories from the entire series happened underwater with Cailin by my side.

The scenery was incredible. The wildlife encounters were unforgettable. The storms, long days, and logistical challenges all became part of the adventure. But the people are what will stay with me.

After more than 160 days in the field and thousands of kilometres travelled along the coast, I'm incredibly proud of what our team created. More importantly, I'm grateful to everyone who welcomed us into their communities, trusted us with their stories, and allowed us to document a small piece of their lives.

This coast has no shortage of stories left to tell. I can't wait for audiences to meet the people who made this season possible.