In this next edition MM75 we will delight in the wonderful art of filming and we will enter the world of cinematography by offering an interview with Philippe Denham.. Two-time Emmy Nominee, Producer, Director, Actor, Showrunner, Writer
and Development Head.
by Donna McGinn
“ Philippe is known for; Expeditions to the Edge, Sky Kids, Moms of Monterey, Where the Red Fern Grows, and the indie Urbania.As for documentaries: Whale Wars, Billy the Kid: New Evidence, Curse of Civil War Gold, and more. He works with film and television, and has filmed on all continents.
1.- MM: What is the most thrilling thing you’ve done as a maker of documentaries and film
production?
1.- PD: As a documentary filmmaker, you get a lot of thrills. One was antag- onizing the Japanese whalers to the point where they left Antarctica and headed back to Tokyo saving over 1000 Minke Whales. Another thrill, was work- ing with the Shoshone Tribe during a feature I was producing called, Wind River. They insisted on coming to Utah from Wyoming, and living in their tee- pees. They were extremely open and informative. And, it gave me a rare in- sight into Native Law.
2.-MM: What’s the scariest thing that happened while working on assignment?
2.- PD: There have been many scary moments, like... almost being runover by a flaming car when a stunt went wrong.
But, the scariest by far was when I was producing an anti-Taliban narrative film in war time Kabul. Afghanistan was leading towards an election that the Taliban didn’t want to take place. Ho- tels were not safe enough. So my crew and I were staying in a guest house, which was supposedly bomb proof. We went to location early in the morning. But our production designer stayed be- hind.
The Taliban attacked the guest house because many UN election observers where staying there as well. When the production designer, who was a friend, called frantic asking for me to come back for him, I could hear the AK 47’s firing in the background.
I took one of our two arms guards and we started to drive back to get him. Suddenly, we hit a check point. I knew there was little chance to make it out alive, because word got out to the Tali- ban that we were making a movie crit- ical of them.
Just as we had to slow down to give documentation at the check point, the production designer called to say that he thought he was safe. My driver quickly spun a 180. But the suspicious Taliban took position to fire.
I ducked down behind the seat as there was moments of chaos until we turned the corner to relative safety.
I felt that my life was 10 seconds from being over.
I’m deeply indebted to my security/ driver, who I called Rambo. He didnt speak a word of English, but our bond was palpable.
3.-MM: What do you think is your most accomplished work?
3.- PD: I took on a 2 hour documentary for National Geographic. It was about a man who bought a “tin type” photo- graph for $2.
As he researched the image he discov- ered that it was Billy the Kid and the gang, The Regulators.
Even though he proved that it was Billy, no western memorabilia experts would authenticate the photograph.
We later revealed that it was because the billionaire Bill Koch had purchased what he thought was the only phot of Billy the Kid for 2 million dollars a few years before, and was guaranteed that there was no other photograph.
The authenticators didn’t want to dis- appoint Koch, so they wouldn’t ahthen- ticate the new picture.
Once we outed them, they finally had
to authenticate it with a market value of 5 million dollars. Kevin Costner got very interested in the project and came on board as an Executive Producer. I directed him in the voice over sessions for that documentary.
In a very small way, it changed that part of American History.
4.-MM: What got you started in all this?
4.- PD: Growing up in NYC, and I was al- ways a “studier” of people. People, and the psychology behind them. It is still my inspiration. Because of this fascina- tion, I studied acting. Then transitioned to real stories, and real people through documentary series.
5.-MM: Which part of you career do you like the most?
5.-PD: It’s very difficult to choose a pe- riod of my career that was most reward- ing. But certainly, documenting the protection of the ocean, through direct action against whalers from Japan, The Faroese, and one operation in Iceland, feels especially rewarding. Who doesn’t want to protect these sensitive, sen- tient mammals that are the largest liv- ing animals on earth. It’s like protecting the modern dinosaurs.