London-based Pilot Productions is aiming to film World War II historic sites, including the Northern Marianas.
“We are here for the program called the ‘Globe Trekker’ which is seen throughout the world,” said program presenter Zay Harding.
Harding said the travel program is now focusing on the WWII memorials in the Pacific.
Asked on viewership, Harding said, “It’s huge. Every country I’ve been to it’s like everyone has seen the show. It is the video version of the travel book called ‘The Lonely Planet’ and the show used to be called ‘The Lonely Planet,’ ” he said.
Harding — who counts living with Ethiopia’s Surma tribe for 10 days, eating saga worms in West Papua, wrestling with and winning over a champion Cameroon native, motorcycling through Vietnam, exploring underground caves in Laos, among his experiences while doing the show — said the show has covered almost every country on the planet.
He told Variety that they visited the atomic bomb pits on Tinian Sunday. “We were here looking at the pit where the atom bombs were loaded.”
He said they were able to appreciate what happened in the Pacific during World War II on that Tinian Trip.
“Beautiful! This place is gorgeous,” Harding described Saipan and Tinian.
He said they enjoyed the trip on Tinian and had the opportunity to reflect on what really happened during the war and appreciate the place.
“We were lucky enough to have Don Farrell and Bruce Bateman working with us with every shot and every take. We interviewed them. So they’re part of this [production] making sure that we are accurate,” added Harding.
Asked what’s next in their itinerary, Harding said they would proceed to Hong Kong and then Papua New Guinea and Thailand. He also said prior to coming to Saipan, they had been to the Marshall Islands.
He told Variety that the series they are working on covers countries involved during World War II in the Pacific.
He also shared with Variety that the show usually runs six months after the filming.
“We are still filming for another two and half weeks,” he said.
The “Globe Trekker” presenter, who was on his maiden visit to the CNMI, said they would film for about a month.
The full program just on the World War II in the Pacific involves a lean crew of five composed of presenter Harding, producer Kristine Juergensen, director Chris Ledger, camerawoman Georgie Burrell, and soundman Chris Pickhaven.
In a separate interview with Variety, Juergensen talked further about the program. “We make award-winning travel series called Globe Trekker which is now in its 15th series.”
She told Variety that the program is a history special on the war in the Pacific.
“We have been here for the last two days and in the program we follow presenter Zay Harding.”
The team left Saipan and flew to Hong Kong yesterday.
Juergensen said, “We’re not filming in Hong Kong. We’ve filmed in Hong Kong in the past. We are going to Papua New Guinea, mainly in New Britain.”
The producer also told Variety that they were planning to go to the Philippines. However, scheduling conflicts didn’t permit them.
“We were planning to go to Corregidor,” Juergensen said.
Satisfied with their trip on Saipan and Tinian, Juergensen said, “It’s so incredible here. People are so helpful and friendly.”
She acknowledged the assistance they received from the Marianas Visitors Authority saying the tourism agency had been “absolutely brilliant.”
She said, “I’ve never worked with a visitors authority that’s as organized as they are.”
Pilot Productions team filmed the Memorial Day commemoration at the Veterans Cemetery in Marpi where the program had U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. John Doucette, commander of the 36th Wing on Guam, as special guest.
The London-based production also filmed the visiting Okinawa repatriation group for its 42nd memorial services at the Okinawa Peace Memorial in Marpi right next to the The Last Command Post.
For more on Pilot Productions’ “Globe Trekker” series, visit www.pilotguides.com or facebook.com/globetrekkertv.
