06 – Hostile filming protocol
As with any travel, you'll need to plan how to get to your destination and how you'll get around once you're there.
Do you need a visa? What kind of visa? An official journalist visa is preferred as it will provide you with legitimacy, particularly if you run into trouble and need help from official channels. But it may not always be possible to obtain this type of visa, or it could impede your ability to film credibly in a country with strong state surveillance.
A tourist visa may allow you to film more freely but can have significant security implications for yourself and those with whom you're working. Will you be able to enter the country with your film equipment on a tourist visa? Will you be able to film openly? Will using a tourist visa ultimately invalidate your insurance? Will it leave you vulnerable to criminal charges?
Road traffic collisions are a leading risk everywhere, not only in developing countries. Be confident your vehicle is insured, in good working order, properly fueled, and equipped with seatbelts, a spare tire and jack, water, medical kit, distress kit, and oil.
Check your route carefully and hire a driver who is cautious, experienced, has language skills that enable you to communicate effectively with everyone you encounter, and isn't from an ethnic or political group that could put you, your team, and participants in danger. Try to remain in control of your means of travel and avoid relying solely on public transportation. Be aware of issues that could impede travel, such as extreme weather, public holidays, and transit strikes.
Consider taking a Hostile Environment and First Aid Training (HEFAT) course. They are multi-day trainings that combine scenario simulation and classroom instruction to teach emergency trauma first aid, hotel/personal security, digital security, reaction under gunfire, and other useful skills. Some may also offer hostile environment vehicle safety and driving instruction. The Rory Peck Trust hosts a HEFAT Training Fund to support freelance journalists who work in hostile environments to receive training.
When traveling overseas, consider checking in with your country’s nearest embassy or consulate, depending on your circumstance. Always, however, know how to contact diplomats in case of an emergency and know what their official procedure for the evacuation of a foreign national is.
When securing accommodation, consider the related travel time and risk exposure. While staying with a friend may save the production money, you could be putting your team — or your host — at additional risk.
Always have an exit plan and a backup exit plan in case situations change. And never make cost a factor over safety! Your budgets should reflect what is required to keep you safer, as safe as you can be.