Collapse: Based on the book by Jared Diamond

This two-hour documentary special for National Geographic Television is an adaptation of Pulitzer-Prize winning author Jared Diamond’s book, “Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed.” Here’s National Geographic’s trailer, and a synopsis:

Over the 20th and 21st centuries, the rise of our civilization has seemed unstoppable. But could our modern, industrialized civilization fall apart like great ancient ones before us? Two hundred years from now, will scientists find evidence that we followed a recipe for disaster similar to that of the Maya or the Romans? To understand a collapse, imagine it has already happened. National Geographic reveals a vivid look into the future to our descendants in the year 2210 as they set out on a scientific expedition to figure out what brought us down. A water crisis? Lack of energy sources? Dust storm or global warming?

I worked as an assistant producer on the show, which first aired in the fall of 2010. I also shot second unit camera and recorded location sound on several segments in the documentary.

Here’s a segment I field produced on the Anasazi people of the Southwest. It involved getting clearances to shoot at an archeological site inside a national park; hiring a casting director to find Native American talent for recreations; dealing with transportation and logistics for Jared Diamond and a cast and crew of about 30 people.

And here are a few scenes I shot with contributors, as well as GVs and time-lapses. I developed the story lines, got access to the contributors and locations, and set up these shoots as well.

I also recorded sound on some of the scenes with Jared Diamond.