The story of how a travel insurance company came to shoot a documentary series
The founder of The Footprints Network, WorldNomads.com a global travel insurance provider, is often asked how the Positive Footprints series came about. Here, Chris Noble the General Manager tells it in his own words...
"As
much as we think of ourselves as more than just a travel insurance
company, it probably does seem a little left of field that we'd decide
to run off and shoot a documentary.
So what made us decide to take a gamble and do it?
In February 2006 I was walking back with our Managing Director, Simon Monk, from a meeting with World Expeditions, an adventure travel company.
We'd been discussing how we could use Footprints to help fund community projects being run as part of World Expeditions own community project travel program. Anyone that buys a
policy through World Nomads can donate between $1-$5 to a community
development program around the world. We felt the projects World
Expeditions were involved in were ideal candidates for Footprints
funding.
But a funny thing happened on the way back to the office.
You've got 16 travellers going to Nepal to work on a community development project, instead of choosing to sit on a beach.
What makes someone want to do that on their holiday? What effect does it have on someone who chooses to make a difference when they travel? Is it over-rated and does the community they visit want them there, or care they've travelled across the world to help?
"What's your point!?" I could remember Simon saying as I rambled on.
To
me it sounded like something I wouldn't mind watching as a documentary.
And that's when my mind just took off on it's own tangent...
We
could send a friend of mine, Trent O'Donnell, who happened to be an award winning cameraman, director, editor and keen traveller to follow
these people and see what community project travel or 'voluntourism' is
all about.
For many of the projects that Footprints funds, it just wouldn't be suitable to practical (think long-term schedules, paperwork, translators etc) to install a documentary team. However, World Expeditions (god lov'em!) jumped on board to support the idea.
I
felt confident we could capture some amazing stories and get a real
insight into this type of travel. I also knew that if they were good,
we'd find an audience outside of just our community.
Maybe I
could get the documentary onto airlines, so other travellers could be
inspired. Perhaps even dream a little as a very independent first time
documentary series producer and get it onto television.
Well, both have happened.
We shot a pilot Positive Footprints - Nepal and managed to get it onto over 15 International Airlines such as Qantas, American , Virgin, Thai.
We
then had the good fortune of meeting a distributor who'd seen the
documentary and wanted to pitch it. So like a scene from a Guy Ritchie
film, plane takes off, lands in Cannes, quick handshake, back to
Australia.... and
Nat Geo Adventure want a series !
What???!!! holy $%#&
So from a decision made in the space of two city blocks, we've created the Positive Footprints documentary series.
Enough rambling from me, here is the complete first series of Positive Footprints"