Peter MacPherson

Film directors and cinematographers Leo Dickinson and Peter MacPherson reveal and demonstrate how they achieved several of the shots for various films in the series, sometimes quite dangerous. The documentary is part of the series 'Pushing the limits', a series of 10 programs by Leo Dickinson documenting sporting adventures which often test the limits of human endurance. Each episode concentrated on one sport, varying from climbing to hot air ballooning.

The risky expeditions and events filmed by Leo Dickinson are challenging and death defying in themselves, but filming these events can prove to be just as challenging and dangerous. This documentary answers the often asked question, 'how did they get those shots?' providing a foreshortening of the techniques used and the dangers run by Dickinson while he filmed his adventures and explorations. Among others, the film features Eric Jones' solo ascent to the Eiger, the ascent of the Matterhorn north face in winter by Eric Jones, Brian Molyneux and Eddie Birch, and the first ascent of Everest without supplemental oxygen, by Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler in 1978.

Ron Fawcett, typical of today's more athletic breed of rock climbers demonstrates taking pleasure in the challenge of climbing without aids, using ropes and slings for safety only. The documentary is part of the series 'Pushing the limits', a series of 10 programs by Leo Dickinson documenting sporting adventures which often test the limits of human endurance. Each episode concentrated on one sport, varying from climbing to hot air ballooning.