From scaling the Nepalese mountaintops to the challenges of the Congo rainforest, Stan Gaskell has filmed it all. Now safely back home for a moment of tranquility, we asked about his exhilarating travels – and the life lessons he brought back with him. www.instagram.com
The past few years have been quite a whirlwind for you. Have we caught you at a quiet moment?“Absolutely! I was away for two and a half years on two separate expeditions; one with endurance athlete, Russ Cook, and the other with adventurer, Mitch Hutchcraft. I’ve now been back home for about six months. I’m still super-busy working on lots of individual projects with Blue Door Productions, but for the time being I’m trying not to go to any crazy countries or put myself into any dangerous situations in order to come to terms with what I’ve been through.”
You became a freelance videographer at 17, which led to an extraordinary career filming international expeditions. What first inspired you to get behind the lens?
“Mostly film and TV; I grew up loving Doctor Who and remember reading a book on how the show was put together, which captured my imagination from a very young age. I also really enjoyed Deadly 60, which is hosted by Steve Backshall. The show wasn’t just about finding wildlife – it also showed behind the scenes footage on how they did it. Seeing the wildlife, along with everything that went into filming and the logistics completely inspired me.”
Have you always been a natural adventurer?
“Definitely not! When I was a kid, I was very much an introvert and didn’t have many friends. I got picked on quite a lot and kept myself to myself. Then, I got the opportunity to go on a school trip to South Africa, which changed my worldview. From then on, I wanted to do as much as possible with my life, regardless of comfort levels. And I think that’s probably the catalyst for what I’ve done ever since.”
You filmed a 13-month expedition with Russ Cook as he ran the entire length of Africa – from South Africa to Tunisia – so it certainly sounds like you are seizing the day. Can you tell us a little bit about the experience?
“It was one of the most incredible, complex, nuanced years of my life and by far the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. It very nearly killed me a few times. Saying that, it was also the most incredible thing I’ve ever done and made me more optimistic about humanity. Regardless of where I’ve been in the world, the majority of human beings are very good people. It’s one of my favourite things about my job.”
How did you keep up momentum on such a gruelling journey?
“I think the honest answer is brute force. I was working 18-to-20-hour days, every single day bar a couple, for that entire period. There isn’t really a way to manage that workload in a way that’s healthy or effective, so it was just willpower after a certain point to keep on pushing for as long as I could.”
You also accompanied former Royal Marine Mitch Hutchcraft on the world’s longest triathlon, including swimming the Channel, passing through the Arabian dessert, and climbing Everest base camp. Were there any particular moments that really stood out for you?
“This was another incredibly long, complicated expedition over nine months. I think from a career point of view, the highlight was climbing to the summit of Lobuche, which is a 6,000-meter mountain in the Himalayas not far from Everest. This was something that Mitch needed to do before he climbed Everest to acclimatise, and it was the last part of the journey I did with him. Filming that climb – having never climbed a proper mountain before – was something very difficult, and something that I’m very proud of.
It is clear then, that you surround yourself with people who are set on achieving their goals, whatever the consequences. Has this trait rubbed off on you?
“I think it has to an extent. I’m in a unique position to see how people’s minds work when they’re accomplishing incredible feats. It’s part of my job to analyse their approaches, and there are some things that I try to take onboard, like not complaining and having a positive mental attitude. There are, of course, toxic aspects to this type of thinking, too, which gets the job done. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that everybody starts thinking like Russ and Mitch, as I’m sure they’d agree that it is a pretty extreme mindset!”
When you finally get home from these expeditions, what do you do to help yourself unwind?
“I appreciated the small things. Even basic things like warm showers, delicious – and easily accessible – food, and the ability to just turn on the TV and relax. I basically didn’t switch off for two and a half years and I probably still haven’t fully relaxed. I’ve been in fight or flight mode for a long time, and I’m really struggling to come out of it. It’s a long process.”
And finally, what is next for you?
“The plan is to grow Blue Door Productions. We’re really passionate about finding stories that have weight and moving them from what might traditionally be a TV show into the new media world – think YouTube and social media. This is something we’re uniquely positioned to be able to do because of our experience in both worlds. There’s so much potential for amazing content to be created in that area that’s just not being tapped into yet. We’re looking for all these stories and creators who want to jump on that bandwagon with us. It’s going to be another exciting ride.”
