When we first met Robert we had no idea the journey the film was going to take. We were ourselves video freelancers, trying to make a buck, stay alive, see the world - not so different from Robert actually. Our intention was to make a documentary that authentically reflects the struggles, charisma and complexity of these freelances - those at the bottom of the food chain, in this extraordinary world. Both of us had shot other documentaries for networks following war journalists and we felt aggrieved by these programs tendency to simplify and ‘paint heroes’.

Over the years we found it almost impossible to get the broadcast world to pay attention to what we thought was a great story with an engaging and honest character. So it has been a labor of love and blind faith for much of the past 15 years.

A journey that taken us in different directions too. ‘Frontline News’, our agency, saw 8 cameramen die covering wars. The industry has changed and it’s now much tougher to make a living as a free-lancer. ‘Frontline’ is now a journalists’ club. With a restaurant, meeting place and forum dedicated to the memory of fallen colleagues. It is run by Vaughan, who still does some conflict news. Richard now works on a broader range of features and documentaries.

Against our expectations, Robert has persisted in a remarkably difficult walk of life where the likelihood of ‘burn out’, ‘drop out’ or just failure - is pretty high. And this film is a testament to his endurance.

Richard Parry & Vaughan Smith