The inaugural season of The Bridge Australia has proven to be epic in more ways than one, and now producers behind the new Paramount+ series have revealed just how it was filmed.
The show, which Endemol Shine produces, follows 12 strangers as they work together to build a 330m bridge across a body of water in Tasmania — which is actually within a privately owned property.
“It is a reservoir that goes up and down, based on what Tasmania’s water board are doing,” Paramount ANZ Executive Producer Sarah Thornton told TV Tonight.
Noting that the location “changes the way [the show] feels”, Sarah said the water and logs were the only original elements of the show. The rest was brought in by production before filming in March 2022.
“Endemol Shine built that incredible cabin, the sleeping quarters and those really difficult pulleys that take you across to the build area,” she said.
“It was a pretty difficult task to find the right geography… Also, a place that genuinely had that sense of isolation.”
There Were Many Safety Provisions Due to the Tools Used by Contestants
The competitors used their “bare hands” and very basic tools to construct the bridge, so the series implemented specific guidelines to ensure cast and crew safety.
“We had a lot of safety provisions there because obviously, they were building a bridge with their bare hands and quite rudimentary tools,” Sarah confessed.
This included training before filming, plus a paramedic and lifesaver on location at all times.
However, the producer confessed the extent of injuries was limited to “blisters and splinters”. And no wonder — all that timber!?
How Is Sound Recorded On The Bridge Australia?
On reality shows like I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! it’s pretty apparent when contestants are hooked up to microphones.
The Bridge stars, however, don’t appear to be wearing any mics. So, how TF do they capture such good audio?
According to Sarah, the cast is mic’d up, but they are hidden under “special neoprene devices” beneath their clothes.
“It wasn’t that warm, so it’s not like people were topless all the time or anything,” she said.
The producer then went on to show her gratitude for The Bridge‘s “small crew”.
“It sort of took me back to the old days of shooting reality,” Sarah expressed. “We had obviously an amazing Director of Photography and camera team. But there was a lot of trust amongst the production team.”
Did The Bridge Contestants Have to Find Timber for the Structure?
Despite what some may think, the contestants did not source the timber. In fact, production supplied The Bridge stars with all they’d need at the start of filming.
“They get given a supply that they then have to convert into The Bridge,” Sarah confirmed before adding: “They weren’t given a roadmap. There were no instructions.
“They had to work out how to use the equipment themselves.”
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