This is an episode of Inside the Tent, a podcast going behind the scenes of Campside’s award winning shows.
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
Our thoughts are with colleagues and friends in Los Angeles.
A crew of 47 aboard an Alaskan fishing boat ominously nicknamed "The Danger Ranger" had been counting on a final run deep into the Bering Sea as a last-ditch effort to save a mediocre fishing season.
Before ever arriving, they had to abandon ship in 32-degree water amidst 20-foot swells and driving snow.
Their last hope? A cook making the key calls, a helicopter running out of fuel and a rookie rescue swimmer who had never saved anyone in open water.
This was initially recounted in Sean’s 2008 GQ article The Longest Night. Forty-seven people were on board and many spent hours floating in the frigid, dark waters.
Miraculously, forty-two were rescued, and thirteen years later Sean and the Campside team revisited the story to make The Bering.
Adam and Sean discuss the transition from print to audio and the magic of crafting the perfect sound design.
On the heels of tragic events, Sean has regularly interviewed people about the worst day of their lives. That proximity to death takes a toll, but here Sean was struck by how the survivors processed their emotions over the years and found ways to move on with their lives.
It was a reminder of how the luxury of time can change the tone and depth of a project.
Adam also explored the impact of time in a prior piece about the ongoing journey to adapt The Bering for television. No matter the medium, at its core it’s a story about people doing whatever it takes to save other people.
Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. And let us know what you think: questions@campsidemedia.com
We hope to see you inside the tent again soon. Subscribe now for updates on The Bering and all of Campside’s hit shows.
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