Elevating Field Safety for a Wildlife Documentary Series in Costa Rica

The Shoot 

A wildlife documentary series filmed across multiple outdoor locations in and around Costa Rica, required careful coordination between local crews, international producers, and field safety teams.

Safety Challenges 

Filming took place across various diverse environments, each presenting different environmental and wildlife-related risks. The production needed clearly defined operational boundaries around every location to maintain crew safety and site control.

With units moving between locations, there was a need for a structured communication tool that could be customized for each filming site – ensuring crews received relevant safety updates, environmental alerts, and operational notes specific to where they were working.

Each location required its own evacuation protocol, including local emergency numbers, the nearest hospital, and direct hospital contact details. Quick, in-field access to this information was critical in remote or wildlife-sensitive environments.

How SetConnect Helped 

Geo-Fencing Across All Filming Locations: SetConnect enabled the creation of geo-fenced boundaries around every active filming site, clearly defining operational areas, improving oversight, and reinforcing safe movement protocols for crew members in the field.

Customizable Location-Based Noticeboards: The noticeboard feature was tailored to each location, allowing production to post site-specific safety briefings, wildlife movement updates, weather advisories, and daily operational notes — all accessible directly through the app.

Embedded, Location-Specific Emergency Plans: The emergency evacuation feature was customized for each site, including local emergency numbers, the nearest hospital, and direct contact phone numbers. This information was instantly accessible in the app, ensuring rapid response capability if required.

The Result 

With clearly defined boundaries, tailored site communications, and embedded emergency protocols, the series operated with heightened confidence and streamlined coordination across every location.

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