2024 Oct China · JiNan National Rope Rescue Summit — Video Documentation

As a trainee from the inaugural intermediate/advanced rope-rescue courses, I was invited onto the Video Documentation Unit for China’s rope-rescue gathering. We didn’t just “film an event”—we engineered a safe, redundant capture system that could keep up with professional rescue evolutions.

Capture & Coverage

• Multi-camera matrix: fixed tripods (wide master), shoulder-mounted mobile cams (mid/close), gimbal walk-throughs (movement), helmet POV on key technicians, and UAV for terrain context (operated within local airspace rules).

• Timecode workflow: external timecode boxes for frame-accurate multi-cam sync, unified 25/50p profiles, matching color-management & LUTs for rapid dailies.

• Audio plan: ambient stereo at stations + bodypack mics on instructors; radio-comms recorder to preserve procedural calls.

• Low-light/complex terrain: fast primes + stabilized bodies, high-ISO noise discipline, compact cool lights for shafts/overhangs.

Rigging for Cameras (safety-first)

• Independent, load-appropriate anchors and redundant attachment for any camera on edge/over void.

• Rope access to vantage points via separate systems from rescue lanes; no interference with live training lines.

• Edge protection & tethered tools; camera leashes to avoid dropped-object hazards.

Operations & ICS alignment

• Worked under the exercise’s command structure: Safety → Ops → Media/Docs. Daily JSA/briefings, clear radio callsigns, hot/cold zones marked; media never entered hazard space without Safety approval.

• Shot-list mapped to training objectives: litter raises/lowers, MA systems, edge transitions, knot-passing, pick-offs, team changeovers, and instructor critiques.

Data & Delivery

• Ingest pipeline: dual-slot mirror recording + on-site checksum backup (two copies, two locations).

• Tagging: per-evolution clip IDs, station, team, instructor; markers for key learning moments.

• Outputs: same-day highlight reels for debrief; after-action packages (long cut + per-module micro-clips) optimized for training reuse.

Presence & Impact

• National rescue teams exchanged techniques at full tilt; leadership from the China Mountaineering Association and Emergency Rescue authorities inspected the event.

• We captured not only the drills but a document of China’s rope-rescue progression—material that participating teams can replay for skills retention and SOP refinement.

Role
Rope Technician & Video Lead (Documentation Unit)