Filmmaker's soaring career
By Mark McGeever • Published 20 Apr 2011 10:00
A CLYDEBANK filmmaker answered an emergency request to record an armada of hot air balloons crossing the English Channel by flying with them.
Douglas King, 25, burst into action when an organiser of a world record hot air balloon flight requested the help of a cameraman via the popular social networking site Twitter.
Within an hour of the request appearing on the site the award-winning amateur filmmaker had been interviewed, recruited, hunted out his passport and was jumping on a train south.
Fifty-one hot air balloons took off shortly after sunrise on Friday April 8, from Lydden Hill Race Circuit in Kent, heading for France.
Douglas, pictured, joined a team put forward by Robert Wiseman Dairies, taking to the skies in a balloon coloured in the distinctive black and white cow pattern made famous by milk cartons.
Within four hours of the launch all but one had successfully touched down in Calais, with organisers claiming a place in the record books.
Douglas spoke to the Post about his last minute dash to join the world record.
He said: "From the moment we took off you could see France and it was incredible to see the sky filled with balloons all heading there.
"Looking down from the basket onto the water was frightening at first, but focusing on filming got me over the initial shock and let me enjoy an amazing adventure.
"It's surprising up there, I thought it would be cold and quiet but the burner produces immense heat and noise.
"It was a great experience - totally worth a 24 hour round trip for an hour and a half flying in a balloon."
This article appeared in Clydebank Post 20 Apr 11
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.
