Customer story

How a BAFTA-Winning DoP Solved Zero-Signal Communication on Remote Location Shoots

Paul Harrison · Director of Photography · Orange Circle Films · Our Farm Next Door, Wise Owl Films

Filming a documentary series in the remote hills of North Yorkshire, with no mobile signal and harsh winter conditions, demands more than hope and old hardware. Here’s how the right radio kit changed everything.

The challenge

Paul Harrison is a BAFTA award-winning Director of Photography working with Orange Circle Films. Commissioned by Wise Owl Films as DoP on their documentary series Our Farm Next Door, Paul was operating lean, agile two-camera crews across the remote landscapes of North Yorkshire — capturing authentic moments as they unfold.

His existing radios, bought 15 years ago from a high-street store, were outdated and no longer fit for professional production work. He needed rugged, professional-grade equipment at a reasonable price point that could genuinely handle demanding remote conditions.

What they were up against

  • Zero mobile signal across remote filming locations — the team was entirely disconnected
  • Treacherous winter roads requiring reliable vehicle-to-vehicle comms for crew safety
  • Real documentary filming where crew synchronisation is essential and any interruption ruins an authentic moment
  • Two-camera coordination needing split-second timing without verbal cues on set
  • Harsh North Yorkshire weather demanding equipment that can genuinely take a beating

The solution: Motorola T82 Extreme

In January, Paul ordered a quad pack of our Motorola T82 Extreme two-way radios with four Single Wire Surveillance Kits. With same-day dispatch and next-day delivery, the equipment arrived on set exactly when production needed it.

The T82 Extreme is built for outdoor professionals — and it shows:

IP54 weather resistance
Built to handle rain, dust, and the elements		 16 channels & 121 privacy codes
Flexible coordination across large crews
Hands-free VOX
Activated automatically when paired with surveillance earpieces		 PMR446 licence free
No licence required — ready to use straight out of the box

What Paul says

“

“When we have a director with us, they can already see our shots, but with the in-ear attachments, they can call shots without interrupting the scene. A lot of what we do up there is real documentary, so things unfold in front of us — and it’s a two-camera team, so we need to be completely in sync. The radios help us to do that.”

“

“So far so good. Impressed with the clarity and range — and they seem robust enough to handle the weather we get up there.”

“

“Not having shopped with Radio Solutions before, I found it very easy to find what I was looking for. Ordering was straightforward, delivery was quick, and the products arrived in great condition.”

★★★★★

Paul Harrison, Director of Photography, Orange Circle Films

Radio Solutions provided not just the right equipment, but a purchasing experience smooth enough to keep a production moving — same-day dispatch, next-day arrival, no hassle.

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