Northwest Passage Expedition

  • George Hopkins

In 2022, a team of rowers and adventurers will set off from Baffin Island, Canada, on an expedition to become the first to traverse the Northwest Passage by human power alone. The journey will see the crew row in 2 hour shifts, non-stop for 2 months before arriving at Point Barrow in Alaska. I have been involved in producing narrative, commercial and social media content for the expedition. A small selection can be seen here, with a wide range of content available on the crew's Instagram, @nwpexpedition.

I produced a documentary pilot film for NWP Expedition. Shot in part by Emmy award-winning cameraman Michael Pitts (Blue Planet, Private Life of Plants, Life), the film outlines the extraordinary efforts the NWP Expedition team must go to in their attempt to be the first people to row through the Northwest Passage.
To raise funds for the expedition, the team have launched their own gin brand, Northwest Passage Expedition Gin. I travelled to Orkney, where the gin is distilled, to create a promotional short for the product's launch.
The team are using social media videos to raise awareness of the expedition. One of the series is Crew Cuts, which sees the crew explain who they are, what the expedition entails and their motivation for the row. In this episode, journalist Mark Agnew discusses his failed attempts to row the Atlantic, and why he is more determined than ever to row the Northwest Passage. Camera: Robin Lee, Producer & Editor: George Hopkins