Address:
Barr An Uisce, Greystones, Co. Wicklow
Telephone:
+353-1-287 5394/2910
Fax:
+353-1-287 5394
Email: johnmurr@indigo.ie
Personnel:
John Murray - Managing Director/Producer/Director
Ross Bartley - Cameraman
Company Description:
Crossing the Line Films specialise in quality documentaries featuring travel, exploration, adventure, history & nomadic journeys. We have made some of the best selling Irish documentaries of recent years,co-funded the historic forensic examinations of Roger Casement's infamous "Black Diaries" and are currently jointly leading a three year program to find the wreck of one of Sir John Franklin's ships under the ice of the Canadian Arctic. Our films have broadcast on RTÉ, TG4, Discovery UK & Europe, Discovery USA, BBC, Channel 5, ARD, Travel, PBS, WGBH, History Channel, Odyssey, Adventure One, Sky, Planete, Voyage and many others.
Genre:
Documentary, lifestyle, current affairs/news
Languages:
English, Irish, French, Spanish, Russian
In Development:
"The Lost Expedition"
1 X 54 min story of one of the greatest tragedies in the history of exploration combined with the quest for one of the most important, undiscovered shipwrecks in the world. John Franklin's doomed expedition disappeared in the 1840's while searching for the North West Passage. This film has exclusive access to a three year scientific search for Franklin's ship HMS Terror.
"Shakespeare's Lost Lover"
1 X 54 mins. In a dark corner of a stately home in Ireland, a 400-year-old painting is unearthed, sparking an impassioned international debate and a journey of discovery into the mind and sexuality of the greatest writer of all time. Ignored for centuries in its dark alcove, the portrait featured a fair faced maiden wearing lipstick, rouge and elaborate earrings. But it now transpires that the painting is of a man - not any man but William Shakespeare's most supportive male patron and many would say - his lover.
"Three Men And A Pole"
3 X 52 mins. The story of Shackleton, Amundsen and Scott, of their trials and tribulations in the Antarctic, of their obsession with the South Pole and of their all consuming rivalry for the last great prize in exploration.
"Sacred Summits"
6 X half hours. Six of the world's leading climbers tell the story of six of the world's most sacred mountains in Africa, USA, Tibet, Argentina, Mexico and Greece.
"Footsteps"
5 X 52 mins. An international series that will travel to the far corners of the globe to follow in the footsteps of 5 great but unheard of explorers & adventurers - people who made a great contribution to the history of various far flung places but have never had their stories recognised.
Current Production:
"Death in the Ice"
1 hour documentary about the infamous North West Passage featuring a modern voyage through the passage by a team of Irish adventurers. For RTÉ and History Canada.
"Irish Crown Jewels"
1 hour documentary on "the greatest single blow against British Imperialism of its time". The theft of the Irish Crown Jewels will be a historical who-dunnit, investigating the evidence, theories, conspiracies and hoaxes surrounding the theft. For RTÉ and History Canada.
"Tom Crean, Antartic Hero"
One hour doc on one of the most indestructible heroes in the history of Antartic exploration. Crean's astonishing life story will be told using a wealth of photographic and film archive and interviews with family members & leading polar historians, inc Reinhold Messner and Ranulph Fiennes. RTÉ, RTÉ International & The Irish Film Board.
Previous Production:
"Shackleton & Scott - Rivals for the Pole" One hour doc on two polar explorers and their bitter rivalry. Featuring archive, iv's with explorers inc Ranulph Fiennes, David Hempleman Adams, relations including Jonathan Shackleton & Falcon Scott. Shot in Antarctica, UK, Ireland & USA. DigiBeta for TG4 & international distribution. Funded by Media.
"The Ghost Of Roger Casement"
A 2 X one hour feature documentary on one of this century's great humanitarians who served the British Empire until he became an Irish rebel and was hung for treason after a set of sexually explicit diaries destroyed an international campaign for clemency. Funded by RTÉ, RTÉ International & The Irish Film Board and directed by Alan Gilsenan. Shooting in Ireland, UK, Germany, Peru, Colombia & the US.
"Last Chance Journeys - Siberia"
A 2 X one hour film on the greatest nomadic journey left on earth. The Nenets are native Siberian reindeer herders with extrovert, irrepressible personalities who spend their lives on a gruelling 1600 mile journey across the tundra to the Arctic Ocean and back. 3 months shooting completed in Siberia. DigiBeta 16:9 for TG4 & international distribution. Funded by TG4, Media & The Celtic Development Fund.
"Last Chance Journeys - Sahara"
One hour film on the most traditional camel caravan route left in the Sahara - a 1000 mile trek across Niger. We follow an old caravaneer on his last journey after 30 years on the go. Shooting of 10 weeks completed in Niger. DigiBeta 16:9 for TG4 & international distribution.
"The Seminary"
One hour film following a year in the life of three student priests at Ireland's biggest priest training school - Maynooth College. For RTÉ's True Lives strand.
"Escape from Antarctica - Ealú Ó Antartica"
One hour film for TG4 telling the story of Ernest Shackleton's famous escape from the white continent in 1916.
"Turas Feasa"
Six part series of personal journeys through the Irish landscape. Shot widescreen on DigiBeta over 18 months, this was one of RTÉ's principal Irish language commissions for their millennium programming.
"Across the Line 2 - Alaska to Argentina"
RTÉ & Travel Channel. An 8 part travel & adventure series. Two people, 15 countries, 3 months on £25 a day
"Wild Ireland - Bealach Ó Dheas"
TG4 & Travel Channel. Six part wilderness walking series. Subsequently broadcast in Russia, Europe & Spain.
"Above the Clouds - Cuairt na Cruinne"
TG4 & Travel. Six part series of world mountaineering challenges set on the Eiger, Mt Kenya and in Nepal, Yosemite, Scotland & Peru. Broadcast in Europe, Spain & Australia. Winner of Best Doc at the 1998 Celtic Film Festival.
"Across the Line 1 - Dublin to Darwin"
RTÉ & Travel Channel. An 8 part travel series following 2 members of the public travelling overland from Dublin to Australia.
"Everest, the Northern Edge"
RTÉ one hour film documentary of the 1st successful Irish Everest Expedition.