Spotlight: An interview with Steve Hall (“Darwin Plateau: Death Valley Adventure 4”)

We are thrilled to welcome Steve A. Hall, an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose passion for adventure and the natural world has taken him to some of the most remote and challenging environments on Earth.

Known for his captivating films that bring viewers along on his journeys, Steve has explored Death Valley, the South Pacific, and the Arctic, capturing the raw beauty and immense challenges of these landscapes. His debut film, "Last Chance Solo: A Death Valley Adventure," garnered acclaim at film festivals worldwide, and his subsequent works have only solidified his reputation as a master storyteller.

In this exclusive interview, we delve into Steve's latest triumph, "Darwin Plateau: Death Valley Adventure 4," which recently won multiple awards at Festigious.

Join us as we explore the inspiration, preparation, and experiences behind his extraordinary adventures, and gain insight into the mind of a dedicated and talented independent filmmaker.

It’s great to have you with us today, Steve! Can you share your background and how you developed a passion for exploring remote and challenging environments?

If I were to use one word to describe myself as a hiker, it would be "explorer". I've always been interested in getting off the beaten path and exploring new places. In particular, as you mentioned, I find myself drawn to remote and challenging environments. Part of this is because it brings solitude, but also because I find it much more interesting and fulfilling to visit places that very few people in the world have ever seen before. And I also enjoy overcoming the unique challenges that such environments bring out.

What inspired you to become a documentary filmmaker, explicitly focusing on adventure documentaries?

I started out sharing my adventures in the form of written hiking reports which were very detailed with extensive photographs and captions. However, I found this method to be quite limiting and it became boring to me over time. That's when I moved over into filming the adventure documentaries. I found this format to be quite a bit more enjoyable to film, edit, and put together. The response by the public has been overwhelmingly positive.

How did your experiences in Death Valley, the South Pacific, and the Arctic shape your approach to filmmaking?

These are all unique places that are vastly different from one another. Death Valley has a dry, hot climate most of the year with route-finding, scrambling, and climbing necessary at times. The islands of the Pacific are mostly hot and humid with a lot of overgrown jungle to contend with along with mostly primitive trails. The Arctic can be freezing cold with wind, rain, and snow even in the summer. So hiking and filming in each of these places requires different approaches, clothing, and gear. At this point, I have a lot of experience filming and hiking safely in all of them.

What is it about Death Valley that keeps drawing you back for your projects?

Death Valley seemingly has an endless amount of places to explore and hike to. There are 200 identified peaks or high points that can be hiked up to with great views. And there are over 150 officially and informally named canyons that can be hiked through. In addition, there are many unique natural features, mining ruins, flowing springs and waterfalls, and areas with blooms of wildflowers to see. With all of this available and the fact that I know Death Valley better than most, my projects provide the perfect way for me to share the beauty of Death Valley with others. And all of my Death Valley films are entirely non-commercial in nature.

Can you tell us about the first time you visited Death Valley? What was that experience like?

My very first visit to Death Valley came in 1997 and I visited Zabriskie Point, Devils Golf Course, Artists Palette, and Badwater Basin. It was this small glimpse into some of the park's iconic tourist destinations which made me want to come back and see more through hiking. These days, I can't help but laugh when I read online about people coming to Death Valley and only visiting these types of locations. Then I remember that is how I got my start as well. After that, I spent the next 10 years hiking to established and known locations, which made me fall in love with the park. The more time I spent there, the more I realized how special and unique Death Valley is. Finally, from 2009 to the present, I have been exploring and hiking into unknown and undocumented locations, which allowed me to make important discoveries and become one of the most well-known Death Valley hikers in the world.

How do you prepare for these extensive and often challenging hikes?

There is a vast amount of preparation which must be done at home. Without it, hiking in Death Valley and other harsh environments could end badly. It's very important to know your route very well, be able to navigate it successfully, understand your limitations, and be able to overcome all challenges along the way. These challenges include but are not limited to driving rough roads before even starting, sun exposure, harsh weather, difficult terrain, the presence of wild animals, food and water supplies, proper gear and equipment, having a way to be monitored by others and get help if needed, and dealing with injuries and falls.

What kind of training or preparation do you undertake before embarking on a new adventure?

Before going anywhere new, I always strive to fully educate myself about an area. That will involve studying maps and satellite imagery, reading guidebooks, searching the internet for details, and talking with park rangers or previous visitors to an area. Of course, many of the areas I go to have seen very few and sometimes no previous visitors who are on record. So that makes it all the more challenging to be fully prepared. I train for the harder backpacking trips by hiking in the local area where I live after work, often on a daily basis.

How do you balance the roles of filmmaker and explorer, ensuring you capture the essence of your journeys while staying safe and focused?

That is a great question because safety always has to come first while hiking and filming. There were two times in the Darwin Plateau film when I had to put away the cameras and make sure that our group safely overcame difficult obstacles. These obstacles could have become dangerous had I been distracted by trying to film us getting past them. The obstacles were climbing up the side of Plunge Pool Fall and scrambling over the bypass of Mill Falls. You will see us discussing both obstacles in the film but you won't see us getting past them. While it would have been nice to show how we did that, staying focused on safety was the priority.

Let’s talk about your latest project, "Darwin Plateau: Death Valley Adventure 4". What initially inspired this particular project?

My Death Valley Adventure series of films showcases new advanced backpacking routes that I have created in different mountain ranges in the park. They all involve heavy water carries and visit areas that have seen very few visitors and thus have not ever been documented on film before.

Can you describe the Darwin Plateau area and what makes it unique compared to other parts of Death Valley?

The Darwin Plateau is a large, mostly flat area of high desert that is drained by Rainbow Canyon and Lee Wash, two of Death Valley's most impressive but least visited major canyons.

What were the main goals you hoped to achieve with this film?

To showcase an area of Death Valley National Park that most people have never seen and are not capable of reaching.

How did you and your team decide on the specific route you took for this adventure?

Our Darwin Plateau route is something that all three of us worked on together. I came up with the initial concept of the route because I am currently working my way through the various mountain ranges and areas of Death Valley with an idea to film a backpacking adventure in each one of them. After I came up with the planned route, Elyscia refined and improved it. And Michelle figured out the logistics and helped us choose ideal parking locations. So all three of us contributed to the route in an important way.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while filming "Darwin Plateau: Death Valley Adventure 4"?

There were numerous challenges to filming this backpacking journey. These included backpacking across challenging terrain, finding drinking water, overcoming canyon obstacles, dealing with mountain lion concerns, bushwhacking through overgrown brush, and trying to capture all of that on film in a way that was interesting for viewers to watch.

Can you talk about the experience of reaching Mill Falls and why it was such a significant part of your journey?

Mill Falls is a magnificent but seldom-visited waterfall in Death Valley that cannot be easily reached. The only way for a day hiker to safely reach it requires hiking 19 miles round-trip without using a trail. So very few people have ever seen Mill Falls and we were all looking forward to that special moment when we could see it with our own eyes. There is a special moment in the film which shows Elyscia touching the water just below the waterfall. Seeing that, I felt her connection to the beautiful place we were standing at, and I will never forget that moment.

What was it like to finally see the Panamint Sand Dunes at the end of your trek?

That was neat on our final day to see different views of the Panamint Sand Dunes as we got ever closer to reaching them. And when we finally made it to the dunes, we knew our journey had been successful and we could enjoy the spectacular beauty of backpacking across them toward the finish.

How do you manage filming while also dealing with such physically demanding conditions?

By thinking ahead to the final product and how much better it will be if I keep on putting forth the effort into filming. When things are not going well, the weather is bad, or I'm completely worn out, it would be easy to put away the cameras. But those are the same things which if shown can be interesting to a viewer and bring a sense of drama into a film. So those are some of the most important times to keep on filming.

Your two close friends, Michelle and Elyscia, joined you on this adventure. What was it like, working with them?

Michelle and Elyscia are two amazing people and I really enjoyed working with them on this project. Michelle is a highly accomplished backpacker, having previously thru-hiked the entire Appalachian Trail. She was a great pacesetter, and I was amazed at how she was able to carry an ultralight pack despite us hiking through such a harsh environment. Elyscia is also a very experienced backpacker and has a lot of knowledge about Death Valley. I was impressed with her navigation abilities and good decision-making along the way. Elyscia actually saved me one night. This wasn't shown in the film, but on the first night, I got very little sleep because it was a lot colder than expected. I didn't realize this beforehand, but when washing my sleeping bag at home, it got ripped open and lost some of the down filling from it. Thus, I spent the entire night shivering and struggling to stay warm. So, on the second night, Elyscia let me use her sleeping bag liner, which provided enough warmth to get me through the night. This is just one small example showing how all three of us had to work together and help each other to make it through this adventure successfully.

Michelle and Elyscia won awards for Inspiring Woman in a Film. Can you share more about their contributions to the journey and film?

I think the title of the award they won sums it up very well. They both inspire me, and no doubt have inspired others who have watched the film including the Festigious judging staff. I appreciated how they were always ready to contribute and be fully involved with the film and filming process. Even when we were all at our most tired and when we faced difficult challenges, they stayed positive and were ready to help with interview segments, set piece filming, or whatever was needed. During the past five years in Death Valley, Elyscia and Michelle, along with our friend Matt, have been the people that I have hiked with the most. I view both Michelle and Elyscia as inspiring women but also as wonderful people and treasured friends.

Your narration style makes the audience feel part of the journey. How do you develop this engaging storytelling approach?

Preparation is one of the keys. When it comes to Death Valley films, I already am very familiar with the area and can explain to viewers what is being seen and experienced. But with other areas where I am hiking for the first time, I do a lot of research and try to become very familiar with the landscape and everything about the area before I even arrive. Because I feel like the narration helps viewers to understand and appreciate what they are seeing, more than just silent hiking. Hopefully it helps them to learn something about an area which they might not be capable of visiting in person. However, I do try to strike a balance. At the most beautiful spots along the way, I try not to talk but just showcase the scenery set to inspiring music.

How do you ensure that your films remain authentic and true to the experience while still being accessible and engaging to viewers?

When filming backpacking adventures, I try to document the entire experience while maintaining good pacing. That means I try to showcase the actual hike and scenery, but also try to include group interaction and camp life. But I have to be careful to keep things moving and not get too caught up on one particular area or aspect of the hike. As a result, I film way more footage than gets used.

Can you walk us through your process of preparing for a shoot, from initial planning to execution?

Preparation begins at home by making sure I have the right equipment for the environment I will be filming in. That includes being prepared to deal with wind noise, rainy weather, extreme heat, darkness, or whatever the case may be. And then having enough batteries and a way to recharge them along the way, along with backup equipment in case anything malfunctions. Flexibility is the key to good execution of shots along the way. While I may have some specific shots in mind before a hike, I have to be ready to make adjustments and look for opportunities as they are presented.

Can you share any memorable moments or unexpected events during your shoots?

There was a funny moment in the Darwin Plateau film where it got dark outside and we were still hiking. Thus, I turned on the filming light to capture the moment and we were all suddenly blinded and couldn't see where we were going. It was a startling but funny moment.

Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming projects you are working on?

Just recently I completed filming some hikes in Micronesia. Two of the hikes in Guam were very challenging to carry out and are not hikes that are typically done by the general public or even widely known about. The first is the Sella-Cetti loop and the second is the San Carlos-Lonfit loop. The hikes involved hiking off-trail up rivers through the jungle which required filming while wading through water, dealing with slippery conditions, and bushwhacking past bamboo and other overgrown plants and trees. In Palau, I filmed a hike up to an old German lighthouse built in 1885. Along the way, we met up with giant coconut crabs and had cave crickets dropping onto our heads and backs while passing through tunnels built as war shelters. So those experiences will make for interesting films to watch hopefully.

How do you hope your films impact audiences, and what messages do you aim to convey through your work?

I hope the films inspire others to set aside time in their lives and busy schedules to get out there and experience our National Parks and other beautiful places in the world. And they also show how great challenges in our lives can be successfully overcome and we can accomplish things that we set out to do.

Finally, what advice do you have for aspiring documentary filmmakers just starting?

When starting out, film what you love. It will help you put your heart and passion into the project.