Countryfile film 'The Prometheus Project' at Butser Ancient Farm 2013.

Filming underway with Matt Baker for Countryfile. 

Last Sunday at 6 o'clock I sat in front of the television waiting with anticipation as the titles rolled for that weeks Country File waiting for my moment to shine. 

A week previous I was in front of the camera explaining to Matt Baker my research into prehistoric boat building techniques 'The Prometheus Project'.
Countryfile had contacted us a little while ago and where interested in my research and whether it was possible for our ancestors to a build log boat using fire without leaving any evidence for its use in the final craft.
The details of the day were set that the film crew would turn up at 2pm, 2pm came and went. A phone call from the head researcher and the time was pushed back to 3pm. 3pm came and went! Another phone call and 4pm was the new arrival time. You guessed it!!!! 4pm came and went. During these hours of waiting I had charcoal on the boat burning through ready to demonstrate the hollowing and then a quick glance to the heavens and after a very fine morning I could see threatening clouds closing in. I became obsessed with weather it was going to rain or not (rain does not mix with burning out a log boat as you can imagine). It is fair to say that I was panicking so I found a gazebo and put it up just as a few large spots of rain fell. Then after the gazebo was up..........the sun came out again and the threat of rain passed. Down came the gazebo. 
At last at 430 the film crew turned up and after introductions were made we hit the ground running!
Matt Baker was a real nice guy and put everyone at ease straight away. He seemed genuinely interested in my research and between takes asked as many questions as possible, even adding in his own thoughts on the project.
As well as filming the stages of constructing the log boat  the programme filmed the casting of a bronze axe head similar to the axe head being used in the construction of the boat. Jim Clift is the supplier of my tools and impressed Matt with his skills and finished product.
It was only during the filming that I learnt that the end scene of the show was also going to be filmed at the farm and so we had to wait for Julia Bradbury to arrive from filming else where and the final scene to be shot.
Finally by 8pm we heard the words that's a wrap and the end of a long day beckoned.

The final product can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R2Qw2zymtk

As I sat and watched the show my fingers crossed tight my heart sank further and further as the end of the show came closer and closer no sign or mention of the piece at Butser! Had they decided to cut it? I didn't think they had, they had told me it would be on........ the weather came on..... only 10mins left and then a shot I recognised, our famous sheep! As the feature ran my heart relaxed as all my worries about the editing faded and the feature came across brilliantly! It was time to watch it again and celebrate! A job well done and 'The Prometheus Project' was out there for the world to see!

For anyone who missed the Countryfile episode featuring the Farm it will be repeated this Sunday afternoon at 1220 on BBC1 or can be found on the iplayer here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01skm8b/Countryfile_Hampshire/