From Film Set to Front Line

Some film sets can feel like war zones or disaster areas and production manager Kimberley Hikaka has chosen to do something about the real thing. She spoke to Petrana Lorenz about the understandable – and surprising – comparisons.

One year, New Zealander Kimberley Hikaka was managing production on Downton Abbey and adding Baftas to the shelves for the British ITV drama The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies. The next, she was managing productions of an entirely different kind as a Project Administration Manager with the world’s leading independent organisation for humanitarian aid, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). In this interview, she describes the unexpected similarities between these roles, and how she balances a career behind the cameras with one in humanitarian emergencies.

Briefly describe your career path

I never had my heart set on a particular line of work, but I guess I wanted to do something with a sense of purpose. I always loved cinema and storytelling but it wasn’t until I’d worked on my first short film at university that I knew I wanted to work in the industry.

Like many before me I started out on a few low-budget films in NZ then went over to the UK. Within a short space of time I was working for the drama production company Carnival Films, originally in production and business affairs and then as Head of Production.

How did you end up on the production side?

I think we’re all wired differently, and it appears my natural settings lean towards strong organisation, communication, ability to multitask and think laterally. So, when we were cutting our teeth on short films and low-budget features, I would just turn up, work hard and get things done. And that’s generally what you need in production. I also really enjoy bringing someone’s creative vision to life.

What does a Head of Production actually do?

Essentially it’s logistics: You need to ensure productions come in on time and on budget. Behind the scenes you’re dealing with selecting the team, scheduling, budgeting, health and safety, contracts, facilities and more. Then you have problem solving on the floor – working around actors’ availabilities, which cameras to use, securing locations, what to feed everyone… Your role is essentially to oversee the team to make sure everything runs without a hitch. Often easier said than done.

After many years of successful shows like Downton Abbey, you threw yourself in to work with the international medical aid organisation Médecins Sans Frontières, first into an emergency cholera response in Malawi, then on to Yemen, Libya and now Papua New Guinea. Why?

I became acutely aware of how fortunate I am in my life – I have a wonderful family, wonderful friends, friendly passports, a huge amount of opportunity. I realised I have a freedom of choice that not many people have and that I had a responsibility to do something with that. MSF seemed to be an organisation doing a lot of good work and I was particularly interested in its emergency-based work. The premise of medical care for everyone regardless of ethnicity, religion, politics or gender is something that resonates with me.

How were you able to transfer your professional production skills to the delivery of medical aid?

These are both sectors where you’re working with large teams made up of individuals with different skill sets, and they all need to work together to achieve a desired outcome. It’s that kind of team work, and the logistical framework around it (budget, stock, human resources, location, transport) that are comparable. Both in the field and on set you need exemplary planning, the ability to bring people together, and the calm, creativity and perseverance to problem solve on the spot when things don’t go to plan – which to be honest is most of the time! But if you’ve set yourselves up well, you are able to deal with the changing needs whilst still being able to attain the final vision.

Can you describe the application of your project management skills in the field, and how it contributes to MSF’s life-saving work?

I think a good example is in the movement of people and goods. MSF is distinguished by its ability to quickly get teams, medicine and equipment to inaccessible locations. You need to be as efficient as possible with both time and money, which demands skilful management and coordination. This is comparable to filming when you have a large number of people and equipment in multiple locations, with no time or money to be late. Planning movements in high security contexts, as I was doing for MSF in Libya, is actually not too dissimilar to what you’d do on a production.

While working on the cholera outbreak in Malawi I drew on my experience of running small filming units on location. You needed to quickly source accommodation, local staff, locations (in this instance health centres rather than scenery for filming!) and move people and equipment efficiently. I had to forecast and track costs in the same way, as ultimately you’re just as accountable to donors as you would be to the studio – even more so!

Since then you have worked in Yemen, Libya and now you are in Papua New Guinea. How do you balance a demanding career in the field with work back home?

I’ve come to the realisation that I want to spend my time wisely, and for me that means either making programmes with content I really care about or working in humanitarian aid. I believe both storytelling and humanitarian work are very valuable ways to engage with humanity – to connect with what makes us human, to bring perspective and empathy.

I have no doubt I will produce in film/TV again but for the moment MSF is where I should be. With MSF, the cameras don’t stop rolling, you can’t call cut, there is no way to save it in the edit – it’s immediate. What you do every day, when you do it and how you do it matters. And you are constantly humbled – by the amazing brilliance of your colleagues, by the resilience and spirit of the diverse communities you work amongst and the opportunity you have to give something back. Filmmaking has the ability to do this too, but in a different way. Fortunately, the project-based nature of the work means it should be possible to do both: You can have the best of both worlds.

About Médecins Sans Frontières:

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) – also known as Doctors Without Borders – is the world’s leading independent organisation for medical humanitarian aid. Médecins Sans Frontières is a worldwide movement with 28 offices, including one in Australia. In 2015, 204 field positions were held by Australians and New Zealanders in 38 countries. For more information about working for MSF visit the Médecins Sans Frontières website: www.msf.org