After a twelve hour flight that warped us from Saturday night in San Francisco to Monday morning in Auckland, the Virtual Active crew had a quick nap and then set out to tackle three locations in Auckland. We began in the Central Business district, where we raced through crowds gathered on the Marina to celebrate Auckland Anniversary Day, cruised up bustling Queen Street, and climbed a hill to grab a shot of the iconic Sky Tower. We then filmed in Auckland Domain, the city's small central park, before huffing it up Mount Eden, a dormant volcano with a spectacular view of the city. 

Most exciting of all, today was the first day of live production completed entirely by our new steadycam operator, Shawn Oatis. Shawn braved jet lag, nerves, and a tough volcanic climb to turn in a very productive day of shooting. He also safely completed an important rite of passage: his first fall. Camera and operator are fine, and the rest of the crew enjoyed the show. 

Welcome to the crew, Shawn.  Please watch your step as we continue our tour of New Zealand.