SYNOPSIS:

Million Miles is a real, raw and riveting 6 x 45’ documentary travel series which sweeps you off your feet and takes you in to a world that few have experienced - adventure travel.

This wild ride offers a rare insight into the massive challenges faced by a small, grass roots adventure company as they attempt to safely guide a group of unsuspecting “city slickers” on motorcycles through some of the most remote, dangerous but spectacular places on the planet. 

Faced with quick sand in Africa, dynamite wielding miners in Bolivia and a medical emergency in Nepal, the seemingly Teflon coated, ever engaging, Expedition Leaders, Nick and Team Medic, Dr Jacques, do all they can to keep their tours together as their customers (and key characters), Marty, Lee, Gemma and Alby adapt to the extraordinary pressures that are thrown at them.

With uncertainty at every turn, vowing to ride a Million Miles together was the last thing any of them expected.

TRAILER:

EPISODES:

AFRICA

DURATION: 2 x 45’ or 1 x 90’ HD

SOUTH AFRICA | BOTSWANA | ZIMBABWE | NAMIBIA 

Driving a car 3000 miles (4828km) on highways and bi-ways would be tough on most people but doing the same distance on a motorbike across some of Africa’s most arduous dirt roads and remote trails, where even just stopping may be life threatening, could be considered insanity. Yet this is the expedition that 30 strangers sign up for and an adventure that sees the close friendships of our main characters form and grow with powerful results in episode 1 and 2 of Million Miles. 

Guided by detailed interviews with our main characters, Nick, Jacques aka The Doc, Marty and Lee, the series begins in Africa where the expedition team and group of travellers first meet. 

After countless falls and injuries caused by deep tyre-grabbing sand, extreme heat and fatigue, the group miss the deadline to cross into Botswana on day 1. It quickly becomes apparent to expedition leader and lead character, Nick, that most of the group are not as experienced as they said they were. Here begins a knock-on effect that sets the tension for Million Miles - Africa.

The route leads the guys into remote and wild Africa, past wildebeest, impala, elephant and giraffe and onto the deadly dusty expanse of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. This is a place where things could turn disastrous if even one motorbike were to break down. When almost the entire group become bogged in knee-deep, glue-like mud, under a blanket of 45 degree African heat in an expanse the size of Switzerland, tensions peak and people start to show their true colours.

As the other riders descend into anger and blame Nick, Doc, Marty and Lee truly shine with positivity and begin to bond.

Battling extreme heat and brutal riding conditions the group limp into Zimbabwe and are rewarded with the spectacular Victoria Falls, a refreshing and well needed re-set for all on the journey.

Our main characters continue to guide us through the next half of this epic African adventure with their ever-engaging screen presence.

Faced with poverty and the harsh realities of African life in Namibia, the entire group’s perspectives change as they are reminded of how insignificant their own problems are. This brings desperately needed unity to the expedition and a sensitivity to Million Miles - Africa.

With a new perspective on life and exhausted from the journey, the group spends the final night at the birth place of humanity, Tsulido Hills, Botswana. 

Filmed amongst some of the most remote, raw and inspiring backdrops of the African wilderness, Million Miles - Africa is a rough and tough expedition which sets the benchmark for every trip to come.

BOLIVIA

DURATION: 2 x 45’ or 1 x 90’ HD 

After a profound bonding experience on a near disastrous adventure across some of Africa’s most challenging environments, our main characters Nick, Marty, Lee and Doc meet again, this time in the middle of Bolivia, South America, for what they hope will be a less dramatic trip. They were wrong. 

Nick, the expedition leader, has planned an extraordinary adventure across this spectacular but often volatile country. Along with Gemma and Alby, who join our cast as main characters, Nick guides the adventurers across high-altitude deserts, over the mighty Andes Mountains, along some of the Amazon Jungle’s most dangerous roads and to one of the great wonders of the world, the Salt Pans of Salar de Uyuni. 

From day 1, the drama begins with a bang. The audience is instantly hooked, as the riders leave the remote culture-soaked city of Cochabamba and head straight into a violent riot of dynamite wielding miners.

At first Nick and his team think the riots are localised but soon discover that the entire country has ground to a halt, impacting the expedition and setting up a dramatic story line for episodes 3 and 4 of Million Miles. 

Forced to plot unknown routes, the group face riding up to 15 hrs a day sometimes over mountain passes of 4000 metres (13000ft) to escape the danger and get to safety, triggering altitude sickness in some of the lead cast. Compounded by the lack of fuel, food and water caused by the countrywide road blocks, tensions grow and things become dangerous.

With the trip in disarray, it’s held together only by the positivity of our exhausted main characters, who are finally rewarded when they reach one of the eight wonders of the world, the breathtaking Bolivian Salt Pans of Salar de Uyuni. 

The euphoric experience of the salt pans gives everyone the boost they need to continue on. But what they don’t realise is the roads leading up to the infamous “Camino De La Meurte” or Death Road, will be the most precarious part of their journey.

NEPAL

DURATION: 2 x 45’ or 1 x 90’ HD 

Again our key characters shine as they take you to the forefront of adventure travel. Pushed even further out of their comfort zones, they dig deep and work together as they attempt to tackle a route never ridden by foreigners to one of most spectacular but perilous parts of the world - the Mustang Valley.

Our adventurers meet in dusty Kathmandu and quickly find themselves in the fast and testing narrow forest foot trails of Shivapuri National Park. Next stop, Pokhara. The expedition gets serious as they head up through Lete nestled in the awe-inspiring Annapurna Mountain Range, the gateway to the Himalayas. 

The route is hard, slippery and rocky, weaving between massive mountain ranges of 7000 - 8000 metres (22,000 - 26,000 ft). The goal? To reach one of the highest, most holy and spiritual places on earth, Muktinath Temple which sits at almost 4267 metres (14,000 ft). Surrounded by towering snow-covered mountains, this is a place that can change anyone’s outlook on life forever. 

But on their way to this incredible destination, something goes very wrong.

Expedition leader and now good mate Nick, falls off a bridge nearly breaking his back. With limited supplies, the ever trusty team doctor, Doc Jacques, springs into action and with the help of the group they find him the medical attention he desperately needs. Every moment is absolutely critical to help their friend and tireless leader. Will he be ok? Will they complete the trip?

Just like the Himalayas themselves, Million Miles - Nepal is big, bold and beautiful. 

LEAD CHARACTERS:

NICK

NICK CAPSEY - TEAM LEADER

Bath, England

Nick is the fearless leader who organises and runs each of the Million Miles expeditions. Nick’s passion for travel and adventure is unquestionable. As the owner of a UK adventure company, he has made a career of creating and leading adventures across the world. 

No matter what happens and “something always happens”, Nick has a solution and handles everything with a calmness that very few possess. 

This loving father of 2 from Bath, England, provides the backbone for every episode. From his intimate knowledge of adventure, detailed understanding of each location and his raw and passionate interviews and voiceovers, Nick guides and draws the audience in, allowing the viewers to feel as though they are right there on each expedition. 

THE DOC

DR JACQUES THERON AKA “THE DOC” - TEAM DOCTOR

Port Elizabeth, South Africa 

Doctor Jacques Theron, aka ‘The Doc’, is the indispensable team medic. 

Each adventure can have danger around any turn so there has to be strong, swift medical support and Jacques fits the brief.

The Doc spent 25 years as a family man and General Practitioner but always felt there was more to life. After losing 3 of his friends to cancer in one year he knew he had to make a change. His chance came when the job of team doctor on the first Million Miles motorcycle adventure fell in his lap and he never looked back. 

Since then he has ridden thousands of miles all over the planet as an extreme motorcycle medic on expeditions for the likes of Honda, events such as The Roof of Africa and even becoming one of the official motorcycle medics on a charity ride with Princes William and Harry. 

Doc is a huge support to all the riders and an integral part of each episode. His presence, personality and humour bring life and depth to the Million Miles series. 

MARTY

MARTY GREGORY - RIDER

Originally from London but now a Sydneysider 

Marty spent 22 years working in the ‘rat race’ for a global tech company where he achieved an incredible career but was always looking for more. 

One day he had a massive car accident whilst racing that he was incredibly lucky to survive, and this changed everything. Well nearly everything – apart from his passion for adventure. 

Marty left his high-powered, high-stress career behind after moving to Sydney 15 years ago and now runs his own business specialising in team building and motivational strategies for major companies around the world.

Describing himself as a “serial adventurer” and loving every moment of riding with his friends, his consistent strength, unassuming confidence and zest for adventure in nothing less than contagious. 

GEMMA

GEMMA DEAN - TEAM LOGISTICS

Essex, England 

Gemma fell in love with adventure riding after her first trip to India in 2006. So much so, that she took a job helping to run motorcycle expeditions across India & the Himalayas. Over the course of this period, Gemma helped to safely guide hundreds of riders through this region with precision and care for each and every person on the trip. 

But her life changed dramatically when her brother had a fatal motorbike accident and Gemma returned to England. Devastated, she left adventure travel until now. 

A true adventurer in her own right, Million Miles - Bolivia sees Gemma re-enter the world of adventure travel after many years. Initially vowing never to ride a motorcycle again, she finally faces her fears and gets back on a bike in the “Mecca” of motorcycle riding - the Bolivian Salt Pans of Salar de Uyuni. 

Gemma’s feminine strength, logistical experience and expertise provide crucial input during this dramatic adventure. Without Gemma and her invaluable instinctive insight, the journey would never have been completed. 

LEE

LEE PENDLETON - RIDER

London, England 

Lee is no stranger to challenge. 

He is the co-owner of one of London’s busiest estate agents and has pounded the pavements of the business world for many years – working hard and knowing exactly what he wants and how he will achieve it. 

Equally, his passion for adventure is just as strong. Lee lives fast and plays hard, traits which translate to his passion for adventure. 

Lee is one of the main team members of the series and just “bloody loves riding with his Million Miles tribe”. 

From the very first ride in Africa, he provides constant humour and witty commentary whilst conveying a concise analysis of his experiences. 

Adventure travel brings a certain type of person to the table and Lee is the perfect example of this.

ALBY

PAUL SHAW AKA “ALBY” - RIDER

Sydney, Australia 

Alby is the charismatic Aussie that seamlessly joins the Million Miles gang in Bolivia. 

Alby spent 20 years working hard and playing even harder as he climbed the corporate ladder. But this all came to a grinding halt when his mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease changing his life forever. 

To gain perspective and “clear the hard drive”, he packed his bags and took a year off to immerse himself in every experience possible. He got more than he bargained for when he joined the Million Miles Bolivian expedition. 

Now Alby’s life-long mission is to live a holistic and healthy lifestyle whilst writing his book “The Second Half” which will detail his unique perspective on what he has learnt from his adventures both in work and play, inspiring others to seek happiness by embracing every opportunity. 

This loving and loyal new addition to the team gets pushed well beyond his boundaries across Bolivia and Nepal, which is exactly what he wanted. 

STATISTICS

DIRECTORS STATEMENT

NICK BRUNNINGHAUSEN

DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/CINEMATOGRAPHER/CO-EDITOR

Sydney, Australia

Years ago, while I was trying to make my way as a young film-maker, a series of crazy coincidences occurred and I landed a job filming a charity motorcycle adventure across remote ‘middle of nowhere’ India for an exciting new adventure company. I was full of ideas but had no experience of how to execute them whilst riding a motorcycle. It was the ultimate ‘fake it till you make it’ scenario but somehow I managed to pull it off. The adventure company took me under its wing as its content producer and, for the next 15 years, I honed my craft as I covered expeditions across some of the most spectacular and wildest places on earth.

From Africa, to the Arctic, to South America and beyond, each expedition was made up of an eclectic gang of event organisers responsible for guiding an ever-changing group of unsuspecting participants through some of the world’s most breathtaking backdrops. Courted by wonder, we spent countless hours driving along hair-raising roads through barren landscapes and mountain passes to reach other worlds. Worlds so remote we risked confronting bandits or being attacked by wild animals but so awe-inspiring we justified the risk. At times we became so exhausted from riding days on end on a machine that could kill us if our focus failed and yet, each group remained intoxicated by the adventure, captivated by a new sense of purpose.

Our primitive survival instincts kicked in with each unpredictable challenge we were forced to navigate. We knew nobody was coming to save us when we became stuck in knee-deep mud in the middle of Africa’s largest salt pan or were confronted by dynamite-wielding Bolivian rioters, but our enthusiasm never wained. Surprisingly, instead of these intense experiences driving everyone apart, they brought us all closer together as a tribe, echoing primitive instincts.

As I filmed these expeditions, I began to notice that the outlook of each exhausted adventurer was changing. It seemed, the tougher the adventure, the more challenges the participants faced, the harder they pushed themselves and the more empowered they became, the happier they were when they returned home. There it was in front of me, the answers to what we have lost in society - unity, selflessness and purpose - lay in the microcosm of each adventure. I began to question whether, through transforming people’s lives, adventure travel could change the world? It certainly changed mine and led to the evolution of Million Miles.

Within the series I have attempted to explore the answer to this question by following a handful of engaging everyday people and the effect adventure travel has on them as they step out of routine life into the unknown. To help explain their stories, their emotions and the change they experienced on their journeys, I have used a careful combination of cinematic and raw camera work throughout the 6 episodes.

Music is everything to my creative process. For as long as I can remember, I have been inspired and moved by music. I am fascinated how it can twist and turn my imagination. Every piece of work I create is influenced by it and therefore a powerful and emotive soundtrack was inescapable for Million Miles.

I feel Million Miles offers an unexpected cinematic story-telling experience, drawing the viewer into an all-consuming world in a way rarely seen in the Adventure Film genre. By the use of relatable characters, real experiences, raw landscapes and allowing the soundtrack to breathe I have endeavoured to illustrate how adventure travel can change people’s perspectives. My hope is that the Million Miles series will also inspire its audience to push themselves outside their comfort zones and take on new adventures, and just like the lives of everyone on each expedition were changed, it may just change their lives too.

As the world opens up, people’s hunger for new adventures have never been so fierce. At a time so many need purpose, crave unity and dream of faraway worlds, Million Miles provides the perfect respite.

Nick Brunninghausen - Director, Producer, DOP of Million Miles

For more information: nick@cinematica.tv

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