At Secret Compass, risk management isn’t theoretical – it’s grounded in real-world experience forged in some of the world’s most challenging environments. Our Operations Director, Louise Watson, explores and explains how we apply the same rigorous approach to help our partners navigate uncertainty with confidence.
Secret Compass was built on a foundation of lived experience. Our founders formulated the idea for the business while serving in the British Army in Afghanistan, where the real-world application of risk management was daily and immediate. That same foundation remains at the heart of everything we do: navigating complexity, making decisions under pressure, and enabling success in unpredictable and often hostile environments.
From the start, we’ve focused on understanding each project in detail. Who is going? Where are they going? When will they be there? And what exactly are they planning to do? Every one of those variables matters when it comes to risk. We work in close collaboration with production teams to answer those questions fully, and to ensure that the advice, support, and expertise we provide is based on reality – not assumptions.
“It’s easy to write a comprehensive risk management plan from the comfort of a desk. But what happens when the plan doesn’t survive contact with reality? What happens when you get to location and the weather has turned, the security situation has changed, or the terrain isn’t what was expected?”
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RISK MANAGEMENT AS ENABLING, NOT OBSTRUCTING
Our role is not to limit creativity. It’s to enable it. For us, risk management is not about ticking boxes or applying blanket rules. It’s about helping people do incredible things, safely and responsibly.
The traditional image of someone with a clipboard saying “no” to everything is outdated. We are there to help you explore the edge of what’s possible, without pushing beyond what’s appropriate for your team or your context. We work hard to help production teams understand the real risks they carry, and to support the decision-making process so that every team member can give informed consent.
We know that no two projects are the same. A new team, a different season, a changing political backdrop – each of these can drastically affect how risk is perceived and managed. That’s why we always go beyond the schedule and location. We work to understand the editorial ambition behind each project because that’s where the real clarity often lies.
WHEN THE PLAN CHANGES – AND IT WILL
It’s easy to write a comprehensive risk management plan from the comfort of a desk. But what happens when the plan doesn’t survive contact with reality? What happens when you get to location and the weather has turned, the security situation has changed, or the terrain isn’t what was expected?
In these moments, it’s not a policy that keeps people safe. It’s judgement. That kind of critical decision-making under pressure comes from lived experience – the kind that our team has built over years of working in extreme, complex, and fast-changing environments.
Qualifications are important. But the ability to contextualise technical knowledge, to interpret the grey areas, and to make the right call under pressure is what really counts. Our job is to make sure the right people are in the right place, with the right tools, training and support to do exactly that.
PEOPLE ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET
Finding highly skilled risk consultants who thrive in the dynamic world of TV and film, who align with our ethos, and who understand how to enable rather than obstruct, isn’t easy. That’s why we invest so much in our people.
We’ve developed a package of online training to give new and existing consultants a thorough grounding in how we work. From daily planning and dynamic risk assessments to the equipment and medical resources available on a shoot, the training is designed to reflect the real-world scenarios they’ll face. We also run in-person training weekends to bring people together, strengthen team connections and create space for shared learning.
We’ve built these programmes based on feedback from both consultants and productions, and we’re always refining them. For our overseas consultants in particular, the training gives a valuable sense of who we are as a company and what being part of the team means.
CRITICAL THINKING, LATERAL THINKING, AND ENABLING AMBITION
One of the key traits we look for in our people is the ability to think critically and laterally. Sometimes, an editorial idea might feel out of reach – but with the right approach, there’s usually a way to make it work. That might mean designing a rig that delivers the desired on-camera result while staying within budget, or finding a safer route to a high-risk activity that still achieves the creative ambition.
We want to be part of that process. Our guiding principle is simple: there’s always a way. We’re here to help you tell bold stories and create inspiring content. And we know from experience how frustrating it can be when someone says “no” without taking the time to understand what you’re trying to achieve.
HQ SUPPORT THAT’S INFORMED, REALISTIC AND GROUNDED IN DETAIL
The team at SCHQ works hard to create realistic and specific risk management plans that reflect what’s actually happening on the ground. That’s particularly important in remote or high-risk environments – whether you’re contending with political instability, challenging terrain, extreme temperatures, or a controversial subject matter.
It might be that your team is days away from definitive medical care. It might be that your shoot involves physical risk or political sensitivity. Whatever your context, our role is to tailor risk management advice to reflect the reality of your shoot, and to make sure you’re aware of the residual risks before you even leave the UK.
Each production is different. Each activity carries its own nuance. That’s why our approach is collaborative and customised – so that the risk management process fits around your team, rather than the other way around.
RISK MANAGEMENT IS NOT A FORMALITY. IT’S AN ENABLER.
It’s easy to see risk management as something to satisfy insurance requirements or appease a broadcaster. But that view misses the opportunity it offers.
When done properly, risk management becomes an essential part of the production process – not a barrier to ambition but a way of achieving it. It empowers teams to make informed choices. It enables creativity without compromising safety. And it ensures that, whatever the challenge, you have a trusted partner working alongside you to help make it happen.
That’s what motivates us. Using our expertise to help you use yours.
Louise Watson is Operations Director at Secret Compass. From military logistics to adventure sports, risk management has been part of Louise’s life. Having been with Secret Compass for 5 years, she’s well versed in the challenges facing productions when it comes to safety and risk.
For more tales of risk and adventure, follow @secret.compass on Instagram.