Vale Gary Ticehurst, pilot and friend
Helicopter pilot Gary Ticehurst was killed in that chopper crash last night, the one that also took the lives of ABC reporter Paul Lockyer and cameraman John Bean. The chopper crashed about 7.30 CST yesterday as it returned from filming a third documentary of Lake Eyre filling with water.
Ticehurst basically did EVERYTHING anyone filmed in Choppers. He was amazing and everyone in the TVC and film industries who worked with him are all seriously devastated, including his good friend, director Bruce Hunt from Revolver, who has written this tribute:
Height in helicopters is always a tricky discussion to have.
All I remember flying with Gary is heightened moments, life magnified – full of boyish excitement, beauty and wonder.
Heightened because of the unique places we would go with him at dusk or dawn, “the magic hour” we would shoot our film. Heightened because of trees, water, buildings, rocks whipping by my windows of his helicopter, calmly concentrating on a camera monitor filled with beauty or dynamic images that he created with his artistry of putting the chopper and cameraman just there. The right place.
Often it was just once. Once was enough for that special take – of light, composition, and we could return as it fell to night to continue to be charmed and amused by Gaz’s banter.
Or often it was “Mate, mate, no, no I can do better – mate just try this – ok, you ready Grunter?”
(Greg Hunter cinematographer) and Gary’s ‘odd couple’ like dialogue in the chopper irreplaceable, the two giving each other heaps as we flew down George street or rose over the opera house, dropped below the Harbor bridge.
Gary’s enthusiasm and talent made the shots sing, they become the peak moments in films and television commercials: The Matrix stunt scenes, Australia’s Kimberly landscapes, King George falls, innumerable cars driving in deserts, roads and billowing dust trails and always Gary’s beautiful backyard that he loved to show off: Sydney and its Harbour .
Australian and Hollywood films are littered with his beautiful work, the most talked about scenes, the most memorable moments.
As Gary was unquestionably the best:
Warm, enthusiastic as the day I met him 15 years ago,
trusted and true.
Unforgettable.
Bruce Hunt
Director
Gary worked on these films
(to name a few)
the matrix
matrix reloaded
superman returns
australia
mission impossible 2
Stealth
anna and the king
commercials
you name he’s done it .
sydney to hobart race coverage year after year.
Here’s a couple of shots from Geoffrey Hall ACS on a typical flight.
9 Comments
RIP king of the sky. A rare thing in this business – you are irreplaceable.
Thanks for the post Lynchy… And thanks for the great tribute Bruce…
Although I was only lucky enough to work with Gary (and Greg) a few times over the years, It bought to life the man and the moments that, as you say, many of us have shared through “the cans…”.
In this industry of ours that disposes of people so readily and so easily, there are few markers of time. He was one of them. Very sad day for the industry and those close to him.
Bruce’s tribute speaks admiringly of Gary’s ‘artistry of putting the chopper and cameraman just there. The right place.’
Knowing where ‘the right place’ was made Gaz more than a pilot and a friend to so many. Gary Ticehurst was a filmmaker.
Are we not the most, so, so fortunate people to of worked with this hugely talented and gorgeous man: aka the silver fox
I feel blessed that the 15 + years in the industry, I have had the privilege to of worked with this industry legend.
Every shoot I’ve worked on, involving Gary, I knew he’d bring safety,professionalism, and the uncanny understanding on where to place the chopper for that right shot.
He and his natural talent is irrepalceable in my eyes
My stills photographer and I where scheduled to fly with Gary on the 1st Sept, I will plant a tree on that day. And how I’d looked forward to that day with the fox…RIP
Thanks Gary for providing the industry the ability to raise the bar ever time you where in the air with your amazing ability and knowledge of aerial photography
I will miss you greatly,
Em
Senior Producer
It was a terrible shock to hear the news about Gary whilst in Queensland yesterday morning. We were there to shoot on board aircraft shots to intercut with the beautiful air-to-air shots that Gary had given us only a few weeks earlier at Shoalwater Bay near Rockhampton.
Only Gary could have massaged the Air Force into allowing him to get the chopper right in tight beside the huge C-17 as it performed a tactical landing. After we had been told to stand off 1km, he said, “Don’t worry mate. I’ll look after it.” disappearing into the air traffic controllers tent. They thought they controlled the airspace but Gary somehow had a way of getting what was required and letting them think it was their idea. It was like, “You don’t need to see our papers. These are not the droids you’re looking for.” Who else would they let fly a Squirrel through Martin Place for MI:2?
I asked him once how he did it and why he was so intent on becoming best friends with everyone he met. He just said, “You never know when you might need a favour out here.” In a big country like Australia, Gary had contacts everywhere on the vast continent. With a 3hr range in the chopper, it was important to have these connections.
Gary wasn’t just a great pilot he loved flying. He wasn’t just a film pilot he was a storyteller. “It’s a beautiful day to go flying.” he would say. He had a connection with the aircraft. It was part of him and he was part of it. He knew exactly how it would behave and the chopper behaved exactly the way he commanded it to. He loved a great shot and would commentate all the way though the shot, “Beautiful mate, just beautiful.” He loved the new technology like the Cineflex and only a week or so ago he was checking out the new Shotover system for me for a shoot in Queenstown. He loved the way these new systems allowed him to get so many more shots.
He enjoyed travelling around this amazing country and had probably seen more of it than anyone else. He loved the Sydney to Hobart and we have all seen the magnificent pictures of the fleet racing south each year after Boxing Day that he provided. He also put everything on the line in 1998 to help find the yachts smacked over by the huge storm that year and direct the rescue aircraft in to save many lives. He promised on Tuesday to send me some pix of all the water out at Lake Eyre. So long as I could sort out the Swans. He wasn’t impressed with the loss to Richmond last weekend. “Mate, what are we going to do? Mick Malthouse is free next year. He would sort them out.”
The Swans will get along just fine I think but it’s going to be pretty tough for us to get along without Gary.
I went to Gary’s Daughters christening many years ago. A True professional sad to see him end like this.
I only flew with Gary once. But I will never forget it. We were shooting the Tooheys Red ‘Barra from Hell’ commercial in North Queensland back in the mid-nineties. One day, when we didn’t have any chopper shots, he took us up for a joy flight. We flew low over the rainforest, almost clipping the tops of trees, until we reached a waterfall. He set it down gently on the edge, then moments later, lifted off again, and dived into the gorge below. Later, we flew up the coastline between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation, only metres above the beach. At one point, Gary spotted a couple of pelicans ahead of us. Slowing right down, he managed to edge closer and closer to these beautiful creatures without disturbing them. Eventually, we were flying abreast, with maybe only 50 metres between us. Then he said, ‘OK, I’ll take you up for a bit of a view’. We climbed rapidly to about 10,000 feet. We could feel the temperature drop suddenly. There were no doors. Then, without saying anything, he put us into a spiral dive. The world was spinning as it raced up towards us. This was my first time in a chopper. But I wasn’t perturbed at all by what he was doing. He was so calm in and in control. I felt completely safe.
Thanks Bruce
I flew with Gary so many times ,when I heard the news I didn’t know what to think.
I had put my life in his hands so many times ,it felt unreal when I heard he had gone.
His personality and confidence washed away any unease you felt when flying ,it was
natural for him,as easy as walking.I wont forget the flights,the humour and easy friendship that he encouraged.He was one of the personalities that makes this business bearable,in the heat of shooting he was a rock,the guy you would go to when you needed an honest answer.
I will personally miss him greatly,the industry will be poorer for his passing.
I didnt shoot when I was in the chopper with Gary I just sat there and watched the pictures he was making.
Ross Emery ACS
I, like many, knew him well. Through yachting, be it Sydney to Hobart or Hamilton Island Race Week. We were friends. Gary was an amazing man. A pilot compared to none. Gary was brilliant. Skilled during the Vietnam war. I was shattered to hear of his death. Shocked! A great bloke who left an indelible mark on me and many. A true and professional aviator who was always wonderful company.
Patrick ‘Tenpin’ Bollen OAM