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4 September 2006
The tragic death of Steve Irwin is a great loss to all his family, friends, colleagues and fans.
But it is also a great loss to the Queensland film industry.
Steve’s partnership with John Stainton and The Best Picture Show Company produced more hours of television than any other independent production company in the state.
Through the many television series, Croc Hunter docos, commercials and feature film Collision Course, a significant number of those in the Queensland film industry have been lucky enough to work with Steve.
And although there has been a plethora of articles and tributes published since his death, few recognise the qualities that made Steve so well liked by his crew.
Steve was driven. He had the mental focus and physical ability to work at top speed all day, particularly in the field, particularly when he was tracking animals to film. I struggled to keep pace with him even when he had broken bones.
The man loved his food. He would ask “What’s the biggest thing on the menu?” Then order two. And Steve was a great camp cook. Hearty, tasty, filling. It didn't look pretty, but the dinners he served up from the camp fire coals were the perfect reward for a hard day jumping crocs.
What impressed me most was Steve’s talent as a presenter. Steve had the ability to capture a wild animal and calm him down so the camera could see all the small details, while keeping the crew from being bitten and making sure he wasn't tagged too badly himself. At the same time Steve rattled off an improvised story punctuated with Aussie slang and "Steve-isms" supported by a bunch of little known facts.
It was exciting and entertaining, and he could do it all in one take!
To my relief he was just as good behind the camera. He would take the camera for the dangerous POV shots. I watched him hold his ground beside a twig of a tree as a wild bull elephant charged at him in Sri Lanka. Luckily it pulled up short, blew up some dust and retreated into the bush. As we ran for cover, Stevo got the shot.
But it was not all danger, danger and hard work. Steve had a great sense of humour that encouraged all around him to join in and have fun. He loved practical jokes and if he was picking on you, he liked you.
Above all, Steve's enthusiasm and love for life, animals, Australia Zoo and most importantly, his family, was an inspiration to us all.
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Our condolences to Terri, Bindi and Robert, Bob, Joy, Frank and the rest of Steve's family, John, Judy and the team from Best Pictures, Wes, Kelsey, Nicole and the magnificent crew from Australia Zoo.
Rest assured Steve, your work will continue.
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