The Producers

Michael Dillon - Director

Michael is a pioneering adventure cinematographer whose
many award-winning films encompass the world's most
spectacular destinations from the Himalayas to the Andes,
Antarctica, the Arctic, the Pacific and Africa. In 1984 Michael
filmed Australia’s first ascent of Everest, unsupported, without
bottled oxygen and via White Limbo, an avalanche prone and
unrepeated North Face route. A couple of years later, he
conceived the idea and filmed Tim Macartney-Snape’s full
ascent of Everest from sea level. The resulting film, Everest:
Sea to Summit became the most internationally awarded
adventure documentary ever made.



Ocean to Sky 2019 is his seventh Hillary film. “He was a
humble man, with a great sense of humour. My own father
died not long before the expedition and Ed became like a
father figure to me. To have spent over two years in his
company, on expeditions and while he was actively building
schools for the Sherpas, has been the greatest privilege of my
life,” says Michael.

Michael Balson - Editor

Mike is one of Australia’s most experienced and awarded documentary makers, with dozens of international documentaries to his credit. He has produced, directed, edited, shot and written Natural History, Adventure, Cultural and Environmental Documentaries for Australian and International Broadcasters, including many for The Discovery Channel and National Geographic. Mike Balson has won Australian Film Institute Awards and American Cinema Editors Awards for Directing, Editing and Soundtrack. He works through his production company, Entity Productions.

Paul Jarman - Music

Paul is an Australian multi-instrumentalist, composer and choirmaster. He is known for his work with school children, assisting them to develop their compositions. He has written and performed film scores for two of Michael Dillon’s previous productions – A Little Bit Mongolian and Everest: The Boy Who Dared. Paul Jarman joined the Australian world music group, Sirocco in 1996. He works with other composers and choir leaders and promotes the inclusion of traditional music forms in compositions. His compositions for choir and orchestra have been performed around the world in venues such as the White House and at the opening of the World Rugby and at the London Olympics. Paul has performed for audiences in over 35 countries.