David’s passion for archaeology, anthropology and history continues to take him to exotic locations worldwide including Afghanistan, Iran, Siberia, central Asia, the Pacific Rim, Northern and Central Africa in search of indigenous peoples and their disappearing cultures.
In addition to his adventures in documentary filmmaking, David is a widely published photojournalist with articles appearing in over fifty countries. David has also acted as a war correspondent in Afghanistan and Georgia. His career has seen a long term association with the Sydney Morning Herald as well as other popular Australian periodicals and television networks, including the ABC and SBS.
During his career David has worked with a series of diverse organisations such as UNHCR, ISAF, the HALO Trust, The MacArthur Foundation and Melbourne & Taronga Zoos.
Documentary Credits
2007-2013 Alexanders Lost World – 6 Part Documentary series shot in Afghanistan and Central Asia.
For more than five thousand years, the River Oxus has been the life-blood of a mysterious ancient civilization. From its source somewhere on the roof of the world, it flows through the inhospitable lands of Central Asia and war-torn Afghanistan towards the Caspian Sea. It’s a land that remains almost totally unexplored. Photojournalist David Adams’ quest is to explore the 1500-mile course of the River Oxus for the first time – and travel back across the ages to discover how its turbulent natural and human history has shaped the story of our world.
2006 Burma’s Open Road – An insight into Myanmar
52 min documentary. Producer / Director/Writer. David Adams Films. International Distribution
At the heart of every Burmese lies their ‘Bamahsan Chin’, a belief that seeks modesty, subtlety and beauty in all things. Guided by the insights of a Buddhist monk, the film offers unprecedented access into Myanmar and the plight of opium growers, soldiers, villagers, poachers and prospectors, each connected by the reconstruction of an ancient road and the search for ‘Bamahsan Chin’.
2004-6 Flight of the Elephants & The Last Mahout
2 x 1 hour documentaries. Producer/Director/Writer. David Adams Films for Channel 9. 2 hour documentary for International Distribution.
The Flight of the Elephants documents the plight of the Asian Elephant exploring the collisions between man and beast and the politics of wildlife transfers – 8 Thai elephants bound for Australia and their remarkable journey from Thai hamlets, through months of quarantine, their flight on a Russian Antinnov to Australia’s quarantine station on a remote Indian Ocean island and finally to their new homes in Sydney and Melbourne Zoos.
The Last Mahout is a unique portal into the plight of the Asian Elephants; the film explores the tragic collisions of man and beast and speaks plainly about the steps necessary to save this remarkable animal. Elephants are vulnerable to all manner of threats and need large areas of forest in the wild. Habitat loss and fragmentation threatens them throughout their range. As habitat becomes fragmented elephants come into increasing, often fatal conflict with humans and agriculture.
2004-6 White Lions – King of Kings
1 hour documentary. Producer / Director. David Adams Films for Discovery/Animal Planet. International Distribution. Voyage of exploration into the regal realm of the rare African white lion and its tenuous position in the animal kingdom.
2003 Sync or Swim
1 hour documentary. Producer/Director. Live Art Entertainment / Discovery Asia
Musical challenge programme in far flung cultures.
2002 People Dimensions
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Producer / Director/ Presenter.
1998 – 2002 Journeys to the Ends of the Earth
13 x 1 hour documentary series. Creator/Producer/Presenter. David Adams Films with Becker Entertainment for Discovery International/The Travel Channel. Currently being distributed into markets worldwide including the ABC and has been screened to an audience in excess of 50 million homes.
Travel adventures exploring some of the most remote areas on earth.
Nominated for Best Documentary Series – Australian Logie Awards.
The Land of Fear (Tenere Desert Niger Golden Pine, Gold ACS)
People of the Flame (Iran)
Keepers of the Lost Ark (Ethiopia, Gold ACS)
Swahili Sinbads (East Africa)
The Forbidden Zone (Kamchatka, Highly Commended ACS)
The lost City of Gold (Peru)
The Last Trail of Butch & Sundance (Bolivia, Gold ACS)
In Search of Jason & the Argonauts (Georgia)
The Lost Buddhas of Afghanistan (Afghanistan, Gold ACS)
The Road to Shangri-La (Pakistan)
The Mystery of the African Pharaohs (Sudan)
The Lost World of the Khmer Rouge (Cambodia)
The Ancient Chariots of Libya (Libya, Gold ACS)
1997 Three for the Road
1 hour documentary. Producer / Director. David Adams Films for Channel 10 Australia/ Discovery.
Reenactment of the first automobile crossing of Queensland.
1996 Ten Million Mines
1 hour documentary. Producer / Director. David Adams Films for Channel 10 Australia.
Land mine clearance in Afghanistan.
1991 Poets, Prayers and Patriots
1 hour documentary. Producer / Director. David Adams films for Channel 7 Australia.
The Republic of Georgia during its struggle for independence from the Soviet Union.
1989-90 The Final Frontiers
1 hour documentary. Producer / Director. David Adams Films.
Ethnographic ski adventure filmed in Finland, Manchuria, Georgia and Kashmir.
