filming your african safari

 
by Mandy Robertson
      
As the client settles the crosshairs onto the lion she squeeezes the trigger and there is a deep growl as the lion somersaults into the air and now wounded takes off into the thick mopane scrub.
 
It has been a long day of lion hunting and the professional hunter now has a wounded lion on his hands and the light is fading fast. The tension on the clients, ph and trackers faces is captured on the screen as they start tracking the minute blood spoor left by the lion
Eventually the ph makes a decision and decides to call it a day backing off before one of his party is injured by a large angry male lion.
Back in camp the ph calls in back up to assist him in the follow up the next day. The film is replayed to assess the shot and what they are dealing with. Soon the anxious group is off to bed ready for an early start the following morning.
The cameraman is first up capturing the anxious looks of the individuals as they enter the living room for a quick cup of coffee. The tension is tangible as the ph instructs his clients and back up on what he expects of them in the follow up. The client bravely insists that she will be accompanying them.
The expert trackers quickly pick up the tracks from the previous day and the follow up begins. Soon the sun is up, the morning chill evaporates and it becomes hot and tense as the group slowly follows the trackers who are working as a team anticipating the lions every move. The trackers continue and cross their own spoor realizing that the lion is moving in a circle and that they are becoming the hunted!
Suddenly someone spots a flash as the lion breaks cover and moves ahead of the trackers. There is a deep warning growl and the ph warns that the animal is about to charge. The team takes up their positions and suddenly with a growl, which seems to get louder and louder the animal breaks cover picks out a member of the team and charges straight for him.
It covers the 75 meters in under3 seconds and is so quick that the first three shots are misses. As the lion is about to spring it is hit behind the shoulder from a member of the team and almost simultaneously right between the eyes by the ph that it has selected in the charge knocking him to the ground with its own momentum. He has shot it from the hip with an excellent shot saving himself from a terrible mauling and possible death.
The whole story is expertly captured on film.
Reason to hire a professional
It  would  have  been  very  difficult  for  this  client  to  have  paid  justice  to  the story  on  her  return  home.
Fortunately,  the  client  had  hired  a  professional  cameraman  to  capture  the  entire  safari  and  so  the memorable  footage  is  forever  on  record.
An  African  Big  Five  hunt  is  a  truly  amazing  experience  and  having  the  safari  professionally  filmed  is  an extremely  worthwhile  supplement  to  the  actual  hunt.  Considering  the  price  of  a Big 5  hunt,  it’s  an  affordable   service and  well  worth  the price.  I’ve  yet  to  meet  a  client  who  hasn’t  been  delighted  with  this decision.
Having  a  friend or  partner  record  the  safari  is  more  often  than  not,  a  major disappointment  as  there’s  so  much  more  to  a  professional cameraman’s  job  than having  a  steady  hand  and  access  to  a  quality  video  camera. There   are   many  sad  amateur  cameraman  tales.  A   few  stand  out -  footage  of  a near-fatal  leopard  charge   being  rewound  and  shown  in  camp.  The   proud  cameraman  rewound  one  too  many  times  and  the  evening  sunset  replaced  this  unique footage.   Needless   to  say,  no-one  volunteered  to  re-enact  the  sequence  of events.
An  elephant  charge  and  ensuing  shot  were  forfeited  as  the  terrified  videographer  chose to  record  his  running  feet.  The   audio  was  particularly  interesting!
And  a  Buffalo  charge  came  to  an  abrupt  halt  when  the  camera  battery’s  life was  shorter  than  the  animal’s.
These  are  all  easy  mistakes  to  make,  but  an  experienced, professional  cameraman  is unlikely  to  make  them.  He  has  no  second  chance  to  capture  that  once-in a-lifetime  footage,   and  this  is when  education  and  experience  do  count.
While  a  professional  hunter’s  courage  should  be  greatly  admired,  spare  a  thought  for  the  unarmed  cameraman,  placing  his  safety   in  the  hands  of  the  often  unfamiliar  PH  and  client.
Not  only  does  he  need  camera  and  bush  skills, but  also  a large  dose  of  courage  when  the  chips  are  down.
It  is  important,  therefore,  to  spend  a little  time  researching  your potential filming company.
• Most   importantly,   ask  for  references  from  previous  clients  and  safari  operators,  ensuring  you will  receive  a  quality  final  product.  Check  on  the  company’s  professionalism  and  reliability.
• Ask  for  a  product  sample.
• Are  the  cameramen  well  trained?  Unless  very  experienced  in  the  bush,  it  is  a  distinct  advantage  for  the  videographer  to  be  a  hunter  himself.   When  faced  with  a  herd  of  buffalo  he should  be  able  to  select  the  likely  target  without  being  told. 
• A  sound  knowledge  of  bush lore  and  animal  behaviour  is  essential. • When  can  you  expect  the  end-product  to  be  completed?   Bear  in  mind  that  the  editing  procedure  is  time-consuming.   Don’t  compromise  quality  for  time!   Communicate with  the  editor and  ask  for  a  realistic  time-frame,  to  avoid  disappointment.
What to expect of the end product
A  quality  safari  video  should  include  the following;
• The  excitement  of  the  hunts,  camp life,  scenery,   social scenes,  flora and fauna,  the  local  population  and  so  much  more,  ensuring  that  the  visitor  leaves  Africa  with  more  than  just  his  trophies  but  also  an  increased  knowledge  of  the  magnificent  continent  left  behind.
• The  original  soundtrack  should  be  retained  while  music  is  added  to  enhance  atmosphere  and  the  option  of  a  professional  narration  is  advisable  as  a  useful   method   of  imparting  interesting information .
DVD  is  now  the  preferred  format  and  the  quality  is  outstanding.The   DVD   should  be  creatively labelled  and  packaged  in  a  DVD  cover.
What to expect of your cameraman
To  the  relief  of  most  sane  hunters,  an  unprovoked  lion  charge  does  not  occur  often,  but  it  seems that  many  movie  viewers  wish  it  would!   It  is  the  cameraman's  job  to  stand  his  ground  and  ensure that  the   excitement  is  captured  on  tape.  A  good  safari  cameraman  should  remain  inconspicuous  but constantly  vigilant  and   it  is  vital  that  he  has  an  easy rapport  with  both  the  client  and  the professional   hunter.
It  is  in  the  filming  company’s  best  interests  to  portray  all  parties  in  a  positive light,  promoting  ethical hunting  methods  and  the  conservation  of  our  magnificent  continent.
So,  when  planning  your  next  African adventure,  consider  this  worthwhile  service  and  ensure  that  your   experiences  can  be  passed  down  to  future  generations.
African Video Productions has vast experience, filming in the African wilds and their enthusiasm, skill and dedicationensuresnba first-class end product.
They are regular exhibitors at the SCI convention and supporters of the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa.
For more information contactMandy RobertsonAfrican Video Productions
E-mail: africanvideo@mweb.co.zaTel: (+27) 33-2122316  Cell: (+27) 82-8658540
Published in African Hunter Magazine, Vol 13 No.4 of 2007