Film or not to film?

Many of the people that I hunt with tell me that this is the hunt of a life time and that they have dreamt of this day since they were in their teens.
I am of course talking about clients coming to South Africa and hunting here. Whether it be for plains game or for dangerous game it makes no difference.
Memories made in the outdoors are never forgotten but some part of the trip maybe put into the back of your mind. Especially when you return home and your friends, family or interested parties ask you about your trip.
If the hunt has been successful then you will have pictures on your phone or camera of a number of dead animals. Whether they be from a trophy hunt or management does not matter. They are still pictures of your time on safari.
Then all of a sudden people start to ask what the lodge was like, how was the terrain, what vehicle did you use. At this point you have nothing to show. Mainly because as you are stalking in on your trophy the last thing that goes through your mind is that would make a nice picture to show my friends.
Having someone who knows the bush and moves the same as you do but is capturing your journey on film is amazing to have at the end. They get the shots which you would never think about and see things you never imagined were there. I am talking about the professional cameramen who accompany many clients on safari to capture their amazing holiday on film.
One such guy who I have often had the privilege to have along with me is a guy called Paul Ruschenbaum. He does not get in the way and certainly doesn’t poke his head around a bush to see what’s going on. Scaring all the animals away in the process. His eyes are always working and often points things out to us and has never had an issue climbing a mountain only to find out the targeted quarry has gone down the other side. He just takes it all in and enjoys the moment. Taking some scenic footage so that everyone gets to see that Africa is not just a flat piece of savanna grassland as you see on the television.
He carries both a video camera and a digital camera 99.9%of the time, so not to miss an opportunity of capturing that perfect moment for you.
Having someone else along makes some people nervous that dragging an extra body on a stalk will give the game away. I have never had this. To be honest he is usually quieter than the clients as he knows that if he gets busted then it doesn’t go down well. Every now and room then in the beginning you do hesitate, hoping he has everything ready as once the bullet flies there’s no doing it again like in the movies. He is normally one step ahead filming and knowing the time is coming. The only question normally is for me to just let him know which animal, if in a herd we are going for. This just makes for the impact shot which many people like to replay when the hunt is over.
In the evening when you are sat in the lodge enjoying a cold beer Paul is either stalking around getting those non hunting pictures or otherwise he is sat in his room editing the day’s footage. Making sure that there is a basic copy put onto a storage disk ready for the client to take home. They will later get the fully edited version with all the video footage as well as the still photography he has taken.
You have to admire him as on a number of occasions he has been stalking along behind me armed only with his camera. Putting his safety in our hands against an animal who will happily grind you into the floor as you get into its comfort zone. He has followed us into the shadows as the sun is quickly retreating capturing the clients shot on a buffalo or taking a kudu of a lifetime. Capturing our every movement and saving it on film for us to watch over and over again with our friends and colleagues.
I have watched footage after a shot to confirm the animal was actually hit and also to see where the shot hit. You then know what situation you are placing yourself into.
Being the cameraman certainly gets you into places which a normal 9-5 job doesn’t. Paul has been on many a safari and has witnessed many a buffalo fall, a dart fly true on a rhino green hunt and a crocodile stalked along the meandering rivers of Africa.
Don’t think these guys will be a hindrance on your hunt. They will make it complete for you. They will also put some bloopers in for your amusement which you are more than welcome to hide from the viewers you show it to.
Therefore when you look at booking your first or your next safari, ask your outfitter if they have anyone who does film work for them as you would be interested in recording your safari. If you are in the Eastern Cape of South Africa you won’t go wrong by finding out id Paul Ruschenbaum is available to save your memories.