From Development to Amazon Prime: The Making of Man Eats Wild

What began as a groundwork role in development – creating pitch decks, building digital assets, and preparing sponsorship materials – evolved into capturing some of the most challenging adventure cinematography as Director of Photography for two key episodes of Man Eats Wild’s first season, now streaming on Amazon Prime.

Featured Episodes

Episode 5: Darwin’s Waters

Taking the camera lead in Darwin’s untamed environment presented unique challenges. Balancing the capture of intense Barramundi fishing action with traditional Buffalo hunting required both technical precision and steady nerves. Operating the Sony FS7 from unstable boats while maintaining broadcast quality pushed our skills to the limit.

Episode 7: Whakaari Challenge

The journey to New Zealand’s White Island (Whakaari) tested our entire team’s capabilities. As DOP, capturing KingFish action near an active volcano while maintaining rigid safety protocols demanded innovative camera solutions and split-second timing.

Beyond the Series

During production, my role expanded beyond the featured episodes, gaining invaluable experience filming in some of the most challenging terrains:

• Great Barrier Reef: Managing equipment on rolling seas while documenting Black Marlin fishing
• Cape York: Tracking through dense bush in extreme heat
• South Island NZ: Navigating rugged terrain for wildlife footage
• Central North Island: Adapting to rapidly changing conditions

Technical Mastery

These varied environments demanded expertise in:

• Sound recording in extreme conditions
• Equipment protection in hostile environments
• Multi-role operation (DOP/Sound)
• Fast-paced action capture
• Sony FS7 and A73 operation in challenging scenarios

From initial concept meetings to final delivery for Amazon Prime, this project showcases the full scope of modern adventure television production – where technical excellence meets the raw power of nature.