I’m a big fan of survival shows and adventure/exploration shows. I have always wondered how the camera crew manages to film in tiny caverns or in the middle of the desert. I’m certain that TV magic is used to an extend, but I’m still in awe of the camera crews. Thoughts?
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It depends on the show.
I really loved “Survivorman” because ales Stroud did all the camerawork himself. He sets up the shots, films himself doing, and even mentions the challenges and jokes about having to retrieve cameras and such.
On other shows, the camera crew is minimal but still sets up full shots by planning ahead. The camera crew does not stay on site, though. They’re just working and at the end of the day they are often taken to a hotel or otherwise sleeping comfortably.
On “reality TV” shows, cameras are often hidden in fixed locations to reduce manpower requirements.
“Survivorman” (Les Stroud) was already mentioned. For shows like “Alone,” the camera crew gets landscape and beauty shots of the area while the contestants are left to film their adventure themselves. Don’t know much about others.
>I’m a big fan of survival shows and adventure/exploration shows. I have always wondered how the camera crew manages to film in tiny caverns or in the middle of the desert.
Don’t think of it like a Hollywood production with a camera operator, a sound boom person, a director, gaffers, key grips and the like. Often, the camera crew is just one of the adventurers holding a GoPro.
If it’s something with like Bear Grylls in it, it’s because the shows are fake and the actors and the camera crew all sleep in a hotel after they are done filming.
If it’s something with Les Stroud in it, then he does all of his own filming and it shows in the realism.
Now you understand why everyone makes fun of BG.
They stayed in hotels… with him… near by, and faked pretty much everything.
I always admired Bear Grylls camera man more than him. The guy goes through almost all of it with a damn big camera on his shoulder 😅
My impression has always been that if you do not see shots at night in a tent or shelter then it is fake and they are not roughing it outdoors.
If you were out there at night with a camera any producer or editor would be sure to include it for a sense of realism.
If they can’t even fake night shots they are too lazy to actually sleep outdoors.
Ed Stafford usually films himself. I know he did when he did Marooned, where he was alone on an island for a good while. You see him setting the camera down alot, talking about batteries etc.
It’s like a magical teleportation trick, but with cameras instead. Total survivalist wizardry!
Survivorman: cameraman extraordinaire. Hotel-napping crew. Sneaky hidden cameras for “reality TV”. Movie magic! 🎥🌟
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