3-Part Series about the remote National Park Katavi where lions, hippos and crocodile battle for survival among a drought of a century.

Over several years, I had the privilege of working on the Katavi series during both the dry and rainy seasons, immersed deep in the bush. My work focused on long-lens cinematography from a vehicle, together with my exceptional local crew – Naiti and Kahimba – whose expertise in tracking and reading the landscape was essential.

In addition to ground-based filming, I operated drones to capture aerial perspectives – from sweeping landscapes to dynamic tracking shots flying alongside birds.

Much of the vehicle-based filming was done with the Canon CN20 cine lens, which offered the reach and flexibility needed to capture nuanced wildlife behavior from a distance without disturbing the scene. This setup was key to filming sensitive sequences in challenging terrain.

Some of the key sequences I filmed include several intense hippo fights, notably the dramatic “wedged hippo” scene, as well as emotionally charged moments like the hippo mourning behavior and a powerful infanticide sequence. I also captured the rare pelican hunt and a memorable river crossing by lion cubs – each moment a testament to the unpredictable and raw nature of Katavi.

Being mentored by the remarkable filmmaker and bushman Owen Prümm made this project truly unforgettable. His deep knowledge and creative vision left a lasting impact on my work and my way of seeing the natural world.