Anyone know?

[stuart f]

Hi all, just a bit of trivia really, but i was watching some of Ray Mears dvds that i have, and when watching them i noticed a few times that the film crew got involved with either practicing some skills or try tasting food that Ray prepared. So what i was wondering is if anybody out there knows if any of these guys were bitten by the Bushcraft bug,and started to follow the path themselves?.

Sorry a bit off the wall trival tat i know but the thought got the better of me.

So if anyone can shed some light on this,then thanx, just got me wondering :bluThinki thats all!

 

[Bisamratte]

Hi all, just a bit of trivia really, but i was watching some of Ray Mears dvds that i have, and when watching them i noticed a few times that the film crew got involved with either practicing some skills or try tasting food that Ray prepared. So what i was wondering is if anybody out there knows if any of these guys were bitten by the Bushcraft bug,and started to follow the path themselves?.

Sorry a bit off the wall trival tat i know but the thought got the better of me.

So if anyone can shed some light on this,then thanx, just got me wondering :bluThinki thats all!

I would be surprised if they weren't, I know I would

 

[Stew]

I have a friend who always slags Ray Mears off.

Apparently he knows one of the camera men and he told him that Ray doesn't do half the things he implies. He reckons he doesn't sleep out but makes a swift exit to a hotel asap!

 

[C_Claycomb]

Ray doesn't do half the things he implies. He reckons he doesn't sleep out but makes a swift exit to a hotel asap!

Frankly I am not surprised, and what is more, I would not hold it against him. Ray has been at this stuff a long time. There is no doubt that he has spent a very great many nights out and done a lot more "bushcraft" than almost anyone on these forums.

So, now he is out filming with a crew of people who may or may not be outdoorsmen, loaded with kit, and he has X number of days to get all the film needed for the editors to put together an hour long program. It could well be argued that the priority is getting that footage and not whether everything, on that particular day/trip/expedition, was completely authentic when captured on film.

That is how shooting film works. I can't even count the number of times I have seen "Making-of" programs where they have had to cheat one way or other. Everything from Oxford Scientific cutting between film shot from a river bank and film shot in a big tank, to shots of Gerald Durrel walking through gently falling autumn leaves which are actually being sprinkled from bin bags by blokes on ladders! Film fixes mean you get a hour of good, informative, well put together TV, and not a slightly bumbling video blog

I have wondered though whether the requirement for film crew is that they are able to cope outdoors, or are merely prepared to give things a try? Obviously there are a lot of very capable crews around, but they all had to start somewhere.

 

[Feygan]

I'd say most of his definitly aint the bushcraft type to start with, sure many of them like the outdoors and have abit of camping experience. But to illustrate just how unprepared most of them are watch. "Rodgers Rangers" It's in the third season of extreme suvival, he takes his crew out on a little overnight hike, and you can just see by what they wear that they're not bushy. But all credit to them for sticking it out with him.

 

[mark a.]

It seems as though it's the same crew (at least producer and cameraman) for a few of the series, so presumably they don't mind it. Or else they're getting paid well enough!

 

[spamel]

Hmmm, where'd my post go? :bluThinki

Well, what I had said was that Ray even admits to cheating. Apparently, there weren't any fish on his hawthorn hooks so a bloke ran around putting fish onto the hooks just to show us!!! Poor fishies!

Also, he overcooked the deer in the fire pit, but it looked good to me!!!

 

[Stan Pinn]

I would think that to Ray Mears that sleeping out under the stars would not be so appealing with about 15 people in tow! I would think he enjoys solitude when camping out like the rest of us. I have not yet done a solo trip I normally go out with a few choice friends (see "hot chicken" in the food gallery). Not sure i would like bushcraft followed by 15 people.