Sharing skills, knowledge, stories… and dried mango
We were also very fortunate to know in-country cinematographers who could help us. Talented filmmakers Lianne and Will Steenkamp have lived in Nsefu for most of every year for the last decade. And Samson Moyo, Zambia’s first wildlife cinematographer, grew up right on the doorstep of South Luangwa National Park. Their combined incredible base of knowledge of the whole area gave us the ultimate head start and meant we could react quickly to events year-round. The whole network of people who would support us in Zambia was phenomenal – over 170 people worked on Kingdom during filming, and nearly 100 of those were Zambians. Working together came with a great exchange of skills, knowledge, stories… and dried mango!
Samson Moyo, Zambia’s first wildlife cinematographer, grew up right on the doorstep of South Luangwa National Park
Spots Emerged from the Undergrowth
A paradise stretch of river that draws lions, hyenas, wild dogs and leopards to all live alongside each other – we were in no doubt that a dramatic story of some sort would emerge… Now we just needed to identify some great characters to tell it through. On my first trip to Nsefu five years ago, something happened that still has me smiling today. My aim was to spend a few days with each species to identify who may become our leading cast of characters, but the animals themselves had different ideas.
Even with the best field teams in the best location, you can still go for days without finding the animals, and this had been a week of disappointment. A couple of lions had been seen but identified as nomads just passing through. Wild Dog Storm’s satellite collar data informed us the pack was in an unreachable location, and the best I’d seen of hyenas was a bottom disappearing into the undergrowth. All hope was pinned on leopards, but they too were proving elusive. We agreed to drive one more loop searching the likely trees before moving back to the river to film the quelea flocks coming into roost at sunset.
One more loop we did and came across two huge hippos wallowing, encrusted in mud. We paused to smile at the scene, and then spots emerged from the undergrowth… Olimba, followed by her two small cubs. I held my breath and cinematographer Lianne Steenkamp readied her camera. That’s when Moyo, Olimba’s son, crept closer and closer to the hippos – unadvisedly close given a hippo’s temperament. It was like watching a spark travel along a fuse… what on earth was this reckless cub thinking? This one short moment had me fully invested in the future of this surprisingly brave little leopard – what on earth would he attempt next? We confirmed one character that day at least!
