A Life in the Day of Luke Gent

Wildlife Camera Operator for “Serengeti” by John Downer Productions UK

Luke Gent has spent most of the last three years as one of a team of four camera operators capturing raw footage of animals in the wilderness to create Season 2 of “Serengeti,” the highly acclaimed wildlife ‘drama’ currently streaming on Discovery+, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime video, Apple TV and DStv Now. DVDs are also available through Amazon.

What does your work entail?

Shaba and Shavu's pup

Working within the Serengeti ecosystem, my job is to capture stunning footage of the many different species of wild animals and their interactions with each other. We try to get really original, intimate shots that have never been seen before using a range of groundbreaking camera technologies and innovative filming techniques (hidden cameras, log and rock cams and drones) to capture the animals up-close and personal, giving the audience a glimpse of the world through their eyes, which is a totally unique perspective. production team in the UK who very cleverly puts it together to create a dramatised Natural History programme, a kind of animal ‘soap opera’. The animals have names and stories and it’s our job in the field to make sure the Production team have all the right imagery to enable them to tell these dramatic and intimate tales.

As the stories unfold, the producers tell us which animals and behaviour they want us to focus on, and we try to find and film it, which we may manage, but we may also capture something completely unexpected, which then steers the script in a completely different direction. It’s exciting because ultimately nature writes the script, we never know how the stories will evolve through filming the season.

The main characters in the show include lions, cheetah, leopard, elephants, hyenas and baboons, but the other animals that populate and make the Serengeti so spectacular also feature, to bring together the drama.

How did you come to do this?

I got into photography at school and took it for A-levels. I really enjoyed photo editing and experimented with different software to enhance and manipulate photos in order to create quite surreal imagery - think Salvador Dali but with photographs!

I am dyslexic and always found reading and writing challenging, so after graduating in Geography at Exeter University, I did some travelling which allowed me to pick up my camera again and I realised I prefer doing things visually and practically, so I followed my true passion and chose a career in film.

I started with an Internship at the BBC Natural History Unit for a TV series called Earth from Space (where I found my degree in geography came in handy.) This was followed by a job with celebrity chef Kiran Jethwa and his production team ‘Quite Bright Films’, which included making some short human documentaries for CNN. This gave me great variety and helped me build up my skills. Then work opened up with my neighbour and friend, wildlife photographer and MCC Member Warren Samuels, who brought me onto the ‘Serengeti’ team.

Your typical day starts at…?

My day starts at 5am. We set off early and cruise around looking for action in the perfect light of dawn, or if we are following something, we go back to where we left off the previous evening. We have a packed breakfast and lunch, which we try to eat hoping nothing happens – but it often does and the sandwich gets dropped for the camera! Sometimes I’ve even forgotten lunch on the bonnet, which has flown on to the windscreen as we rush off.

We spend the whole day out following action or looking for it until sundown and then we return to the lodge or camp we are in. We eat supper and go to bed between 9 and 10pm.

Hippo

Bright Films’, which included making some short human documentaries for CNN. This gave me great variety and helped me build up my skills. Then work opened up with my neighbour and friend, wildlife photographer and MCC Member Warren Samuels, who brought me onto the ‘Serengeti’ team.

My day starts at 5am. We set off early and cruise around looking for action in the perfect light of dawn, or if we are following something, we go back to where we left off the previous evening. We have a packed breakfast and lunch, which we try to eat hoping nothing happens – but it often does and the sandwich gets dropped for the camera! Sometimes I’ve even forgotten lunch on the bonnet, which has flown on to the windscreen as we rush off.

We spend the whole day out following action or looking for it until sundown and then we return to the lodge or camp we are in. We eat supper and go to bed between 9 There are so many memorable moments but it was an extraordinary privilege to watch and film a young cheetah family growing up. I also really enjoyed working closely with a troop of baboons. They are so expressive and funny, I found filming them very entertaining!

It’s always exciting to catch rare sightings such as a pangolin and aardvark. I never thought I’d actually see them so it was very special to be able to capture them on film too.

Filming some big bush fires in Serengeti was incredibly thrilling, colourful and dramatic– all sorts of mini dramas unfolded, the whole of nature was in the cast.

We also had an amazing experience filming elephants crossing a river in spate – a heart-stopping drama played out in front of us – but you’ll have to watch Season 2 to see what happens!

What is the best part of your job?

Every day is exciting because you never know what you might capture and how the stories will evolve – it’s a bit like fishing! It’s exhilarating when we witness and film something special - filming hunts and fights always gets the adrenalin going. I love using the drones – they offer such freedom and access with the angles and scopes.

I’m fortunate to work with some amazing people. The local guides with their knowledge of wildlife and bush lore is extraordinary and working with other more experienced camera operators is such a privilege – I’m always learning.

What is the worst part of your job?

The early starts and the long hours in the car, just waiting can be exhausting. I have limited opportunity to exercise, which I really miss.

What do you enjoy doing in your downtime after work?

I have little time when we’re filming but I listen to a lot of Podcasts and music. During breaks between shoots I try and work out - kitesurfing and mountain biking – I also try hanging out, catching up and partying with friends!

Askari

What ambitions/future plans do you have for your work?

I’d like to take my drone piloting to the next level, flying different drones in new locations, such as the Amazon or the Antarctic and keep pushing the boundaries by using state-of-the-art equipment.

I’d also like to get back into stills photography, experimenting with macro photography, timelapse and hyperlapse filming and capturing star trails with night photography. Get back to my surreal Daliesque images again! Who knows? Maybe put on an exhibition in the future.

But ultimately, through my work I want to help address conservation and climate issues.

If you weren’t a wildlife camera operator, what would you like to do?

It would have to be something adventurous - but I really want to do more to help people, animals and the planet.

And as a child, what did you want to grow up to be?

Like most kids – athlete, actor, Rock Star! It was always changing, but I do remember being fascinated by insects, finding their micro world intriguing, and thinking I would like to make a programme on bugs.

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