About Boris

History

I’m a freelance cameraman specialising in wildlife & natural history. I have also filmed for the adventure & reality film industries. 

My film career began in the editing suite over 25 years ago when I had a job editing commercials & documentaries. After five years of editing, I moved from the edit suite to the camera & I haven't looked back. 

I began specialising in wildlife 15 years ago & have now worked on over 50 wildlife films for the likes of National Geographic, The Smithsonian Channel, Blue Planet, BBC, Oxford Scientific Films, & Netflix.

I am fortunate to have received the following accolades for my work:

SAFTA AWARDS

  • 2019 - Best Wild Life Documentary - Incredible Bats
  • 2018 - Best Wild Life Documentary - King of the Mountain Baboons
  • 2017 - Best Achievement in Cinematography - Incredible Spiders
  • 2015 - Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Film - Hippo vs Croc
  • 2014 - Best Achievement in Cinematography - Speed kills Savannah

SASC Awards

South African Society of Cinematographers 2019 - Gold Visible Spectrum Award, Best in Wildlife Cinematography - Madagascar, African Galapagos

EMMY AWARD

2022 - Best Cinematography - Penguin Town

My camera & other technical experience includes the following:

  • Red, Sony, Arri, Phantom Flex cameras
  • Long-lens & Macro
  • High-speed, including Phantom 4K Flex
  • Time-lapse with motion control
  • Presenter-led sync
  • Infra-red / Lowlight / Thermal cameras
  • ABC Crane & Jib work
  • Movi/Ronin gimbals
  • Lighting sets, interiors & interview set-ups
  • Drone license: EASA  A1 -A3 (open sub category) Registration No. (ID No.) NLD-RP-g37391ldc575

To contact me, please drop me an email on boricam.vs@gmail.com or give me a call on +31 64 442 5775 (Netherlands) or +27 82 901 8365 (South Africa)

Professional Experience

"Where Land Meets Sea"
Storysurge Films

DOP/1st Camera - Red Helium 8K, Red Raptor with CN20, Phantom Veo Laowa T8 Macro probe lenses, Pro Sup Tango Slider.

Qatar - Jan-April 2024

"Where Land Meets Sea"
Storysurge Films

DOP/1st Camera - Red Helium 8K, Red Raptor with CN20,
Laowa T8 Macro probe lenses, Pro Sup Tango Slider.

Qatar - Nov-Dec 2023

"Storysurge Films"
Dungbeetles - PBS Nature

DOP/1st Camera - Red Raptor, Laowa T8 Macro probe lenses,
Zeiss 65mm,100mm and 200mm macro lenses, Pro Sup Tango Slider.

Hoedspruit, South Africa - Oct 2023

Light and Shadow Film Productions

DOP/1st Camera - Red Helium 8K with CN20, Mavic 3, A7s111.

Portugal – Gibraltar - June 2023

"Epic Animal Migrations Patagonia" (Summer)

DOP/1st Camera - Red Gemini with CN20, Phantom 4k Flex, Ronin RS3, Mavic 3, A7s111.

South America/Patagonia - Nov 2022 – Feb 2023

"Gladiators"
Talesmith TV

DOP/1st Camera - Red Raptor,
Laowa Macro probe lenses, Pro Sup Tango Slider.

South Africa/Hoedspruit - October 2022

"Epic Animal Migrations Patagonia" (Winter)

DOP/1st Camera - Red Gemini with CN20, Phantom 4k Flex, Ronin RS3, Mavic 3, A7s111.

South America/Patagonia - May/June 2022

Light and Shadow Film Productions

DOP/1st Camera - Red Helium 8K with CN20, Mavic 3, A7s111.

Italy - April 2022

"Oceans Greatest Feast"
PBS Nature

DOP Terrestrial,
Phantom 4k Flex, Red Gemini, Shot Over operator.

South Africa 2021

"BBC Planet Earth 111"

DOP

South Africa 2021

"Worlds Deadliest Snakes" - 3 part series
Nat Geo Wild

4k Phantom Cameraman

South Africa 2021

Meerkat Manor “Rise of the Dynasty”- 13 part series

Cameraman/DOP, Oxford Scientific Films

South Africa 2020 - 2021

"Penguin Town" - 8 part series, Netflix

Cameraman, Red Gemini and Heluim,
Panasonic SH1

Cape Town, South Africa, Jan-July 2020

“Africa’s Garden of Eden”

DOP, Blue Planet Film, Sony FS7, Z-cam

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, July-Dec 2019

“Erlebenis Eerde- Unbekanntes Madagaskar”

Cameraman, Blue planet Film, FS7, Z-cam

Madagascar, 2019

"Shark vs Whale"

4K Phantom Cameraman National Geographic, Red Scarlett Weapon, Sony F5, Phantom Flex 4k, Sony A7sII

South Africa 2019 -2020

"Rattlesnake Roadshow"

4K – Cameraman, Smithsonian NHU, Sony F5, Phantom Flex 4k, Red Scarlett Weapon, Sony A7sII, Rhino Slider

South Africa, USA, 2019

"China’s Monkey Dynasty"

4K – DOP, Smithsonian NHU, Red Dragon, Sony A7sII

Chongzou Guangxi, China. 2019-2020

"Africa’s Galapagos"

4K – DOP, Smithsonian,
Red Scarlett Weapon,
Phantom Flex 4k, Ronin Rig 2, Sony A7sII, Rhino Slider

Madagascar, 2018-2019

"Big Sharks Rule"

4K – Phantom Cameraman, National Geographic, Phantom Flex 4k, Sony F5, A7sII

South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania 2018

"Gorillas of Gabon"

4K – 1st Cameraman, Smithsonian, Sony F5, Sony A7sII, Rhino Slider,

Gabon, Ghana, 2018

"Dung Mafia"

4K – 1st Cameraman, Smithsonian, Sony F5, Phantom Flex 4k, Red Scarlett Weapon, Sony A7sII, Rhino Slider

South Africa, 2018

"Cave Crocs"

4K - Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Sony F55, Phantom Flex 4k, Red Scarlett Weapon, Sony A7sII, Rhino Slider

Gabon, Ghana, 2018

"Wolf vs Bear"

4K - Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Sony F5, Phantom Flex 4k, Red Scarlett Weapon, Sony A7sII, Rhino Slider

Finland, Russia, 2017

"Fishing for Giants – Swallower"

4K - 1st Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Sony F5, Sony FS7, Sony A7sII

Uganda, 2017

"Africa’s Super Snake" (Big Snake Squeeze)

4K – Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Flex 4k, Sony F5, Red Scarlett Weapon, Sony A7sII, Rhino Slider

South Africa, 2017

"Desert Lions" (Desert Mega pride)

4K – 1st Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Flex 4k, Sony F5, Red Epic Weapon, Sony FS7, Sony A7sII, Rhino Slider,

Botswana, 2017

"Honey Badger Grit"

4K – Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Flex 4k, Sony F5, Red Scarlett Weapon, A7sII

Namibia, 2017

"Incredible Gulpers"

4K – Cameraman, Smithsonian, Phantom Flex 4k, Sony F5, XF200, and A7sII

South Africa, 2017

“Incredible Fangs"

4K – Cameraman, Smithsonian, Phantom Flex 4k, Sony F5, and A7sII

South Africa, 2016

“Hunt for the King Cobra”

4K – DOP, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Flex 4k, Sony F5, Sony FS7, Sony A7sII, Slider

India, 2016

“Wildebeest: Born to Run”

HD – Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F5, Sony A7s

Kenya, Tanzania, 2015-2016

“Baboon King” (Throne of the Mountain Baboon)

4K – Phantom Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F5, Sony A7sII, Slider, Drone

Ethiopia, January-March 2016

“Crazy Monster Bats”

4K – Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Phantom Flex 4K, Sony F5, Red Scarlett Weapon and A7sII

Zambia, US, Australia, South Africa, 2016

“Lizard King” (Dragon Island)

4K – DOP, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Sony F5, Phantom Gold, A7’s Shogun, Movi Rig

Indonesia May/September 2015

“Crazy Monster Spiders”

HD – DOP, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F5,Sony FS 700, Sony F900

South Africa, January-April 2015

“Crazy Monster Bugs”

HD – DOP, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F5, Sony FS 700, Sony F900

South Africa, January-April 2015

“Hippos After Dark”

HD – 1st Camera, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900, XF200, GoPro

South Luangwa, Zambia, August-October 2014

“I Crocodile”

HD – 1st Cameraman Terrestrial, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900, Sony FS 700

Tanzania and South Africa, November 2014

“Crazy Monster Frogs”

HD – Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

South Africa, Cameroon, 2013-2014

“Africa’s Predator Zones”

The Colliseum HD – Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Sony FS 700/ Sony F900, XF200, Phantom Gold

Savute, Botswana, June –August 2014

“Africa’s Predator Zones”

The Trenches HD – 1st Camera, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

Serengeti, Tanzania, May 2014

“Fatal Attraction”

HD – Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

Ndutu, Tanzania, March 2014

“Africa’s Predator Zones”

Open Ground, HD – 1st Camera, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

Serengeti/ Ndutu, Tanzania, January- March 2014

“Hippo vs Croc”

HD – 1st Camera, National Geographic 50 min, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

South Luangwa, Zambia, October-November 2013

“Speed Kills Black Lagoon”

Series 2 HD – Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, Mozambique, March –July 2013

“Speed Kills Dark Underworld”

Series 2 HD – Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, March –July 2013

“Great White Code Red”

HD – 1st Cameraman Terrestrial, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

Western Cape South Africa, June 2013

“Ultimate Honey Badger”

HD – 1st Cameraman, National Geographic 50 min, Phantom Gold, Sony F900, Iconix, 7D IR

Serengeti, Tswalu Reserve, Kalahari, Jan- November 2013

“Venom Island”

HD –1st Camera, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

Rinca, Komodo Island, Indonesia, October 2012

“Blood River Crossing”

HD – 1st Camera, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

Masai Mara, Kenya, July/August 2012

“Black Mamba: Kiss of Death”

HD –1st Camera, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

South Africa, November 2011-August 2102

“Speed Kills Ocean”

Series 1 HD – Cameraman Terrestrial, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

South Africa, January-May 2012

“Speed Kills Savannah”

Series 1 HD – Cameraman, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Phantom Gold, Sony F900

Masai Mara, Kenya, February-August 2012

“Lost Lagoon”

HD – Cameraman Terrestrial, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Sony F900, Canon7D

Pomene, Mozambique, January-June 2011

“Trouble in Lemur Land”

HD – 1st Camera, Eden UKTV 50 min, Sony F900, 7D,

Madagascar, May/November 2010

“Crocodile Labyrinth”

HD – Cameraman Terrestrial, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Sony F900

Botswana Okavango Delta, 2010

“Boteti the Returning River”

HD – 1st Camera, Smithsonian/National Geographic, Sony F900

Botswana Leroo La Tau, 2009/2010

References

Graeme Duane
(Creative Director at Earth Touch)
gduane@earthtouchsa.com

Alex Sletten
(Producer/Director - Storysurge Films
alex@storysurgefilms.com

Hayley Smith
(Producer/Director (OSF))
hayleysmith@me.com

Jess Reiss
(Producer/writer)
jessreiss@hotmail.com

Kira Ivanoff
(Producer/Director)
kiraivanoff@hotmail.com

Vanessa Lucas
(Producer/Director)
v.Lucas@naturalhistorymedia.com

 

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