Sachtler ™
A Vitec Group brand
Sachtler ™
A Vitec Group brand
It took three hours of hard trekking for documentary film maker and cameraman Andreas Kieling and his expedition team to cut their way through the jungle in Rwanda. It was tough going – even with a machete – to hack through the thick undergrowth and head-high grass in this mountainous rainforest. But suddenly they found what they were looking for – the long-awaited traces of a recently finished meal, and a couple of hundred meters down the track, a sight that took their breaths away. Seven mountain gorillas sitting contentedly in a clearing, nibbling away on the fresh vegetation.
Despite this fascinating scene, Andreas Kieling did not hesitate for a second. Quietly mounting the camera on his tripod, he fixed the around 200 kilogram ‘silverback’ in sight. ‘As animal documentary film makers, we need to be extremely mobile, because most animals are always on the move in search of food. This makes lightweight, robust equipment extremely important – something that Sachtler products are renowned for!“
Andreas Kieling has been relying on Sachtler support equipment for years, because it delivers outstanding pictures in extreme situations. One reason for Sachtler’s success is the overall quality and robustness of the materials used to manufacture its products. When making a film in the wilderness, you just can’t afford to experience equipment failure.
With the Camera head Video 20 Plus and tripod Speed Lock® CF Andreas Kieling feels prepared for any situation. Whether it’s 40 degrees Celsius in the shade or minus 35 degrees Celsius on the trail of polar bears, he has to keep moving if he wants the best pictures.
‘That’s the difference with my films. Instead of waiting for the animals to come to me, I actively search them out and see how close they let me get – so sometimes I have to move very quickly! It is particularly in these situations – extreme situations – that Sachtler is the best brand. This is because it’s always ready for action and exceptionally lightweight. I often see other teams using Sachtler products wherever I go in the world, and I’m convinced this is due to the equipment’s outstanding quality and robustness.’
The camera man’s love of exceptional images takes him to Alaska every year, where he films grizzly bears – sometimes less than two meters from his camera – slashing at each other with their massive paws. They no longer seem to notice the man with the camera on the tripod. ‘I have been filming brown bears every spring for over ten years now. During this time they have got used to me, and they always recognize my smell and voice,’ he explains, adding: ‘A few situations over the years have gotten a little uncomfortable, but I am willing to risk a lot for extraordinary takes!’
Regular documentaries for the ZDF series ‘Wunderbare Welt’ for the past 12 years
Documentaries for the ARD series ‘Expedition ins Tierreich’ for the past few years
Camera work in the BBC series ‘Wild Europe’
Shooting and production of several documentaries for Discovery Channel World Wide and Animal Planet US
Shooting and production of four documentaries for National Geographic US and International
‘Apart from fluid heads made by Sachtler, I know of no others that are able to continue working so consistently at all steps and in such extreme fluctuations of temperature.’
Sachtler uses carbon fiber for its tripods. In addition to it being extremely lightweight and stable, the material also continues to be comfortable and easy to grip, even in icy temperatures. 
Video 20 SB Speed Lock® CF
‘If you want your footage to amaze viewers, you need to show unusual perspectives and go off the beaten tracks. I have been known to take my Sachtler tripod up into a tree, set it up in a river, so that only the head and the camera were standing out above the surface of the water, and buried my equipment completely in the snow and myself too!’
Documentary film maker and cameraman Andreas Kieling
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