most people when they face a survival situation generally don’t have a choice
situation generally don’t have a choice
situation generally don’t have a choice in the matter it’s either a do or die
in the matter it’s either a do or die
in the matter it’s either a do or die type of deal however in my case my
type of deal however in my case my
type of deal however in my case my survival situation well it was
survival situation well it was
survival situation well it was completely voluntary you see for the
completely voluntary you see for the
completely voluntary you see for the last decade I’ve worked as a wildlife
last decade I’ve worked as a wildlife
last decade I’ve worked as a wildlife adventure and reality TV cameraman and
adventure and reality TV cameraman and
adventure and reality TV cameraman and in early 2015 I was cast as an embedded
in early 2015 I was cast as an embedded
in early 2015 I was cast as an embedded cameraman on a reality TV Survival show
cameraman on a reality TV Survival show
cameraman on a reality TV Survival show meaning that I would both be a
meaning that I would both be a
meaning that I would both be a participant trying to survive as well as
participant trying to survive as well as
participant trying to survive as well as a camera operator documenting the entire
a camera operator documenting the entire
a camera operator documenting the entire ordeal as part of the final casting
ordeal as part of the final casting
ordeal as part of the final casting process I flew to LA and met with
process I flew to LA and met with
process I flew to LA and met with producers and executives and casting
producers and executives and casting
producers and executives and casting agents they wanted to know a little bit
agents they wanted to know a little bit
agents they wanted to know a little bit more about my background and they asked
more about my background and they asked
more about my background and they asked me what sort of survival experience did
me what sort of survival experience did
me what sort of survival experience did I have and I told them I didn’t have any
I have and I told them I didn’t have any
I have and I told them I didn’t have any but I lived in Montana and I was pretty
but I lived in Montana and I was pretty
but I lived in Montana and I was pretty good at camping that answer must have
good at camping that answer must have
good at camping that answer must have been good enough because I would join 13
been good enough because I would join 13
been good enough because I would join 13 others for a very unique survival
others for a very unique survival
others for a very unique survival adventure these 13 guys were from all
adventure these 13 guys were from all
adventure these 13 guys were from all across the u.s. from a variety of
across the u.s. from a variety of
across the u.s. from a variety of backgrounds we had a doctor a lawyer a
backgrounds we had a doctor a lawyer a
backgrounds we had a doctor a lawyer a cop a paramedic a radio deejay a little
cop a paramedic a radio deejay a little
cop a paramedic a radio deejay a little bit of everything most of these guys
bit of everything most of these guys
bit of everything most of these guys however had little to no experience in
however had little to no experience in
however had little to no experience in outdoors some of them had never even
outdoors some of them had never even
outdoors some of them had never even been car camping before yet now they
been car camping before yet now they
been car camping before yet now they were going to try to survive on a
were going to try to survive on a
were going to try to survive on a deserted island for a month the show
deserted island for a month the show
deserted island for a month the show would air on prime-time and was called
would air on prime-time and was called
would air on prime-time and was called the island with Bear Grylls now this
the island with Bear Grylls now this
the island with Bear Grylls now this wasn’t a game show there was no
wasn’t a game show there was no
wasn’t a game show there was no competitions for pizza there was no
competitions for pizza there was no
competitions for pizza there was no prizes and there would be no winner and
prizes and there would be no winner and
prizes and there would be no winner and unlike most reality shows there was no
unlike most reality shows there was no
unlike most reality shows there was no outside production team the entire thing
outside production team the entire thing
outside production team the entire thing would be filmed by us ten regular guys
would be filmed by us ten regular guys
would be filmed by us ten regular guys four professional cameramen but all of
four professional cameramen but all of
four professional cameramen but all of us would have to survive together we
us would have to survive together we
us would have to survive together we just had the clothes on our backs three
just had the clothes on our backs three
just had the clothes on our backs three knives three machetes a single day’s
knives three machetes a single day’s
knives three machetes a single day’s supply of water and a
supply of water and a
supply of water and a of camera gear so here’s my headshot
of camera gear so here’s my headshot
of camera gear so here’s my headshot the day before I left the island and
the day before I left the island and
the day before I left the island and people often say the camera adds 10
people often say the camera adds 10
people often say the camera adds 10 pounds I don’t know if that’s true or
pounds I don’t know if that’s true or
pounds I don’t know if that’s true or not but I know for a fact that I gained
not but I know for a fact that I gained
not but I know for a fact that I gained 10 pounds before I left for the island
10 pounds before I left for the island
10 pounds before I left for the island it was my only survival preparation
it was my only survival preparation
it was my only survival preparation tactic I could have read some survival
tactic I could have read some survival
tactic I could have read some survival books or practice tie knots but instead
books or practice tie knots but instead
books or practice tie knots but instead I ate as much ice cream as I could it’s
I ate as much ice cream as I could it’s
I ate as much ice cream as I could it’s not nearly as fun as it sounds so there
not nearly as fun as it sounds so there
not nearly as fun as it sounds so there we were the 14 of us about to be dropped
we were the 14 of us about to be dropped
we were the 14 of us about to be dropped off on this island and I remember
off on this island and I remember
off on this island and I remember looking around at the other 13 others
looking around at the other 13 others
looking around at the other 13 others I’m thinking to myself one of these guys
I’m thinking to myself one of these guys
I’m thinking to myself one of these guys has to know what they’re doing there
has to know what they’re doing there
has to know what they’re doing there must be a leader amongst you know
must be a leader amongst you know
must be a leader amongst you know amongst all of us and it sort of started
amongst all of us and it sort of started
amongst all of us and it sort of started to dawn on me what I was about to do I
to dawn on me what I was about to do I
to dawn on me what I was about to do I was most likely going to be starving
was most likely going to be starving
was most likely going to be starving really thirsty and I was going to have
really thirsty and I was going to have
really thirsty and I was going to have to film the entire thing I started to
to film the entire thing I started to
to film the entire thing I started to feel a little overwhelmed I’m certainly
feel a little overwhelmed I’m certainly
feel a little overwhelmed I’m certainly no survival expert real survival experts
no survival expert real survival experts
no survival expert real survival experts well they’re masters at handling the
well they’re masters at handling the
well they’re masters at handling the four basic elements of survival that is
four basic elements of survival that is
four basic elements of survival that is they can find food search for water
they can find food search for water
they can find food search for water build a shelter and make fire well our
build a shelter and make fire well our
build a shelter and make fire well our group we were certainly not experts but
group we were certainly not experts but
group we were certainly not experts but dealing with those four basic elements
dealing with those four basic elements
dealing with those four basic elements would be our most immediate challenge as
would be our most immediate challenge as
would be our most immediate challenge as soon as we were dropped off we’d have to
soon as we were dropped off we’d have to
soon as we were dropped off we’d have to to figure out which ones to prioritize
to figure out which ones to prioritize
to figure out which ones to prioritize and which ones could wait until later
and which ones could wait until later
and which ones could wait until later however as soon as we were dropped off
however as soon as we were dropped off
however as soon as we were dropped off we started to make a lot of mistakes and
we started to make a lot of mistakes and
we started to make a lot of mistakes and hindsight is 20/20 but our top five
hindsight is 20/20 but our top five
hindsight is 20/20 but our top five lists of mistakes that we mistakenly
lists of mistakes that we mistakenly
lists of mistakes that we mistakenly identified brackish water for fresh
identified brackish water for fresh
identified brackish water for fresh water
water
water we then contaminated the last of our
we then contaminated the last of our
we then contaminated the last of our fresh water supplies with some of that
fresh water supplies with some of that
fresh water supplies with some of that brackish water we overexert ourselves
brackish water we overexert ourselves
brackish water we overexert ourselves during the hot hours of the day we had a
during the hot hours of the day we had a
during the hot hours of the day we had a pretty bad camp site location initially
pretty bad camp site location initially
pretty bad camp site location initially and maybe most importantly we did not
and maybe most importantly we did not
and maybe most importantly we did not spend enough time right away looking for
spend enough time right away looking for
spend enough time right away looking for water and by the time we really needed
water and by the time we really needed
water and by the time we really needed it it was sort of too late
it it was sort of too late
it it was sort of too late obviously things were not going very
obviously things were not going very
obviously things were not going very well by night two we were completely out
well by night two we were completely out
well by night two we were completely out of water our group was in chaos and we
of water our group was in chaos and we
of water our group was in chaos and we were having a hard time even making the
were having a hard time even making the
were having a hard time even making the most basic decisions we knew that if we
most basic decisions we knew that if we
most basic decisions we knew that if we didn’t find water soon our TV show would
didn’t find water soon our TV show would
didn’t find water soon our TV show would be very short-lived so on the morning of
be very short-lived so on the morning of
be very short-lived so on the morning of day three we decided to split up and
day three we decided to split up and
day three we decided to split up and look for water the doctor buck and
look for water the doctor buck and
look for water the doctor buck and myself went to the far side of the
myself went to the far side of the
myself went to the far side of the island in hopes of kind of one
island in hopes of kind of one
island in hopes of kind of one last-ditch effort to find water the good
last-ditch effort to find water the good
last-ditch effort to find water the good news is that we did find water the bad
news is that we did find water the bad
news is that we did find water the bad news is we didn’t get back to camp until
news is we didn’t get back to camp until
news is we didn’t get back to camp until two members of our group had to leave
two members of our group had to leave
two members of our group had to leave the island because of severe dehydration
the island because of severe dehydration
the island because of severe dehydration and exhaustion so we were in a tough
and exhaustion so we were in a tough
and exhaustion so we were in a tough place and like I said the basics of
place and like I said the basics of
place and like I said the basics of survival are taking care of those four
survival are taking care of those four
survival are taking care of those four elements and ironically by the end of
elements and ironically by the end of
elements and ironically by the end of day 4 once we had found water we were
day 4 once we had found water we were
day 4 once we had found water we were doing pretty well we had made fire we
doing pretty well we had made fire we
doing pretty well we had made fire we were building shelters and we had found
were building shelters and we had found
were building shelters and we had found some food but we were still a ragged
some food but we were still a ragged
some food but we were still a ragged group of castaways and I think what can
group of castaways and I think what can
group of castaways and I think what can put our perspective our situation in
put our perspective our situation in
put our perspective our situation in perspective is Maslow’s hierarchy of
perspective is Maslow’s hierarchy of
perspective is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and so we had taken care of the
needs and so we had taken care of the
needs and so we had taken care of the physical needs but we hadn’t even
physical needs but we hadn’t even
physical needs but we hadn’t even thought about the rest of the levels of
thought about the rest of the levels of
thought about the rest of the levels of the pyramid how did we go about taking
the pyramid how did we go about taking
the pyramid how did we go about taking care of our non physical needs because
care of our non physical needs because
care of our non physical needs because ultimately we had this really fulfilling
ultimately we had this really fulfilling
ultimately we had this really fulfilling life transforming experience what made
life transforming experience what made
life transforming experience what made the difference for us and the answer is
the difference for us and the answer is
the difference for us and the answer is pretty simple we made a really good camp
pretty simple we made a really good camp
pretty simple we made a really good camp Benji one of the other camera guys was
Benji one of the other camera guys was
Benji one of the other camera guys was all gung-ho about this giant piece of
all gung-ho about this giant piece of
all gung-ho about this giant piece of driftwood he wanted to use it as a
driftwood he wanted to use it as a
driftwood he wanted to use it as a dining table and in my mind I thought
dining table and in my mind I thought
dining table and in my mind I thought this was just totally impractical it was
this was just totally impractical it was
this was just totally impractical it was this huge table it was going to waste a
this huge table it was going to waste a
this huge table it was going to waste a lot of energy to move it to camp but we
lot of energy to move it to camp but we
lot of energy to move it to camp but we did it and once we had that table it
did it and once we had that table it
did it and once we had that table it became the kind of the centerpiece of
became the kind of the centerpiece of
became the kind of the centerpiece of our community we ate there we played
our community we ate there we played
our community we ate there we played games there we hung out there and the
games there we hung out there and the
games there we hung out there and the island rather than a place cinder slowly
island rather than a place cinder slowly
island rather than a place cinder slowly became a place that we wanted to be
became a place that we wanted to be
became a place that we wanted to be you know we could have gone Oh Lord of
you know we could have gone Oh Lord of
you know we could have gone Oh Lord of the Flies out there truthfully I mean it
the Flies out there truthfully I mean it
the Flies out there truthfully I mean it could have gotten bad and things were
could have gotten bad and things were
could have gotten bad and things were tough but it didn’t
tough but it didn’t
tough but it didn’t it certainly wasn’t utopia and we had
it certainly wasn’t utopia and we had
it certainly wasn’t utopia and we had our issues but we came together we
our issues but we came together we
our issues but we came together we resolved our conflicts peacefully we
resolved our conflicts peacefully we
resolved our conflicts peacefully we divided our food equally and we did our
divided our food equally and we did our
divided our food equally and we did our best to communicate with one another and
best to communicate with one another and
best to communicate with one another and there was no leader we all contributed
there was no leader we all contributed
there was no leader we all contributed to the success of the whole and I think
to the success of the whole and I think
to the success of the whole and I think in a lot of ways I’ve always taken
in a lot of ways I’ve always taken
in a lot of ways I’ve always taken community for granted but after this
community for granted but after this
community for granted but after this experience I realized just how vital
experience I realized just how vital
experience I realized just how vital community is I wouldn’t have been able
community is I wouldn’t have been able
community is I wouldn’t have been able to make it without the 13 others
to make it without the 13 others
to make it without the 13 others long-term survival really requires
long-term survival really requires
long-term survival really requires community and I don’t just mean survival
community and I don’t just mean survival
community and I don’t just mean survival in the physical sense but to really
in the physical sense but to really
in the physical sense but to really thrive to feel safe to feel a sense of
thrive to feel safe to feel a sense of
thrive to feel safe to feel a sense of belonging and a sense of purpose we have
belonging and a sense of purpose we have
belonging and a sense of purpose we have to have community and I think the main
to have community and I think the main
to have community and I think the main takeaway from my experience is that a
takeaway from my experience is that a
takeaway from my experience is that a strong community doesn’t just happen by
strong community doesn’t just happen by
strong community doesn’t just happen by accident we must we must build it we
accident we must we must build it we
accident we must we must build it we must nurture it and we must rely upon it
must nurture it and we must rely upon it
must nurture it and we must rely upon it and if we do that we can face any
and if we do that we can face any
and if we do that we can face any obstacle whether that be surviving on an
obstacle whether that be surviving on an
obstacle whether that be surviving on an island for a TV show or just face the
island for a TV show or just face the
island for a TV show or just face the challenges that life inevitably has for
challenges that life inevitably has for
challenges that life inevitably has for us thank you
us thank you
us thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment