Who will survive the Black Jungle?

HighRPM's coverage of the 2011 Kamfari is available as an exclusive DVD on each issue of Australian Trailrider magazine from this S...

HighRPM's coverage of the 2011 Kamfari
is available as an exclusive DVD on
each issue of Australian Trailrider
magazine from this September 14th.

The Kamfari is one of the toughest motorcycle endurance races on the planet, set in hot humid northern Australia its course traverses a plethora of challenges;  Everything from deep mud pits which can almost swallow a bike and rider whole through hot and rocky grasslands and then past wide waterways with unexpected holes that can bring a riders race to a wet and sudden stop.  Lets not forget this is also set in crocodile country!

Ed Forman and I were approached by Universal Magazines to cover the 40th anniversary of this crazy race back in May this year.  Having heard of HighRPM's ability to bang out quality motorsports features for both web and broadcast TV they thought we were probably the best local team for the gig.

We only took a small team down to film this feature and only two cameras to cover the course, interviews and chopper filming, but if there is one thing we are quite used to doing after a couple of years the game; it is adapting effectively and fast with what limited equipment we have to work with.

Whilst my specialty is in getting the fancy shots for features and advertising (what Ed jokingly refers to as the arty-farty work) Ed's motorsports camera skills really showed through in this production.  Ed is one of those guys who goes to great lengths to get amongst the thick of the action and I really noticed this when I was cutting the footage in post production; there were numerous shots where Ed' would be right in the middle of a swamp with competitors bogged all around him and whilst he was panning the scenery there would be a commercial television camera crew sitting high and dry trying to zoom in on the action.
I had the somewhat more luxurious job in comparison of doing the dry and flying camera work and then editing and producing the feature.

It is really quite daunting at first when you realise the release is national and will be watched by an audience who specialises in the genre of feature you are producing, but I am confident in the fact that we know what the punters like to watch in almost any genre of motorsports and that is the real, raw action of good competitors doing what they do best!

The 40th Anniversay of Kamfari feature is available as an exclusive bonus DVD attached to the September 2011 edition of Australian Trailrider magazine.  At quality newsagents from September 14th 2011.

Action from the DVD - All video stills from HighRPM

Competitors head towards the start area - Video still courtesy HighRPM

Psyching up at the start line - Video still courtesy HighRPM

And they're off, sprint for position at the start - Video still courtesy HighRPM

In the thick of it - Video still courtesy HighRPM

Tough going right from the start - Video still courtesy HighRPM

Competitors on the first lap - Video still courtesy HighRPM

Down but not out - Video still courtesy HighRPM

A competitor exits the bog - Video still courtesy HighRPM

Jehi Willis blasts it past some fans - Video still courtesy HighRPM

Navigating a waterway - Video still courtesy HighRPM

Surrounded by swamp - Video still courtesy HighRPM

Now thats thick bush! - Video still courtesy HighRPM

Powering through the swamp - Video still courtesy HighRPM

Change of pace kicking up some dust - Video still courtesy HighRPM