SURVIVAL-THEMED
SHOWS on TV are now the most watched programs anywhere in the world
and it opened the eyes of the viewer of the different scenarios when
society or even a single individual is threatened by events or by
forces caused by nature or by humans. It also shows primitive-living
techniques, woodlore and culture of native peoples which had never
been seen before on the boob tube.
Survival
TV produced illustrious names like Les Stroud, Ray Mears, Bear
Grylls, Mykel Hawke, Cody Lundin, Dave Canterbury and others and have
spurred reality-TV shows like the highly-rated Survivor®.
As if that is not enough, there are many survival videos produced
professionally that are uploaded on YouTube, Vimeo and other
dedicated sites which command a good following.
Matthew
Everett, an independent film maker and a product of Bridgewater
College in England, decided to organize his own production outfit in
Southeast Asia where he was able to produce and direct indie short
documentaries about Philippine culture. When not filming, he goes
back home each winter to work in a power plant to raise the money he
needs for his film projects.
Taking
it a step further, he began mulling of a survival-cultural-adventure
made-for-TV series. When Everett met Wil Rhys-Davies and Jing de
Egurrola of Snakehawk Wilderness School, he felt he is catching on to
that dream and named this project as “Native Instinct”. He
explains that it is a bit like a survival show but it demonstrates
cultural differences between the lead casts with some humour in it.
In
fact, he had already made two test shoots at Guintarcan Island in
Cebu and in an Aeta village of Bataan. This reality TV show aims to
educate its viewers on survival techniques along with Philippine
culture in an exciting and fun way. It will follow Rhys-Davies and
De Egurrola, both wilderness instructors, as they travel through the
islands, dealing with different survival situations and learning new
skills.
What
makes it different from the rest of the survival TV genre is that
both Rhys-Davies and De Egurrola have good chemistry since both are
good friends for years. Both enjoy poking fun at each other, on and
off the camera, and it is this playful banter that will set it apart
from the rest.
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Rhys-Davies
is raised on the periphery of the rugged Brecon Beacon Mountains in
Wales and have wandered considerably the local woodlands of his
childhood, it just seems natural that, one day, he would be an
outdoorsman and wilderness traveler. He spent ten years with the
British Armed Forces serving in a variety of environments, at home
and abroad.
A
trained mountain leader, wilderness medic, Outward Bound instructor
and avid wilderness traveler; has travelled and worked in a multitude
of environments in many countries, such as deserts, jungles, high
mountain ranges; and in all seasons as a backpacking guide, climbing
instructor, desert survival technical consultant, mountain biker,
adventure-cycle tourer, and canyoneer.
He
has worked with various clientele, from gang members, wealthy
clients, drug and alcohol rehabilitation patients, and individuals
who seek his knowledge. He is especially fond of the Aeta people of
Zambales, the Philippines, whom he describes as amazingly friendly
and one of the best jungle people he has met.
He
is always passionate to see young people challenge themselves through
outdoor activities. He is currently working on a multi-discipline
adventure trip for 2014. Currently residing in the Philippines, he
works with Snakehawk Wilderness School and consults with Silangan
Outdoor Products.
-----------
The
other cast is a Filipino and is a native of Cebu. He is a former
SWAT operative and police investigator and had been taught woodcraft
by his grandfather as a child. He used to be a recreational climber
and free-lance mountain guide before shifting to bushcraft and
survival and teaches these to aspiring woodsmen during weekends as
well as urban survival techniques for corporate functionaries.
He
uses the jungles and woodlands of the Babag Mountain Range as his
playground and as location of the annual Philippine Independence
Bushcraft Camp of which he is the convenor and main instructor.
Apart from that, he organized and founded the first and only
bushcraft and survival guild in the Philippines called Camp Red.
He
is now working for the completion of the Cebu Highlands Trail in
2015, a project patterned after the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific
Crest Trail of the United States and is also engrossed in outreach
projects that benefit the children of the mountains and of the
environment. He is married for 24 years now and a father to two
adult sons.
He
is presently managing a top-rate private security agency in Cebu and
is the partner of Rhys-Davies at Snakehawk Wilderness School. He is
a product endorser of Silangan Outdoor Equipment, Bamboo Military
Shoes, Seseblades and AJF Knives. He tests gears and equipment which
are then given review on his blog. He maintains a free-platform blog
named Warrior Pilgrimage. (Click on this address:
www.pinoyapache.blogspot.com)
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Native
Instinct is programmed to be filmed as a TV series but lack of funds
hampered its shooting and is presently campaigning in Indiegogo.com
to raise £2,000 to propel it into finishing the first six episodes,
which would include a re-shoot of the island escapade and the Aeta
cultural immersion. The money would be spent for travel, equipment
and production expenses.
Prospective
investors will be able to choose their perks according to the various
donation packages indicated at its Indiegogo.com
project page. As you read this, the Native Instinct production
staff are asking you to please help this show by supporting for the
completion of this in the form of donating any amount at its
Indiegogo.com page.
Below
are some video clips of Native Instinct under the “Jungle Survival
with the Aetas” episode. It is like Dual Survival®
of Cody Lundin and Joe Teti but with a different twist. What would
that be? It is for you to distinguish! Please enjoy - - -
Document
done in LibreOffice 3.3 Writer
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