Ep. 45 - Ben Masters: Filmmaker, Author and Conservationist's Journey Through Wildlife and the Great Outdoors

Son of a Blitch

Get ready for an adventure as we journey through the life and career of Ben Masters, a filmmaker, author, and conservationist known for his profound work on nature and wildlife. Known for his incredible projects like the 'Deep in the Heart', the 'River and the Wall', and the 'Unbranded,' film and book, this episode promises a deep dive into his passion for the outdoors, and a review of all his work through with his company, Fin and Fur Films.
Ben shares his captivating experiences exploring the US-Mexico border, where he spent three months documenting the impact of a physical border wall on wildlife migration and private property rights, when filming "River and a Wall".
Listen as he details the unique challenges of long-lensing a mountain lion for 45 days and camera trapping mountain lions in Texas, providing a fascinating insight into the importance of a mountain lion management program and the effects of land fragmentation.
He also tells us about how he journeyed form Texas to Montana with some friends, on the backs of some adopted Mustangs. (Unbranded)
Our conversation concludes with a discussion about Ben's landmark project with the Texas grocery store, H.E.B., to create a series of short films about wildlife conservation. Ben even tried to write in a lifetime supply of guacamole into his contract, but he eventually let it slide, so it wouldn't get stuck in legal for too long.
(HEB - if you see this, hook him up!).
You'll hear fascinating stories about the intersection of agriculture and wildlife conservation, the ocelot population preservation on a working cattle ranch, and the return of black bears to West Texas.
Ben also shares details about his proudest project, 'Deep in the Heart' and how he got Matthew McConaughey to join and narrate the film.
Don't miss this riveting conversation that promises to ignite your sense of adventure and deepen your appreciation for wildlife conservation.
To learn more about Ben's incredible projects, visit:
www.FinandFurFilms.com
Fin and Fur Films is a Texas-based production company that specializes in wildlife, adventure, and conservation stories. We’re a small and effective team that typically creates 3-5 short films per year and a feature film every 2-3 years. We’ve had the honor to work with numerous conservation organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and Texan by Nature, and our movies have been seen on Netflix, AppleTV, PBS Nature, wide theatrical releases, and international television broadcasts. We are strong advocates for the wildlife in our films and are most proud of our movies when they result in boots-on-the-ground conservation, directly benefiting the wildlife and wild places we all love.
To learn more about George Blitch, visit:
SonofaBlitch.com
youtube.com/@sonofablitch
IG: "TheSonofaBlitch"
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Chapters

1. Ep. 45 - Ben Masters: Filmmaker, Author and Conservationist's Journey Through Wildlife and the Great Outdoors (00:00:00)

2. Filmmaker and Author Ben Masters (00:00:15)

3. Border Walls' Impact on Wildlife (00:11:20)

4. Lion Filming and Conservation in Texas (00:23:29)

5. Creating a Wildlife Film for H-E-B (00:33:42)

6. Texas Wildlife Conservation and Filmmaking Legacy (00:39:44)

7. Fenninfer Films Promotion and Social Media Detox (00:52:39)