Herding Cattle

My time was spent in Namibia living with my wonderful SOS family and learning what it was like to be an SOS mother. But we were shooting a video as well. We had a great crew including Graeme and Robert from SOS and our videographer, Aaron.  There aren’t a lot of “behind the scenes” stories (well there are a few, but you would have to have been there to appreciate them!), but there is one that’s worth telling.

One Sunday morning we were outside filming what we called “stand-ups” where I talk to camera. Aaron picked a spot facing the SOS Village across the field where the playground and the soccer pitch are.

I get into position, we’re rolling and I start to talk…

And suddenly we have to stop because there’s a herd of cattle coming.

As you may have gathered, it’s not an uncommon occurrence where we were in Namibia to have cattle roaming all over. And I mean all over: they walk on streets, ignoring cars and pedestrians alike.

But we’re all set up to film. We don’t want to move the camera. So… Aaron decides to indulge his inner cowboy.

He starts running all over, shooing the cattle away from where we’re filming. It’s as ridiculous looking as it sounds. Here’s a picture of Aaron in back of me as he plays rancher…

After much coaxing from Aaron, the cows eventually wandered somewhere else. We started to film again.

And then the cars started to appear… But even Aaron couldn’t herd them.