Naturalist, Wildlife Biologist, and Wilderness Survival Instructor, Vincent Pinto is uniquely qualified and experienced to assist you with your TV, Documentary, or  Feature Filming needs.  Given his experience as a Production Consultant in very successful projects and his intimate knowledge of Arizona, Vincent will assist your Crew behind the scenes to orchestrate all your filming logistics for a very productive and successful shoot. He’ll help you at every stage of production from permitting to wrap-up and everything in between, ensuring that your project is a resounding success. Read NPR Article & Radio Interview

     WILDERNESS SURVIVAL SKILLS

Vincent has worked as an Expert Wilderness Survival Consultant for a number of different British Production Companies, including:

• Expert Wilderness Survival Consultant for the acclaimed BBC series “Marooned with Ed Stafford”. Scouted and vetted suitable filming locations in Arizona. Produced reports with photographs and videos of the potential filming locations suitable for the project. Provided one-on-one Wilderness Survival Skills Training. Responsible for Risk Assessments & Compliance. Provided Wilderness Safety Briefings. Crafted Props for the shoot. Provided all other assistance that Production Company required in connection with the production of the Program.
• Consultant for “Foreign Bodies” TV series with Dr. Mike Leahy  –  Scouted and vetted suitable filming locations in Arizona. Provided Risk Assessments & Compliance before the shoot. Provided Wilderness Safety Briefings on Location.
• Consultant for “Buggin’ with Ruud” TV series – Scouted and vetted suitable filming locations in Arizona for project. Provided Risk Assessments & Compliance before the shoot. Provided Wilderness Safety Briefings on Location.
• Expert Wilderness Survival Consultant for other TV Shows & Pilot Programs: Scouted potential filming locations to assess suitability of various filming locations for the projects. Produced reports with videos of the pros-cons of various potential filming locations suitable for the projects. Provided Risk Assessments & Compliance. Responsible for Wilderness Safety Briefings. Crafted Props for use during shoot.Identified potential dangers, staple foods, water sources, shelter options, and overall suitability of the project.  Provided all other assistance that Production Companies require in connection with the production of the programs. Ensured that Production Companies are able to comply with our health and safety obligations.
• Survival Assesment & Training Consultant for Wilderness Survival Shows including: Shelter – site selection and protection from the elements, design, & materials. Primitive & modern Fire-making methods – tinder bundle construction, fire management, safety, effective hearths and fire-lays, carrying fire via slow match. Cordage – fiber sources & preparation, 2,3, & 4 -ply rope. Traps – styles & methods, small game preparation for consumption. Water finding & safety – risks, collection, filtration, & purification. Flint-Knapping – lithic sources and effective, stone-age tools. Navigation – by day & night. Backwoods survival equipment & survival strategies – putting it all together for success.

Working intimately with your Film Crew, Vincent can also provide expert and invaluable assistance in any of the following areas:

• Wilderness Survival Skills – in a wide range of environments, including in North America and throughout much of the world. Vincent has spent key time in the wilds of North America, the Caribbean, Hawaii, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia
• Wilderness Survival and Natural History pre-shoot training for other presenters, including time-proven as well as innovative survival skills
• Expertise in Tracking local wildlife, including by prints and other signs
• Dangerous plants and animals of the Southwest – Rattlesnakes, Scorpions, Spiders, predatory Mammals, suspect Plants, and much more!
• Fascinating facts and natural history of various wildlife and native plants encountered during survival filming
• Anthropological perspectives – how local cultural groups survived and thrived in your filming locale
• Expert knowledge about useful native plants, including Wild Edible and Medicinal plants – Vincent’s M.A. is in Ethnobotany – how people use native plants for a plethora of purposes
• Astronomy facts and sky tours in some of the best celestial viewing conditions in North America

NATURAL HISTORY

Working intimately with your Film Crew, Vincent can provide expert and invaluable assistance in any of the following areas:.

• Detailed information about a broad range of flora and fauna throughout the world, though especially in the American Southwest.
• Custom guiding to film Wildlife on location, including rare and difficult-to-find species of Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Invertebrates, & native Plants.
• Wildlife Biology
• Conservation Biology
• Wildlife Tracking
• Ornithology
• Mammalogy
• Herpetology
• Entomology
• Botany
• Dangerous plants and animals of the Southwest – Rattlesnakes, Scorpions, Spiders, predatory Mammals, suspect Plants, and much more!
• Ethnobotany – Expert knowledge about useful plants, including wild edible and medicinal plants – Vincent’s M.A. in Ethnobotany – how people use native plants for a plethora of purposes
• Conservation Issues – local & global
• Astronomy facts and sky tours in some of the best celestial viewing conditions in North America

FILMING PROPS

Given his extensive experience as an expert Wilderness Survival Instructor, Vincent has provided key props for the Arizona episodes of several popular TV Survival shows. Using only the natural raw materials from our two Nature Sanctuaries Raven’s Mountain and Raven’s Nest, Vincent will design, craft, and provide the artifacts and Filming Props required for TV Shows and Pilots, Documentaries, and Films. These include, but are not limited to:

• Fire-by-friction sets in a variety of techniques – fire-plow, hand-drill, bow-drill, and fire-saw
• Arrowheads, arrows, bows,throwing sticks, and other weapons, including artful decorations
• Completely natural and visually arresting survival shelters suitable for actual use
• Wild edible, wild medicinal, and other useful local plants – all of which can be arranged in gorgeous displays
• Baskets, containers, and other natural vessels
• Mineral paints for pictographs body painting, and other ancient art projects
• Pecked rock bowls, mortars, and other Lithic Arts
• Tanned Buckskin items and clothing for period reenactments

   

To schedule an introductory interview with Vincent Pinto, just e-mail or phone with your inquiry.