Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Masters
Hi Ben, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Sure. I was raised in Amarillo, TX spent most of my youth hunting, fishing, hiking, and just being outside. I’ve always been fascinated with wildlife so after graduation I went to the state’s finest University, Texas A&M, to study wildlife biology. After a few semesters, I got a little jaded with humanity in general, and took a semester off to do a 2,000 mile horseback ride along the Continental Divide with a few friends. That experience really changed my life and opened my eyes to how much wild landscapes we still have in the United States. I decided to do that ride again a few years later with a bunch of green broke mustangs and to document it. I worked the oil rigs in Denver City for half a year to pay off my college debt and buy some camera equipment, which we used to film the journey for a movie that became known as “Unbranded.” Unbranded received some awards and was picked up by Netflix but most importantly, the film made a real and profound difference for conservation and wild horse adoptions. After that I was hooked, and have been making wildlife, adventure, and conservation films ever sense. My wonderful wife Katie and I moved to Austin in 2017 for her job as a Physician’s Assistant in St. David’s ER and I started making movies with all the incredible talent in this city. Our Fin and Fur Films team released the features “The River and The Wall” in 2019, “Deep in the Heart” in 2022, and have produced several dozen short films and one hour films. And we’re just getting started!!!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No. There hasn’t been anything smooth at all in the film industry over the last 10 years! We’ve been fortunate to continue to make our films because we have wonderful brands, donors, and investors that want to see our work come to life, but the film industry as a whole right now is really difficult. It’s nearly impossible to get commissions up front, difficult to distribute films in a constantly evolving media landscape, and hard to break through the noise when they do come out. That said, I cannot describe to you how wonderful it is to finally release a wildlife or conservation movie and see it lead to real change!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a wildlife cinematographer, film director, and writer. I’m probably most known for “Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story” and for “Unbranded.”
I specialize in telling wildlife, conservation, and adventure stories, primarily in Texas, the West, and Northern Mexico. I’m most proud of “Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story” and the impact on wildlife conservation that the film has had in Texas.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Not really. We were filming in remote places during the Crisis so it didn’t really affect us nearly as badly as many folks, which I’m extremely grateful for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://finandfurfilms.com
- Instagram: bencmasters
Image Credits
Jeff Wilson – Bio Pic
Fin and Fur Films – wildlife pics
