Bad Rabbit Studio

25/02/2026

I think I may have invented a new job… and I’m not quite sure what to call it yet.

If you’ve been following along, you’ll remember that last year I helped organise an Ultra-Trail run for African Parks in Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia. This year, I’m really excited to be helping organise another Ultra-Trail - this time in Akagera National Park, Rwanda.

This week has been spent out in the park marking potential routes, getting a proper lay of the land, and planning what I think is going to be a really awesome trail run.

I’ve settled on two options for participants: a 45km route for those who want a challenge, and for those looking for a serious challenge, a 100km route with over 2,100m of elevation gain. To say this is going to be an incredible run would be an understatement. It’s going to be a big challenge, but also incredibly rewarding for the people who take part - and something I think they’ll remember for a long time.

I kind of just fell into this role, but I’m very grateful that I did. It’s a real privilege to be part of this event, and an even bigger privilege for me to be the race director again this year.

While I was in Akagera, I bumped into an English guy who has travelled pretty extensively around this part of Africa. We got chatting and when I told him I was from Zimbabwe, he started telling me about the Zimbabweans he’d met on his travels, and how he was always amazed by how resourceful we are - and how we seem able to do such a wide variety of different things.

As Zimbabweans like to say… we will make a plan.

So, in true Zimbabwean fashion, I’ve made a plan - and I think I’ve just created a new job title for myself:

Freelance Race Director for conservation projects in Africa.

What do you think? I am a filmmaker, photographer, editor and freelance race director for conservation projects in Africa. I think I may be the first person in history to hold this particular job title. Any other conservation projects in Africa who want to organise an Ultra event - you know who to call!

16/02/2026

I said that this year I’d make more of an effort to share completed work - so here it is. Some recent work I completed for The Big Burly Chef, where I handled both the pre-production and post-production.

Huge thanks to Jono Skinner Weddings for heading out and shooting the footage for me. Anyone who knows Jono knows he shoots a lot of footage, but I genuinely enjoyed digging through the hours of material and bringing it all together in the edit.

22/01/2026

This year I want to try and post here a little more often and share more of my finished work. With that in mind, here’s a completed video I put together for Matusadona National Park - hard to believe this was done an entire year ago now! Enjoy and thanks Matusadona for the opportunity. African Wildlife Management and Conservation

08/01/2026

If you’ve never watched our documentary on the return of rhino to Gonarezhou, it’s available on YouTube. Hard to believe it was made almost five years ago - time really does fly.

I rewatched it last night and, with a bit of distance now, I’m proud of what we achieved. It wasn’t an easy film to bring together, a lot was stacked against us and it took real persistence to see it through to the end.

We hope you enjoy it. It’s an achievement for us, and one we’re grateful made it across the finish line.

This is the story of the rise, fall and return of black rhino to the wilds of Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe. Gonarezhou National Park has twice lost i...

31/12/2025

End of Year Review 2025

This year has been a different one, in more ways than we could have predicted. We began 2025 based in Christon Bank, with Jo flicking in and out of Matusadona every few weeks for her work with African Parks. The rhythm of packing and unpacking, shifting between house and tent, and the long, often unforgiving drives on the Kariba road took their toll. Still, our time in Christon Bank was a gift. There is a wonderful sense of community out there - art classes, fitness sessions, people showing up for one another. The only other time I can remember living in such a tight-knit place was when I was a kid growing up in Karoi. By the end of the year we had found ourselves back in Harare, but more on that later.

March threw us a curveball when Jo came down with septicaemia. A few worrying nights in hospital followed, but thankfully things stabilised and she made a full recovery. It was a sobering reminder to slow down, pay attention, and be grateful for good doctors and good timing.

In April, I travelled to Lesotho for the first time. The opportunity came about thanks to a friend in Cape Town who had been commissioned to do work for the UN but couldn’t commit, and very generously trusted the assignment to Bad Rabbit Studio instead. I took it on with gratitude, and loved every minute of the experience. April also brought a trip to Matusadona with Jo’s family - one of the perks of her job that never gets old.

This year also gave me the chance to try something completely new. If you read last years’ posts, you’ll know that Jo and I ran the African Parks Ultra-Trail in Iona National Park, Angola. Through that experience, and getting to know the African Parks management team, I was offered the opportunity to step into the role of Race Director for the 2025 African Parks Ultra-Trail, this time in Liuwa Plain, Zambia. I didn’t hesitate. In May I flew up to Liuwa to start reccing routes and planning what would become a September event.

June and July were spent mostly in and around Harare, filling my days with a mix of activities - learning to sew, bass fishing at Masvikadei, some work and quietly ticking off a long-standing goal. Anyone who knows us knows our reputation for cars that break down in the most remote corners of the country. After nearly a decade of misadventures, Jo and I finally brought ourselves a new Suzuki Jimny in July. To say we were over the moon would be an understatement. We love our little car - and we love that we can jump in and go anywhere without worrying about breaking down!

Naturally, August demanded a proper test run in the Jimny. Jo also desperately needed a break from the relentless demands of her work, so we booked a few days at Pungwe Cottages. Five days of hiking, swimming, long conversations by the fireplace and board games, we felt like ourselves again. It was exactly what we needed.

September marked the culmination of six months of planning and the real test of whether this Race Director thing would work for me. The African Parks Ultra-Trail in Liuwa Plain brought together African Parks staff and rangers from across the continent to run (and suffer) through 100km of trail in one of Africa’s most extraordinary landscapes. It was brutally hard, but it worked. Everything ran smoothly, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. I’m grateful to African Parks for the opportunity, and who knows there may be more organising runs in the future for me.

At the beginning of this wrap-up, I mentioned our move back to Harare. In December we did just that, as Jo is pregnant and we’re preparing for some big changes in 2026. We first suspected something was different while in Liuwa, and Jo made the sensible decision not to run the 100km. When we returned to Harare and she took a test, those suspicions were confirmed! The future suddenly feels very close, very real, and incredibly exciting.

As always, thank you for your continued support and for being part of this journey with us. We’re grateful, a little tired, and very hopeful. Here’s to what 2026 has in store!

Sending our best wishes to you all.

09/09/2025

This past weekend I had the awesome opportunity to try my hand at something new.

A year ago, Jo and I travelled to Iona National Park in Angola to take part in the African Parks Ultra Trail. The event is designed for African Parks staff and rangers, and I was lucky enough to join because of Jo’s role with African Parks.

This year, I was given the chance to step into a completely new role: Race Director for the event in Liuwa Plain, Zambia. I grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

To be honest, I’ve been wanting to slow down on filming and photography. After we wrapped the Gonarezhou book and film - a project that took so much energy and heart - I felt fulfilled, but also ready for a new challenge (even if I didn’t yet know what that would be). Directing this race gave me exactly the fresh sense of purpose I’d been craving.

Back in May, I spent a week in Liuwa scouting and marking the course. The past few months have been all about planning, logistics, and pulling the right people together to make it all possible. And this weekend - it came together. The Liuwa Plain Ultra Trail was a success!

As for the future? Honestly, I don’t have a five-year plan (or even a one-year plan). I just take opportunities as they come, give my best, and try to have a positive influence on the people around me. The rest, I let unfold.

A huge thank you to African Parks for trusting me with this opportunity - it was both a privilege and a joy. And to everyone who finished the course over the two days: as Big Shaq says, “I am the sauce, not ketchup, real sauce.” You proved that you’re the sauce!

25/08/2025

After a long, hard slog to submit a proposal that was months in the making, with late nights at the key board and with what sleep was had stalked by terrors of missed deadlines and missing documents, Buck took matters into his own hands and booked for the two of us into to the Pungwe Drift Cottages in Nyanga National Park over the Hero’s and Defence Forces long-weekend.

Four nights. The flicker of hurricane lamps for light, the spit and pop of fire for warmth and comfort in the 1950’s built cottage, the deliciousness of standing under the stream of the piping-hot donkey-geyser heated shower after a swim in the cold, fresh, incredibly clear waters of the Pungwe. Days spent walking the winding path that follows the Pungwe’s deep, deep blue pools and bubbling crystalline waterfalls. Swims. Lots of breath-stopping, head-clearing swims. Sometimes in pools whose bottoms our toes could just touch, sometimes in bodies so deep and electric blue the momentarily, completely logical fear of teethed eels, gnashing, grasping mermaids and nameless, formless serpentine threats are very, very real - and very, very invigorating. A perfect, clear day interspersed either side with shadowed days of racing clouds, sweeps of cold wind chased by the temporary glorious warmth of sunshine on goose-bumped bare skin. Sunbrids, swallows, swifts, a giant kingfisher, francolins, eagles and kites. A pair of ducks, always just ahead of us, never quite close enough to identify. Two male bushbucks with lifted, fluffed-white tails bounding into the cover of invasives on the far bank; a female bushbuck, surprised that we had come, tenderly stepping into the cover of tall, honey-coloured clumps of grass. The silhouette of an adult duiker and her calf, companionably stopping for mouthfuls of this and mouthfuls of that during their slow journey upwards from the river to the slopes’ peak. High mountain air. Warm beds. Tired muscles. Hot drinks. No signal, no wifi; only the hum of a solar and inverter-powered fridge to remind you of which millennia we are alive in. Restorative, healing perfection.

1 year, 10 months and 3 weeks into the world of the formally and corporately employed, I can now fully attest to the joy and necessity of the public holiday. I can also fully attest to the beauty of that corner of the Nyanga National Park, it’s wild and wilding wide open spaces and clear, clean waters, with just the rangers at the gate and the cheerful, efficient James to stoke the boiler and keep the cottage orderly and neat. Just what the doctor ordered. Thank you Buck.

Bring on the December holidays.

14/04/2025

I've just returned from a week in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, where I had the privilege of documenting the transformative work that IFAD is doing with local sheep farmers.

For six days, I traveled across rugged highlands and remote villages, capturing the stories of resilience, innovation, and hope that are woven - quite literally - into the fabric of Lesotho’s wool industry. I met farmers who wake before dawn and walk for miles in freezing conditions to care for their flocks. People who face limited infrastructure and market access issues with unwavering determination and quiet strength. It was humbling, and it reminded me of the power of storytelling to bridge worlds and amplify voices that too often go unheard.

I'm incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to help capture these stories - stories of endurance, ingenuity, and community - with a wider audience.

📷: Gaelle Legroux, Linda Odhiambo and Barry Christianson

30/01/2025

I have just wrapped up filming an elephant collaring operation in Matusadona National Park - my first project of 2025. I was documenting the work Matusadona is doing to gather data that will be instrumental in making conservation decisions for the Park and surrounding areas in the years to come. While the final video won't be ready until March (we've still got two more elephants to collar in March), I can't wait to show you the conservation work happening here. Speaking of Matusadona, if you're planning a trip to a National Park, this Park is worth your time. The newly renovated cottages at Tashinga offer fantastic comfort without breaking the bank - think the comforts of home while still feeling connected to the wilderness. It's the perfect base to enjoy spending time in the bush. Next up is back to Harare to eat some fresh veg!

11/01/2025

Jo and I hit the reset button after a pretty crazy year with a 3-week Christmas getaway to Cape Town. The Mother City worked its magic on us with its natural beauty - we spent our days jumping into the ocean for morning swims, hiking Table Mountain's trails, and pushing ourselves at City Rock. And of course, Cape Town's food scene lived up to the hype.

But as amazing as Cape Town was, coming back to Harare felt just right - there's really no place like home. As we kick off 2025, Jo and I kept up our tradition of picking words to guide us through the year. I chose "presence" - something I want to focus on during what's shaping up to be a different kind of year. With no ultra-marathons or big expeditions planned, I'm feeling drawn to just being fully in the moment. There's this feeling that change is coming, but instead of racing toward it, I'm learning to be patient and mindful.

Being back in Zimbabwe has got us fired up about the work ahead. Jo's growing in her role at Matusadona National Park, diving deep into important conservation projects. As for me, I'm working on some exciting projects that have me really pumped about what's coming up. I'll keep you posted as things develop - thanks as always for being part of this journey.

Here's to 2025 - hoping it brings lots of discoveries, meaningful conservation work, and wins we can celebrate together. Wishing you a year filled with just as much fulfilment and joy.

06/12/2024

It has been a while and an update is due.

Life has been a whirlwind of adventures and milestones since my last update here. The past few months have been a blend of professional commitments and personal celebrations that have taken me across some of southern Africa's most amazing landscapes.

My work over the last few months has led me through Zimbabwe and South Africa. I've traveled quite extensively, capturing the wild beauty of Hwange National Park, exploring the thundering majesty of Victoria Falls, documenting pangolins in the rugged landscapes of Matusadona, and discovering the historical richness of Matobo National Park. Each destination offered its own unique experiences - this country is remarkable! One particularly memorable day was spent filming in Mbare, a chaotic but vibrant suburb of Harare, for the Oxford University.

Amidst our work schedule and travels, we've still found time to enjoy trail runs in the hills around our home base just outside of Harare. A highlight has been visiting Mazoe Dam for open water swims. Despite all the assurances that there will not be a croc lumbering up from the deep, it is equal parts terrifying and rejuvenating. In other news, Jo and I reached a personal milestone. After 15 years of ‘dating’, we decided to formalise our commitment with a celebration under some trees and a whole bunch of family and friends. Our wedding was a joyful, relaxed lunch that celebrated not just our union, but the journey we've shared together - and a really great day out!

While these experiences have been incredibly rewarding, they've also been physically and mentally demanding. The constant travel and creative work have left me feeling a little exhausted, with a substantial backlog of editing awaiting my attention. However, the promise of respite is on the horizon so onwards I go! Later this month, Jo and I will pack our bags for Cape Town—a destination that never fails to fill us up in all the best ways. Our holiday plans are simple: sunrise ocean swims, challenging rock climbing sessions, trail runs through the Table Mountain National Park, and, of course, a proper good meal or two.

Thanks for reading and for supporting Bad Rabbit Studio through another year, it is very much appreciated. Have a fantastic festive season. Cape Town, here we come!

20/09/2024

It’s hard to put into words what it felt like to run 100km through the vast, unforgiving desert of Iona National Park this past weekend. Now that it’s behind me, I realise that some things can only be fully understood by living through them—sorry everyone, but no words, especially mine, can truly capture it. That said, I’ll still try to share a few thoughts, even though I know I’m only scratching the surface. This is one of those moments where I really wish Jo still worked at Bad Rabbit—her words could have done this experience the justice it deserves.

First and foremost, I am deeply grateful to African Parks for giving me the chance to be part of something so unique and life-changing. It was more than just a race; it was a rare privilege, and it’s something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. Thank you!

A little background: African Parks hosts an annual run in one of the parks they manage. Rangers from each of the 22 parks across Africa that fall under their care take part in the event, with two representatives from each park. The run is also open to African Parks staff who want to push their own boundaries and join the adventure. I was fortunate enough to be invited this year, thanks to Jo’s role with African Parks, and of course, I jumped at the chance.

Running 100km through the desert is exactly as brutal as it sounds. The heat, the endless stretches of sand that make each step feel like a battle, the aching muscles, and the mental endurance required to keep going when every part of you is screaming to stop—it’s a trial. You will suffer, that’s a guarantee. It pushes you to your absolute limits, physically and mentally. So why would anyone sign up for this kind of suffering?

After the race, someone asked me why I would do this, and why I’d spend time and money on something that didn’t sound fun at all. My answer came without hesitation: I work and make money so I can do things like this. For me, that’s 100% true. These experiences are what keep me going. They’re what I want to spend my time, energy, and resources on. The thrill of pushing my limits, of seeing how far I can go, is what drives me. If working and earning didn’t allow me to pursue these kinds of challenges, I wouldn’t bother with either. I’d probably just be wandering around looking for the next meal.

In many ways, running through that desert stripped everything down to the basics. It wasn’t about pace or position, but about grit—just putting one foot in front of the other and not giving up, no matter how tough things got. There’s something pure in that struggle, something that strips away the noise of everyday life and reveals what really matters. Finishing that race felt like unlocking a part of myself I didn’t know was there—a part that could withstand more, endure more, and feel deeper gratitude for simply being able to take the next step.

In summary, being surrounded by Rangers and African Parks staff was incredibly inspiring. Completing the run, pushing through all the pain and difficulties—it was inspiring. Watching others help fellow runners and overcome their own doubts and struggles was equally inspiring. The entire experience was just so inspiring. I’m not sure what else to say, other than that I feel deeply inspired and profoundly grateful.

I apologise if I haven’t captured the experience as well as I’d like—writing isn’t my strong suit—but I hope the images below from the weekend give you a sense of just how incredible it was. In some small way, I hope that someone reading this will feel inspired to pursue their own enormous challenge. I hope they take the plunge, push through the doubts and difficulties, and discover that they’re capable of far more than they ever imagined. I wholeheartedly believe that doing this has made me a better person—not just in terms of strength or endurance, but in how I approach life. It’s made me more appreciative of what I have and what I’m capable of, and I know that anyone else who takes on something similar would experience the same.

It feels like this is more than just a personal achievement—it’s a message I’m meant to pass on. A reminder that, at the end of the day, it’s the challenges we embrace that shape us into who we’re meant to be. If this message can inspire even one person to take on something they’ve been afraid to pursue, then maybe, in some small way, we can make the world a better place—one person, one step, at a time.