Tracking the worlds fastest land animal, the cheetah, and telling a story at the same time is no simple feat.

In “Cheetahs-Up Close”, the story is told of a mother cheetah and her 2 cubs.

Two baby cheetahs cuddle close to their mother. (credit: National Geographic/Tom Walker)

At its essence it’s the story of survival. Another insightful doc about the animal kingdom from Nat Geo. Premiering on 1/1/206 on that channel, then streaming on Disney + and Hulu the following day.

This is not scripted. This is not pre-planned. Storytelling is shaped in the field rather than pre-scripted. While DP Tom Walker and director Bertie Gregory begin with a narrative wish list, they allow real behavior to dictate the story—tracking male coalitions, females with cubs at different stages, and the changing tactics that come with survival.

The goal for the mother is to get the cubs fed, and that entails separating singular prey from their herds.

A cheetah catches up with a wildebeest during a hunt in a heavy rainstorm. (credit: National Geographic/Tom Walker)

Walker primarily handles long-lens ground footage, while Gregory captures aerial perspectives via drone, with constant communication but independent execution.

“You go in with a plan, but the animals always write the story.” Tom Walker

The footage you’ll see happens organically and thanks to the expertise of DP Tom Walker, tracking these animals is smooth and seamless. Imagine going over a landmass, with a stabilization rig attached to your vehicle and your head buried into a viewfinder with camera controls located on a control board where it’s almost an intuitive feel.

Denis Mollel and Tom Walker sit in a safari jeep looking at wildlife through binoculars (credit: National Geographic/Tom Walker)

“Every cheetah chase you see is done in-camera — no post stabilization at all.” T. Walker

Central to the success of the footage is Walker’s longtime collaboration with expert driver-guide Denis, whose ability to read terrain and animal behavior allows the camera and vehicle to move in perfect sync. He was giving large props to Denis in our chat.

That quote alone speaks to Tom’s over 10 years of experience. In addition, there are some magic hour light shots of the cheetahs that present portraits you probably haven’t seen before.

Two cheetahs cuddle together in the grass. (credit: National Geographic/Tom Walker)

“I’ve been filming the same cheetahs for over ten years; you start to understand them individually.”

Using a 5-axis GSS gimbal mounted to a vehicle, paired with a RED Raptor Super 35 camera and a Canon 50–1000mm lens with a 1.5x extender, Walker achieves ultra-smooth tracking shots while maintaining critical distance to avoid influencing animal behavior or prey.

Another piece of gear used, was the spinner designed to keep rain off the lens, as it does have a tendency to rain that time of year. Lens was clean even after downpours.

Water pouring onto a GSS camera with a rain spinner attachment to show how it works. (credit: National Geographic/Jigar Ganatra)

Bertie Gregory came up with a plan to put a silicon glue into any of the entry points on the drone to be able to shoot in the same rain. It worked!

A Mavic drone sealed with glue to improve waterproofing. (credit: National Geographic/Jigar Ganatra)

Ethical considerations are paramount. Walker emphasizes that neither vehicle positioning, nor drone use is allowed to affect predator-prey interactions. Long lenses, careful distancing, and experienced judgment ensure the animals remain unaware and undisturbed. The edit reflects this restraint, conveying the reality of predation without graphic imagery.

Bertie Gregory looks at wildlife over his RED camera viewfinder. (credit: National Geographic/Bertie Gregory)

Filmed over approximately four weeks during peak migration season (January–February), the production operated from remote tent camps deep in the Serengeti. Walker captured roughly 1TB of footage per day, supported by a fully self-sufficient power system—vehicle-mounted batteries, solar panels, and an upgraded alternator—allowing the camera to run up to 15 hours daily without external charging.

 I have been to the Serengeti and have seen the results of the natural hunts of the animals.

Three cheetahs eat a kill whilst being watched by a lioness. (credit: National Geographic/Tom Walker)

I was glad to see that although hinted at, and briefly shown, the high grass hides most of the gory details. In the shot above the rack focus brings the attention to the observer, the lioness, who was ready to jump in and claim the kill.

It’s just nature.

A fluffy cheetah profile. (credit: National Geographic/Tom Walker)