What is the focus of your work at Mind the Bump Productions? What is your ethos? And what are you hoping to achieve with your work?

Basti: “Well, where do we start? Vicky and I met traveling along the Balkan route in 2015. We were both working on projects about migration. Our shared passion for ethical, visual storytelling, and our interest in social issues and sustainability is what connected us, from the minute we met. We set up Mind The Bump Productions in 2016, and Vicky and I deliberately made sure sustainability, social issues and environmental protection were at the core of our projects. We believe that providing a different take on media communications and the conversations this engenders can lead to a more open-minded and empathic world. And we try to enrich this discourse with our visual projects.”



How did you go about finding the right camera backpack for the varied challenges you face with your work?

Vicky: “We already had a few projects under our belt, but in March 2021, when we were commissioned to make a new documentary film about sea turtle conservation in the Mediterranean, we were overjoyed. We had already worked on some wildlife conservation projects, but this was going to be the first one that covered such a wide geographical area and over a much longer timespan. From underwater shots to aerials of remote nesting sites, and to the natural world of the Tunisian Sahara, we had to capture a very wide range of narrative elements. With each trip, we faced different requirements for our equipment and a high degree of flexibility was required. And yet we had to keep the sheer size of our luggage down and more manageable – and on top of that cope with an ongoing pandemic. With this new project ahead of us, the idea of a collaboration with deuter materialized. We presented our plans to them and the deuter team felt that the Jaypack 34+ was a perfect fit: Its adaptable layout, option to expand the volume and multiple attachment options on the outside gave it the flexibility we needed. And of course, the carry comfort over long distances and durable, high-quality production is outstanding too.”



Sand and saltwater are both pretty terminal for camera equipment. How did you cope?

Vicky: “Our shoot started in Albania, in the Gulf of Drin, interviewing fishermen and scientists out at sea and on land. Saltwater and sand, as much as we love them, are natural enemies of intricate film and photography equipment. It’s so important to prevent the equipment from coming into contact with either of these – as much as possible, at least. It was a challenge we faced repeatedly throughout the course of filming. Hardly surprising, seeing as it was a project about sea turtle conservation, I guess. But the situation was made a lot easier for us by the Jaypack's TPU base. It remained upright at all times, and we could simply dust the sand off by hand. Having secondary access to equipment directly through the lid was also helpful, because it meant it could be retrieved away from the sandy ground, without laying the pack down. We kept appreciating that feature throughout the testing period.”



What do you think of the size and internals of the Jaypack 34+?

Basti: “Well, at the next stop on our journey, the Greek island of Zakynthos, which is the largest nesting site for loggerhead sea turtles in the entire Mediterranean, we spent a few weeks doing landscape and underwater photography. We’d been to the location before, so we knew what to expect. The main benefit of the Jaypack here, was the depth of the backpack. Underwater camera housings in particular are not easy to fit into camera backpacks because they are bulky. In the past, we’ve had to have a separate bag just for these. But the Jaypack easily had space for all our basic underwater equipment.”

                                                                   

Professional camera equipment isn’t light. What did you think of the carry comfort the deuter camera backpack offered?

Vicky: “We went to the Nestos Delta in Greece, a pristine environment of remarkable beauty and a stopping place for many migratory bird species. We were there to document the changes in climate and their effect on the marine and coastal ecosystems. We had to cover longer distances on foot, as some areas were closed to vehicles. The back system distributes the weight so well that we hardly felt any pressure on our backs.”



Basti: “We also took the Jaypack 34+ with us on one of the highlights of our journey – Mount Olympus. Walking amongst the gods! The energy of that place is beyond words. Shrouded in myths and legends, it has a special place in our hearts. The Jaypack carry system really showed its character there. We covered around 1,700 vertical meters of ascent. Regardless of how much we sweated, it was remarkable for us how well the Jaypack fitted, how well it could be adjusted to our body and how useful the attachment points were. Here, we also made full use of the adaptable internals to fit our cameras, lenses, clothes, first aid kit, socks, personal hygiene items, chargers, batteries, power banks and Vicky’s life-saving snacks.”

A camera backpack needs to be multipurpose and adaptable to the situation you’re in. Are you happy with this one?

Vicky: “Five days later, we reached amazing Dalyan in Turkey – the first marine protected area in Turkey. We were there with a scientific team to film the ritual which takes place every night, as sea turtles come to lay their eggs. Since turtles lay their eggs almost exclusively at night and bright lights disturb the process, there are planning limitations here. Armed with a dim red flashlight, we walked up and down the 4.5 km stretch of beach, as silently as possible. On these nights, the Jaypack really excelled. With multiple little video lights, tripods and cameras to shoot several shots in the shortest possible time, we weren’t exactly packing light. Two things really stood out here: the expansion of the main compartment by 4 liters through a zipper at the top of the Jaypack which created space for additional equipment (in our case a gimbal) and, at the risk of repeating myself, the incredible adaptability and comfort of the Alpine back system. Of course, it was still tiring, but we soon recovered, and the fact that it fit so well made our presence there as silent and discreet as it needed to be.”



A professional camera backpack is actually a tool for work. Heavy loads, weather conditions and constant use wear out the materials and components. What did your Jaypacks look like after the trip?

Basti: “Looking back on the experience from the comfort of our home in Munich, we feel so grateful for the work we do and the experiences we’ve had. The two Jaypacks accompanied us on our projects for more than seven months. Despite the best laid plans, we have to admit that we really put them through the wringer: saltwater, sand, extreme heat, high humidity, dust, constantly moving about. And yet you can hardly see any signs of wear. The critical wear points, zips and seams are all intact. There are no stains that can’t be removed with a damp sponge. So, yes, they passed the test with flying colors.”

What’s the final opinion about the Jaypack 34+ camera backpack then?

Vicky: “Being able to adapt the Jaypack to our different needs has prompted us to refer to it as our new crew member. It’s reliable, flexible – more than deserving of the title. Orson Welles said: “it takes an army to make a film”. And with a team member of this caliber, we’re winning. So welcome to the Mind the Bump team, Jaypack 34+!”