# "Shelldwellers" - The sequel to "Battle of the Shells"



## Ardeus (Oct 17, 2005)

Yup, it's coming 

But this time, it's going to filmed even more intensively than the previous series... *in LAKE TANGANYIKA!*

Once again, it will be focused on Multies, but they will be only 1/3 of the story this time.

The 2nd third will be the other species that share their habitat and the last will be the people that live on the shores of the lake.

The objective is to see how a colony of multies deals with their problems in the wild and how the other species around them (fish and people) deal with the same problems.

The last episode will be dedicated to the conservation of Lake Tanganyika.

I will be flying there by the end of October and will be filming from dawn till dusk, all the time, with several cameras, every day at least until Christmas.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Wow, really looking forward to the new project!!!! Good luck on the filming and hope everything goes extremely well on your trip.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Good luck with the new project, I'm looking forward to it.
For those interested, here's a link to the 'Battle of The Shells' documentary.


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## Ardeus (Oct 17, 2005)

Thanks a lot for the encouragement. I hope everything goes without too many bumps, because I'm going by myself loaded with all kinds of equipment.

Yesterday I stared at my computer screen for at least 15 minutes, just looking at the button "CONFIRM", to make the payment for the flight. I felt as nervous as if I was disarming a bomb. Then I clicked the button and I thought "there's still a chance the website will give an error...". Nope. I'm going.

It will take 4 or 5 days to arrive there.


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## bwestgsx06 (Sep 21, 2011)

wow - awesome! Can't wait to see this!


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## Ardeus (Oct 17, 2005)

Thanks. I will try to upload videos from the moment I get there.


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## Shaky (Jan 2, 2003)

That's an amazing challenge, and should produce high-value film. I wish you all the best, and we all look forward to seeing it. Oh, the things you will learn!


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## Ardeus (Oct 17, 2005)

Thanks! There are many things that are still falling into place.

Yes, I will be producing somthing like a 3 hours series, but I will have maybe 2000-3000 hours of footage.

I think that this method of leaving the cameras for endless hours filming just a few fish from different angles is the best way to learn more about them, while allowing a more cinematic experience. And they are not disturbed by human presence.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

Looking forward to the sequel. Enjoy your trip.


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## Gags (Mar 23, 2012)

Ardeus thats awesome....
Loved your "Battle of the Shells" series 
Best of luck 
Did you try contacting local exporter...?
If not try too contact them has it save your time
Plus be safe there has lately alot of theft going around with foreigners.[This not discourage you.Just be careful ]


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## Ardeus (Oct 17, 2005)

Thanks Cichlid-gal, this is definately one of those cases where the journey is more important than the goal 

Gags: I think I was very lucky when I was looking for the place to stay. The owner of the lodge is also CEO of a ngo that focus on the conservation of Lake Tanganyika and there are colonies of multies nearby. That area (Ndole bay) is also renowned for having a large concentration of species.

I was already very concerned about safety, because I'm travelling alone with lots of equipment for quite some time. I will leave Portugal on 30th October and I expect to arrive there on 3rd November. This means I will be very sleepy throughout the whole trip. Not good.


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## Gags (Mar 23, 2012)

Looking forward to your trip ardeus 
Best of luck 
PM me ur email id


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## Ardeus (Oct 17, 2005)

Thanks. But I'm not sure I will be allowed to post updates here.


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## LouIE82 (Nov 6, 2012)

I'm not sure what to say about your films that hasn't already been said, incredibly entertaining to watch. The music fit the emotions through out the films, Pemba's views on her world and comparisons to "The Great Lake" were very insightful and brilliantly written. I found myself enjoying episode five the most, especially the dialogue and events around leaping out of the water and coming back from the outside. Episode four was great too, Kiku's eagerness to earn acceptance reminded me of my hopes for so many newly introduced fish I've had who were bullied to the top or a lonely corner. Watching the fish spit sand and trash at each others homes was humorous time after time, I enjoy watching my ocellatus do the same.

Now I'm watching the youngest girl in my ocellatus tank and wondering what she's thinking... and what her voice sounds like. :wink: 
You are very talented, I look forward to seeing more of your work just like everybody else here.


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## Gags (Mar 23, 2012)

Why do think that you allowed to post updates...?


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## Ardeus (Oct 17, 2005)

LouIE82: Thanks a lot! I don't think many people see it the way you do, I know very well that most people don't like the films and they would prefer a more serious approach. A true documentary about them remains to be done. And it won't happen with this series too.

Africa wraps you in such a powerful energy, that although I have everything as planned as I can, I know in advance that everything's going to be turned inside out.

About the first series, I spent so many hours looking at that fish and then even more time looking at the film from different angles that when I started write, it was no longer me writing. I felt like I was taking a dictation from her. It sounds mad, but that's how it feels. It was written very very quickly with no doubts about what should be said. The same with the music. I was so involved witht the story, that it made the composition really effortless.

Gags: There are rules in most forums that would consider this self-promotion and I respect that.

If this new series is something that I can possibly sell to a tv channel or in any other way make money, I think it may infringe the rules of this and most other forums. But I understand the reasons for these rules.


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## Ardeus (Oct 17, 2005)

I am still filming at Ndole Bay, and almost all essencial filming has been done.

Until now I have around 400 hours of footage.

Here are a few clips


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## Gags (Mar 23, 2012)

Awesome
Best of luck :thumb:


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## Darkskies (Mar 17, 2012)

Awesome videos! You're so lucky to be able to go to Lake Tanganyika and produce all this video footage. Must be quite the adventure! You also have a superb taste in the music accompanying your videos. I, especially love the last one where you're snorkeling. When will you be coming back to be able to post the videos? Also, have you been keeping a journal of your days in Africa?


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## Ardeus (Oct 17, 2005)

Thanks gags 

Darkskies, I am making three films (multies, other species and humans) and intertwinning them into one. I have only worked on the editing of one of them (multies), because I need to have the narration recorded before I leave.

When I get home I will go through all the video I captured and catalogue it, so I can build the second film. During this time I will be uploading small videos. I filmed seven different habitats, some of which I never heard about.

I bought a journal, but I haven't used it as a journal. Instead it will be a prop of the film. I normally don't have any free time here, my time is mostly spent editing video and in the water.

Considering that I brought lots of equipment and how bad things could have gone, I have been very lucky. The piece of equipment the fails more often is me 

Some days, like today, I'm juggling 5 cameras underwater and leaks are very common.

Writing for the multies was very difficult at the beginning, because I had a preconceived idea that wasn't working. I fought a bit against the character that was emerging, but finally I accepted him, and from that moment on, writing his narration became easy and fun. Lots of humour on this series 

Some of the music for the films will be recorded here.


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