Ben Masters

Consistently stunning documentaries transport viewers to far-flung locations ranging from the torrid African plains to the chilly splendours of icy Antarctica. The show's primary focus is on animals and ecosystems around the world. A comic book based on the show, meant to be used an as educational tool for kids, was briefly distributed to museums and schools at no cost in the mid-2000s.

Directed by award winning filmmaker Ben Masters, Deep in the Heart is a visually stunning celebration of Texas’ diverse landscapes and remarkable wildlife found nowhere else. Told through the eyes of wildlife species ranging from the mysterious blind catfish to the elusive mountain lion, the film follows our ever-changing relationship with the natural world and how we affect it. Narrated by beloved Texan, Matthew McConaughey, the film aims to safeguard our remaining wild places and to recognize the importance of Texas’ conservation on a continental scale.

Documentary about four friends on a 3,000 mile journey across the American West on horseback.

The American Southwest is a feature length blue chip natural history film narrated by indigenous environmentalist Quannah Chasinghorse. The movie journeys down the mighty Colorado River, examining the astonishing beauty and biodiversity of the region, while confronting the environmental destruction from dams and the perilous fate of the river. The story is told through never-before-seen wildlife sequences such as beavers building wetlands, condors recovering from the brink, and the potential return of Jaguars to American soil. The film beautifully advocates for better management of the river and increased wildlife conservation efforts in the iconic landscapes of The American Southwest.

Five friends embark on a 1,200 mile journey along the US-Mexico border from El Paso to the Gulf of Mexico to learn first hand what effect a border wall will have on the natural landscape and the wild animals roaming the land.

On July 4th, 2025, catastrophic flash flooding swept through the Texas Hill Country. The river rose more than 37 feet in a matter of hours, and entire communities along its banks were forever changed. In the days that followed, an extraordinary response unfolded. Search and rescue teams, volunteers, and organizations from across the state and the nation converged on the Guadalupe. As the land and river begin to recover, so too do the people who call it home.

Borderlands Jaguar is a thrilling documentary following photographers Austin Alvarado and Ben Masters on a quest to document the elusive species and show the importance of conserving wildlife corridors along the US-Mexico border.

Lead it Go follows hunter and conservationist Chris Parish’s mission to prevent lead poisoning in wildlife For more than two decades, Chris has channeled his efforts into recovering raptors and researching reasons for their decline. Through research conducted with The Peregrine Fund, Chris helped discover that lead fragments from bullets in remains of shot animals left afield are often accidentally eaten by eagles, condors, and other scavengers. As a lifelong hunter who’s proud of the role that hunters have played in conservation, Chris is spearheading a partnership that works with hunters to voluntarily remove lead from the food chain. His efforts have shown hunters' willingness to participate at the local level, and he is now attempting to spread this message to the broader hunting community. Told through a deer hunt with friend Ben Masters, the film aims to showcase hunters taking the lead on an important issue, thus continuing the hunter’s tradition of conservation.

Batsies examines two women’s tender relationship with an animal that’s feared and loathed: the bat. We follow the journey of Dr. Weaver and Dr. Fritts as they conduct cutting-edge research throughout rural Texas, where wind turbines pose a new threat to bat populations. Bats save billions of dollars in agriculture costs by consuming insects that feed on crops. But the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in deepened public stigma toward these winged mammals. Through their research efforts, quirky friendship and shared bat obsession, Batsies is a fresh take on saving a creature that’s considered the ultimate outcast.

After all native desert bighorn sheep were eliminated from Texas by the 1960s, conservationists began the long fight for their return. Now, after many years of hard work and trial and error, healthy populations roam parts of the state. Return of the Desert Bighorn follows wildlife biologists as they capture, collar, and relocate desert bighorn to restore populations in West Texas.

With fewer than 120 known ocelots remaining in the United States, the stakes are high for their survival. Dive deep into South Texas to meet one of America’s most endangered cats in nature: the American ocelot. Wildlife filmmaker Ben Masters chronicles the sad history, precarious present, and optimistic future for one of the country’s most endangered wild cats.

With narration by Shane Smith and original music native Texans by Shane Smith & the Saints, A Century Celebration: Texas State Parks encourages all Texans to get out and enjoy the diverse and stunning parks of the great Lone Star State. When Texans support Texas State Parks, they help keep the natural beauty of Texas thriving for many, many years to come.