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Chimps Are Our Closest Living Animal Relative And For That Fact Alone They Deserve To Be Celebrated
By Pupfish Publishing
16th February 2024
New Book Coming Soon: The Book of Being Chimp by Wildlife Film-maker Adrian Cale with a foreword by Dr Jane Goodall
Inspired by a fascination for chimps ever since he could use his own opposable thumbs, this is Adrian Cale’s warm and witty look at the wonderful but challenging world of simply being a chimpanzee.
The Book of Being Chimp is an entertaining celebration of the chimpanzee. Written with fact-filled, often witty reverence and featuring 100 of the author’s beautiful photographs, it is a fun and informative step-by-step guide to chimpanzee life. The captivating pictures are accompanied by a simple, humorous, and engaging text which tells you all about the contrasting lives of chimps in the wild and those being rehabilitated at rescue centres.
The book is presented across 40 beautifully designed spreads. Each spread starts with the word 'being' as part of a sequential guide to the various stages, characteristics, behaviour, quirks and challenges of chimp life. From being a mum, being a community and being clever, to being bottle-fed, being ticklish and being encouraged etc, this charming and touching book will leave you brimming with knowledge and rooting for chimps everywhere.
"Emotive, informative, inspirational and enchanting, with stunning photographs and clear writing throughout… If chimps themselves could read, this might well be their own how-to-grow-up guide." - Dr Jane Goodall, DBE - Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace
"This warm, witty and beautiful book encourages everyone to see how much we share with chimps – and their right to share the planet with us too." - Patrick Barkham - Bestselling natural history author.
"A beautiful book with stunning photographs, this is a wonderfully humorous, informative and personal story all about chimps. Quite simply, a great read for all the family.” - Iolo Williams - BBC Willdife Tv Presenter (Springwatch, Winterwatch)
"Just when you think chimpanzees can't be any more fascinating! This beautiful book shares new insights into the lives of our closest cousins. Written in a funny and engaging way, you are left feeling empowered to conserve them and their wild environment." Megan McCubbin - BBC Wildlife TV Presenter & Zoologist (Animal Park, Springwatch)
Publisher: Pupfish Publishing
Distributed by CBL Distribution.
RRP £19.99
About the Author
Adrian Cale is an award-winning wildlife filmmaker, writer and naturalist who has made acclaimed TV documentaries for broadcasters including BBC, National Geographic, Animal Planet and Sky. Many are also shown on well-known streaming services.
Adrian has contributed work towards ape conservation for the Jane Goodall Institute, Ape Alliance, and International Animal Rescue.
He is a Fellow at the Zoological Society of London, and one of the Presidents of the Young Peoples Trust for the Environment (YPTE).
Publication date: Tuesday 5th March 2024 Available from all good bookshops!
Earning the trust of a 40-stone silverback gorilla
When a wildlife cameraman was invited to film the gradual exposure of a gorilla family to humans, deep in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, he got a little too close for comfort to the group's alpha male.
Suddenly, the giant silverback - known as Mpungwe - charged at him with a shriek.
But, despite being terrified, Vianet Djenguet knew the almost 40-stone (254kg) primate didn't want to hurt him. It was a test.
Anyone attempting to earn Mpungwe's trust and become a friend needed to show respect.
"That charge is a way of saying, 'Look I've got a family here, so back off'," says Djenguet. "But if you stand your ground, it stops him moving forward."
The gorilla reached out and grabbed Djenguet's foot.
"I could feel the power of his hand," says the cameraman. "I was quick enough to pull my foot back and then I completely froze."
After he had charged, Mpungwe slid backwards down the hilly terrain and disappeared into the dense foliage.
On a three-month mission to help save the Congo’s eastern lowland gorillas from extinction, cameraman Vianet Djenguet comes face to face with Kahuzi-Biega’s largest wild silverback.
The Veganuary Podcast - "The Reasons Why" with Chris Packham
The Veganuary Podcast is back!
The way we eat impacts animals, the planet and our health. How could we change our behaviour to better protect the animals and environment we cherish? Who better to discuss this than naturalist, TV presenter and advocate for the environment Chris Packham. Chris talks about his love of nature, his vegan journey, and the impact of our food systems.
Get Earthling Ed's latest book How to Argue With a Meat Eater (And Win Every Time)
“An empowering and deeply informative book" – Moby
Challenge their beliefs; change the world
If you are a vegan, you’ll know all too well how provocative it can be – you never know when you’ll be challenged or how. But being able to face down and rebut arguments against veganism is hugely important. Not just because many of the arguments lack substance, but because every interaction provides a pivotal moment to create change.
How to Argue With a Meat Eater will teach you to not only become a skilled debater, sharing the secrets of renowned vegan educator Ed Winters, but it will arm you with powerful facts and insights that will give pause to even the most devout meat eater.
Providing you with the knowledge to become a better conversationalist and critical thinker, and the motivation to create a more ethical, kind and sustainable world, let this book be your guide and inspiration to know that, no matter what the argument, you can win every time.
"An absolute must-read – it shows how we can communicate incredibly emotive topics with confidence and compassion, and provides the reader with indispensable tools to express themselves clearly and persuasively." — Rich Roll
“Ed Winters builds on his groundbreaking debut book with a follow up that couldn’t be more timely or important. How to Argue With a Meat Eater is an empowering and deeply informative book that will leave readers more enriched and knowledgeable about veganism and how to argue effectively about it. Everyone would benefit from reading this book." — Moby
Choughs flourishing inland as Cornish pastures recover
A protected bird known for sticking to the Cornish coastline has started to move inland in what wildlife experts say is a sign of its "flourishing" recovery.
Cornwall Wildlife Trust said Cornish choughs had been sighted "daily" on its Penwith nature reserves.
It credited the sightings to "pasture restoration and conservation grazing".
"Choughs are beginning to flourish in Cornwall once more," the trust added.
Choughs became completely extinct in Cornwall during the mid-20th century.
As a result of a breeding pair arriving in the Lizard in 2001, the first wild choughs to hatch in more than 50 years in Cornwall did so the following year.
Richard Brock investigates the plight of choughs in his latest Wildlife Winners & Losers film, Chuffed To Be Back?
Cornwall was the last place choughs bred in England, in 1947, before becoming extinct in the country. Now, in an exciting new success story, they've been brought back with a lot of help from their friends. Captive-bred birds from Cornwall are now flying free in Kent, and Jersey in the Channel Isles. And the aim is to expand the populations further afield over time. We follow progress of nesting pairs in Cornwall and see how they get on in this wonderful rescue project in beautiful places.
Member Richard Brock was a producer on the series ... we wonder how much he remembers about it!
Winterwatch 2024 - Meet the presenters and find out more about this season's wildlife stories
Winterwatch is keeping the UK connected to our native wildlife with four nights of live programmes this January on BBC Two and iPlayer
Winter is a season of extremes – from frosty mornings and snowy days to grey days of endless drizzle – it can be a tough time of year for us and our wildlife. With an overarching theme of Resilience and Renewal, Winterwatch will be shining a light on the wildlife and people who battle through this inhospitable season and come out the other side.
BBC Winterwatch is keeping the UK connected to our native wildlife with four nights of live programmes. The series returns to BBC Two from Tuesday 16 January at 8pm for four nights, with nature notes from a raft of the BBC Natural History Unit’s finest wildlife presenters based across the country.
Our weather is often unwelcoming and rarely encouraging but on Winterwatch we’re always determined to bring you the very best of British wildlife and on this series, we’ll be bringing live wildlife from the heart of the UK’s first Super National Nature Reserve - RSPB Arne in Dorset - part of the Purbeck Heaths Super NNR.
The stories of this Winter will be revealed by presenters Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Iolo Williams live from RSPB Arne in Dorset for their first Winterwatch since 2017 whilst Gillian Burke has been at the other end of the UK, the Orkney Isles, to witness the fascinating wildlife that calls the islands home.
The series will also feature wildlife stories that showcase the diversity of our UK habitats and species, stories from passionate people who care for our wildlife and mindfulness moments filmed by the country’s top wildlife camera operators.
In Dorset, Chris, Michaela and Iolo will be exploring a whole host of wildlife, both near to them in the south of England and also stories from further afield in the UK.
Winter is anything but a slow time of year at RSPB Arne. Badgers will still be busying themselves around their setts whilst Arne’s Sika Deer will be recovering from their Autumn rut exertions.
With our carcass cameras, we hope to see the area’s resident pair of White-tailed Eagles and get intimate views of these spectacular birds. A winter feast such as this is unlikely to go unnoticed by other opportunistic scavengers, with Ravens and Foxes very likely to make an appearance too.
We’ll have cameras based on Brownsea Island to check in on its population of Red Squirrels, whilst the surrounding Poole Harbour is an important overwintering site for thousands of wading birds that gather to feed on the invertebrate-rich tidal zones. Hundreds of Avocet form mesmerising monochrome flocks with a diverse supporting cast of other species such as Redshank, Lapwing, Spoonbills, Egrets and Divers. The area is also a hub for raptor species. As well as the eagles, there’s the chance to see Hen Harriers, Short-eared Owls, Goshawks, Marsh Harriers, Peregrines, Merlins and many more!
Lucy Lapwing will also be back in the macro studio showing Michaela Strachan some of the fascinating bugs that battle through the season.
Did you miss us?
Winterwatch returns to your screens 16 January at 8pm on BBC Two We’ll see you there!
#Winterwatch #Winterwatch2024 #winter #nature #wildlife
Get ready for World Wildlife Day with Jackson Wild!
It's time to get ready for World Wildlife Day 2024!
Jackson Wild have teamed up with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) again this year for their World Wildlife Day Showcase, one of the global events that will accompany the UN WWD 2024 celebrations and help illustrate this year’s theme: "Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation."
For this year's showcase, they're going beyond just films. They'd love to see augmented reality projects, mobile apps, games, and any other media or digital projects that you think encompass this year's theme. From highlighting the transformative power of technology in safeguarding our natural world, to utilizing filmmaking technologies to advance scientific understanding and conservation efforts, to projects that integrate the interactive potential of digital media and technology to foster connections with the natural world, we aim to curate a diverse showcase of projects that provide a well-rounded look at the relationship between technology and wildlife conservation.
Films must be 25 minutes or less (not including end credits), and all projects must be available globally at no cost (including virtual streaming or in-person screenings) from March 4, 2024 to December 31, 2024. The priority submission deadline is Monday January 8th, 2024, but we will continue to review projects on a rolling basis after this time. Best of all: this showcase is free to enter!
The first Wildlife Filmmaking Course of its kind: Immersed in nature with Too Wild
By Too Wild
7th February 2024
A nature filmmaking masterclass provided by a team that brings international wildlife stories to the screens of National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD, BBC, WWF, Disney+, WildEarth, and more.
The bush is humming full of life, and if we are agile enough to witness and read it, we can share its story through film. Nature lovers and storytellers can now merge and master these two worlds through Too Wild.
Meet South Africa’s first immersive wildlife filmmaking course while living and learning directly in the bush.
Be mentored. Get hands-on experience. Build a showreel. All in the bush.
Too Wild is excited to bring industry professionals and eager learners together in their wildlife filmmaking course. Learners can anticipate a life-changing experience in the wild discovering how to ethically film wild animals while living 6 weeks in the heart of the African bush – in the Timbavati Game Reserve of The Greater Kruger National Park.
Throughout the nature cinematography programme, learners utilise industry-standard camera equipment to create stories and build a showreel, all the while enjoying mentorships from experienced naturalists, trackers, cinematographers, and the post-production team.
Candidates will study directly from a team with collective experience working with National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD, BBC, WWF, Disney+, WildEarth, SABC, DSTV and CGTN. Additionally, students are treated to a premium experience: having renowned wildlife filmmakers as our guest speakers for a day.
Together with our four experienced core team members, students focus on four distinct aspects of wildlife documentaries with a generous film set of over 7,000 hectares to hone their craft.
4 Core Components of the Wildlife Filmmaking Course
The programme’s lessons are conducted in an immersive panoramic teaching style in a small group of 8 learners, with dedicated one-on-one mentoring. We will establish the foundations of researching a story through to final development as our team of expert mentors contribute their unique skills from different fields to understand animal behaviour, the natural environment, impact producing, storytelling, and post-production.
1. Filmmaking
This practical course pillar focuses on teaching learners how to:
Shoot to wildlife industry standards while discovering their creative flairUnderstand animal behaviour and the surrounding environment from the experts
Operate safely and ethically in the wild confidently
Build wildlife camera rigs and use specialised equipment
Create captivating and immersive sequences with their technical skills
2. Impact producing
This creative course pillar focuses on teaching learners how to:
Tell captivating stories from the natural world as tools to create social, behavioural and environmental change
Understand the responsibility you have as a filmmaker and how to behave in the wild
Focus on ethics in wildlife filmmaking - how far do you go to get that shot?
3. Post-production
Our partners, Think Lemonade, specialise in natural history and will be hosting the post-production part of our programme.
This technical course pillar focuses on teaching learners how to:
Creatively weave pictures, sounds, words and colour grading to move in harmony and produce a moving picture
Manage your data, the very foundation of starting to put together a documentary
Build sequences and timelines using editing software
Create a soundscape using natural sounds and music
Learn to shoot for the edit
4. Ecology
At Too Wild, we believe in creating an immersive experience that changes the way people walk through the world by inspiring curiosity, wonder and empathy. As such, we enforce a strict non-interference policy through eco-friendly filmmaking so that the well-being of the animals will always come before the shot.
This ethical course pillar focuses on teaching learners how to:
Learn the foundations of animal behaviour
Explore ecological concepts which will change your way of thinking about the natural
world
Learn to read the tracks and signs of the wild for more immersive storytelling.
Dive into the sensory world and challenge the way we look, smell, hear, taste and feel.
This course is open to ANYONE and all skill levels. We aim to be all-inclusive, as long as the student is above the age of 18. We welcome wildlife enthusiasts, documentary hobbyists, and budding filmmakers ready to jumpstart their career and their portfolios.
Plus, our course is ideal for you if you:
Are a wildlife enthusiast and have an inherent respect for nature and animals
Are an adventurous soul who is looking for an authentic experience with wildlife
Have an interest in film and/or photography
Are a filmmaking student who wants to gain field experience in a Big 5 territory
Are starting in your professional journey and want to get some hands-on experience whilst expanding your skills
Want a break from your day-to-day life to focus on your passions.
Committed to Uplifting Local Talent
In addition to sharing our knowledge and love of capturing the bush with the world, we have a special focus on equipping local talent with the skills to become a wildlife filmmaker. Too Wild has partnered with the Timbavati Foundation, Wild Shots Outreach and Ruggedwear to create a community outreach programme.
A percentage of every student’s fee from the course will go towards sponsoring a student from one of the local communities on the edge of the game reserve, to nurture local talent and produce the next generation of South African wildlife filmmakers. Together, we have the power to inspire change and uplift the youth.
More than a course, a community
Additionally, participants also gain access to the exclusive Too Wild community. Learners depart from the programme, but never fully leave the Too Wild experience. Our course participants are supported as part of a larger network of like-minded individuals with resources and more.
Once a participant, alumni become members of the Too Wild community, which includes:
Joining the global Too Wild WhatsApp Group
Access to exclusive content and workshops
Discussions, networking and opportunities
Staying notified of wildlife-focused science
Support from Too Wild, with access to the mentors
Updates on Too Wild’s evolution and future projects
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media launches ‘Horizon’ documentary on Netflix
The documentary highlights the wildlife and natural resources in the Kingdom.
Konoz, an initiative under the Saudi Ministry of Media’s Center for Government Communication, has announced Horizon, a documentary that delves into Saudi Arabia’s diverse biodiversity and natural resources. Produced in collaboration with the National Center for Wildlife, the documentary is now available for streaming on Netflix.
As the latest project from the Konoz Initiative, Horizon aims to raise global awareness of Saudi Arabia’s species richness, biodiversity, and distinctive geographical areas. The film sheds light on the Kingdom’s leading efforts to protect wildlife, preserve rare species, and showcase its various abundant resources. Viewers will be treated to breathtaking visuals of Saudi Arabia’s picturesque landscapes, diverse plant and animal life, and the wealth of its lands.
Commenting on the release, Minister of Media, Salman bin Yousef Al-Dosari, said: “Horizon is a new documentary designed to showcase and acquaint the world with the secrets and richness of Saudi Arabia’s wildlife.”
The film takes viewers on a visual journey through the Kingdom’s varied terrains, from plains and mountains to valleys and vast seas. It introduces the diverse animal populations, including the dugong, dolphins, Arabian leopards, deer, and oryx species. The documentary offers insights into the Kingdom’s unique biodiversity, regions, and different climates, where over 10,000 species coexist through unique adaptations to thrive in their specific environments.
Through Horizon, viewers embark on a visual journey across five elements: marine ecosystems, mountains, deserts, humans and nature, and a glimpse into the future to explore the prospects for the Kingdom’s environmental wealth.
From the turtles of the Farasan Islands to the ibex that dot the Asir Mountains, this documentary captures Saudi Arabia's diverse wildlife ... Watch on Netflix: netflix.com/watch/81714296
Another side effect from war in Gaza? Animals starving in its besieged zoos ...
Israel's war with Hamas has created a humanitarian crisis for the millions of Palestinians stuck in Gaza. Most of the population has been displaced by Israel's intensifying military campaign – with the United Nations saying nowhere is safe in Gaza as Israeli airstrikes have hit every part of the besieged strip. Israeli bombardment has even destroyed Gaza zoos, killing many of the animals there. The animals that survived are starving alongside their human caretakers.
The United Nations reports that 90% of the population of Gaza regularly goes a whole day without food. Other basic necessities like clean water, fuel, medicine and medical supplies are all scarce. In the face of all this, some zookeepers in Gaza say animals are dying of starvation. .
In retaliation for Hamas' Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,200 people, according to Israel, entire neighborhoods have been leveled and the war has killed more than 27,000 people, according to Palestinian health officials.
Veterinarian Dr. Amir Khalil of Four Paws, an organization dedicated to saving animals from war zones, is trying to coordinate a rescue mission from some of Gaza's remaining zoos. He rescued and treated animals during previous conflicts in Gaza and knows the dire conditions the animals were living in even before the war. He contacted the various parties involved, including the Israeli army, Palestine Authority, and locals in Gaza, to try and facilitate.
As the war in Gaza escalates, hopes for his mission dwindle. While seemingly secondary in the shadow of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Khalil spoke with Morning Edition about the importance of saving any innocent life from the horrors of war. "I think it is the wrong time to say whom to save and whom not to save," said Khalil "Everyone has his function to do. I think if I'm able to help one creature, it's enough for me."
The situation in Gaza presents a unique set of challenges and dangers. Khalil describes the need for "intelligence work" before even embarking on the rescue.
"We are prepared for the unexpected ... but the most important thing is the safety and the security for the team," said . Khalil. "So we cannot enter without coordination with all involved stakeholders... So it's like a military operation, in fact."
NB, Wildlife-film.com does not support the existence of this zoo. We are merely reporting on the even sadder state of the animals kept there following Israel's retaliatory bombardment of the Gaza strip, illustrating that people and animals are suffereing alike. None of it is defensible, nor is it self-defence.
Kahumbu elated after 2 Emmy nominations for ‘Secrets of the Elephants’ documentary
The Wildlife Direct CEO and filmmaker Dr Paula Kahumbu has expressed her joy after her documentary ‘Secrets of the Elephants’ received 2 nominations at this year’s PrimeTime Emmy Awards.
The UHD 4-part natural history series, produced by Oxford Scientific Films for Disney Nat Geo picked up nods for Outstanding Doc Series and Outstanding Cinematography.
Narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Natalie Portman, executive produced by James Cameron and featuring renowned National Geographic Explorer and elephant expert Dr Kahumbu, this blue chip series not only reveals the extraordinary lives of different families of elephants across 4 key eco-systems but also highlights how similar they are to us.
“Dream come true, heading to LA for the Emmys for NatGeo, Disney’s Secrets of the Elephants! Fingers and toes crossed for a win – Manifesting like a ninja,” she shared on her social media platforms.
The documentary premiered on April 21, 2023 tracks families of elephants through desert, savannah and rainforest. Among the African destinations featured are Central African Republic, Gabon, Kenya, Namibia, Republic of the Congo and Zimbabwe; highlights in Asia include Borneo, Thailand and India.
This four-part, gorgeously filmed series travels the globe to unveil majestic stories about and intimate peeks at these most massive of land animals, whose abundant emotional lives are surprisingly similar to humans in myriad ways, expressing compassion, cooperation, empathy, generosity, grief, playfulness and resilience.
Apple TV+ unveils immersive originals for Apple Vision Pro
Apple TV+ has unveiled details of the first immersive originals that will appear on Apple Vision Pro.
The shows will become available in the Apple TV app on Apple Vision Pro when it launches on Feb. 2. Apple Immersive Video “transports viewers to the centre of a story with 180-degree 3D 8K recordings captured with Spatial Audio.”
The series and films include “Prehistoric Planet Immersive,” a new short film and entertainment experience inspired by Apple Original series “Prehistoric Planet” that will “transport viewers 70 million years in the past to put the viewer right in the middle of the action”; and, “Adventure,” a new series taking users to the most remote places on earth to stand beside extreme athletes as they take on “awe-inspiring challenges.”
“Ever since Apple introduced me to this new technology, I’ve been intrigued with the opportunity to explore storytelling using these innovative immersive tools,” said executive producer and filmmaker Jon Favreau. “I’m especially proud to be featured in the launch of this groundbreaking product.”
British Animation Awards 2024 – Q&A with Brollyman
In association with the British Animation Awards, Skwigly presents an exclusive video Q&A with veteran animation composer Brollyman.
A veteran composer for animation, natural history, documentaries and children’s programming, Brollyman has produced work for BBC NHU, BBC Worldwide, Barcroft films, Betty TV, Blue Zoo, Cloth Cat Animation, Cosgrove Hall, Disney, Karrot Animation, Off the Fence, Oxford Scientific Films, Passion Planet, Princess TV, Tigress films, Turnip and Duck as well as the BAAs itself, working both electronically and orchestrally.
With notable animation projects including Millie and Lou, Lynx and Birds and Olga da Polga, in 2015 Brollyman won an Emmy for the PBS nature doc Animal Misfits (known in the UK as Bill Bailey’s Animal Misfits).
Off the Fence secures first orders for gorilla doc “Silverback”
Factual content specialist Off the Fence (OTF) has revealed the first sales for its latest feature-length documentary, Silverback, which was produced by OTF Studios in association with the BBC, France Televisions, Featuristic Films and the WNET Group.
Pre-premiere deals for the 90-minute doc, which will premiere on the BBC and France Télévisions on January 7 and 8, respectively, have been closed with U.S. streamer Xumo and a trio of European public broadcasters: ORF in Austria, UR in Sweden and YLE in Finland.
The film follows Congo-born wildlife cameraman Vianet Djenguet (pictured) as he joins the effort to protect his country’s critically endangered Eastern Lowland gorillas. OTF’s crew was granted unprecedented access to the Kahuzi-Biéga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo to document the “habituation” of a gorilla family, which acclimatizes gorillas to the presence of humans and is considered vital to eco-tourism.
Silverback took three awards at the Jackson Wild Summit this past September, including the Grand Teton Award for best-in-show documentary. The film is the first major wildlife feature documentary from OTF Studios since the Netflix acquisition My Octopus Teacher, which took home the Oscar for best documentary feature in 2021.
Our Call for Entries in now open and we are searching for the best wildlife and environmental documentaries for the upcoming festival edition in September!
You have until May the 1st to enter and films from all around the world can be submitted.
The 22nd Matsalu Nature Film Festival will be held from September 25th until October 6th 2024 in Lihula & across Estonia!
Wildscreen's Science in Storytelling - March 12th 2024
Join Wildscreen for Science in Storytelling, a brand new one-day event coming this spring!
By putting science in the spotlight, Wildscreen are highlighting the importance of nurturing relationships between those with knowledge, and those that want to share it. We want to platform successful case studies of scientists and filmmakers coming together to communicate science effectively and creatively.
Book your limited early bird tickets today and join us for a full day of case studies, Q&As, networking and collaboration!
Tickets:
Early Bird Pass (on sale until January 15th) - £60
Full Pass - £80
Concession Festival Pass - £40
Online Pass - £20
Venue: The Lantern Hall, Bristol Beacon
Date: Tuesday 12th March 2024
Entries for Wildscreen Festival 2024's Panda Awards and Official Selection are now open!
Submitting your film for consideration has never been simpler, now accepting submissions exclusively through FilmFreeway, our Earlybird submission discount window closes February 23rd!
Panda Awards
The world-renowned ‘Green Oscars’ of the natural history industry recognise the very best in the craft of wildlife filmmaking across 14 categories, selected by juries of industry experts across the globe.
The 2024 competition also welcomes the return of the Children’s Award, recognising the importance of connecting younger generations with nature, and a new Special
Recognition Award for Field Craft to recognise the skill, craft and importance of local, in-country field crew within the natural history genre.
Before submitting your work, please review our competition Rules & Guidelines.
Introduced in 2020, our Official Selection showcases creative and bold stories that spark positive and restorative action for our natural world, acting as a global launchpad for new and diverse voices.
From short and feature films to extended reality productions, the Official Selection aims to platform a variety of unique formats from authentic, indigenous & underrepresented voices in Natural World Storytelling.
Before submitting your work, please review our competition Rules & Guidelines.
The Great Rhino Robbery: Telling an environmental story through a true crime lens
BBC Studios’ Will Lorimer discusses how he set out to deliver a ‘sucker punch’ message about illegal rhino poaching and trafficking.
Sky’s forthcoming Rhino poaching documentary delivers an environmental message in a true crime package to engage a wider audience, according to BBC Studios exec producer Will Lorimer.
The Great Rhino Robbery, produced by BBCS’ new Specialist Factual Production unit, reveals how rhino horns began disappearing from museums and auction houses in 2011, alongside a rise in illegal rhino poaching and trafficking.
The documentary examines why rhino horn has become an increasingly lucrative commodity around the world and follows the investigation to catch an international criminal network trading it - including a gang based in the Irish town of Rathkeale.
Lorimer told Broadcast he set himself the challenge of engaging “fatigued” audiences who tend not to switch on environmental programming by firstly focusing on the robberies, and only introducing the devastating impact on the species later on in the three-part series.
“There was great appeal in telling an environmental story that didn’t start off as an environmental story,” he said, highlighting the decision not to show any dead rhinos in the first episode.
“We start in a totally different emotional space, and didn’t want anything that made people feel squeamish from the get-go. Instead, we used true crime tropes including drama reconstruction to give it a caperish feel, so when it gets to the environmental side of things it is more of a sucker punch than if it was bashing you on the head with it from the beginning.”
Lubezki's Short 'The Knowing' - Shot on Sony's New Camera
"Planet Earth is a masterpiece. But it's also incredibly fragile. We have ignored it, neglected, and abused it for centuries. It's on the verge of collapse. How much longer can we last…?" Sadly an important question.
Sony Cine has revealed a new 3-minute short film called The Knowing, filmed by the legendary Mexican cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (aka "Chivo" Lubezki). It's a promo for the latest Sony pro digital cinema camera called the Burano, as well as a conservationist short film, following two photographers to the deep South-Western region of Australia. There they encounter the endangered Southern Right Whale in its natural habitat. It's a gorgeous short that looks great but is also meant to remind us we still need to do more to save this planet and take care of it and let it heal properly. To help tell this story, the filmmakers used the Sony BURANO, a digital cinema camera that combines the quality of their flagship Venice camera with the size & flexibility of a smaller camera – perfect for wildlife filmmakers or small crews. Lubezki approved.
Three-time Academy Award-winning cinematographer Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki (The Revenant, Gravity and Birdman) and conservation photographers Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen, co-founders of SeaLegacy, traveled to Western Australia with Sony’s new digital cinema camera, the BURANO, to capture footage of the endangered Southern Right Whale and to create an important film on the ocean and the future of the planet.
BBC Earth and Minecraft Education return with Planet Earth III World
Inspired by BBC Studios Natural History Unit’s landmark series, Planet Earth III Minecraft World launches 16th January.
"We are delighted to partner with Minecraft Education and that children globally will have the opportunity to interact with stories inspired by the Planet Earth III series.” — Matt Brandon, Planet Earth III series producer, BBC Studios Natural History Unit
Following the record-breaking success of the Frozen Planet II Minecraft Worlds, which achieved the most downloads in a single day for an educational game in Minecraft history, with millions of players across 116 countries, BBC Earth and Minecraft Education are teaming up once again. This collaboration is set to engage fans globally with the launch of the Planet Earth III Minecraft World.
The Planet Earth III Minecraft World features immersive landscapes, animals and game-based learning resources, inspired by stories in the latest landmark series from BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, and will be available from 16th January.
Minecraft is the best-selling game of all time and is especially popular with younger players. Minecraft Education provides educational content for schools globally where students can learn about a wide variety of subjects via creative gameplay. The team at Mojang Studios believes it has a responsibility to use Minecraft to build a better world and inspire generations of game changers, especially around themes of global citizenship and sustainability.
Players can step into extraordinary realms of the natural world to experience the struggles and triumphs of survival while playing as a series of incredible creatures, including the great white shark, the Arctic wolf, a leopardess, and more. Exploring the way these animals’ lives are intertwined by playing as both predator and prey, parent and offspring, friend and ally, they will discover the precarious balance of survival.
The adventure begins at the BBC Planet Earth III Field Station. Here, players select their desired biome, study its wildlife, and embark on tailored activities. By assuming the roles of different animals, students learn about various survival strategies. Each challenge unlocks rewards, deepening the educational experience. By alternating perspectives between various animals, students cultivate empathy and gain a deeper understanding of the ecosystem's balance.
The Planet Earth III Minecraft World is available in 29 languages for both Minecraft Education and Bedrock in the Minecraft Marketplace – a unique opportunity to watch, play, and learn together, taking biology and our understanding of biodiversity far beyond the classroom or living room.
Matt Brandon, Planet Earth III series producer from BBC Studios Natural History Unit says: “We are delighted to partner with Minecraft Education and that children globally will have the opportunity to interact with stories inspired by the Planet Earth III series through immersive gameplay while learning more about our fragile natural world and the creatures we share this planet with.”
Justin Edwards, Minecraft Education's Director of Learning Experiences says: "Minecraft Education is delighted to extend our partnership with BBC Earth, building on our work in Frozen Planet II. The new experience of the natural world in Planet Earth III brings us closer to the animals and their surrounding environment. In this world, you will learn about animals from different continents, across sea, sky, and land, and how they survive and thrive."
Planet Earth III Minecraft World will be available on 16th January globally.
Nearly 100 billion pieces of plastic packaging are thrown away by UK households every year, and just 12% is recycled in the UK.
It’s time the government got serious about tackling the plastic crisis. You can help by taking part in The Big Plastic Count!
JOIN THE UK'S BIGGEST PLASTIC INVESTIGATION
Count your plastic for one week – 11-17 March 2024.
For one week in March, thousands of schools, households, community groups and businesses will be coming together to count their plastic waste. And we want you to join them.
Almost a quarter of a million people took part in The Big Plastic Count in 2022. Together we revealed that almost two billion pieces of plastic packaging are being thrown away a week. This year you can help build even more evidence to convince UK ministers to lead the way at the global talks that could finally phase out plastic pollution for good.
Check out Brock InitiativeWildlife Winners & Losers films on Plastics
AS RICHARD BROCK SAID IN HIS PLANET CRUNCH BOOK (DOWNLOAD A FREE COPY HERE!) "As an ingenious, widespread and increasingly abundant species we excrete a huge variety of stuff."
Some could be useful to other people elsewhere but the “throwaway” lifestyle has now been encouraged and adopted worldwide. That might seem to be good news, the spread of so-called “progress” but the bad news is that there’s now no “away” to throw it to. Because from the sky to the deepest sea, this stuff is being broken up, and is dispersing and is being
absorbed as part of the ecosystem.
These substances, especially plastics, may be poisonous and kill. And that can include us at the end of the food chain with filter feeders like shellfish which concentrate poisons in their bodies. Similarly, with dolphins and whales; they gradually die from chemicals in the oceans, sometimes also trapped in fishing gear, or the young killed by what’s in the mother’s milk. In the English Channel, PCB’s and mercury, banned 40 years ago, have been found at high levels. In humans they have been linked to cancer.
PLASTICS ARE COVERED IN THE ACCOMAPANYING PLANET CRUNCH FILM:
Do Attenborough-style nature and environment documentaries help save the planet?
Breathtaking images of the natural world are awe-inspiring, but do they help protect it?
Jennifer Males remembers watching David Attenborough's documentary series Blue Planet II back in 2018.
Like countless other viewers, she was entranced by the sight of underwater life she'd never seen before.
"They really showed some really spectacular images," she recalls.
But among the documentary's most powerful footage that remains with her today is something more shocking — a turtle "tangled up in some plastic".
It's not the only Attenborough documentary series to include confronting imagery.
Our Planet II, and the latest documentary Planet Earth III, also include environmental warnings amongst the awesome scenes.
In the case of Blue Planet II, the powerful turtle images and Attenborough's accompanying messages about the danger plastic pollution posed to marine life triggered huge public discussion about the issue in the UK.
And they inspired Ms Males to research the impact of the documentary series for a masters in political science at the University of Antwerp in Belgium.
"I was really interested in looking at something to do with the environment and plastic pollution," she says.
"For me it's just incredible the amount of plastic waste that we are producing."
Despite the presence of negative images like the turtle caught in plastic, most of the seven-part Blue Planet II series was not grim at all.
It was the classic entertainment-focused Attenborough formula: breathtaking pristine wildlife footage set to a soaring orchestral score.
Until relatively recently, David Attenborough believed showing the sheer wonder of nature was the best way to get people to care about their environment.
"No-one will protect what they don't care about; and no-one will care about what they have never experienced," goes the famous saying attributed to him.
In early 2022 the United Nations agreed, bestowing on him its highest environmental honour, The Champions of the Earth Award.
At the time, Inger Andersen, the executive director of the UN's Environment Program, said of Attenborough: "If we stand a chance of averting climate and biodiversity breakdowns and cleaning up polluted ecosystems, it's because millions of us fell in love with the planet that he showed us on television.
Is inspiring a love of pristine nature enough?
Despite once being voted the third top celebrity that "no-one can hate" (after singer-songwriter Dolly Parton and skateboarding legend Tony Hawk), Attenborough has had his detractors over the years.
Some, for example, argued that for years the hyper-real images of untouched nature that dominated his back catalogue gave the false impression that the wild is alive and well.
Others said that when Attenborough did talk about environmental destruction, he failed to point the finger at the true culprits, such as overconsumption.
And although he has presented more hard-hitting conservation messages recently, Attenborough is widely known for arguing (as late as 2018) that too much "doom and gloom" turned people off.
But Ms Males believes the negative images of marine life suffering as a result of plastic were key to the power of Blue Planet II.
"Even though it could be quite distressing to some people … I think, in order to effect change, you really have to show the worst situations."
Diogo Veríssimo, an expert in social marketing and biodiversity conservation science at the University of Oxford, says both positive and negative messaging are needed when it comes to communicating environmental messages.
"There's definitely a fine balancing act," Dr Veríssimo says.
"But the zero doom and gloom, which we had in many, many documentaries of the BBC Natural History Unit, is … not the right amount."
What the research shows
Studies into the impact of programs fronted by Attenborough — Blue Planet II, Planet Earth II, Seven Worlds, One Planet and Extinction: The Facts — suggest even those documentaries that focus on entertaining us with the wonder of nature can help raise awareness about the natural world.
But generating interest, for example, in species such as pangolins or in the problem of plastic pollution is not the same as triggering environmental action.
Natural history films generate more online interest in depicted species than in conservation messages
Studies into the impact of programs fronted by Attenborough — Blue Planet II, Planet Earth II, Seven Worlds, One Planet and Extinction: The Facts — suggest even those documentaries that focus on entertaining us with the wonder of nature can help raise awareness about the natural world.
Abstract
The greatest crises of our time are environmental. To combat the effects of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation will require the actions of all members of society. However, despite widespread consensus from the scientific community that human actions are driving this rapid environmental degradation, it remains unclear whether and to what extent the public is receiving and engaging with conservation messages. Natural history films have been suggested as one possible medium for generating awareness of conservation issues en masse but some environmental advocates have criticised these shows for lacking strong, focused conservation messaging.
This study quantifies audience engagement with conservation themes and species depicted on screen in two BBC natural history super productions (Blue Planet II and Seven Worlds, One Planet) and a stand-alone documentary with an explicit focus on conservation (Extinction: The Facts) by using big data analyses of Wikipedia page views during and after broadcast of each show and causal impact analysis.
Our results indicate that natural history films are more effective at generating species awareness than transmitting conservation messages, but that audience engagement generated by conservation-focused documentaries can be comparable to that generated by entire film series focused on natural history.
With the ultimate goal of contributing to long-term behavioural change, our results suggest that natural history films have the potential to drive mass audience engagement with conservation themes through better collaboration between filmmakers, conservationists and conservation messaging researchers. Finally, this study underscores how big data approaches can quantify the effectiveness of conservation messages across different mediums.
BBC’s gloomy take on climate crisis turns viewers off wildlife shows, admits presenter
Winterwatch star says audiences have complained and want more uplifting content.
The BBC’s wildlife programmes have turned off viewers with their gloomy take on climate change, one of its presenters has admitted.
Michaela Strachan, who presents Winterwatch with Chris Packham, said audiences had complained about the content and said they wanted more uplifting stories.
Winterwatchreturns to BBC Two next week and Strachan said: “This year has been very tough, with two wars and a cost of living crisis. Our news is filled with heartbreakingly sad images. People now realise we’re not facing climate change but a climate crisis. It feels like everywhere you go, someone’s building, or dredging something.
“Sometimes we’ve gone too far and people have told us that’s not what they come to the programme for: our role is also to uplift and empower.”
Packham described their relationship as a “comfortable friendship” and said: “She’s a very social person so if she’s over from South Africa, she’ll invite herself to the house.
“Apart from that, we don’t hang out, but then I don’t hang out with anyone.”
Michaela Strachan ‘disappointed’ over wildlife show cuts amid climate crisis
Last year the show was cut due to major cost-saving across the broadcaster.
Wildlife presenter Michaela Strachan has said the team were “disappointed” by the cuts to the Watches nature series by the BBC as she feels the shows are “way more important” than others as the world faces the climate crisis.
Last year the broadcaster cut Autumnwatch from the nature series line-up, which charts the fortunes of British wildlife during the seasons, due to major cost-saving across the broadcaster.
Instead the BBC said it would direct more money to sister programmes Springwatch and Winterwatch, with the latter also being reduced down from its typical two-week run to one when it returns to BBC Two from January 16.
Sir David Attenborough talks about unearthing one of the biggest carnivorous creatures the world has ever seen
Sir David Attenborough discusses his new film 'Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster' – a documentary about the discovery of an enormous pliosaur skull on England's south coast.
Sir David Attenborough and the Executive Producer of 'Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster' Mike Gunton discuss the romance of fossil hunting and unearthing the find of a lifetime.
Interview with Sir David Attenborough and Executive Producer Mike Gunton
Interviewer: What is this film about?
David Attenborough: This film is about the discovery of the skull of an extraordinary monster of the seas – one of the biggest predators the world has ever seen. The skull is the most important part of an animal, and what you can deduce from the skull is absolutely fascinating.
Imagine that you were from Mars, and when you landed on Earth all you could find were human skeletons but not a single one with a skull. You wouldn't know anything about it at all - you wouldn't know what it fed on, how it could move, you wouldn't know what it could see - it would be useless.
Well, that is more or less was the situation we were in as far as this particular pliosaur was concerned. The skull had the potential to be the most informative find of any pliosaur ever made but unfortunately, or initially unfortunately, it was only the end tip of this huge skull that was found. But the skull is the most informative part of any skeleton, and it promised to have all those details in it if you could only get it out…
This is the story of how it was got out, and how it was examined by scientists with all kinds of latest state-of-the-art equipment, how they were able to interpret it and tell us new things about pliosaurs, one of the biggest carnivorous creatures the world has ever seen.
BBC accused of ‘airbrushing’ fossil finder out of doc
Philip Jacobs only credited at end of Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster
The BBC has been widely criticised for “airbrushing” an amateur fossil hunter out of a doc about a fossil he disovered.
BBC Studios Natural History Unit’s Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster aired on BBC1 on New Year’s Day. It followed the excavation of the skull of a huge new species of pliosaur, the snout of which Jacobs found on a Dorset beach last year.
Jacobs, 69, said he was “appalled” by the fact that the doc referred to him as a “fossil enthusiast” when using his footage of his discovery, and only named him in the credits.
He wrote on Facebook: “I’ve been completely airbrushed out of my own discovery, not even a mention. I have no words.”
He was reportedly interviewed by the BBC for the Sir David Attenborough doc.
Many in the scientific world have criticised the BBC for the lack of proper acknowledgement, with conservation specialist Nigel Larkin saying it is “terrible and inexcusable of the BBC” and palaeontologist Dr Dean Lomax saying: “He deserves a huge amount of credit and kudos.”
Even at 97, Attenborough will crawl on his belly for the best shot – he’s quite extraordinary
"In my experience as a long-time series producer, David is up for doing anything that is required – and still works harder than most of us". Sharmila Choudhury
I grew up in Calcutta with my father, who was a barrister, my mother, who was a teacher, and my younger sister. We had a black and white TV, but television in India was still in its infancy at the time and there wasn’t any natural history to watch. When I was about 15, I saw a screening of David Attenborough’s Life on Earth series at the British Council, and it completely changed my life. I didn’t know anything about this extraordinary world of nature and animals – I had never even heard of evolution. And here was this man telling me the incredible story about how life on Earth evolved. From that point on, I knew what I wanted to do.
I moved to England in 1985, aged 20, to study biology at Bristol University. I loved learning about animals, so it felt natural to do a PhD at Oxford University. My specialist field was the behaviour of birds, and this led to my first job as a research scientist at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire.
One day I happened to see an advertisement: the BBC Natural History Unit was looking for a researcher to help with its next big TV series – The Life of Birds, presented by David Attenborough. It was a dream job, and it appeared I might have the right qualifications and skill set for it. So I applied. I had so many ideas for the birds and stories we could film.
David was my hero, so it was an honour to be able to work on one of his documentaries straight away. Our first meeting was at the Natural History Unit (NHU) in Bristol in 1995, with David and Alastair Fothergill, who was head of the NHU at the time. The three of us had an intense but stimulating brainstorm, thrashing out how we might structure the series and what sort of stories we might put into it. Alastair was a bird enthusiast, so he knew the most about exotic birds around the world, while David had a strong vision for the kind of stories he wanted to tell. I was simply the one bringing the latest scientific research to the table.”
David and I worked well together on The Life of Birds, so I was delighted when I got the opportunity to work on his next series, The Life of Mammals. Most of these big landmark series take about three years to make, so by the time I started on The Life of Mammals I had gained the experience to move on to become an assistant producer. Each project with David was fascinating and memorable in its own right.
One of the things you notice immediately when working with David is how easily he connects with everyone from eminent scientists to local field assistants. He is a very good listener and gives people his full attention, no matter who they are. He is great fun and has a good sense of humour, often breaking the ice with a self-deprecating joke and entertaining us with stories in the evening. He is also incredibly kind and warm-hearted. He is very fond of children and will often take the trouble to write back to them in person and answer their questions.
Natural history documentaries have a tradition of varying framerates depending on the animal and what it is doing at the time. “The cheetah goes from 23 to 30 to 60 to 150 and everything in-between,” explains Tapster. “But when we shot our background plates with that in mind, it didn’t work with visual effects. It took you out of the moment and suddenly seemed wrong.” Slow-motion shots were kept to the minimum. “We did have more slow motion scheduled into the show when it was storyboarded, but we could never get it to look right,” reveals Privett. “We scrapped the two or three significant bits that we had.”
In 2009, I left the BBC to join Humble Bee Films, an independent production company set up by one of my former colleagues at the BBC. We made a series called Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities (UKTV and BBC2) that was very different to the usual natural history films, looking at curious animals and why they had baffled scientists for centuries.
At Humble Bee Films we try to examine the natural world through a different lens, often using science and new technologies to uncover it. This is an approach that also appeals to David, which is why I think we have such a long-standing working relationship with him.
Ashwika Kapur’s new film shows how children can impact wildlife conservation
‘Catapults to Cameras’, based on wildlife hunting in south Bengal, was screened at The Saturday Club – ‘Catapults to Cameras’ is directed and produced by Ashwika Kapur and is largely set in a village in south Bengal
“Like charity, conservation begins at home,” said wildlife and natural history filmmaker Ashwika Kapur regarding her latest film, Catapults to Cameras, which had its first screening at the Phoenix Hall of The Saturday Club on the evening of January 7. Ashwika, a Kolkata girl who has won a ‘Green Oscar’ in addition to several other awards for her outstanding work over the years, shared how she wants to focus more on local stories, which is why “this story from south Bengal is so close to my heart”.
Directed and produced by Ashwika, Catapults to Cameras is the first feature-length film by RoundGlass Sustain, which documents India’s wildlife and habitats through articles, photographs and videos to tell holistic stories about sustainability and conservation. The crux of the film revolves around Ashwika’s journey to a village in south Bengal and her interaction with five adolescent boys, whose catapults are replaced with cameras in an attempt to change their perspective towards animals.
Sir David Attenborough to present BBC Studios Natural History Unit's Mammals
Co-produced by BBC America, ZDF, Youku and France Télévisions, major new for series BBC One and iPlayer will see Attenborough revisit the extraordinary group of animals.
"I’m delighted Sir David is returning to the BBC to present this fascinating new series. Mammals are the most adaptable and – for my money – adorable animals on earth."
— Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, BBC
Mammals are the most successful animal group on earth. Found on every continent and in every ocean, they’ve evolved to master almost every habitat on our planet. But how?
Twenty years after Life of Mammals, Attenborough revisits this extraordinary group of animals in a major new series for BBC One and iPlayer: Mammals. Full of new, never- before-seen behaviours, this series offers fascinating insights into the most successful animal group in the world. From the tiny Etruscan shrew to the giant blue whale, Mammals will reveal the secrets of their success, and how their winning design, incredible adaptability, unrivalled intelligence and unique sociability have all contributed to their remarkable rise.
By weight less than 6% of today’s mammals are wild animals and many species face extinction. As well as giving viewers an exciting new perspective on a remarkable group of animals, the series will also highlight many of the problems faced by mammals in today’s rapidly changing world.
Each episode explores a different environment; Dark, Cold, Heat, Water, Forest and The New Wild – an episode which explores the ingenious ways mammals are adapting to a world dominated by humans, arguably the most successful mammal of all. And each episode covers a range of remarkable mammals – from the miniature tenrecs of Madagascar to the humpback whales of the Indian ocean.
Roger Webb, Executive Producer says: “Being mammals ourselves, the animals featured in the series and the stories told about them are instantly relatable. It’s impossible not to admire a mother capuchin monkey who’s able to provide her baby with a drink in a dry, sun baked forest or a chimpanzee father giving his family a lesson in finding honey buried underground. This connection to us, makes Mammals an incredibly engaging and compelling piece of television – one that will also lead us to question our role in the lives of the wild mammals we share the planet with.”
Scott Alexander, Series Producer says: “Mammals includes animals like the great apes, the big cats, dolphins, whales as well as the mythical wolverine and adorable tenrec – who wouldn’t want to make a series with such a wonderful cast of animals”.
Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, adds: “Following the enormous success of Wild Isles and Planet Earth III last year, I’m delighted Sir David is returning to the BBC to present this fascinating new series. Mammals are the most adaptable and – for my money – adorable animals on earth, and I can’t wait for viewers to learn more about the remarkable strategies they use to survive in every corner of the planet.”
Mammals, a 6 x 60’ series made by BBC Studios Natural History Unit and co-produced by BBC America, ZDF, Youku and France Télévisions. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual and Sreya Biswas, Head of Natural History, BBC Commissioning. The Executive Producer is Roger Webb and the Series Producer is Scott Alexander. It will tx on BBC One and iPlayer this spring.
Passion Pictures has hired wildlife filmmaker Tom Hugh-Jones from Plimsoll to boost the company’s natural history offering.
Hugh-Jones joins in a newly established role, opening Passion Pictures’ office in Bristol.
Hugh-Jones will be working alongside five-time Emmy-winning MD of Passion Planet, David Allen to develop a portfolio of “ambitious genre-defining” Natural History projects.
David Allen, MD & EP of Passion Planet, says; “It is very exciting to have such a huge talent join Passion Planet’s team. We both share a vision for pushing the envelope in the natural history genre, and, from development to directing, Tom’s impressive editorial skills provide a fantastic opportunity to work together on some really ambitious and innovative productions.”
Tom Hugh-Jones says, “For me, it is all in the name. Passion is a company that puts creative integrity first and enables the best filmmakers to do their best work. Passion’s track record in documentaries is unparalleled and they’ve been behind some of the most original and admired wildlife films ever made. The opportunity to build on this pedigree in the premium natural history space is very compelling”.
During his time at the BBC Natural History Unit Hugh-Jones developed, directed, and produced key titles including Planet Earth, Human Planet and Life Story. He was Showrunner on the global phenomenon Planet Earth II.
He joins Passion from Plimsoll where he originated and directed the upcoming A Real Bug’s Life which premieres on Disney+ this week. During his seven-year tenure as Creative Director for Natural History, he developed, wrote and produced numerous award-winning hit shows including: Tiny World for Apple TV+, Hostile Planet for National Geographic and Night on Earth for Netflix.
The animal sounds in most nature documentaries are made by humans – here’s how they do it and why it matters
Wildlife documentaries like the BBC’s recent series, Planet Earth III, are renowned for offering breathtaking images of animals in their natural habitats. You’d be forgiven for thinking these shows offer an unmediated portrayal of these animals – an objective window into their lives as they hunt, rest and rear their young. But this isn’t quite the case.
While the images we see are filmed on location, many of the sounds are recorded and added to the programmes later. The sounds of animals walking, chewing food and panting, for example, are almost always recorded by human “Foley artists” in a sound studio far away from the filming location, often weeks or months later. Foley artists are specialists who produce bespoke sounds for film and television soundtracks.
This curious fact is an inevitable consequence of modern wildlife filmmaking. A lot of wildlife documentary footage is shot using telephoto lenses that can zoom in on their subjects from a great distance. But sound recordists typically can’t get close enough to capture clear sound without disturbing the animals.
Wildlife documentaries also tend to require large crews. If sound were recorded on location, it would be muddied by background noises such as crew chatter or car engines. In other cases, the animals make sounds of a frequency or volume that most microphones simply can’t capture clearly.
In my research, I’ve talked to Foley artists who specialise in animal sound and observed them at work in their studios.
How Foley artists work
This Foley process generally involves deciding which of the animal’s actions or movements need sounds to be created for them, and then deciding on the specific qualities those sounds should have.
These decisions often involve the broader sound production team and sometimes the show’s director. The Foley artist then uses their creativity and resourcefulness to create the sounds.
So, what sorts of techniques do they use? It might seem cliched, but the professionals I’ve spoken to really do sometimes knock coconut shells against stone slabs to make the sound of horse footsteps. For an elephant, they might use rocks against a straw-covered tub of compacted earth.
At SCOTLAND: The Big Picture we recognise that in many situations, ecological recovery, or rewilding, is more impactful when it works in tandem with local communities and where possible, offers new economic opportunities.
So, how does rewilding pay?
In our latest Northwoods Story, we showcase the work of Rory Fyfe, owner of Kinkell Byre in St Andrews, a founding partner in our Northwoods Rewilding Network. Rory’s family has developed a successful business that sits comfortably alongside their rewilding efforts, while also making a significant contribution to their local economy..
Once a struggling farm, Kinkell Byre is now a successful wedding venue. Rory Fyfe has set out on a mission to rewild the family farmland near St. Andrews. Can rewilding really work alongside their business?
Macrophotography offers a new perspective on some very tiny yet very relatable creatures.
Capturing the activity of some of nature’s smallest creatures on camera takes patience, an arsenal of specialized equipment and a lot of light.
In the five-part National Geographic / Disney+ docuseries A Real Bug’s Life, viewers are invited to get up close and personal with a variety of interesting insects in their natural and not-so-natural environments. From New York City to the African savanna to Aardman Studios in Bristol, jumping spiders, leafcutter ants, bumble bees, doodlebugs and dung beetles all struggle for survival on a scale that makes them nearly invisible to the naked eye.
Twenty-two cinematographers took part in the filming, using drone, motion control and time-lapse photography in both the studio and on location. One of them is U.K.-based wildlife photographer Nathan Small, whose work can be seen in the episodes “The Big City” and “The Busy Farm," alongside that of Rob Hollingworth and Simon De Glanville. (U.S.-based wildlife cinematographer Alex Jones contributed to the episodes "Braving the Backyard" and "Welcome to the Jungle.")
After spending several years as a photographer in the fashion and advertising world, Small started looking for a more meaningful way to make his living. “I’ve always loved nature documentaries, like the David Attenborough BBC Trials of Life stuff,” he says. He was accepted to the Directing and Producing Science and Natural History MA program at the U.K.’s National Film and Television School, where he was mentored by Steven Nicholls, whose credits include films for the BBC, Smithsonian, and National Geographic. Small’s first job out of school was Apple TV’s Tiny World.
“The thing I like about filming bugs is that it’s very accessible. You can do amazing things with very little.”
— cinematographer Nathan Small
“The thing I like about filming bugs is that it’s very accessible. You can do amazing things with very little,” he explains. “Your set only needs to be the size of a table, where the comparison on a human scale would be would be gigantic.
“It’s also a different mindset in terms of the approach, because on a big advertising shoot, it’s very busy and you’re running around like a madman, whereas my job now is a lot of sitting and waiting. There’s no stress. We didn’t get the shot today? That’s fine. We’ll come back tomorrow. You need to be a calmer, more meditative person, which is what I needed.”
According to Small, a standard approach in nature documentation is to introduce an animal, then reveal that it can do something amazing or unexpected. “Looking at tiny things, even your everyday housefly, in high detail is itself a revelation,” he says. “It’s all so alien and weird.”
New Film Explores The Human Impact Of North Carolina Pig Farms
A new film shines a light on the unseen impacts of pig farming in North Carolina
New film The Smell of Money involves a lot of uncomfortable sights and smells. Residents see farmers spray fields next to their houses with pig manure; the film’s viewers see the residents suffer from the effects of all this excrement. For a film about the dirty outputs of pig farming, The Smell of Money is hard to take your eyes off.
To some, the subject matter might sound about as appealing as the fecal kind that infects the residents’ air. But this is a film that everyone whose money goes to supporting the pork industry should be compelled to watch. In it, the devastation animal agriculture causes communities – often unseen and under-appreciated – is clear for all to witness.
“Our goal for the film has always been to create an impact and inspire change,” Jamie Berger, the film’s writer and producer, tells Plant Based News(PBN). “So that’s the lens through which we’ve approached the entire experience.”
A film about North Carolina
The Smell of Money puts North Carolina’s pig farms on trial. The state is one of the largest pork producers in the world, with 9.4 million pigs. Berger, along with director Shawn Bannon, make sure that viewers understand just how astronomical and ruinous this industry is.
“I was born and raised in North Carolina,” Berger says. “Learning about my home state’s pork industry and its impacts on people, animals, and the environment in college transformed me into an activist and inspired me to devote my life to ending factory farming.”
What do all of the big dairy corporations like Arla, Freshways and Muller have in common?
They’re all dairy giants who put profit over the welfare of cows used in the dairy industry.
We’re here to tell you, that there is no such thing as ethical dairy. Standard dairy farms are horrifying places, filled with heart-breaking cruelty. Calves torn and isolated from their mothers, cows with udders so large their spines ‘bend’, shackled back legs, painful infections such as mastitis – this is the truth of dairy.
Viva! Campaigns investigators discovered a farm in West Wales, Tafarn-Y-Bugail, with some of the worst cruelty they had ever seen. Dead cows and calves rotting in the courtyard which is an outrageous defiance of the UK “dead stock legislation”, an onslaught of beatings towards the cows and violent birthing methods.
Watch this video to learn more about how the dairy industry is profiting from these animals and continuing to trick their consumers by hiding behind marketing campaigns.
Join the revolution! The future of dairy is plant-based.
"I don't like vegan BULLIES!" – Earthling Ed debated three meat-eating panellists on live TV.
Ed was invited back on GB News to take on three meat eating panellists ... he says:
"In today's video, I'm back on GB News taking on a panel that question me about plant-based alternatives, the healthfulness of vegan diets, and I almost get whiplash reacting to baffling questions about protein and 'false vegetables'. Mike Parry has referred to himself as a 'sausage expert' and yet infamously ate a vegan sausage sandwich believing that it was meat and called it 'luscious and lovely'."
‘Mind-bogglingly good’ Netflix documentary experimenting on twins has people ‘rethinking their whole life’
'Veganuary' has become a staple New Year's trend over the last few years, with more and more people wanting to decrease the amount of meat and boost the amount of veggies in their diets.
If you were tempted by a plant-based lifestyle in 2024 but didn't reckon you'd be able to resist a fish and chip supper or a meatalicious pizza, Netflix has launched a brand new vegan-friendly experimental series that has already changed the lives of millions of viewers.
This four-part series sees several sets of American identical twins changing their diets and exercise routines for eight weeks in a science experiment designed to explore how certain foods impact the body.
In the show - which was released just in time for Veganuary this year, one member of each of the four pairs follows an omnivorous diet - continuing to eat meat, fish, dairy and vegetables.
Their identical sibling alternatively follows a totally animal-free diet in this series, which provides a rundown of the main benefits to this vegan diet.
That's because, within a matter of weeks, those participants following the plant-based diet saw visceral fat - the harmful kind which surrounds the organs - had reduced significantly.
Meanwhile, those continuing to eat meat and fish experienced a minute increase in their body's visceral fat.
These siblings were also found to have a significantly lower LDL ('bad') cholesterol, compared to their meat-eating other-halves.
Though both twins in each set that took part in this impressive experiment lost weight - due to the show's focus on the benefits of exercise, the vegan siblings lost, on average, 4.2 pounds (1.9kg) more than the omnivores.
But what is this ground-breaking new show, and why has it caused such an impact to the worlds of lifestyle and diet?
Identical twins change their diets and lifestyles for eight weeks in a unique scientific experiment designed to explore how certain foods impact the body.
Award-Winning Short Film That Screened at the First Immersive Vegan Experience Is Now Streaming for Free
The award-winning short film ‘The Next Girl’ is now streaming for free on UnchainedTV.
After screening at the first immersive vegan experience in Los Angeles last November, the award-winning short film The Next Girl is now available for all to view on UnchainedTV’s free streaming service.
The mounting awards the short film has received show that the film’s story leaves an undeniable impression. The Next Girl is an Official Selection at 11 film festivals and has already won six “Best” awards and one “Finalist” designation in the narrative short film categories, including Best Indie Short from Cannes World Film Festival, Best Short Film from Carpe Diem, and Best Short Film from Better Earth International Film Festival.
Produced by Vkind Studios, The Next Girl unfolds a chilling tale of oppression, heartbreak, and the enduring power of hope. The film takes place in a dystopian world, where enslaved young girls are condemned to a life devoid of bodily autonomy, and forced to bear children. Separated from their mothers, the stolen children grow up in isolation and live the same horrific injustices as their mothers.
2023: Hottest Year Record, Avian Flu Hits Wildlife, JBS Lawsuit & more – Month in a Minute
The January 2024 edition of Sentient Media's popular Month in a Minute series is here! Watch their 60-second recap of the top stories in animals, food and farming.
This month, a new government-backed ad campaign launched in the UK, aimed at getting Gen Z to eat more meat. Meanwhile, experts warn that this year global heating will pass 1.5 C and Brazilian officials pursue millions from JBS for illegal deforestation of the Amazon. Avian flu in the United States is on the rise again, threatening to spike the cost of eggs and chicken. The disease continues to spread to wildlife, including to elephant seals in Argentina.
Watch all this and more in the January media recap!
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