We reached out to our Jackson Wild Media Awards filmmakers to ask them five questions about the experience of making their films.
What inspired this story? Producer Tom Hugh-Jones: We wanted to make a high-end wildlife series that broke the mold – something that was both visually and narratively dramatic enough to engage people who don’t typically tune in to natural history programming. Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film/program? THJ: Making Hostile Planet meant taking on all the usual challenges associated with an ambitious wildlife project and then squaring them. We not only had the perennial problems of animal no shows, complex logistics in remote locations and troubleshooting ever-more technical kit - we also had to do all this in appalling conditions. Normally when the weather takes a turn, we pack up and head for shelter, but on Hostile Planet, this was when we were just getting started. Covering the ways animals cope in extremes meant the crews had to endure the same. To add to all this, because we were focused on maintaining the drama and pace throughout the series, the bar for a successful shoot was that much higher. Normally when you don’t capture a key behavior, you can still make an interesting sequence out of the pretty, quieter moments. On Hostile Planet, we were committed to making an really ‘sticky’ show that hooked the viewers and never gave them the chance to leave - so if it wasn’t truly dramatic, it simply wouldn’t make the cut. What did you learn from your experience making this film/program? THJ: We learned that you should always look to do something different and endeavor to push beyond your comfort zone. Interrogate the reasons why convention in genres exists and then try to find ways to evolve them. There’s never been a more critical time to communicate the beauty and importance of the natural world, and this means finding new ways to reach new audiences. How do you approach storytelling? THJ: Good storytelling in natural history is never easy, and especially when you have a multiple characters and locations, but these days, it is essential. You have to believe in the power of story - that characters, journeys and timelines will inevitably make for a more engaging film than thesis and generalities. Then you have to be totally committed to following that through; there are so many uncontrollable variables waiting to mess with your story structure plans, so only the most committed and adaptable will come out the other end with a coherent and entertaining narrative. What impact do you hope this film/program will have? THJ: I hope this series fills audiences with admiration for the ways animals manage to survive in near impossible circumstances and encourage people to ensure their actions don’t make life any harder for animals than it already is. Were there any surprising or meaningful moments/experiences you want to share? THJ: Shooting in such hostile conditions brought many unexpected problems. When we filmed Arctic wolves in the depth of winter, it got so cold that our long-lenses all cracked. When we filmed penguins in the Falklands, the crew had to weather the worst storm in 30 years. In the Colombian jungle, the crew that covered lightning storms had to evacuate the location because of threats of kidnap. And when we followed fennec foxes in the Sahara, it got so hot that one of the vehicles burst into flames.
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We reached out to our Jackson Wild Media Awards filmmakers to ask them five questions about the experience of making their films. What inspired this story? Director and Producer E. Chai Vasarhelyi & Director, Producer and Director of Photography Jimmy Chin: The story was really inspired by Alex. We were fascinated by Alex as a person, this shy, awkward kid who was a bit of a loner, who started free soloing because it was scarier for him to reach out and ask someone to be his climbing partner than it was to climb without a rope. At its core, the film is really about fear: it’s about the things Alex is afraid of, from his romantic relationship with Sanni to free soloing El Capitan, and the ways he challenges himself and conquers those fears. Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film/program. ECV & JC: Physically, it was a very challenging film to make. El Capitan is a 3,000-foot wall. We’re carrying all our camera equipment, we’re building our cameras on the wall — it was a pretty significant physical task. It took a tremendous amount of planning and choreography. Over the course of the two years Alex was practicing, we were essentially also practicing how we were going to shoot it in preparation for the big day. It was also a very emotionally and intellectually challenging. Not a day went by where we didn’t think about the worst happening. We spent a lot of time thinking long and hard about what the observer effect could be. Would our presence would make it more dangerous for Alex? Would the pressure of the production push him to do something he wouldn’t normally do? Those questions never really went away. What impact do you hope this film/program will have? ECV & JC: We hope that seeing Alex accomplish his goals, from teaching himself how to hug and how to speak to strangers, to free soloing El Cap, just resonates with people who are wrestling with challenges and dreams of their own. Alex’s story really shows that through hard work, and living life with intention, you can really push through your fears, and make the impossible possible, and that’s what we hope people take away from the film.
We reached out to our Jackson Wild Media Awards filmmakers to ask them five questions about the experience of making their films.
What inspired this story? Director/Producer Josh ‘Bones’ Murphy: Even though I don’t believe in destiny, Artifishal seems like it was destined to happen. I was directing a short piece for 1% for the Planet, a non-profit started by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard and friend Craig Mathews that encourages businesses to give 1% of their gross receipts to grass roots environmental organizations making change, and over lunch someone asked Yvon what he was working on. He replied that they were just beginning a film about what he likes to call ‘the arrogance of Man.’ He went on to say it was about the way we’re mistakenly trying to control nature and manipulate salmon, one of the most iconic symbols of wild. Through fish hatcheries and fish farms we’re trying to make up for the degradation of rivers and waterways by producing manufactured salmon instead of protecting wild salmon and the environment that supports them. The effects are devastating, and salmon continue to slide towards extinction. I nearly dropped my sandwich in my lap. Filmmaker/environmentalist Jacques Cousteau was my childhood idol, and before a career in film I earned two degrees in fisheries biology and worked on a fish farm and managed a hatchery. I understood the issue inside and out. We shared food and stories on the tailgate of an old Toyota pickup, and talked more about the film and issues before getting back to the shoot at hand. At the end of the day Yvon asked me for my number and said he’d call. I was flattered, but I never thought I’d hear back. Two days later a producer from Patagonia Films called and said Yvon wanted me to direct the film. That casual lunch began a 2 1/2 year journey that just culminated in a month-long Patagonia store tour that began and Reykjavik Iceland and Oslo Norway before returning to the States and premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival. Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film/program? JM: Every production has it’s challenges. From the outset we knew we were going to be upending a story that most had been told was a positive one. For the large part, most people see fish as something they eat or play with while angling and not as wildlife with an important function to an ecosystem. Fish hatcheries and fish farms were seen as a good thing. They helped restore fish where we failed nature through habitat degradation and provided needed, and some say delicious, food. Why would anyone question that? Oh right, then there’s that darned science stuff that proves we’ve been fooling ourselves for a long time. Our producer Laura Wagner was from NYC and was a perfect gauge of someone who had no immediate relationship with fish. Actually they kind of grossed her out. This was key as we recognized that most viewers knew nothing about the topic and therefore probably wouldn’t care unless we created a connection that they could understand and appreciate. Collin Kriner edited the film, and while he’s from Montana, as an NYU film school grad it never really hit his radar. Both of these close friends were integral collaborators, and their varied perspectives were the key to making the film work. They balanced my obsessive research and endemic knowledge to land at a story that works for a larger audience. When finally embraced the idea that we could trust the viewers by showing more and telling less, we found the film. It became clear that the sheer absurdity at hand would be enough to make our point. We just needed to see it all and that’s what we set out to do. We largely shot on RED Epic Dragon in 5K—to save on data and not give away much field-of-view—and some on Alexa, and used refurbished SLR Leica R prime lenses throughout. The combination makes a rich organic picture and cuts a pretty slim outline without big cine lenses. We trimmed the package way down to make ourselves less conspicuous so hesitant subjects would open up more and have fewer questions about how much the camera must cost. We even dropped the follow focus and pulled focus on the lens barrel and lost the matte box in favor of screw-on filters. All additionally good strategies for the intense soaking we got while shooting much of the film outdoors, on the water, in the winter, in the Pacific Northwest. The most rewarding part of making the film was first the amazing people who contributed their creative best, too many to list here but I’m thankful to each. Beyond that it’s been the deep connections the film has made with audiences and the issue. Confronting viewers with something they have never seen on film before has a powerful affect in our image-crazed culture. Having people ask ‘how is it possible I didn’t know this was happening’ cut right to the quick. As a filmmaker you want people to feel something, as an environmentalist I want people to do something. The future of wild is too important not to. What impact do you hope this film/program will have? JM: I hope the film creates and appreciation of fish as wildlife and wild fish as worth our attention and protection. In a lager sense I hope we recognize the outsized impact humanity is having on the natural world and our failings when we continue to control it. With all of our technologic advances we still can’t build a flower. Wild is a powerful force, and nature’s ability to heal should not be underestimated. When we protect wild we have a chance to save many of the things the make this world beautiful. As Yvon says in the film ‘A life without wild nature, a life without these great iconic species is an impoverished life. If we loose all wild species we’re gonna lose ourselves.’ We agree. Guest written by Robin McGahey, an Ocean Conservationist and enthusiastic volunteer at the 2019 Jackson Wild Summit. This year Jackson Wild was so proud to have been able to award Andrea Crosta as the 2019 Conservation Hero Award. He received the award for his work as Founder and Executive Director of Earth League International, a non-profit dedicated to using intelligence as a tool for conservation. Besides being the closest thing we have to an environmentally friendly Jason Bourne, Crosta is a dog lover, zoology major, businessman, intelligence officer, passionate conservationist, and more. I got the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Mr. Crosta and hearing about how he, and ELI, as he calls it, are changing conservation, one intelligence officer at a time. What’s your background? Andrea Crosta: I was born and raised in Italy, and grew up with a passion for wildlife protection. In school, I majored in Zoology and National Sciences, and was planning on developing a career in it, when my mother passed. After losing her at such a young age, I did what I had to do to support myself. I ended up diverting my attention to business, and got a master’s degree in business administration. In 1998, I launched one of the very first e-commerce companies in Italy, called ‘ThinkItaly’. Where did your background for intelligence come into play? AC: After founding ‘ThinkItaly,’ I got into intelligence and investigation high tech, applied to homeland security. Although I was in the private sector, we did a lot of work that the governments’ would then use. I worked a lot in the U.S., Europe, and Israel and our buyers, which were usually large government agencies. I was also the project manager for an anti-piracy sting off the coast of Somalia during the hay period. From that, I kept going. What started Earth League International (ELI)? AC: Seven years ago, I was in Kenya working as a security contractor for my very last client. I can’t tell you his name, but I can say he was a prominent politician in Somalia. I was looking at everything that was going on in Kenya, specifically with the increase in elephant poaching and I could see the gap between the rangers and the victims, these beautiful creatures. I would ask and they would say, “We are doing the best that we can, what else can we do?” So I decided to go back to my original passion, and decided to merge the conservation with security and high tech, and see what I get. That’s how ELI came into play, originally the Elephant Action League. This is not because we specifically specialized in elephants. It is because we liked what they symbolized: powerful, but not cocky. We decided to change it a few months ago because we kept getting asked if we only work with elephants. This name fits us much better. What exactly does ELI Do? AC: We use intelligence and apply it to conservation, through the collection and analysis of information 24/7. Imagine fighting terrorists from March to October... this is the same mindset that needs to go into conservation. If we really want to fight this, we need to know everything about everything and everyone involved. We have to map all of the players, honest and dishonest, making sure we know as much as we can possibly get our hands on. Everything counts. That’s the significance of our analysts back home. They are using several pieces of high tech software and diving deep into the dark web to weed out what, how, and where, and why. In addition to our projects overseas, we also created Wildleaks, which you may have heard of, which is an encrypted and safe program within ELI, that enables anyone to submit information to us, directly. How are you getting the information? AC: Mostly from people on the ground. “HumInt” as we call it. Human Intelligence is a classic; it is our assets on the ground that build a network of informants. Most of the time, these people don’t even know they are working with each other. We have people engaging with everyone from locals, police officers, and even the traffickers themselves, like you might have seen in The Ivory Game. What are some of the largest challenges you have faced? AC: Our strengths are in the field abroad. We have been really successful at building our network, gathering intel, and working with the locals. The biggest challenge has actually been at home, getting the support and funding. People find it hard to understand and connect with the idea of intelligence. It’s difficult, I understand. We aren’t the ones that have the pictures of the adorable baby elephants and definitely can’t invite them to join us on our expedition. They don’t understand that anti-poaching, without intelligence, is just buying time. The extinction times might extend, but without proper intelligence, extinction will still be present. Can you tell me a bit about the transition into media? AC: It’s interesting because they are such stark contrasts, as intelligence is incredibly secretive, and media is a public outlet. The partnership initially started with The Ivory Game. We were already working on an ivory trade project from Africa to Asia, when I got contacted by Richard Ladkani. He was looking for a story and we just got along really well. He originally didn’t know anything about ivory or the trade, but since has become an expert. Now, he is one of the very few people in the world that knows the names and faces of our covert agents in the films. He also understands the importance of privacy for our informants, and the length that we will take to protect them. That’s why when he asked about Sea of Shadows, it was a no brainer. Do you have any role models?
AC: The only one I can think of is Jane Goodall. She has become not just a mentor, but a dear friend and confidant for me. What’s next for you and ELI? AC: We have several projects and four documentaries in the works. In addition, we will be launching Wildleaks 2.0, and looking at doing a big push in Brazil right now in regards to the Amazon. We want to look behind the screen at the corruption that led to the fires. Our hope is to collect information on what is going on. Further down the road, we are hoping to train local law enforcement officers from around the world on how to identify, gather intelligence, and catch the traffickers on their own. Why do you what you do? AC: Conservation is the least innovative field I’ve ever come across. People have been doing and saying the same thing for forty years. Still, our wildlife and environments are dying. Technology doesn’t mean innovation. There are tools, yes, but true innovation comes within a complete change of mindset. Intelligence, like conservation, is a long-term war. We’re in it, and passionate about being there. Like any war, you have to know what, and who, you’re fighting. That’s where we come in.
We reached out to our Jackson Wild Media Awards filmmakers to ask them five questions about the experience of making their films.
What inspired this story? Producer and Director Lindsey Parietti: I was looking for a story for my University of the West of England wildlife filmmaking master’s program that would draw attention to an ongoing environmental issue in need of an urgent solution. I heard about the “blood chimps” offhand and was intrigued. As I started researching, the deeper I dug the more unexpected layers I uncovered. It was both fascinating and shocking and I knew I wanted to tell this story. Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film/program? LP: I had a very short filming window (only 2.5 days on location) and conditions in Liberia were very hot and humid so the cameras played up. We were filming the chimpanzees on the islands from a small boat so that was challenging as well. Something always goes awry on location but I enjoy the creative challenge of making it all work. How do you approach storytelling? LP: As a journalist I naturally want to examine things that fascinate me or grab my attention and that feel relevant, current and exciting. I try to use whatever platform I have to highlight stories and causes that aren’t being covered but deserve to be told. It’s a process of discovery and I try to approach it without foregone conclusions of what I might find. Once I’m crafting the story I like to keep it clear and authentic and try to be true to the narrative and characters. The goal is to capture their essence without overworking the final product. What impact do you hope this film/program will have? LP: I hope the film prompts us to consider our relationship with animals and the natural world. For a long time, we’ve taken power over other living things at our disposal and treated them as if they were disposable commodities. There are a lot of people working to change this and I’d like to play a part in telling their stories. I set out to make Blood Island as a campaign film that would draw attention to the chimps’ plight. However during the edit, the New York Blood Center reached a settlement to provide some money for the care of their former research chimpanzees. While this resolved some of the immediate problem, there are still issues regarding the future of these chimps including that they’ve reproduced on the islands, creating more chimps that will live for 50-60 years and need to be cared for. Practically I hope the film gives people a window into the issue and if they feel compelled, they can investigate further or donate toward the chimps’ care. You can find more information or get in touch with me on the film’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BloodIslandfilm/ What next? LP: I’ve recently wrapped a related tv series and am working on new ideas. Questions for Specific Categories: Impact: How can audience members take action to help the cause or issue featured in this film? LP: There are two organizations they can support: The Humane Society is currently looking after the retired lab chimps and Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection is rescuing orphaned chimps and trying to protect the critically endangered Western Chimpanzee in Liberia. If you feel compelled by the film and want more information or to get in touch I would love to hear from you on the film Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BloodIslandfilm/ Student and Emerging Science Filmmaker: What inspired you to tell this particular story? What did you learn during the making of this film? Any surprises? LP: I was looking for a story for my wildlife filmmaking master’s programme that would draw attention to an ongoing environmental issue in need of an urgent solution. I heard about the “blood chimps” offhand and was intrigued. As I started researching, the deeper I dug the more unexpected layers I uncovered. It was both fascinating and shocking and I immediately knew I wanted to tell this story. Any project I take on feels like one big learning process, which is why I love journalism and filmmaking. I learned so much about the chimpanzees and got to meet the amazing people involved in their cause. The University of the West of England masters programme was also a great opportunity to develop craft skills since we got to do everything ourselves from development to filming to post-production, including editing, color grading and building the soundscape. I had previously worked as a video journalist, but the timescale and everything that went into making something more cinematic was so different that I learned a lot and enjoyed the new challenge.
We reached out to our Jackson Wild Media Awards filmmakers to ask them five questions about the experience of making their films.
What inspired this story? Director/Producer Daphne Wong: The Chinese White Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) has been living in the waters of Hong Kong for hundreds of years. The dolphin, which is in fact pink in appearance, is nicknamed ‘Panda of the Sea’, due to its rarity and friendliness. Despite being chosen as the handover mascot in 1997 when Britain returned the region to China, the Chinese White Dolphin’s fate is not auspicious at all. Their numbers have plunged 80% since 2003, leaving only 32 of their kind in Hong Kong's waters. They are facing multiple threats, including habitat loss due to coastal development, water pollution, and danger of collision with vessels. This film is about their plight and hopes to raise awareness for the endangered cetacean. Were there any surprising or meaningful moments/experiences you want to share? DW: With fewer and fewer dolphins and harsher living conditions in Hong Kong, stable encounters with dolphins are hard to come by. The most memorable experience I had whilst filming was when 15 dolphins surrounded the research vessel, circling the boat and breaching next to us. We had half an hour with this superpod before we had to head back to port before the sun sets. Any fun facts about the film/program, the subject matter or the production crew that might surprise the audience? DW: Despite its name, the Chinese White Dolphin is often referred to as the pink dolphin due to their pink coloration in appearance. Baby calves are dark grey in colour, which would eventually fade into light grey and into spots. These spots fade as they approach adulthood, and they become fully white (or rather, pink). Their pinkness is prominent due to a network of blood vessels near the skin’s surface, which was thought to have been developed for temperature regulation. How can audience members take action to help the cause or issue featured in this film? DW: The Chinese White Dolphins in Hong Kong have now reached a critical juncture. If they are not given enough room to breathe and regenerate in the near future, the city’s mascot would eventually fade away and become part of history. Audience members can help by supporting the 'Dolphin30: Saving the Handover Mascot' campaign. The Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society is petitioning for a large and connected marine park as a shelter for the remaining dolphins, and the re-route of high-speed ferries to better protect and to relieve the stress on the dolphins.
We reached out to our Jackson Wild Media Awards filmmakers to ask them five questions about the experience of making their films.
What inspired this story? Producer Walter Köhler: The Vaquita is a very iconic species. If we cannot save this species, what hope is there for others. It would be really easy to protect if just politics would be there to fight wildlife crime. Our agenda was to warn the world that if we let two highly organized crime syndicates - the Chinese Mafia and the Mexican drug cartels - work together without being attacked by law enforcement we will lose one species after the other in the Sea of Cortez and everywhere around the world. Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film/program. WK: We had to overcome a lot of security challenges. We were attacked, got death threats, fought against corruption. There was more than one dangerous situation. When we left the shores of the Sea of Cortez we knew there was no turning back. Mexico is the most dangerous country in the world for journalists - and filmmakers. What did you learn from your experience making this film/program? WK: Never give up even when the situation feels hopeless. As filmmakers we can make a difference and change the world for good. How do you approach storytelling? WK: We wanted to construct a film which could be also viewed as a thriller movie à la "Sicario" - with the exception that every action, every bullet fired was real. We tried to make it as "entertaining" as possible. The Vaquita needs more friends that just our usual community of nature lovers. What impact do you hope this film/program will have? WK: We work hard to force the Mexican government to start strict law enforcement measures and especially go for the Mexican-Chinese traffickers. We gave all our intelligence to Mexico and still they go unharmed to this day. In strong contrast to the Chinese government who achieved a lot of arrests of Totoaba traffickers. We still hope that everything we do at the moment works out until the next Totoaba season starts in December. It is the last chance for the Vaquita. The last ten or so specimens will not survive another poaching season. Were there any surprising or meaningful moments/experiences you want to share? WK: It was quite a experience to film the first moving images of a species and to know that it is just a few individuals away from extinction. They are so hard to see and so hard to find them and still we manage it to kill them just for greed! Any fun facts about the film/program, the subject matter or the production crew that might surprise the audience? WK: No, no fun moments! More the opposite! Anything else you would like people to know? WK: The Vaquita would be the first animal with the highest protection from CITES which could now go forever. We must do anything to stop this happening! What next? WK: We will turn our attention to the Amazon. The situation gets totally out of hand. We must send our cameras down there. The lung of the world needs our combined actions. How can audience members take action to help the cause or issue featured in this film? WK: Get on to social media. Force the Mexican government to take action. Did the film team use any unusual techniques or unique imaging technology? WK: Without drones the film would not have been possible at all. What were some of the specific editing challenges you had to address? WK: It was hard and took us quite a while to combine our several narrative threads and interweave them which each other without disturbing the overall picture. Thanks to our wonderful editing team, we achieved what we longed for from the very beginning. What were the biggest influences on how you approached writing this project? WK: Reality!
We reached out to our Jackson Wild Media Awards filmmakers to ask them five questions about the experience of making their films.
What inspired this story? Director Jeff Wilson: We spent 4 months living and working with Adelies in 2009/2010 Antarctic season alongside the United States Antarctic Program for the BBC series Frozen Planet – but we came away from the experience thinking there was more to these amazing little krill buckets than we were able to tell in a sequence led series. Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film/program. JW: All filming in Antarctica is challenging primarily due to the enormous logistics that filming on the continent requires. We were fortunate to co-operate and be supported by the National Science Foundation as well as French and Argentine Antarctic Programs, but nonetheless, extreme weather played a key role in both the failures and successes of this film. What did you learn from your experience making this film/program? JW: Nothing can replace long term observation and on the ground expertise in making a good wildlife film - Understanding ones subject matter intimately is key to developing storylines and getting the nuanced behavior which is the core of long form wildlife storytelling. How do you approach storytelling? JW: The best stories in the natural world tend to present themselves to those who take the time to watch, but beyond that I try and narrow the distance between the human experience and the wild animal behavior we observe in the field to remind our audience they are more connected to the natural world than many of them realize. I believe this is a cornerstone to any good conservation movement. What impact do you hope this film/program will have? JW: I have already watched cinemas full of families and children interact with this film through both the amazing cinematography , the storytelling and the music – I really hope that this film will have longevity in inspiring families and especially children to find out more about the Antarctic continent and the plight of penguins worldwide. Were there any surprising or meaningful moments/experiences you want to share? JW: Our first season saw the teams camp decimated by winds of 151mph at Cape Crozier in the Ross Sea area of Antarctica, which we thought was a record , until the team filming the following season at Hope Bay on the Peninsula had to endure 157mph which was a wind record for mainland Antarctica! As we watched the penguins nonchalantly disregard these hurricane force katabatics (their aqua dynamic design is perfectly suited for wind forces), both events taught us very severely that humans have no permanent place on Antarctica. Long may that last. Anything else you would like people to know? JW: Cuts to science funding in the US by the government are severely affecting long term studies on penguin ecology and climate change which are vital to our understanding of Adelie penguins and other species inhabiting Antarctica. How can audience members take action to help the cause or issue featured in this film? JW: Disneynature supports the Global Penguin Society and audience members can too through this site. Also, you can learn more about the important work going on at our main filming site through the fantastic resources from our partner science team here.
We reached out to our Jackson Wild Media Awards filmmakers to ask them five questions about the experience of making their films.
What inspired this story? Director and Producer Dusty Hulet: When I was a kid, my dad took me with him to volunteer on an Idaho Fish & Game deer study. To my twelve-year-old amazement, it was our job to hide in the bushes, then run and tackle the deer that were being herded into nets by a helicopter. We held them down just long enough for a wildlife researcher to put a radio collar on them, before releasing them back into the wild. As a twelve-year-old, it was the craziest thing I’d witnessed under adult supervision, and it really stuck with me as I made my way into the world of film. A few years ago, I was finally able to go back to Idaho to film a similar deer study. In doing so, I caught wind of Colorado Parks and Wildlife researchers crawling headfirst into occupied bear dens, armed only with handheld tranquilizers on telescoping poles—tranquilizers that took 15 minutes to do anything. I convinced the researchers to let me film them for a just a couple of days, then a couple more. Things snowballed from there. Four years later, what was to be a segment in a short film is the standalone feature, Bears of Durango. Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film/program? DH: I was really close to puking my guts out by the time we got to the first den. The Durango study’s bears didn’t always den in especially convenient locations, and the first one I visited was up several thousand feet of snowy, trailless Rocky Mountain. The researchers, whose regular duties include visiting bear dens in Colorado’s deep winter snow, are what you might call “ultra fit.” It’s one thing to even keep up with them, it’s another thing to haul all the camera gear fast enough to get ahead of them, then not pass out while you try to control your breathing long enough to hold a stable shot. What did you learn from your experience making this film/program? DH: The battle is ongoing, but this process has made it very clear to me that every indie film is a miracle. Doesn’t matter how bad it is. It’s really tough to make something at all, let alone something good. How do you approach storytelling? DH: With Bears of Durango, it was important to me that the researchers’ voices carried the story. No narrator, no host, no David Attenborough (though I’m happy to talk with you about my next project, Sir Dave). Without exception, we found the researchers doing this work to be fascinating, vibrant characters. Though you hear my voice a few times in the film, the story is theirs, and you hear it from them, expressed in their own way. Beyond that, humor plays an interesting role in the film. Bears of Durango ventures into heavy issues—climate change, human development, and mounting pressures on wildlife populations.
What impact do you hope this film/program will have?
DH: There’s much to say on this one, but I’ll leave it at this: My four nieces have plenty of Miley Cyrus to look up to. What they need is more Dr. Heather Johnson. They need to see that they can be brilliant scientist leaders, wrestle bears twice their size, and positively impact the world. Were there any surprising or meaningful moments/experiences you want to share? DH: While filming in the back of the first den I visited—two bears between me and the exit—a researcher straddling the two bears explained to me how important it was that I take care not to touch the semi-sedated sow’s nose, as I climbed over her and her yearling. “Bears noses,” I was told, “are extremely sensitive.” The researcher, Twistered her way over the bears to the other side of the den, then led the way through the 14-inch belly-crawl gap in the boulders, and up the six foot tunnel in the snow that the researchers had dug to the den’s entrance. On her way out, her boot slipped off the wall, and popped the sow right in the nose. The sow’s ears, silhouetted against the den’s opening, slowly lifted to an alert position. It was a different kind of “peak experience,” with pure adrenaline coursing as I straddled her and her yearling before being dragged out the tunnel by the researchers. The sow didn’t fully wake up until we were packed up and long gone, but it made for a very memorable first shooting day. What next? DH: We’re not out of the woods yet. There’s much to do with Bears of Durango—some interesting challenges, and some amazing opportunities. We hope that our time at Jackson Wild will us connect with those who can help us take the project to the next level. Those interested in getting involved or following along with our journey are invited to visit bearsofdurango.com.
We reached out to our Jackson Wild Media Awards filmmakers to ask them five questions about the experience of making their films.
What inspired this story? Director Ian McAllister: This story was inspired by my 30 years of conservation work in the Great Bear Rainforest. I was fortunate to be first introduced to the Great Bear Rainforest about 30 years ago, when what I thought was going to be a one-week exploratory trip turned into a 30-year journey. Making a giant screen film about this area has been on my mind for a long time. I wanted to bring awareness to this globally rare wilderness so that others can see what I see. It is the story of a threatened unique rainforest next to one of the planet's most prolific ocean environments that is also facing pressure from industrial development. Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film. IM: This is a natural history film of some of the planet's undocumented elusive wildlife. In order to bring that to the giant screen, the crew spent more than 400 days in the field filming spirit bears, wolves and countless other species, which took a tremendous amount of time to properly capture. Filming in an extremely remote area with a complicated coastline without any roads or easy access, with the addition of harsh wind and rain, brings its own challenges. What impact do you hope this film will have? IM: I hope people leave the theatre with a sense of real hope, knowing that places so valuable ecologically and culturally still exist and still can thrive, and seeing that ecological protection can be something exciting and beautiful, rather than dark and difficult. Maybe some will also be inspired to engage with the rainforest in their own way, or to get involved in environmental work, which doesn’t have to mean becoming a scientist. There are countless skills that can play a role in helping to protect places like the Great Bear Rainforest—from science to the arts to logistics…and even entertainment. Any fun facts about the film, the subject matter or the production crew that might surprise the audience? IM: A fun fact about this film is that the Spirit Bear, which is one of the key characters of the film and the area, is rarer than the panda bear. Many people confuse it with a polar bear, but it is actually a subspecies of the North American black bear that has white fur due to a rare genetic trait. Spirit bears are only found in the Great Bear Rainforest. No one knows exactly how many spirit bears there are, but estimates range from 50 to 100. They truly are the rarest bears on earth! What do you feel is most important to remember when telling stories to younger audiences? IM: I love the fact that in the Great Bear Rainforest, both the film and the actual place, indigenous youth are the central voice of the region. We wanted to spotlight real people, especially young people, and real things that are happening in their communities. This results in youth talking to youth, and I believe that is the most important element in telling stories to younger audiences. |
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