It stands to reason that if nature is imperilled, Natural History filmmaking is under threat. Biodiversity loss and climate chaos are clear and present dangers. Our industry faces a challenge: to visually represent climate breakdown and biodiversity loss in ways that engage mainstream audiences and present solutions.
I’m often asked how we capture such incredible stories. We’re blessed to work with experts and, thankfully, there’s predictability in nature. Mass spawning events, epic migrations, flamboyant mating rituals; there are annual windows to capture nature’s ebb and flow. But today climate chaos and biodiversity loss are eroding that predictability, scuppering best laid plans.
When the BBC tried to celebrate Winter garden birds, the second consecutive mild winter saw me road tripping, chasing snow and even – in utter desperation – filling my car with the white stuff to create a winter scene in a bird-friendly location elsewhere. Heart-breakingly the show was decommissioned, the tip of an increasingly melting iceberg.