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WELCOME TO THE WILDLIFE FILM ACADEMY NEWSLETTER 08
Learn the art of wildlife filmmaking in Cape Town, South Africa. This intensive one-month course, offers lectures by industry professionals, includes a spectacular all expenses paid field trip to a premier game reserve, and each student produces their own unique five-minute short film. |
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UPDATE ON CURRENT WILDLIFE FILM ACADEMY STUDENTS
The students have just returned from an unbelievable field trip in the Kruger National Park. Staying in tented campsites they soon got used to the early morning wake up calls to film the morning sunrises in the blissful silence of the bush. They were especially lucky with the sightings and managed to see all of the Big 5 in one day.
During the field trip, the students were taken to the exact same dam where the “Battle at Kruger”, viewed by 27 million viewers on www.youtube.com, took place. It was just after 3pm when they arrived at the scene and the students were excitedly counting how many lions were in the pride and pointing out where they were. As the students were zooming in on the lions, a large herd of buffalo moved in, and some of the more gallant buffalo started charging the lions. The students were riveted. Then an elephant ambled into view, followed by some waterbuck who walked right towards the lions. There was so much activity at the dam and the students, armed with Sony Z1 cameras and a Sony D50 Camera rig, were getting shots from all different angles. With such great coverage, the students have decided to combine everyone’s footage and put together a short film about the experience – watch this space!
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SCREENING OF STUDENT WILDLIFE FILMS The students on the current course will be screening their films, for the first time on the big screen at the Labia Cinema in Gardens, on Friday 4 April from 16h00 – 17h00.
Each student will present their 5 minute film, make mention
of their highlights and challenges during production, and
answer questions from the audience. There is no charge,
however to secure a seat email
info@wildlifefilmacademy.com
or call 021 422 5363.
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DISCOUNT OFFERED ON APRIL COURSE - BOOK NOW
The Wildlife Film Academy is offering a discount on the April course, which runs from 16 April – 16 May. To maximise the experience that students gain from attending the course and to ensure the most professional tuition - spaces are limited to 10 students per course.
If you are interested in booking for this course email
info@wildlifefilmacademy.com
To book for any of the other courses during 2008, the dates are:
28 May – 27 June; 9 June – 9 July; 16 July – 15 August;
30 July – 29 August; 3 September – 3 October;
8 October – 7 November ; 2 November – 12 December.
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NEWS FROM FILMMAKERS IN THE FIELD
The
Wildlife Film Academy interviewed Director/Producer
Vicky Stone, multi
award-winning filmmaker, who is based in Kenya.
Stone is well known for the highly acclaimed films
made with her partner Mark Deeble, The Queen of Trees, Mzima:
Hanut of the Riverhorse, Tale of the Tides, A little fish in
deep water and the Tides of Kirawira.
For more
information visit www.deeblestone.com
PHOTOGRAPH: Vicky rigging wing-mount, credited to Norbert Rottcher.
1
What are you
currently working on and who commissioned it?
“I am
currently working on a feature film about elephants. Our
last film,
'The Queen of Trees' was an extremely detailed and
intricate story. We felt it was now time to swap the hand
lens for binoculars again, and aim for a theatrical
audience. For me, wildlife filmmaking has always been about
telling stories from the natural world. Recently, theatrical
distributors have seen that wildlife can work in the cinema
and that their audiences can enjoy wildlife stories. I think
it is a very exciting time. We have always relished a
challenge, so we will shoot in digital 3D - which will be a
first for our genre. The problems are enormous, and it is
logistically daunting, but we have been researching and
testing 3D technology for a number of years and believe that
the time is right to apply it to wildlife. None of the 3D
equipment is available 'off the shelf' - it all has to be
designed and custom built - from rigs and cameras, to lenses
and software - and that is part of the excitement. The
technology is only half of the story though - the real
challenge is to get it in the field long enough to craft a
good story. It has meant forming partnerships and finding
investors who share our vision."
2 What has been your most memorable / hair-raising experience whilst out there filming?
"Every film has its moments, as each represent a 'slice of life' - a three year period during which there are births and deaths, illnesses and recuperations. No two are alike. I remember 'A Little Fish in Deep Water' for the tropical ulcers and malaria we all got - I don't think there was ever a time when one of the team didn't have one or the other. Some of us had malaria four or five times in two years. Early on, we seemed to average about one plane wreck per film - neither has happened for a while now... I think one of my most memorable though, was filming crocodiles on the Grumeti. We had filmed the predation we wanted, and I was in a hide with my son Freddy (then five) who I had taken with me so I could show him the crocs. I was quietly watching them out the front, whispering to him, when I realized he hadn't been paying attention for a while. I turned around to find him absorbed by a lioness who had been stalking the hide and was now crouched five feet away - interested in the little face she had seen staring through the slit in the canvas. I radioed to camp a few hundred yards away asking for someone to rush towards the hide banging pots and pans to frighten the lion away - unfortunately only the cook was there and he rapidly decided that the request lay outside his job description, and declined! Freddy was entranced though - he thought it quite normal and, after all, I had just told him that we used hides so we could get to see the animals close-up - so as far as he was concerned, everything was going to plan. Luckily, at that moment Norbert Rottcher, drove into camp - quickly worked out what was happening, grabbed the pans, and ran to the rescue doing a creditable Gordon Ramsay impression."
3 What is your advice for newcomers to the industry? “Get out there and get involved - there is no entitlement. Hard work, passion, knowledge and skill are what it is about. It has never been easier or cheaper to take the first step - costs today are a fraction of what they were twenty years ago. It is an order of magnitude cheaper to shoot and edit - this should leave more time for field-craft and story development. If many more can now take the first step - it pushes the 'weeding out' process further down the line, so to stand out - think story, show that you can develop a narrative, draw storyboards, shoot sequences. We see quite a few show-reels - mostly pretty pictures cut to music which proves very little other than that the person can afford to get to an exotic location. What we rarely see (and is more impressive when we do) - is a cut sequence which shows an understanding of what works and how it can be put together. Acquire complimentary skills - do anything else that can make you useful - whether it is cooking, mechanics, swahili, or massage - they will all come in useful!" |
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HD EQUIPMENT
FOR HIRE
The NHU AFRICA (Natural History Unit), based in Cape Town, has a wide range of equipment, including the latest HD equipment, which is available for hire at vastly discounted rates. For more information about the rental rates for cameras and other gear, email lianne@nhuafrica.com or telephone +27 21 422 0012. |
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ANIMAL
PLANET'S UNEARTHED: FILM SCHOOL WILD
Animal
Planet has returned to the world-renowned Shamwari Game
Reserve in South Africa for a brand new season of
Unearthed.
Four amateur wildlife filmmakers from around
the world have been chosen to participate in an intensive
filmmaking course with experts Andrew Barron and Lyndal
Davies.
This unique television project follows the
contestants as they embark on the demanding training where
they learn the essential skills and realities of creating a
natural history documentary.
In
addition to learning what it takes to become a wildlife
filmmaker, viewers will witness the fierce competition
amongst the students, and their common passion - not only
for filmmaking, but also for animals and the natural world
in which they live. As the team learns about filming in the
wild, they must also cope with various challenges, including
filming one of the most dangerous predators on the planet -
the great white shark, underwater! The tension rises as
they perform various tasks of increasing difficulty for the
first time - while facing unpredictable animals, tight
deadlines and rivalry with each other.
Log on to
www.animalplanet.co.uk/unearthed for more
information on how you can get involved in the next series.
Entry forms available online from 14 Apri 2008.
Check
your local TV listings for series schedule times.
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NEWS FROM PAST STUDENTS
News from past student, Marco Tonoli,
email
marco@4elements.co.za
“As a person who has always loved the natural environment
and always worked close to nature, I decided to pursue a
dream of mine which was to work as a wildlife filmmaker.
The big problem for me was that I knew absolutely
nothing about the filmmaking industry, and it seemed quite
daunting to approach something I knew nothing about.
Where do I get the money from to fund a project, who
do I approach and how do I approach them?
What equipment would I need, and what is the process
to take from having an idea to actually seeing it broadcast?
There were hundreds of questions in my head, and I
had no idea where to start. Then I discovered the Wildlife
Film Academy and decided to attend their course.
What I learned during the one month course was
totally above my expectations.
I now feel confident that I have a good general
understanding of the wildlife filmmaking industry (although
there is still plenty to learn), and understand the process
of actually getting one of my ideas out there. From
conceptualisation, proposals to production companies,
equipment hire and use, research, field work, shooting to
edit, basic editing to broadcasting. The caliber of the
lecturers was outstanding and gave me the opportunity to
make invaluable contacts in the industry.
It was a pleasure to learn from a group of people
that were without question willing to share their experience
and knowledge. I would honestly recommend this course to
anyone that has any desire to pursue a career in wildlife
film making. I believe the course gives the opportunity to
get your foot in the door, but how hard you kick your foot
around after that is entirely up to you.
Since completing the course, I have had numerous opportunities to pursue within wildlife filmmaking, and have accepted an opportunity to work with a production company called Wild Earth, which specialises in live video feed from a Private Reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park. Here I will have the opportunity to work with a professional crew and can get invaluable experience in camera operation, directing and presenting. I have also been offered the opportunity as a camera assistant for the NHU AFRICA on a documentary concerning the Knysna elephants, which will be fantastic for practical experience. So in a matter of days after completing the course, the opportunities have come rolling in and I find my life slowly heading towards a career in Wildlife filmmaking, and like I mentioned before…a dream coming true.
The Wildlife Film Academy will show you will show you where to go and how to get there, but it’s up to you to actually go out there and get it. Good luck to all future students, I hope it all works out for you like it has for me.” |
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INTERNS AVAILABLE
The Wildlife Film Academy has a number of international students who have completed the wildlife filmmaking course, and are now brimming with enthusiasm and creative energy and would welcome any internships in South Africa and abroad. Should you be interested in employing an intern please email info@wildlifefilmacademy.com |
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Animal
Planet -
www.animalplanet.co.uk
NFVF -
www.nfvf.co.za
Lizard
Entertainment -
www.lizardentertainment.co.za
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CONTACT DETAILS
Wildlife Film Academy
Ph/ Fax: +27 21 422 5363 Email: info@wildlifefilmacademy.com
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The Wildlife Film Academy - inspire yourself!
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