ShootingintheWild:AnInsidersAccountofMakingMoviesintheAnimalKingdom ByChrisPalmer

AStudyGuide
ShootingintheWild:AnInsidersAccountofMakingMoviesintheAnimalKingdomtakesyoubehind thescenesofthehugelypopularnaturefilmgenre,sharingtheadventuresofthedaringandcreative peoplewhomakethesefilmsandTVshows.Italsopullsbackthecurtainonthedarksideofwildlife filmmaking,revealinganindustrymoreandmoredrivenbymoney,sensationalism,extremerisktaking, staging,fabrication,andevenabuseandharassmentofanimals. Thefollowingareaseriesofquestionsthatcanbeusedeithertoenrichtheindividualsreadingofthe bookortostimulatediscussioninclassesorbookgroups. ForewordbyJaneGoodall Asparklingessaybythefamedprimateresearcherandauthordescribingherownexperienceswith filmmakerswhocometoTanzaniatodocumentherwork,andhertakeonwildlifefilmsingeneral. 1. WhatarethebiggestethicalconcernsJaneGoodallhasaboutwildlifefilmmaking? 2. Whatstepshasshetakeninherownfilmstoproducethemethically? Preface LooksbackonChrisPalmersentryintowildlifefilmmakingandthebeginningofanewerain environmentalprogramming. 1. Inwhatwaysisfilmuniquelyabletopromoteconservation? 2. ChrisPalmerstartedhiscareerwithverylittleexperienceinfilmmaking.Whatfactorscanmake aninexperiencedfilmmakersuccessful? 3. TheNationalAudubonSocietyatfirstresistedtheideaofgoingintothefilmbusiness.Howdo mainstreamenvironmentalgroupsusemediatoday? Introduction:MoviesThatCanChangeYourLife Exploreshowwildlifefilmsgottobesuchapowerfulformofentertainmentaswellasakeyconservation tool,aswellashowthegenrecametobedoggedbyethicalissues. 1. Whatfactorshaveledtotheincreasedinterestinwildlifefilms? 2. Whyisitimportanttoknowifafilmismadeethicallyornot?Howdoesknowingthataffectthe viewingexperience? 3. Howbestcanviewersshowtheirsupportforethicallymadefilms?

Chapter1:StateoftheArt:TheManyFacesofWildlifeFilmmaking Anoverviewofthewholeuniverseofwildlifeonthescreen:inmovietheaters,television,andnewmedia. 1. Thischapterpresentsthedifferentkindsofwildlifefilms.Howinfluentialcanthesefilmsbe? Haveyoueverchangedyourbehaviorsorattitudesbasedonafilm?Whataboutthefilm inspiredyoutochange? 2. Whatdoestherecent,explosivesuccessofwildlifefilmssayaboutaudiences?Isthissuccessa goodsignorabadsignforsociety? Chapter2:HowDidWeGetHere?ABriefHistoryoftheBusiness Profilessomeofthepioneersofthegenreandshowshowtherootsofcurrentproblemsinwildlife filmmakingliedeepintheindustryspast. 1. Howhaswildlifefilmmakingchangedovertheyears?Istheindustrygettingbetterorworse? 2. Whatarethestrengthsandweaknessesofearlywildlifefilmmakers? 3. Thischapterdiscussesmanyexamplesofinaccurateormisleadingfilms.Whateffectdothose filmshaveontheviewer? Chapter3:BehindtheCamera:HowWildlifeFilmsAreMade Anoverviewofhowafilmgetsdone,frompitchtodistribution,basedontheauthorsextensive experienceasaproducer. 1. Thischapterdiscussestheimportanceofcreatingcompellingstories.Isitmoreimportantto beexactlyaccurateortotellanentertainingstory?Howbestcanfilmmakersreconcilethe desiretotellinterestingstorieswiththedesiretobetruthfulandaccurate? Therearethreemainstagesoffilmmaking:preproduction,production,andpost production.Whyispreproductionsoimportant? Whatstepsmustawildlifefilmmakertakeinpreparingthatafilmmakerofscriptedwork wouldnothaveto? Ofthemanystoriesinvolvingadventuresandmishapsinthewild,chooseoneandexplain whatthefilmmakersdidrightandwhattheycouldhavedonebetter.

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Chapter4:TheMoneyChase:FindingFundswithoutSellingOut Thechallengeofraisingmoneyforproductions,includingalivelyportraitofTedTurner,theauthors friendandlongtimecolleagueonAudubonsfilmprogram. 1. Whatkindofthingscanfilmmakersdotomaketheirprojectsattractivetoinvestors? 2. Thechapterincludesseveralinstancesofinvestorsmakingparticularrequestsinexchangefor funding.Howfarshouldafilmmakergotosecurefinancing?Whatkindofcompromisesare worthmakingandwhatkindarenot? 2

Chapter5:CultofPersonality:TheCelebrityConnectionandPresenterDrivenShows Howtheemphasisoncelebrityhostsandhighoctanepresentersisdrivingwhatviewerssee:thegood, thebad,andtheuglyofworkingwithbignames. 1. Whyishavingacelebrityhostsoimportantforwildlifefilms?Whatdownsidesaretheretousing celebrities? 2. ThischapterdiscussestheCrocodileHunterandpresentsamixofopinionsonhissuccess.Do showslikehisdomoreharmorgood?Howcouldtheybemadeinamoreethicalway? Chapter6:AudienceAbuse:StagingandOtherDeceptions Dubiouspracticessomefilmmakersusetoinjectdramaintotheirfilmsbutthatoftendeceiveaudiences intobelievingthatstagedormanipulatedscenesarereal. 1. Allfilmscreateanartificialversionofreality.Whydoviewersexpectmoreaccuracyfrom documentaryfilmsthanotherfilms? 2. Thischapterexplainshowsoundissometimesrecreatedandnotrecordedlive.Istherean ethicaldifferencebetweenstagingvisualsandstagingsound? 3. Thechapterdiscussessomeofthepositiveandnegativeaspectsofgamefarms.Ifyouwere shootingawildlifefilm,wouldyoueveruseagamefarm?Ifso,inwhatsituationsandwhy?If not,whynot? Chapter7:TooCloseforComfort:WhatFilmmakersDofortheMoneyShot Somefilmmakersroutinelyendangerthemselvesandwildanimalsbygettingtooclosesometimeswith tragicconsequences,aswhenSteveIrwinwaskilledbyastingray.Anespeciallydramaticchapterwith accountsofTimothyTreadwellfallingpreytohisbelovedgrizzlies,BradyBarrbeingmauledbyapython, andmore. 1. WhenRandyWimbergslifewasputinsuchgravedanger,whodoyoufeelwasmost responsible?Whatshouldhavebeendonedifferently? 2. Inwhatwaysdothefilmsmentionedinthischaptertakeadvantageofandharm:theanimals? Thefilmcrewandhost?Theaudience? 3. BradyBarrseesahugedifferencebetweenhisownactionsandthoseofSteveIrwinorTimothy Treadwell.Howdifferentarethey? 3

Chapter8:NaturePornandFangTV:TheTemptationsofSexandViolence Attheextremeedgeofthewildlifefilmbusinessareproductionsthatsellsexandviolencegoodfor ratings,badfortheanimalsthataredemonized,trivialized,orevenharmed. 1. Whereisthelinebetweenshowingthedispassionatecrueltyofnatureandshowingnature pornorfangTV?Shouldnaturefilmsrefrainfromshowingsexandviolence? 2. Howdoviolenceorsexbasedwildlifeprogramsinfluenceyourviewsofanimals? 3. Dothesenaturepornprogramsserveanypositivepurpose? Chapter9:SinsofOmission:LeavingConservationBehind Wildlifefilmshavebeenvitaltolandmarkconservationcampaigns,likethefightfordolphinsafetuna. Whilesomefilmsnowavoidconservationmessagesinthepushforcommercialsuccess,othersusethem creativelyforexample,topersuadeAfricansnottoeatgreatapesasmeat. 1. Inwhatwayshavefilmsinfluencedconservation?Whataspectsoffilmscanmakethem effectivetoolsforconservation? 2. Whyaresomanyfilmmakersafraidofmakingconservationfilms? Chapter10:DoingItRight:ProfilesinEthicalEntertainment Profilesofahalfdozengiftedandcommittedfilmmakersshowhowthesefilmscanberiveting entertainmentwhilerespectingtheanimalsboundaries,portrayingtheirlivesandhabitatstruthfully, andaddressingconservationissues. 1. CompareoneofthefilmmakersinthischaptertooneofthoseinChapter7.Whatarethemajor differencesintheirapproachtofilmingandintheirfinalproducts? 2. Whenfilmmakerssetouttomakeethicalwildlifefilms,whataddeddifficultiesmusttheyface? 3. Canaudiencestellthedifferencebetweenethicallyandunethicallymadefilms?Howdoesthe differencemanifestitself? Chapter11:TheWayForward:HowWildlifeFilmsCanMakeaDifference Palmerproposesaneightstepprogramforreformingthewildlifefilmbusiness,andoffershisvisionfor whatitcanbeatitsbest. 1. Allfilms,whethertheyarepromotingconservationornot,mustattractviewers.Whatcan filmmakersdotoattractaudienceswithoutresortingtonatureporn? 2. Arethereaspectsofproconservationfilmsthatmakethemmoreattractiveorentertainingto viewers?Howcanfilmmakersbestcapitalizeonthose? 3. ChooseoneoftheEightStepstoReformandexplainhowtheproposedreformdiffersfrom commonpractice.Whateffectwouldthatreformhave?