I worked as a field director for the Forest episode, joining scientists, cinematographers and an ingenious rigging expert to get unprecedented access to mammals living in forests across the world. From chimpanzees in Gabon to the greatest mass gathering of fruit bats in Zambia, it was key that the sequences we filmed took us into the heart of these animals.
Image by Madalena Boto. Field Director Madalena has an ‘immersive’ experience behind the camera.
The most challenging task for me was the final one – filming the Siberian flying squirrel in the forests of Japan.
The shoot was split into two parts; one at the peak of winter to capture their magical gliding in slow-motion and the other in spring to film the intimate bond between mother and kits. I worked with cameraman Domenico Pontillo, an expert in using the high-speed Phantom camera, and fixer Mai Nishiyama.
In January on the island of Hokkaido the land is covered in snow and the hours of daylight are short, with temperatures often dropping to -20°C. Some mornings the air was so cold it made even the trees look frozen. It seemed time stood still – the perfect setting to catch our slow-motion action.
The challenges became clear at the first nest we tried. Flying squirrels are mainly nocturnal, leaving the nest just after sunset and returning right before sunrise, meaning we only had a tight window of light to film them. Deploying four different cameras, Domenico made the most of every chance he got and gathered plenty of shots of these very cute animals. But most of the gliding was happening high in the canopy above us. Inaccessible and impossible to film.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
