The Spectacles of Natural History Documentaires

[sairsy]

Hi everyone,
I’m in my third year of university and in the middle of my dissertation. My subject is how natural history documentaries provide a spectacle for a 21st century audience. What is it that really makes the audience go "wow"? Were wildlife documentaries as spectacular say back in the 1920?
It would be great to get some feed back to see what you think. Thank you!

Sarah

[Melus]

Hi Sairsy

I don't think Natural History Documentaries as we know them were around in the 1920's. Maybe the only wildlife captured on camera was the odd dead elephant or Bengal Tiger shot on safari by the gentry. I don't think the general population then had very much interest in conservation or natural history but the quality of wildlife documentaries and photographic media these days is fantastic. I suppose the first film that I remember as a young lad was the Born Free film. I believe the Born Free Foundation still active today in Africa, was initiated on the back of the film and succeeded as a result of the interest it stirred up in the general population.

One natural history programe I can recall as a lad was 'Out of Town' with Jack Hargreaves in the 70's. I still regard the programe as a classic and I think you can still view some episodes on You Tube.

I had a period a few years ago when I was housebound due to illness. I spent most of my time watching natural history programs on TV. I decided to go 'twitching' via the TV and recorded over 300 different birds from all over the world. Some might say I was sad and my wife thought I had lost it but natural history documentaries were a lifeline to me. Even today I may be looking at a documentary on lions but I'm always on the lookout in the background for birds.

I suppose natural history programmes whether on TV, DVD, or on BBC Radio4 bring the world into out living rooms and most documentaries have the 'wow' factor somewhere in the content.

Good luck with your dissertation and I hope you find the answers you are looking for.

Regards
Gary

[Gill Catton]

I think it depends on the audience really. I remember when I was seven ish watching a rabbit documentary and thinking wow they eat their own poo!!

As I have got older it has been wow at learning about new species that haven't been so heavily covered (so animals other than lions, leopards, zebras, crocodilles etc) and a lot of the footage for planet earth is very wow because of the new levels of detail and big wide shots that give a proper feeling of the amazing size of extent of something (be that a flock of snowgeese or a mountain range). I think the music can be crucial too, sometimes the music just seems quite wrong and it flattens the wowness of a frame - this seemed to happen quite a bit in the Life series.


Sorry I'm waffling! I'll stop - hope some of that at least is useful!