Cut! Could the dragon do that again, please?
2011; Wiley; Volume: 9; Issue: 7 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1890/1540-9295-9.7.420
ISSN1540-9309
Autores Tópico(s)Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
ResumoI was bubbling with excitement – my dream of becoming a wildlife documentary filmmaker was suddenly so much closer to coming true! According to the website eHow – which explains how to do everything, from making dust-cloth slippers to becoming an astronaut – making a wildlife documentary involved just five simple steps: (1) choosing an animal subject; (2) contacting nature/film resource organizations; (3) securing the proper equipment; (4) assembling a production team; and (5) adding post-graphic titles once back in the studio (www.ehow.com/how_2209809_film-wildlife-documentary.html). What's more, the difficulty grade was only “moderately challenging”, ie anyone can do it! Step 1 was a piece of cake: Komodo dragons (Varanus komod-oensis)! So I sped forward to Step 2 and got in touch with wildlife film-maker Adrian Warren of Last Refuge Ltd (Panborough, UK). “Any useful tips, Adrian?”, I asked. But it soon became clear he'd never heard of eHow. “Filming in Indonesia is complicated and expensive”, he told me. “First, visit your local Indonesian Consulate to discuss your plans with the Information Officer. You'll need to fill in forms (six copies), explain the purpose of the production, and show your crew members' résumés, a letter of solvency from bank guarantors in Indonesia and your home country, your equipment list, a shooting schedule, a film synopsis…”. He kept that up for a while before changing tack. “The completed forms must be sent to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs [MFA] and of Cultural and Tourism Affairs [MCTA], plus other concerned Directorates in Jakarta. A committee of their officials will then decide whether you get approval. If you do, your Indonesian Consulate will be informed and told the type of visa you'll need.” “ …and I'm not coming out ‘til you put that camera away!” “All done?”, I asked. “Not yet. Once you get the visa, the Information Officer will give you a letter to present to the Director of Information and Media at the MFA, and to the Deputy of Facilitation and Filming Development at the MCTA when you get to Jakarta. The MFA should then provide you with a press card and the MCTA with the permission you'll need for filming.” “Then can I go to Komodo, Adrian?” “Yes”, he replied. “But you'll need to be accompanied by a government-appointed observer, and pay all his expenses and fees.” Alright, so Step 2 would be harder than anticipated, but would I really need any help for Step 3? After all, I have a VHS video camera. But for fear of overlooking something, I called Dennis Aig, Program Head of Montana State University's Master of Fine Arts program in Science and Natural History Filmmaking. “That might not be enough”, he cautioned, and stirred up a blizzard of words like “professional cameras”, “lenses”, “sound recording equipment”, and “transport”. “Also”, he added, “if you want to do this properly, you'll need to decide on the length of the film and what you want to say about the dragon. A 4–6-week shooting schedule, and then editing it all together for a one-hour show, could easily run to a total of US$400 000–$600 000 or more. And by the way, did you notice that your list of steps doesn't actually mention filming?” Honestly, Dennis, of course you have to do filming! It's a wildlife film! And really, how hard can that be – point and shoot, right? “You may just find the dragons are not all that interested in being film stars”, he warned. I could have sworn I heard him sigh. Dennis' words did, however, make me re-check eHow's webpage for other possible omissions, and that was when I noticed some additional advice – that the presenter and crew ought to have a fearless sense of curiosity. I suddenly recalled tales of Komodo dragons eating children, of their toxic, bacteria-laden saliva, and that they appeared to enjoy tearing goats to pieces. Dangerous truths or just documentary-makers' hype? I asked Tim Jessop of the University of Melbourne, a man who has been up close and personal with Komodo dragons. “My impression of Komodo dragons – at least the ‘wild’ ones that avoid scavenging scraps around ranger posts, or that loiter near villages to kill the odd goat – is that they are quite wary lizards. Walking through the dry forests of Komodo National Park, you are more likely to hear, rather than see, dragons running away from you”, he began reassuringly. “However, that said, bait or freshly killed prey are clearly potent cues that rapidly flick the temperaments of these lizards into killing mode, enabling them to dispatch prey as large as a water buffalo. Not bad for a trumped-up gecko!” Permission you'll need for filming? US$600 000? Dispatch prey as large as a water buffalo? Killing mode? Gecko? Of course! Geckos! I have lots of those in my yard! Extremely interesting animals. Now why didn't I think of that before? A much better subject…and I could always post my snaps on Flickr!
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