By Chris Palmer, with foreword by Jane Goodall
A veteran producer examines the thrilling yet controversial world of wildlife filmmaking—from celebrity follies to life-and-death perils.|
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Study Guide for Shooting in the Wild
Shooting in the Wild is also available as an e-book: |
Wildlife and nature films are a hugely popular entertainment genre: networks such as Animal Planet and Discovery are stars in the cable television universe, viewers flock to IMAX theaters to see jaw-dropping footage from the wild, and the venerable BBC still scores triumphs with series such as Planet Earth.
As cinematic technology brings ever-more-breathtaking images to the screen, and as our direct contact with nature diminishes, an ever-expanding audience craves the indirect experience of wild nature that these films provide.
But this success has a dark side, as Chris Palmer reveals in his authoritative and engrossing report on the wildlife film business. A veteran producer and film educator, Palmer looks past the headlines about TV host Steve Irwin’s death by stingray and filmmaker Timothy Treadwell falling prey to his beloved grizzlies, to uncover a more pervasive and troubling trend toward sensationalism, extreme risk-taking, and even abuse in wildlife films.
He tracks the roots of this trend to the early days of the genre, and he profiles a new breed of skilled, ethical filmmakers whose work enlightens as well as entertains, and who represents the future that Palmer envisions for the industry he loves.
"Palmer's new book is a sharp and searching assessment of the contemporary wildlife media universe from someone who loves the field and wants to see it live up to its promise." Full review
- Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, The Huffington Post
"One of the most effective tools for conservation has been the documentary film. Among the pioneers and best exemplars of this genre is Chris Palmer, who knows how to tell a story that reaches both heart and mind. His book is a major contribution to our understanding of the role mass media plays in protecting our planet."
-Ted Danson
"Who hasn't wished they could make films about wild animals? Yet how many have any idea what's involved? This is a rare insider's look at the agony and the ecstasy, the pitfalls and the pinnacles, of filming in the wild. And it points the way toward taking the genre to the next level. A terrific view into a hidden realm and an exacting profession."
-Carl Safina, author of Song for the Blue Ocean and The View From Lazy Point
"Shooting in the Wild is a fascinating, insightful, and comprehensive story of the thrill and challenge of capturing nature on film ... a thoroughly inspiring look at what can be accomplished and why we should continue to try. It is also a who's who of filmmakers who have profoundly affected our view of wildlife. A must read for filmmakers and for anyone in the audience."
-Jean-Michel Cousteau, president, Ocean Futures Society
"Chris Palmer's compellingly readable account of the wildlife film business reminds me of everything I love about nature films, while serving as a call to action to correct its abuses. It will change the way we look at wildlife films." -Richard Leakey
"The ideal wildlife film should enlighten, entertain, alert us to problems, and stimulate us to conservation action, urges Chris Palmer. Anyone who watches wildlife films-and millions do so-must read this perceptive and enlightening book. -George B. Schaller, Wildlife Conservation Society and Panthera, author of A Naturalist and Other Beasts
| Coming Soon | Date |
|---|---|
| CMS Operation Meeting | 05/24/13 |
| PrOCo | 05/24/13 |
| Waterworks | 05/24/13 |
