Wildlife on Film

Find out about the dramas that documentary-makers encounter when filming wild animals and the technology they use to overcome them. Animals and nature are unpredictable. That's also what makes it spectacular and irresistible to film-makers who love the wilderness. Learn how small- and large-budget film-makers plan, budget, script, film and edit their footage, in order to show the world something that educates, questions, provokes thought and inspires. The book encourages children to think about our attitudes to wild animals and how we treat them – in the Connectors series for younger readers.

There is nothing in the world that gets me more excited, than watching wildlife. I'm not talking about animals in the zoo, because that's not real. I mean walking in the bush, listening and watching the birds as they watch you, getting out early in the morning to watch deer during the Roar in New Zealand or wild dogs hunting in Zimbabwe. I use a camera more than a video camera, but I admire the people who film animals so that we can learn about them and get inspired by them. There are so many different types of animals and I'm constantly amazed by the things I discover about them.

•	Read about how to make your own documentary. Get hold of a camera and try filming and editing your own documentary about animals. You could try hiding somewhere and filming your own pets to find out what they do during the day and night. I bet you'll be surprised. You could even put your film on YouTube.
•	Watch documentaries to find out about your favourite animals. Keep a notebook where you record all the fascinating bits of information you uncover.
•	Write a book about your favourite animal species. What sorts of things would you want to say, how would you organise it, and would you use illustrations or photographs? Have a look at other books and decide what style you like. You can even publish your book as an e-book for free at Lulu. How is this different from making a book that is printed on paper?
•	Find out the pros and cons of a controversial subject such as using 1080 poison to control pests in New Zealand. You could watch a documentary like Poisoning Paradise and A Shadow of Doubt. Did they teach you things you didn't know? Were they persuasive?
•	Read factual books and stories about real animals. Some of my favourites are below:

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Wildlife on Film
Connectors series
Scholastic, 2007
ISBN 978-1-877453-41-0