Nature broadcastings

In the later years, unfortunately, an increasing number of broadcastings show more of the person or persons who present the broadcasting, than of the wildlife they are supposed to present. This can only be interpreted in one way: there is not enough essence in the broadcasting, so you have to fill out the time with close-ups of a person, who in a low voice relates how close he is to the animal or animals. Supposedly, the intention is to give an impression of drama or danger, but, in reality, it seems rather ridiculous – as if the animals don’t already know that he is there! A glaring example is the American broadcasting Puma – Lion of the Andes, from 1996.

It can be done elegantly. Old Attenborough is still going strong, although he is now 90. And some days ago I watched a broadcasting, Wild Dog Diaries, about the dhole, the Indian wild dog, produced by two Indian film makers, Krupakar and Senani, over a period of 12 years. In this broadcasting, you saw much of one of the film makers and his guide from a local tribe, but at the same time, their account on the wild dogs was so vivid that these two persons did not at all seem dominating. This film has won three awards, and well deserved!