How do they film wild animals and insects for documentaries?

[TommyVercetti]

I am watching a documentary on the National Geographic chanel about dragons (those big lizards). How do they film them, without scaring them? In some shots it seems like they are just following them really closely as they are walking. The dragons don't get scared and try to protect themselves? They were also showing a snake really upclose, won't the snake get upset and attack?

Sometimes they show the insides of an ant dwelling. They put those really tiny cameras attached to wires. How come the ants don't panic when they see a wire breaking in?

 

[SackOfAllTrades]

they train special monkeys with cameras. why don't you ever see these monkeys? cuz their behind the cameras!!!

 

[dxkj]

SHHH! Be vewy vewy quiet, wea hunting wabbits

 

[Ionizer86]

Hmm, zoom for the lizards maybe? As for the ants, well, dunno.

 

[nater]

big lenses, lots of patience

 

[WinkOsmosis]

They use zoom I assume. Ants are too stupid to care about the wire.

 

[Wallydraigle]

For larger wildlife they use long lenses and/or blinds. It's just like hunting, you either have to be able to shoot from far away, or find a way to get closer without being seen.

For the anthill shots they use lenses sort of like the ones surgeons use to look inside people. They have to be very careful not to disrupt things too much. I'm sure they have special techniques to accomplish this, the kinds of things you only pick up after a lifetime of being out in the field. I can only guess.

One other thing you have to realize is that you only see the successful shots They don't show all the trial and error work that goes into a shoot. It might take years to get some really difficult shot to finally work.

 

[RossMAN]

There are some awesome pictars here

 

[Sid59]

they should have a wildlife bloopers.

 

[PanzerIV]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
There are some awesome pictars here

Thanks for the link! I just pulled it up for my son who is enjoying it right now

 

[Wallydraigle]

Originally posted by: PanzerIV

Originally posted by: RossMAN
There are some awesome pictars here

Thanks for the link! I just pulled it up for my son who is enjoying it right now

I hear there's a forum too.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: lirion

Originally posted by: PanzerIV

Originally posted by: RossMAN
There are some awesome pictars here

Thanks for the link! I just pulled it up for my son who is enjoying it right now

I hear there's a forum too.

*shock*

You don't say

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: lirion

Originally posted by: PanzerIV

Originally posted by: RossMAN
There are some awesome pictars here

Thanks for the link! I just pulled it up for my son who is enjoying it right now

I hear there's a forum too.

Dang, every time I look at your pics I'm blown away. You need to post more!

 

[OulOat]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
There are some awesome pictars here

Spiders do not possess muscles of the same nature as the vertabrates. Instead they pump their blood under pressure into their limbs causing them to extend the same way hydraulics work in our machinery

Whoa, didn't know that

 

[MailBoxHead]

They show all the animals fscking all the time.

Humans are animals too!

 

[adelphi]

yes the ants and the gila monster are SAG card carrying members and rehearse vigorously before the shoot

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: TommyVercetti
I am watching a documentary on the National Geographic chanel about dragons (those big lizards). How do they film them, without scaring them? In some shots it seems like they are just following them really closely as they are walking. The dragons don't get scared and try to protect themselves? They were also showing a snake really upclose, won't the snake get upset and attack?

Sometimes they show the insides of an ant dwelling. They put those really tiny cameras attached to wires. How come the ants don't panic when they see a wire breaking in?

Perhaps they use the X-10 for the mating channel.