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National Geographic Wild Passions
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"Wild Passions" |
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It's not a nine-to-five job. |
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It's not about forgetting about your |
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Only on three occasions have |
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The thing that can go wrong |
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It's not really work, is it? |
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Yeah. |
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It's just a way of life |
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When I get to see something |
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that's a thrill that I don't think |
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It's getting that image in a way that |
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It's like gambling. You go out and |
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And more than likely, |
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But the payoff is that |
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And we have a life |
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They're images that enchant. |
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Through them, we're face to face |
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witnesses to the stark drama |
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voyeurs of nature's most hidden moments |
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What does it take to |
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Who stalked that lion? |
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Confronted that cobra? |
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Swam with that shark? |
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You're about to meet some of |
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On any given day, they're at work on |
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You'll learn what they do, how they do it, |
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and what it takes to |
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I think a lot of people |
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In many ways, it is, I suppose. |
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But it's a helluva lot of hard work. |
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It used to be much harder. |
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The first wildlife filmmakers were |
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The wilderness was wilder then, |
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Filmmakers often developed |
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And transportation was more often |
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Early pioneers even had to |
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Those intrepid explorers |
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brought back images that were a |
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People had never seen moving pictures |
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The footage was hard-earned, |
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but it was guaranteed to keep |
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Today, dependable cameras, |
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and all kinds of vehicles |
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But the challenge has gotten tougher. |
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The public sees incredible things |
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In fact, they want to |
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So we in the business are actually |
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higher and higher and higher. |
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We're competing against ourselves. |
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We're making it more difficult for |
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And when you're doing film work |
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of pressure to get the shot. |
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And you tend to do things that push |
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Sometimes, you can push |
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For the first test of |
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the camera was attached |
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But the shark swam off prematurely, |
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A fisherman tried to help |
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He didn't realize that cameraman |
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But the shark did. |
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Wanna keep pressure |
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A little more pressure. |
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Up over here. Up over here. |
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The shark tore open Nick's hand, |
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Nick was medevaced out and went |
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It took him three and half months |
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And then he returned to work |
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Accidents do happen. |
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I would never blame the shark |
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Nick's attitude isn't unusual. |
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In fact, most wildlife filmmakers |
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I don't think it's dangerous work. |
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I think it's certainly not dangerous |
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We've gotta remember that snakes |
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They're not an offensive animal |
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You would think there'd be things down |
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there that are constantly stinging |
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but surprisingly, that's not the case. |
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Press them harder, though, and they'll |
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I lost a finger to a puff adder, |
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first of all, |
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Very nearly lost my life. |
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I got spit in the eye |
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And then, no, actually I got bit by a |
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I fell out of the tree |
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I was bitten by the insect that gave me |
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I was caught up in a war in Rwanda. |
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I've been charged by elephants |
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and hung up with microphone cables |
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Oh, I dunno, you have to be careful. |
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Some years later, I was bitten |
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I'd jumped down off a cliff and |
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and it came out and got me in the butt |
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I got out of the car. |
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and the female, |
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I started walking towards them |
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and the next thing, |
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She actually stopped |
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growling and hissing |
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I got in the car. |
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The other thing was African bees. |
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We were attacked by African bees |
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to the point where |
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All of us were stung 40, 50, 60 times |
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A couple of years after that, |
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I was filming underwater |
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Two males started a fight. |
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In the confusion, one of the male |
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Shook me around like |
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I had a hole through my leg big enough |
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But danger doesn't deter |
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They'll go to incredible lengths |
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That's what Neil Rettig is famous for. |
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Here, he's climbing 150 feet up |
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to film the world's most powerful bird |
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It has a wingspan |
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and talons the size of bear claws. |
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The harpy will attack any intruder |
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including a precariously |
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The first time an eagle flew at me, |
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The problem is if you're climbing up, |
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you have to look in a 360 degree |
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radius around to try to spot |
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because if you didn't see 'em, |
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They're incredibly powerful. |
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If you weren't roped in, they could |
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leatherjacket that was totally shredded by the end of it |
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It was just like a big hole |
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How do you end up in a spot like this |
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150 feet up, |
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Like most filmmakers, |
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Neil's been following this path |
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I grew up in an area that had |
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My parents were very supportive. |
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I would collect turtles, |
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And I really had an interest |
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Today, when he's not on the road, |
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Neil spends every spare moment |
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You're a good boy. |
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I got into falconry in |
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Birds of prey are just so free |
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Neil's hobby became a career back |
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when he learned of a giant eagle |
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A complete novice at the time, |
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Neil shot the first film ever made |
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Now a highly-respected old pro, |
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He's spent six months here, |
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hoping to capture the first flight |
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I think all of us have |
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a lot of experience sitting |
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and not shooting a single inch of film |
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waiting for something to happen, |
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The young harpy spent weeks testing |
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And then one day |
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he went maybe 60 feet out |
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and I was ready, you know, |
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I had my finger on the shutter release |
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and I was ready |
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"This is it. |
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And it just took him forever. |
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He slowly walked down the limb |
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And I go, "Oh, my God, |
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But then, finally, |
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I was rolling the camera and |
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Some unusual skills are required |
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Everybody ready? |
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Did it go over? |
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Neil uses a cross bow to rig cable |
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for tracking shots through |
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We have a vertical tracking system |
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from the ground to the top |
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We have a horizontal tracking system. |
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You get a floating sensation, |
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All these things take a lot of time |
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Neil became known as a man |
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For awhile, |
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from producers had something |
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No climbing was required |
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A plane put him down on top of |
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But the job did call for someone |
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It was just incredibly bleak. |
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I mean the cliff just falls away, |
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The cliffs were bathed |
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But things went downhill after that. |
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We had the worst weather I think |
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I mean blowing gales, and sleet, |
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Trapped in their tents |
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by the harsh weather, |
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Neil and his soundman were |
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All the eggs have fallen off the cliff |
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All the eggs have fallen off the cliff |
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All of them. |
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When the weather did clear, |
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He was trying to film |
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nesting in crumbly stone |
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To get the shot, |
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The wind literally would |
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it threatened to blow you |
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Of course, you're not going |
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So we're talking about this 200-pound |
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on the edge of the cliff |
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And to get the shot, we wanted |
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with a wide angle lens to sort |
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of what it'd look like |
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Neil got the shot |
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and then, a bonus. |
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There were thousands of nest sites |
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And there was an Arctic fox |
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but he never came to the area where... |
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we were filming, |
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One day, the fox came along |
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"God, wouldn't it be great |
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if he started raiding these nests right |
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And sure enough, |
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raided the nests, maybe 10 times, |
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I mean, it was just like |
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And that was probably the most |
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I've ever done in the wild. |
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It was just luck. It just happened |
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you know, that's a rarity. |
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Today, filmmakers like Neil Rettig are |
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in what could actually |
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But it wasn't like that when renowned |
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Wildlife photographer wasn't something |
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in any career guide's booklet. |
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Fortunately, because the whole |
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the standards, I have to say, |
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So anything a cut above home movie |
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because it was all new |
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And I really appreciate that, |
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because the youngsters today have |
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Actually, just drop me down here. |
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I think there is more pressure on me |
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and I obviously want it |
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Go right, Pete, go right, go right. |
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But as long as I'm learning, |
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Still running, still running. |
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Matt Aeberhard's here in Tanzania |
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to make a National Geographic film |
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Stop! |
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They're a tough animal |
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Missed it. Missed it. |
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Despite the frustrations |
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for Matt, |
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It's taken some real doing to |
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After failing at University, |
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I was really forced to really go |
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He landed a few menial jobs in film, |
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including work for a British company |
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I made teas for people, |
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I made sure I was noticed. |
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And gradually, |
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It led to an invitation to come work |
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for a wildlife filmmaker |
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Driving out to the Serengeti was, yeah, |
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I believe I cried |
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because I'd arrived and |
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of a good deal of difficult driving, |
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boring work, and finally I'm here, |
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You ready, Peter? |
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Matt spent five years working |
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before attempting a film of his own. |
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This is his big chance. |
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He won't get many more |
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He's chosen a difficult subject. |
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Jackals are unsympathetic heroes. |
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People watching the film might |
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by the fact that these jackals |
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But that gives me a good challenge. |
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I don't have a problem |
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with the fact that people might hate |
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if I can make them like |
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Make them feel something. |
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Jackals can be doting parents. |
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And Matt wants to show that |
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the moment when the pups emerge |
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Stop. |
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No, useless. |
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Matt's too late. |
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Half a scene won't do |
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Well, I missed the beginning. |
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I should have been earlier, because |
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Every day bring's a frustration, |
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but you just have to continue |
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Isn't that right, Pete? |
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Maybe tomorrow, or day after, |
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Absolutely, absolutely. |
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A couple of hours away, |
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veteran Dutch cameraman |
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a National Geographic film |
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It looks like something's |
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Less than 15 seconds from |
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and the cheetah never went out of frame |
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Okay, stop here. Go quick. |
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Now, Anton moves in for the close-up. |
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It puts him right on top of the kill. |
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Turn, turn, turn, turn, turn, turn, |
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Of course, I've seen it |
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But I still can hardly bear to watch. |
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But sentimentality |
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Things couldn't be going better |
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As for Matt... |
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Oh, we missed it. |
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Go one... to the left, yeah. |
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Right, right, right, right, |
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Keep on this side... |
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Go right, Pete, go right, go right. |
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And now to the left. |
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Go, go, quick. Yes, of course. |
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Okay, stop like this. Stop like this. |
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There we are. Missed it again. |
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Fantastic. |
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We missed what happened here |
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Matt would be happy just to |
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It's clearly no problem for Anton. |
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I'm happy that there's glass. |
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And while the cheetah are climbing |
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Matt's is breaking down. |
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The link just snapped blow |
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But good wildlife filmmakers |
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Once again, Matt waits at the den, |
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hoping to catch the pups emerging |
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Finally, the right place |
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A crucial scene for Matt |
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a testimony to the gentle side |
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Capturing key moments is a challenge |
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How do you get great scenes like these? |
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What does it take to be |
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The first thing you need is patience |
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because you're down there, |
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and typically you're cold |
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and you have to be sort of mentally |
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marginal to stay there |
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To me, the challenge is |
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If somebody says to me, you know, |
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"Here's a species that's never been |
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and you probably can't do it." |
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That would like feed the fire |
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Good wildlife filmmakers |
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And their interest in |
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from their interest in animals. |
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If you understand the animal behavior, |
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you have a better chance |
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as opposed to understanding |
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and trying to film some animals? |
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Never going to work. |
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Derek and Beverly Joubert have spent |
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with the animals they film. |
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And they've learned every trick |
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We almost try and become part of them |
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so that we know exactly |
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and what they wouldn't want us to do. |
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For the Jouberts, |
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it's a way of life. |
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Over here we've got a handy item. |
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It's an elephant's pelvis and |
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And then, of course, our famous toilet |
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You don't sit there for long |
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because the teeth are still |
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Life in the bush is basic. |
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But the Jouberts' reward |
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When we're sitting somewhere |
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we will just sit and |
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and almost communicate with him. |
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That is something that you |
| 00:27:31 |
Such moments are unforgettable |
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like Howard Hall's |
| 00:27:36 |
with a Patagonian right whale. |
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It was a remarkable experience, |
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because after we'd been |
| 00:27:45 |
one of them actually became curious |
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And it was amazing. |
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We found that the whale |
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come right down, |
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and lean over toward me so that |
| 00:28:01 |
And he loved for us to scratch him. |
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And we're talking a huge animal, |
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we're talking this gigantic behemoth |
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settling only a few feet away with |
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and then you just reach out |
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and you watch him looking |
| 00:28:18 |
Now you may think, you know, |
| 00:28:20 |
you're not going to see |
| 00:28:25 |
But you can. |
| 00:28:35 |
There are filmmakers who are drawn |
| 00:28:40 |
We've found bats to be |
| 00:28:46 |
For me, birds of prey. |
| 00:28:50 |
Water hogs, they're amazing things and |
| 00:28:52 |
as I've said, |
| 00:28:57 |
In some cases, |
| 00:29:03 |
Okay, hold it, |
| 00:29:07 |
That's my favorite bear there |
| 00:29:11 |
Polar bears are Tom Mangelsen's passion |
| 00:29:18 |
Beautiful bear, that guy. |
| 00:29:22 |
You can't help but get attached |
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you just watch them, |
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that I let myself kind |
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I'm always happy to see, you know, |
| 00:29:36 |
Tom Mangelsen is an award winning |
| 00:29:41 |
He's come here to Cape Churchill |
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in northern Canada every year |
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With his assistant, Cara, |
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Tom traverses the frozen landscape |
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searching for yet another great shot |
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I think they're just beautiful |
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they're designed for this landscape. |
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They're powerful, they're strong, |
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they're able to live solitary, |
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Extraordinary beings, you know, |
| 00:30:25 |
But getting so attached |
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Tom followed a female he called |
| 00:30:36 |
He was thrilled to discover |
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So it was difficult for him to watch |
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when one of the cubs sickened |
| 00:30:48 |
It's hard not to be emotional |
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that is kind of horrific |
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and a mother trying to protect it |
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staying there with it, |
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poor thing's been dead for two days. |
| 00:31:12 |
Tom's emotional connection |
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leads us to see them |
| 00:31:20 |
The pictures I probably enjoy most are |
| 00:31:22 |
the ones that are hopefully |
| 00:31:24 |
and soft and more painterly, maybe. |
| 00:31:32 |
That's probably most people's |
| 00:31:34 |
the one called |
| 00:31:36 |
It looks very human, you know, |
| 00:31:38 |
the guy's kicked back looking like he's |
| 00:31:42 |
or watching the football game |
| 00:31:48 |
I named that image "Polar Dance" |
| 00:31:49 |
because it looked like |
| 00:31:51 |
It looked like a classical dance |
| 00:31:56 |
Actually, it's two large adult |
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You guys, this could be so cool. |
| 00:32:26 |
Alright. |
| 00:32:28 |
That's nice to see. |
| 00:32:31 |
In the distance, a mother |
| 00:32:36 |
You've got to be impressed by an animal |
| 00:32:38 |
that can raise two eight-month-olds |
| 00:32:42 |
I mean, look at that, |
| 00:32:47 |
Those little guys have been probably |
| 00:32:52 |
She keeps looking back, |
| 00:32:53 |
checking on that one that's kind |
| 00:32:58 |
Tom decides to take a chance |
| 00:33:02 |
Be a lot nicer to see her low. |
| 00:33:09 |
It's risky going down on the ground. |
| 00:33:11 |
But the mother bear seems |
| 00:33:18 |
She's not gonna leave the cubs |
| 00:33:25 |
But Tom doesn't see the huge male |
| 00:33:35 |
He and Cara race up the steps, |
| 00:33:44 |
leaving the camera behind. |
| 00:33:46 |
That's a little excitement |
| 00:33:49 |
That was too close! |
| 00:33:50 |
Good thing Spencer saw him, huh? |
| 00:33:51 |
You see how they can |
| 00:33:53 |
Too bad your camera's down there, |
| 00:33:57 |
Oh, it's a wonderful scene. |
| 00:33:59 |
That's one of the shots |
| 00:34:01 |
for the last five or six years. |
| 00:34:04 |
I don't know |
| 00:34:06 |
That was our first mother and cubs. |
| 00:34:08 |
Ahh! Jeez! I can't believe it! |
| 00:34:18 |
In this business, |
| 00:34:21 |
But there's something you gotta get, |
| 00:34:23 |
you gotta get that bit of behavior |
| 00:34:26 |
and you just go through hell |
| 00:34:29 |
It's a very bitter cold, wind chills |
| 00:34:35 |
You can freeze your flesh |
| 00:34:39 |
It's so incredibly hot. |
| 00:34:40 |
It's 115 Fahrenheit |
| 00:34:44 |
And, of course, days without having |
| 00:34:46 |
proper showers and baths |
| 00:34:50 |
You're often out on small boats. |
| 00:34:54 |
You occasionally get to reveal |
| 00:34:57 |
which is pretty unpleasant. |
| 00:34:59 |
Millions and billions of mosquitoes, |
| 00:35:03 |
and every little kind of bug you can |
| 00:35:07 |
and your nose and your ears |
| 00:35:09 |
You're up to here in muck, |
| 00:35:12 |
going through just |
| 00:35:15 |
Neil would turn back and look |
| 00:35:17 |
"Isn't this a glamorous business?" |
| 00:35:23 |
We've had film assistants |
| 00:35:25 |
and that have paid us to let them go. |
| 00:35:32 |
Problems just go on and on and on. |
| 00:35:34 |
And it's amazing how many good films |
| 00:35:39 |
When you really want to do |
| 00:35:41 |
it's amazing what you can put up with. |
| 00:35:54 |
Not many people would want to get this |
| 00:35:59 |
One bite could kill you. |
| 00:36:01 |
Yeah, she's getting a little close. |
| 00:36:03 |
But it's all in a day's work |
| 00:36:06 |
You gettin' her? Where'd she go? |
| 00:36:07 |
We come in close contact with |
| 00:36:12 |
That doesn't necessarily concern us. |
| 00:36:13 |
I mean, the point is getting the shot. |
| 00:36:16 |
For the National Geographic film, |
| 00:36:19 |
George and Kathy decided to get more |
| 00:36:24 |
All that they really asked us |
| 00:36:28 |
a black widow underneath a blanket. |
| 00:36:32 |
We thought, Well, let's put the person |
| 00:36:44 |
I better cut soon. |
| 00:36:46 |
I don't want to risk her getting |
| 00:36:47 |
Yeah, yeah. |
| 00:36:48 |
Yeah, now, get her out of here. |
| 00:36:50 |
It was a nice idea as long as the black |
| 00:36:55 |
Get her! |
| 00:36:56 |
Okay, I'm trying. |
| 00:36:57 |
If we timed things just right, |
| 00:36:58 |
we'd get the black widow out |
| 00:37:01 |
it actually reached his flesh. |
| 00:37:10 |
While many filmmakers head out |
| 00:37:13 |
in search of nature's largest animals, |
| 00:37:15 |
the Dodges specialize... |
| 00:37:18 |
in filming the smallest |
| 00:37:31 |
You can only see elephants and lions |
| 00:37:35 |
and bears for so long, I mean, |
| 00:37:39 |
limited species of each one |
| 00:37:43 |
But insects-beetles, |
| 00:37:47 |
I mean, they're countless, |
| 00:37:49 |
We could never run out of subjects. |
| 00:37:55 |
But if you think it's |
| 00:37:57 |
or lion is about to do try insects. |
| 00:38:03 |
Like a black widow spider |
| 00:38:06 |
well she isn't going to tell us. |
| 00:38:08 |
We don't speak Black Widow. |
| 00:38:10 |
"Oh, I'm going to be laying these eggs |
| 00:38:15 |
We had 12 black widow females |
| 00:38:20 |
all in separate cages, |
| 00:38:24 |
One of us will go to bed |
| 00:38:26 |
and watch the black widow |
| 00:38:29 |
and then we shift back |
| 00:38:34 |
Oh, she's really doing it, huh? |
| 00:38:37 |
The least bit of interference would |
| 00:38:42 |
just a light going on, |
| 00:38:43 |
or any sudden shock to the container |
| 00:38:49 |
Even when the black widows performed |
| 00:38:52 |
other problems invariably cropped up. |
| 00:38:55 |
Okay, roll camera, she's starting. |
| 00:38:56 |
Even though we had two cameras, |
| 00:39:00 |
Several times we'd get egg laying, |
| 00:39:03 |
because one or two of |
| 00:39:10 |
And then the mating |
| 00:39:13 |
now you're dealing with 16 legs |
| 00:39:16 |
How do you get a clear decent shot |
| 00:39:22 |
where you can see what's happening? |
| 00:39:24 |
It wasn't easy. It wasn't easy at all. |
| 00:39:31 |
George and Kathy even managed |
| 00:39:35 |
How did they do it? |
| 00:39:40 |
That is one of our little |
| 00:39:43 |
We don't even tell our family. |
| 00:39:47 |
"Well, how did you do that shot? |
| 00:39:50 |
We don't tell anybody. |
| 00:39:52 |
Sometimes, the animals don't do |
| 00:39:56 |
For the National Geographic film, |
| 00:40:00 |
George and Kathy wanted to shoot |
| 00:40:02 |
a timelapse sequence of |
| 00:40:07 |
The frog needed to be taken down, |
| 00:40:10 |
so there was literally nothing left. |
| 00:40:13 |
It took a lot of studying |
| 00:40:17 |
a colony of ants to take down |
| 00:40:20 |
But apparently, the fire ants |
| 00:40:25 |
The very first colony |
| 00:40:33 |
So we dig up the frog, |
| 00:40:36 |
and they eat the frog half way |
| 00:40:42 |
It took quite a few attempts, |
| 00:40:43 |
but we finally got it |
| 00:40:56 |
George and I are challenged, |
| 00:40:59 |
to go after those images |
| 00:41:03 |
I mean, to whatever degree that |
| 00:41:08 |
it's getting that image in a way |
| 00:41:16 |
My particular favorite shot that |
| 00:41:18 |
we've ever done is a close up of |
| 00:41:27 |
No one had ever seen a harvestman eat |
| 00:41:31 |
We not only saw it, we filmed it. |
| 00:41:37 |
We're bringing this to the public |
| 00:41:38 |
so the public can appreciate |
| 00:41:43 |
This is what makes our job worthwhile. |
| 00:41:43 |
This is what makes doing |
| 00:41:51 |
I found the jumping spider to be |
| 00:41:55 |
because it has sort of a soft |
| 00:41:59 |
Soft and cuddly. Did you hear that? |
| 00:42:03 |
This is what I love about this woman. |
| 00:42:04 |
She loves all animals... |
| 00:42:07 |
she calls a jumping spider cute |
| 00:42:10 |
It doesn't matter what we shoot |
| 00:42:13 |
she empathizes with the animal, |
| 00:42:17 |
I couldn't find another woman like |
| 00:42:20 |
you know, if I spent the rest |
| 00:42:24 |
and especially one that looks |
| 00:42:27 |
I'm one lucky man, I'll tell ya. |
| 00:42:32 |
While there are wildlife filmmakers |
| 00:42:35 |
it's striking how many of them team up |
| 00:42:41 |
I'll tell you when you hit 24 frames. |
| 00:42:43 |
Because in this business, |
| 00:42:44 |
a good year you might be |
| 00:42:48 |
And what kind of relationship |
| 00:42:50 |
with somebody that's waiting at home? |
| 00:42:52 |
So the ideal situation is if your |
| 00:43:00 |
Most couples, you know, |
| 00:43:02 |
they see each other at the beginning |
| 00:43:04 |
And there's a big chunk in |
| 00:43:07 |
with other people. |
| 00:43:11 |
And very often, |
| 00:43:13 |
and we just have to get on |
| 00:43:18 |
Look how easy that was. |
| 00:43:20 |
That's right, that's right. |
| 00:43:20 |
We live with the job. I mean, |
| 00:43:24 |
I could wake up at two o'clock |
| 00:43:26 |
you know, "Kathy, Kathy, |
| 00:43:31 |
There sure are difficulties. |
| 00:43:33 |
I mean, working at nighttime |
| 00:43:38 |
because she wants to sleep |
| 00:43:45 |
We have the domestic crossing over |
| 00:43:49 |
back and forth. |
| 00:43:50 |
There would be squabbles taking place |
| 00:43:53 |
for vacuuming up the back guano, |
| 00:43:55 |
let's say, |
| 00:43:59 |
We have these goals and things that |
| 00:44:05 |
and we've dedicated to that. |
| 00:44:09 |
If Beverly didn't share the dedication |
| 00:44:13 |
it wouldn't work. |
| 00:44:15 |
And we would not be |
| 00:44:16 |
a filmmaking married couple out |
| 00:44:24 |
So, what do we do? |
| 00:44:25 |
First let me do this |
| 00:44:28 |
and then we'll add some questions. |
| 00:44:30 |
One such couple is Richard |
| 00:44:33 |
The husband and wife are among |
| 00:44:38 |
They make a perfect team. |
| 00:44:42 |
Richard's the cameraman, |
| 00:44:44 |
while Carol does sound, |
| 00:44:48 |
Back there. Oh, they're so cute. |
| 00:44:55 |
We're both naturalists. |
| 00:44:58 |
Get ready, get ready, Carol. |
| 00:44:58 |
even though we do separate things, |
| 00:45:01 |
then we come together when it is a film |
| 00:45:05 |
Carol and I compliment |
| 00:45:08 |
We're actually both very |
| 00:45:10 |
I'm much more laid back. |
| 00:45:12 |
Carol rev's much higher than I do. |
| 00:45:14 |
I tend to get a |
| 00:45:17 |
and she gives me a quick kick, |
| 00:45:20 |
And I try to calm her down |
| 00:45:24 |
so we have a pretty good effect |
| 00:45:27 |
It works well. |
| 00:45:30 |
We couldn't make these films |
| 00:45:33 |
It's too wide a breadth |
| 00:45:38 |
And we both have respect |
| 00:45:47 |
Recently, this filmmaking team |
| 00:45:52 |
They were in Venezuela, filming one |
| 00:45:56 |
he anaconda for National Geographic. |
| 00:46:00 |
At first, it seemed like the danger |
| 00:46:04 |
They were following a researcher |
| 00:46:07 |
of finding the snakes was to |
| 00:46:10 |
with his bare feet. |
| 00:46:13 |
To get his respect, |
| 00:46:16 |
I was quite happy to do, |
| 00:46:21 |
We've got stingrays, which if you |
| 00:46:25 |
it's three months out of your life. |
| 00:46:26 |
They're very, very bad, very poisonous |
| 00:46:29 |
You've got electric eels, |
| 00:46:33 |
and they'll knock you straight out |
| 00:46:39 |
The snakes actually are not aggressive |
| 00:46:41 |
because they're used to being trodden |
| 00:46:43 |
It's only when you start grabbing them |
| 00:46:46 |
that's when they start turning around |
| 00:46:52 |
But as it turned out, |
| 00:46:53 |
the Fosters faced a much more serious |
| 00:46:57 |
during their time in Venezuela. |
| 00:47:00 |
And all of a sudden I had these sharp |
| 00:47:03 |
And when I got up, |
| 00:47:06 |
And I was dragging it. |
| 00:47:10 |
And then we decided |
| 00:47:14 |
The mysterious illness puzzled doctors |
| 00:47:17 |
Only one thing was certain: |
| 00:47:22 |
I didn't want to go back to |
| 00:47:24 |
I wanted to go back to the film, |
| 00:47:25 |
because I had spent so much time |
| 00:47:29 |
so I says, |
| 00:47:32 |
And I was either in a wheelchair or |
| 00:47:36 |
It's a good thing you're light. |
| 00:47:37 |
I know. They carried me. |
| 00:47:39 |
And I says, |
| 00:47:43 |
Over time, |
| 00:47:49 |
Okay, Frank, you've got her. Okay, |
| 00:47:53 |
Now, less than nine months after |
| 00:47:57 |
she's joining Richard |
| 00:48:00 |
For a National Geographic film |
| 00:48:03 |
the Fosters and their team |
| 00:48:07 |
a few hours from their home in Belize. |
| 00:48:11 |
Grand Central Station of a cave, |
| 00:48:14 |
It's a monster. |
| 00:48:17 |
The steep descent is treacherous. |
| 00:48:20 |
But it's a shoot Carol |
| 00:48:23 |
The Fosters have brought along |
| 00:48:26 |
that registers heat rather than light. |
| 00:48:29 |
It's just the thing for filming |
| 00:48:35 |
Hidden in the darkness are all kinds |
| 00:48:43 |
not to mention, thousands of bats. |
| 00:48:49 |
Going into a bat roost, |
| 00:48:53 |
These bats are all sitting around |
| 00:48:56 |
and there's piles of guano |
| 00:48:57 |
and the temperature is higher |
| 00:49:03 |
It's sort of a Turkish bath feeling |
| 00:49:05 |
There's airborne diseases that |
| 00:49:12 |
The main feeling is you want to |
| 00:49:14 |
and get the hell out, quite frankly. |
| 00:49:15 |
But it's worth going |
| 00:49:19 |
Okay, we're gonna need that, |
| 00:49:21 |
Soon, the team is setting up |
| 00:49:23 |
for a shot they never could |
| 00:49:26 |
The cave is too big to light. |
| 00:49:28 |
But with the thermal camera, |
| 00:49:31 |
it's heat, not light that counts. |
| 00:49:34 |
It's like a starry night. Look at that |
| 00:49:38 |
Yeah, exactly like a starry night. |
| 00:50:02 |
You want more detail |
| 00:50:04 |
or you just want 'em darker? |
| 00:50:05 |
Um, detail, I think, if you can. |
| 00:50:09 |
That's really nice. Keep it there. |
| 00:50:11 |
You wanna record that? |
| 00:50:19 |
The images are everything |
| 00:50:24 |
They're showing the bats in a new way, |
| 00:50:27 |
using technology early filmmakers |
| 00:50:34 |
But for this husband and wife team, |
| 00:50:37 |
being able to capture this scene |
| 00:50:43 |
For recently, Carol's mysterious |
| 00:50:48 |
as multiple sclerosis. |
| 00:50:53 |
Now, I hope I'm going into remission, |
| 00:50:56 |
I'm still able to go into some caves |
| 00:50:59 |
And I really tried hard because I, |
| 00:51:02 |
I have to always be there, |
| 00:51:08 |
We're going to fight this thing |
| 00:51:11 |
you know, with modern drugs, |
| 00:51:13 |
who knows? |
| 00:51:15 |
So you just keep that, keep your body |
| 00:51:19 |
and carry on making films. |
| 00:51:25 |
For dedicated professionals like these |
| 00:51:31 |
They'll keep at it |
| 00:51:34 |
They do it because they love it. |
| 00:51:37 |
And because they know it's important. |
| 00:51:40 |
Someday, their films may be |
| 00:51:44 |
of wildlife that is fast disappearing. |
| 00:51:51 |
The fact of the matter |
| 00:51:53 |
and the film crews |
| 00:51:54 |
because tomorrow, |
| 00:51:57 |
To see, you know, |
| 00:52:00 |
you're bound to be impressed. |
| 00:52:03 |
it would have been |
| 00:52:07 |
As a cameraman, I have an |
| 00:52:10 |
People see these wonderful animals, |
| 00:52:35 |
From the first hardy pioneers |
| 00:52:37 |
who dazzled new audiences |
| 00:52:42 |
to the conservation |
| 00:52:46 |
wildlife filmmakers are adventurers |
| 00:52:50 |
driven to bring back |
| 00:52:59 |
I can't imagine a job which has |
| 00:53:08 |
We have fun every single day |
| 00:53:13 |
I think that there's nothing else that |
| 00:53:17 |
right now on this earth. |
