Confessions of a Wildlife Filmmaker: The Challenges of Staying Honest in an Industry Where Ratings Are King

by Chris Palmer

CHRIS PALMER is a professor, speaker, author, and environmental/ wildlife film producer, who has swum with dolphins and whales, come face-to-face with sharks and Kodiak bears, camped with wolf packs, and waded hip-deep through Everglade swamps.

Genres: Nonfiction, Wildlife, Animals

272 pages, Paperback

First published March 9, 2015

About the author

Chris Palmer is an environmental and wildlife film producer who has swum with dolphins and whales, come face-to-face with Kodiak bears, and camped with wolf packs. Chris has spent 25 years producing more than 300 hours of original programming for prime time television and the giant screen (IMAX) film industry. Born in Hong Kong, Chris grew up in England and immigrated to the United States in 1972. He is married to Gail Shearer and the father of three grown daughters (Kim, Christina and Jenny)."

Reviews

[Leela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not particularly well written, and not much new for me except examples of particularly appalling wildlife films which mislead the viewer and harm the animals, sometimes to an unbelievable extent. I did gain something from chapters 18 and 19 though: learning about how some films use pseudoscience to increase ratings in a way I didn't think was possible; but also how films can be made not to earn money or educate the viewers in a very vague way, but to target highly specific audiences such as policymakers and government figures such that the films do have an important impact on conservation.

[Beth Davidow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Palmer’s book drives a sharp spear into the heart of wildlife filmmaking, taking the reader on a compelling, and personal, journey into the truths behind the industry. A thoroughly engaging read, I honestly feel that “Confessions” (like his previous book, “Shooting in the Wild”) should be a mandatory read for anyone who is involved in the industry, who is in film school or dreaming of being part of wildlife filmmaking, or who just enjoys watching nature TV shows.

I remember the days when major networks set the standard; they didn’t have to chase it. Those of us in the industry were proud to be part of it, to contribute to the understanding of animal behavior and to be in the wild, filming an animal in its habitat, without interference. As a long time professional wildlife cinematographer, I’ve watched the industry change going farther and farther into the dark side. Chris writes eloquently, from personal experience and, in some cases, shame, of what programming, such as “Shark Week,” could be, if done ethically and honestly with the sharks – and not just ratings – in mind.

I started shooting and providing footage for producer Tom Horton (who originally started Shark Week) more than 20 years ago. I’ve watched it evolve to a point where the abuse of animals, misuse of science, presenters who want their 15 minutes of fame, and appalling behavior are the norm. A major Discovery network producer, on a panel at a prestigious wildlife film festival, once told the audience (of filmmakers & other industry professionals) that she wanted “in your face action & danger that has never been seen before. If you can’t shoot that, we’re not interested!” She also said, “don’t come to me with the “c” word.” (The “c” word being “conservation!”) Whatever amount of respect we had for her, and her position and the network, was wiped out in that instant. Now, it’s all about petting sharks, manhandling large predators, the fear and danger - just to get an exciting sequence.

When Chris’s book went to publication, a show that was just being produced had not yet aired, but he refers to this show where a “scientist” will be eaten alive by a snake – all in the name of science and raising awareness of the snakes and their endangered habitats. That show slammed “nature films” into the rock bottom of the industry. Thankfully, the negative backlash from that show – and the revelations in Chris’s book – may bring standards and sensibilties back up to honorable measures. Just look at the positive effects “Blackfish” is having with its honest approach to orca captivity. That film was produced to bring a serious situation into the light: it was made to send a message, and that message is hitting home loud and clear! People are being educated, and they are making a difference – thanks to one courageous film that wasn’t driven by ratings.

There’s a lot at stake for any of us in the industry who support this book. Producers & cinematographers who don’t like the direction wildlife filmmaking has been going risk losing work if they don’t subscribe to “reality” claws & jaws sensationalism. There are shooters & producers who know they won’t get any funding or will lose work if they try to make ethical films; it’s a difficult bridge to gap in today’s highly competetive market. Because I don’t believe in staging, sensationalizing, or dramatizing wild animals, I know that I have lost out on jobs where producers & networks only want unethically captured behavior and forced situations.

The networks are always crying how poor they are; they squeeze production companies and filmmakers down to the last penny and demand “never-before-seen” footage. It’s appalling when salaries of CEOs are revealed, knowing what happens in the field! But, that “never-before-seen” attitude drives hungry young filmmakers into getting the shot at any cost, no matter the risk to the animal - or filmmaker, the behaviors staged, and dangers grossly misrepresented for the sake of sensationalism and ratings. Viewers are now conditioned to this kind of show. I wonder if we can recover from it?

This book shows how critical the situation has become; it’s all about ratings and nothing else matters. Chris Palmer’s “Confessions” is a five-star book that needs to be widely read, discussed, and acted upon to bring nature programming on a journey back towards the light.

[Megan Scribner · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Confessions of a Wildlife Filmmaker, Chris Palmer has written a lively, engaging and important book. Having been on the inside of the environmental filmmaking industry, he knows all too well how animals can be manipulated, even harmed, to produce showy films that earn the highest ratings. Having faced these same pressures, he is not unsympathetic to filmmakers who correlate the impact of the film based on the size of the audience. But he has come to see that the future and impact of wildlife filmmaking depends on retaining the trust of the audience and this has to be done through honesty and transparency in the filmmaking.
Palmer takes great risks with this book, not only in confessing to his own faults in work and life, but in naming many films, companies and networks that have been involved in less than ethical filmmaking. It is not that he wants to take down the industry, far from it; rather he sees it as an important and powerful tool for conservation. As he said, “I am writing this book to try to change the industry by being open about my own challenges and failings as a human being and as a film¬maker. I want to show the complexities of making wildlife films in an ethical manner. It is not easy to pull back the curtain on the industry’s failures—and even harder to reveal my own—but I believe the time has come for wildlife filmmaking to move in a healthier direction.”
His book is an important one for filmmakers – and those of us who watch them – calling us all to demand for higher standards in wildlife filmmaking. I am grateful that Palmer has chosen to write his confessions – so we can all learn from them and support the kind of ethical film making the world needs.

[Alexis Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confessions of a Wildlife Filmmaker is a significant read. I felt as if I were watching a film as I turned page after page, seamlessly engaged in a unique story. Chris Palmer not only informs us about methods employed in wildlife filmmaking, he invites us in and offers insights into his personal life. His candid presentation is remarkable. His honest and authentic style should be accepted positively as a catalyst for open dialogue and change within the industry - change which should also inspire new story telling approaches for those in the business and those planning to be. 'Confessions' is also a wonderful read for anyone who wants to read a great book.