Matthew Aeberhard
Matthew Aeberhard has always been fascinated by the natural world and has made a career out of making and working on documentaries such as Hunt of the Golden Jackel and Serengeti Symphony.
But for his latest project The Crimson Wing, which follows the flamingos of Lake Natron, he is in the director's chair with Leander Ward.
I caught up with Matt to talk about his latest project and the struggles he and he small team faced whilst filming in Lake Natron.
- How would you describe your new movie The Crimson Wing?
It's an epic wildlife film set in one of the most dramatic and wildest places on earth. We wanted to take a different approach - our film is not a science lesson but an intimate portrait of a special wild area of the planet.
- How did you get involved in the project, I read that you took the idea to Melanie?
I drove the project. I was first interested in Natron as a result of my work in Serengeti (I've lived there since 1993) and through the aerial photography of an old friend.
I took Melanie to Natron on a "first date" and she was pivotal in articulating the various ideas for the film into a solid film treatment.
- What story did you want to convey with the movie?
We wanted to show the interconnectedness of life and environment. The struggle for life and the promise of hope and renewal through nature.
- At what point did your involvement with Disneynature start and how difficult was it getting backing for this film?
In 06. It was easy to get backing because we had a well articulated vision for the film - and the spectacle of a million flamingos set in a lake that at times looks like an "other world" was difficult to ignore.
- You filmed at lake Natron so what were the condition like? And what difficulties did you encounter?
The environment was extremely hot and uncomfortable. And getting out to the flamingos safely (without disturbing them) was the most challenging aspect of the production.
In the event we used a military spec hovercraft to get us within striking distance. But the problems of the salt, and the abrasive nature of the salt flats caused even this machine problems.
We had to use snow shoes on the salt flats which abraded in very quick time (to prevent us sinking in the brines). And the salt got everywhere and stung like hell.
But all the problems aside - the privilege of actually recording the intimate lives of the birds (in a place where less people have stood than have stood on the moon) made the physical discomfort completely bearable!
- The documentary says that the volcano only errupts every thirty years so was filming timed to coincide with that or was it just pure coincidence that you were there?
Actually coincidence - but a terrific opportunity even if, at first, we were a little disconcerted by the activity of our close neighbour!
- The movie is very brutal it doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of the bird's journey did you find it difficult to film at times?
Life is hard at times. This is one of the universal truths. so to remove this reality from a wildlife film seems to me to diminish the subject - and make nature mean less.
Witnessing the fundamental truth of nature makes us understand its relevance. We are part of nature too - even though many people try to pretend we are not.
Every city, every person on earth depends on clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment which finds its best expression in "nature". We all live. We all die.
- Are there any shots that you are particularly proud that you captured?
The intimate shots of flamingos feeding chicks on their nest mounds are very special - I was so very close to them and yet the birds were completely unaware of my presence. these shots took weeks of work at night to set up.
- Off the back of working on the movie you have been helping to conserve the flamingo's breeding ground can you tell me a bit about that? why did you get involved?
I got involved because i had unique insights into the breeding biology of the flamingos as a result of the filming effort. The conservation plan for the flamingos in tanzania (the single species action plan) was being developed at the time from an almost non-existant data base.
So I felt it was vital to be involved and share the knowledge that we gained from the filming. the final draft of this plan has just been agreed and i've been pleased to play a role in the consultations involved.
- You are very much known as a nature filmmaker so what drew you to this genre of film?
I've always been interested in wildlife - as a young child onwards. all good wildlife filmmakers have this background.
The interest in wildlife comes first, and then wildlife film becomes an expression of that interest and enquiring mind;the wish to put names on things, to observe animals, places and behaviour and engage with the world.
Wildlife film is just an extension of a passion for wildlife - and it can only really work when it is produced by people who understand something about Nature.
- The wildlife documentary, and I suppose documentaries in general, have become popular at the box office so what do you think has brought around this interest?
I think that people are looking to engage with the world as they are aware (even if only subliminally) that the world is contracting. becoming less rich. becoming less alive. It would cost a one off 30 billion US to protect a reasonably representative chunk of the world's remaining biodiversity - and yet this isn't even on the political agenda.
We spend vastly more propping up a rapacious system (and its investment bankers) that is scouring the earth of everything that drives and sustains life to the detriment of the majority of people and future generations.
We are at a critical juncture of history - because once the world's ecosystems are gone they will not recover.
They are gone forever, and with them goes our heritage, our health, the heath of future generations, and our capacity for exploration and spiritual growth. we are part of ecology after all.
The more people see nature as relevant, as important, the more chance we have of saving the promise of our planet for humanity.
So we need to encourage more meaningful wildlife films - not science lessons. and hopefully wildlife film in cinema can develop further in this direction.
- Finally what's next for you?
I'm building several new films that will see me back working in my familiar haunts in Africa!
The Crimson Wing is out on DVD now.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Matthew Aeberhard has always been fascinated by the natural world and has made a career out of making and working on documentaries such as Hunt of the Golden Jackel and Serengeti Symphony.
But for his latest project The Crimson Wing, which follows the flamingos of Lake Natron, he is in the director's chair with Leander Ward.
I caught up with Matt to talk about his latest project and the struggles he and he small team faced whilst filming in Lake Natron.
- How would you describe your new movie The Crimson Wing?
It's an epic wildlife film set in one of the most dramatic and wildest places on earth. We wanted to take a different approach - our film is not a science lesson but an intimate portrait of a special wild area of the planet.
- How did you get involved in the project, I read that you took the idea to Melanie?
I drove the project. I was first interested in Natron as a result of my work in Serengeti (I've lived there since 1993) and through the aerial photography of an old friend.
I took Melanie to Natron on a "first date" and she was pivotal in articulating the various ideas for the film into a solid film treatment.
- What story did you want to convey with the movie?
We wanted to show the interconnectedness of life and environment. The struggle for life and the promise of hope and renewal through nature.
- At what point did your involvement with Disneynature start and how difficult was it getting backing for this film?
In 06. It was easy to get backing because we had a well articulated vision for the film - and the spectacle of a million flamingos set in a lake that at times looks like an "other world" was difficult to ignore.
- You filmed at lake Natron so what were the condition like? And what difficulties did you encounter?
The environment was extremely hot and uncomfortable. And getting out to the flamingos safely (without disturbing them) was the most challenging aspect of the production.
In the event we used a military spec hovercraft to get us within striking distance. But the problems of the salt, and the abrasive nature of the salt flats caused even this machine problems.
We had to use snow shoes on the salt flats which abraded in very quick time (to prevent us sinking in the brines). And the salt got everywhere and stung like hell.
But all the problems aside - the privilege of actually recording the intimate lives of the birds (in a place where less people have stood than have stood on the moon) made the physical discomfort completely bearable!
- The documentary says that the volcano only errupts every thirty years so was filming timed to coincide with that or was it just pure coincidence that you were there?
Actually coincidence - but a terrific opportunity even if, at first, we were a little disconcerted by the activity of our close neighbour!
- The movie is very brutal it doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of the bird's journey did you find it difficult to film at times?
Life is hard at times. This is one of the universal truths. so to remove this reality from a wildlife film seems to me to diminish the subject - and make nature mean less.
Witnessing the fundamental truth of nature makes us understand its relevance. We are part of nature too - even though many people try to pretend we are not.
Every city, every person on earth depends on clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment which finds its best expression in "nature". We all live. We all die.
- Are there any shots that you are particularly proud that you captured?
The intimate shots of flamingos feeding chicks on their nest mounds are very special - I was so very close to them and yet the birds were completely unaware of my presence. these shots took weeks of work at night to set up.