“You don’t get the chance to do any of this scale very often – in fact almost never,” “The Americas” executive producer Mike Gunton said about NBC’s ambitious Nature Documentary Series.
Told by Tom Hanks and scored by Hans Zimmer, the 10-part production is one of the largest in scope in the Nonfiction genre-180 expeditions that extend over five years and 1,000 crew members and specialists, together with the use of new technology, including drones and high resolution film cameras. “If I was a playing man, I would say that we have captured more data about this series than any other project that has ever existed.”
By highlighting wild ecosystems in 10 different regions in North and South America, from the Atlantic coast to Mexico to Patagonia, “America” shines a spotlight on parts of the world – and animal behavior – never seen on television before. NBC, it turns out, was more than willing to support the series even though he was not known for nature programs that are more often presented at the BBC, Natgeo and PBS.
“America“ is huge in scope. How could you pull it off?
Mike Gunton You only have one shot on this and it is difficult – the logistical challenges, the different politics, the different ways people work in these different countries and also different types of habitats. We wanted to make sure we filmed on the sea, under the sea, in jungles, in deserts, in coral reefs, you name it. You could not do this without knowledge, backup and goodwill of extraordinary researchers who spend their lives studying these creatures and are so generous to enable how they tell the things they have discovered. Not only the things they would write in a paper but small observations they have done in thousands of hours and looked at these animals.
What struck me is how you could come up with exciting stories, from zooming in on the honeypot ants to being side by side with sharks. How much pictures did it take to create a segment?
Gunton It is very difficult to answer because it depends on the story and the place. We don’t just take our cameras and go to a cool place; We are extremely focused on the story we want to tell. We know what we want to achieve, but you can’t write a script and leave it to the animals. What you have to do is use your experience, camera technology and skills skills to effectively make it feel (the animals have) read the scripts to get the story you want to tell. The real joy of this, which is unique in almost all forms, is that nature will always add its own little grace notes, her own surprises. And that’s what makes it so exciting, even if you’ve been doing it for 35 years.
Is there a moment you didn’t expect to catch on film?
Gunton One of the sequences that I believe is completely blowing is the sequence in the West Coast’s section of Blue Whales. We filmed a sequence with not just one or two, not three, but four whales together, and they didn’t just cross around. They were barrel rolling, renovated, and then one of them jumped on one occasion clean (of the water) – and these animals are about the size of a jumbo -jet, so imagine the power required to do so. Everything is managed in the most incredible way with drones.
What was the most challenging region to film in?
Gunton We went to southern Chilean Patagonia – Torres del Paine (National Park) is a great place – to film Pumas. Pumas is phenomenally good at hiding. They also move very quickly. You must not walk in off -road vehicles, so you have to follow them on foot. Our crews make 30 miles a day with cameras on the back chasing these pums, not just to get a picture of a puma in the distance but incredibly intimate, related behavior.
How much of America Does drones use traditional camera work?
Gunton There are sequences where they have been on your wish list for several years. For example, the opening sequence for the Andes section is a story about a spectacled bear that goes into the mountains to give birth and care for his kids to stay safe from predators. There comes a point where mom has to bring the kids down because they can’t feed on milk anymore, so they have to go down. It’s like a free solo in the reverse direction, and it’s a one -time event. It is impossible to do with a human and a camera. The only way to do it is with a drone. So the pressure is on the Drone pilot to get the pictures – not just one shot but a wide shot, detailed shot of the mother’s face, the shots from Cub, at the moment the young man slides. Everything that gives drama to it.
How did you get Tom Hanks to be the voice of the series?
Gunton He wanted to see what we did, so we showed him the first episode. It was quite nerve racking, which showed a double Oscar winner your work, especially a rough (version). At the end of that, he said, “I was born to tell you this.” It reminded him of when he was younger, the excitement of seeing nature’s wonders. He liked the fact that you learned without anyone telling you that you are learning. We felt privileged but also responsible for showing how wonderful it was but similar that it is expensive and fragile – and I think Tom felt it too.
What do you think America Will do for nature documentaries that are moving forward?
Gunton In the grammar in the genre, this was an opportunity to move the tone, the story, the intimacy, the commitment to the audience. Friends and colleagues have said that this feels different. How it is shot, how the stories are told visually and how even tells the stories feels available but not in a stupid way. The emphasis is unquestionably festive, but we have not shot (away) reminds people that these places, even though they are fantastic and beautiful, are also delicate. It’s my biggest message.
This story first ran in the race begins the edition of Thewrap’s Awards Magazine.
Read more from the race begins edition here.
