For over three decades, Sophie Darlington has helped create some of the most iconic natural history documentaries of our time - Planet Earth, The Hunt, Dynasties, Our Planet II, Queens and African Cats. Her work has earned her a BAFTA, an Emmy, and one of the highest honours in cinematography: membership of the ASC - the American Society of Cinematographers in recognising her as one of the leading visual storytellers of our time. In summary, she’s a badass.
This episode is full of wisdom from a true trailblazer - she was one of the first female DOP’s in a male dominated industry - what drives her, and how she’s now offering the same mentorship to upcoming talent she credits herself receiving (and yes, even she still has imposter syndrome).
In this episode:
• How Sophie found her way from the Serengeti to Planet Earth
• The art of patience and what decades in the wild teach you
• The emotional reality of filming nature in crisis
• Motherhood, imposter syndrome, and life behind the lens
• The future of wildlife storytelling in the age of AI
• Why mentorship and representation matter in filmmaking
This episode is brought you by MPB, who make it easy for storytellers to buy, sell or trade camera gear. Find your next camera at MPB.com
