Episode 015: An Unconventional Life, Sophie Darlington
Mar 26, 2019
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Wildlife cinematographer Sophie Darlington shares her journey from Serengeti to Serendipity in an unconventional life. She discusses gender representation, long lens techniques, and the emotional impact of wildlife filming. Embracing risks and forming unique paths, she inspires others to follow their creative aspirations.
Sophie Darlington's career showcases climate change impacts on endangered species through wildlife cinematography.
Embracing discomfort and seeking unique perspectives are integral to wildlife filmmaking experiences in remote locations.
Urgent action is needed to combat climate change, emphasizing awareness, ethical banking, reduced meat consumption, and clean energy support.
Gender dynamics in wildlife filmmaking highlight the need for more female empowerment, visibility, and equal opportunities in the industry.
Deep dives
Specializing in Long Lens Camera Work
The podcast features a wildlife camera woman who specializes in long lens camera work, allowing her to zoom in on animals from a distance. Her work involves capturing behavioral moments of animals in their natural habitats with a focus on framing landscapes and wildlife. The meditative quality of observing animals in their natural environment and needing to be in the moment while filming is something she values.
Challenges and Adventures in Remote Locations
The camera woman describes her day-to-day work, which often involves enduring long hours in remote locations observing wildlife, such as bears in Alaska or penguins in Antarctica. She recalls fascinating moments like witnessing lions hunting and jumping, or spending a month in Cape Crozier in Antarctica. Despite the challenges of the job, she expresses a deep love for what she does and cherishes the unique experiences.
Career Highlights and Iconic Moments
Reflecting on her career, she highlights unforgettable moments like being in the Amazon up a tree with thermal cameras and encountering bullet ants. She recalls a defining experience spending her first night alone up a tree in the Amazon's flooded forest, feeling fear and discomfort in unfamiliar environments like climbing trees in the jungle. These experiences showcase her willingness to embrace discomfort and seek unique perspectives.
Environmental Concerns and Call to Action
The conversation shifts to environmental concerns and the urgency to address climate change. The podcast emphasizes the need for immediate action to mitigate environmental damage within the next 10 to 20 years. The wildlife camera woman stresses the importance of raising awareness, taking steps like banking ethically, reducing meat consumption, and supporting clean energy initiatives to combat climate change and protect the planet's future.
Gender Dynamics in Wildlife Filmmaking
The podcast explores gender dynamics in wildlife filmmaking and the challenges faced by women in the industry. The wildlife camera woman shares insights on the lack of gender parity and visibility for women in roles like camera work. She advocates for more women empowerment and equal opportunities in wildlife filmmaking, highlighting the need for increased visibility and support for female professionals in the field.
Passion for Wildlife Filmmaking
The discussion delves into the wildlife camera woman's passion for her work and the unique skill set required for her job. She emphasizes her love for capturing wildlife behavior and landscapes with a long lens camera. Despite the physical and mental challenges of working in remote locations, she expresses gratitude for the opportunity to pursue a career she loves in wildlife filmmaking.
Challenges of Freelancing in Adventure Filmmaking
The podcast delves into the challenges faced by freelancers in adventure filmmaking, highlighting the precarious nature of the job with lean and busy times. The guest discusses not owning the footage they shoot, leading to a lack of control over its fate. In contrast, the host mentions controlling and editing most of the content they film, emphasizing the differing approaches and the fluctuating nature of freelancing.
Ethical Considerations in Wildlife Filmmaking
The episode explores the ethical dilemmas encountered in wildlife filmmaking, specifically addressing the anthropomorphizing of animals. The guest shares experiences from filming 'Dynasties' where they avoided naming animals and relied on scientific observations. They express concerns about oversimplifying and presenting animals in unrealistic ways, advocating for a science-based and accurate portrayal.
Sophie Darlington’s thirty-year career as a wildlife cinematographer has borne witness to the effects of climate change – and the decline of endangered species – across the world. From 78 degrees South to 78 degrees North, Sophie’s BAFTA-winning visual documentation of our planet’s wildlife has been the mainstay of productions including Planet Earth, Dynasties, Wild Plant and Netflix’s forthcoming Our Planet.
