Another new installment, seeing as I am creating a documentary trailer for my A2 project, I thought it would make sense to review some documentaries in order to appreciate how they are put together.
The first documentary I will review is an episode from the recent series; Nature's great events (BBC 2). Specifically, the final episode; The great tide.
Nature's great events is a wildlife documentary centered upon some of nature's greatest spectacles such as the Salmon run in North America or the great migrations of Africa.
To me, the most inspiring and influential episode was 'The Great Tide'. This hour long production features the migration of over 1 billion sardines along the coast of Africa and their struggles as they face the largest gathering of predators on Earth.
Narrated by the great Sir David Attenborough, this is a timeless piece that I have watched over and over again with a never diminishing enthusiasm.
The program centers around the plight of a shoal of sardines as it travels along the East coast of Africa, gradually, they join up with other shoals and become a vast school of over 1 billion fish. All this food is bound to attract attention... so much attention that it becomes arguably the largest gathering of predators in any one place.
The fish face an army of innumerable Sharks, Dolphins, Gannets and Seals. These predators all come together for a beautiful yet macabre under water massacre, Sharks and Dolphins attack from below, Gannets from the air and Seals from the shore prevent any chance of escape. The final few scenes almost resemble a sci-fi movie with the Gannets plunging into the sea at break neck speeds and Sharks writhing in and out of Dolphin squadrons. Filmed from planes, boats and divers, the action can be exquisitely viewed from all angles.
This program features some of the greatest filming and editing of any production on television.
It is this program that is the main reason for me choosing my A2 project, the dramatic sound tracks combined with the amazing camera work make a visually stunning masterpiece that is a true testament to the abilities of the BBC.
I highly recommend this program and the entire series to all and will continue to review documentaries of this genre in the future.
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