Astonishing nature series

[kenny]

Hidden Kingdoms https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_Kingdoms

The photography is astonishing.
First rate.
Revolutionary!

But it's much more than the best cinemaphotography I've ever seen in a nature doc.
This series brings something new to the nature documentary.
Full on commercial feature-film production values, and musical scores.

For someone like me the last 10 minutes is better than the film itself.
They show the equipment used and explain how they did everything, all the technical stuff.
Also revolutionary, and likely very controversial, is their use of chroma key.
It's a technique to superimpose one foreground video on top of another background video shot separately.
Some would call it cheating for a nature doc.
But they are very up front about what they are doing and the results are breathtaking.

Unfortunately there are only 3 episodes.

Two Kenny thumbs up!
Eight Kenny fingers up!
Ten Kenny toes up!

Now streaming on Netflix.

 

[kenny]

... about that cheating stuff ...


For example there is a once-in-a-lifetime wide angle close up shot of a little mouse-like creature just inches from the hoof of an elephant that just happened to be running by.
After a few of scenes of these miracles of photography-luck. (no photographer can be THAT lucky) I knew something was up.

But they don't overdo it; everything is believable and entirely plausible in nature ... it's just impossible that a camera would happen to be there.

 

[december-fire]

Kenny,

I can't imagine higher praise than you saying the photography is 'astonishing'!

I've got to see this!

I don't currently have Netflix (yes, I'm the one person who doesn't), but I love nature, wildlife and photography. So, looks like I better check this out.

Thanks for letting us know about this series.

 

[BeekeeperBetty]

This is on our list of things to watch. We watch a ton of documentaries with the kids. Well, nature/science documentaries, I find things like Food Inc and Blackfish to be more about an agenda than education.

We just finished Last Man to the Moon, and the footage and photography are stunning as well.

 

[sonnyjane]

The Hunt on BBC America also has some absolutely stunning scenes shot with HD drones. Full episodes are available are on the bbc America site. I'll check out your recommendation!