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Alastair Fothergill reveals the bare facts about Disneynature’s latest documentary, “Bears”

Published

10 years ago

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For three weeks back in 2012, a team of photographers had
their cameras trained on an Alaskan bear den. All with the hope that — when
the mother and her just-born cubs who were inside finally emerged — that this
would then make compelling footage for Disneynature‘s very next documentary,
“Bears.”

And sure enough, when Mama Bear & her brand-new babies finally stepped out
of that den, the cinematographers did get some killer shots. The only problem
was that “Bears” was supposed to be this movie about Alaskan Brown
Bears. Whereas the trio of critters that eventually came out of that den were
American Black Bears.

“That’s the problem with making nature documentaries,”
laughed Alastair Fothergill, the co-director of “Bears” during a
recent phone interview. “You’ve got all of these great-looking locations.
Not to mention a really photogenic cast. But because your cast never actually
reads the script that you prepare for your production, you just have to keep
shooting until you get enough of the sort of footage you can actually build a
movie out of.”


Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

And in the case of “Bears,” Disneynature’s team of
cinematographers had to shoot over 400 hours of film over the course of 2 &
1/2 years in Katmai National Park & Lake Clark National Park before they
then had enough dramatically compelling footage to pare down to one 77
minute-long nature documentary.

“And believe it or not, we actually do write a script
for each Disneynature project we produce. Though — in this case — those 60
& 70 page documents are really more of a detailed breakdown of a particular
animal’s anticipated natural behavior in a specific environment over a set
period of time,” Fothergill explained. “We then hand these scripts
off to our cameramen & women with the hope that they can then catch these
animals performing some of these behaviors out in the wild.”

And in the case of the trio of Alaskan Brown Bears who star in
“Bears” … Well, all of the scientists & guides that Alastair
consulted with before putting this specific Disneynature project in motion made
the production team very aware of these bears’ usual pattern of behavior.


Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

“The Alaskan Brown Bear typically has a litter of cubs
high up in the mountains in a secluded den. After the cubs are born and are big
enough to travel, the family then comes down off the mountain and — after
traveling through the grasslands — arrives at the shore. Where the bears then
wait for the salmon run to begin,” Fothergill stated. “Once the
salmon return from the sea and head for the spawning grounds, the bears then follow
the fish upriver and eat & eat for six weeks before they return to their
dens to ride out the next winter.”

And given that the real drama for this proposed Disneynature production comes
from the fact that — if Mama Bear isn’t able to catch & then eat enough
salmon to build up a large enough layer of fat (which will then allow her cubs
to nurse & be nourished during the long Alaskan winter) — her family will
then die … Well, that’s the hard truth that Alastair and his team decided to
build “Bears” around.

“And given that these things seem to run in cycles, that — if the salmon
run is really strong one year, it’ll be weaker the next …Well, that’s why we
then decided to shoot this documentary over two years,” Fothergill said.
“That way, we’d then be guaranteed to get all of the footage that we
needed to properly tell this tale.”


Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

And given that the annual salmon run is such a big part of the Alaskan Brown
Bear story … Well, that then meant actually getting photographers in the
water with the animals to get candid, up-close shots of these sometimes
1000-pound animals as they swam & fed.

“Mind you, in order to not disturb the bears as they
were catching & then eating all of these salmon, we put divers in the water
who then used rebreathers. And the nice thing about rebreathers is that there
are no tell-tale bubbles. Which means that our divers could then get right up-close
to these Alaskan Brown Bears with their cameras without these animals realizing
that there were men in the water nearby. Wait ’til you see the shots in this
Disneynature movie where those huge bears swim directly over our
cameramen,” Alastair enthused.

And after each season of shooting, Fothergill & his team would then
pre-edit the footage that they had and show this work-in-progress to a most
unusual group on consultants: The Story Trust at Pixar & Walt Disney
Animation Studios.


Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

“This group is made of people like the director of ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ and the writer of ‘WALL-E.’ They’d take a look
at this pre-edited footage and then offer suggestions about how we could
strengthen our film,” Alastair said. “How we could make this material
that much more palatable for young kids & their parents. Which are
basically the target audience for the Disneynature movies.”

Which isn’t to say that Fothergill & his team of cameramen & women
could then actually follow up on every suggestion that the Pixar & Walt
Disney Animation Studios Story Trust threw their way.

“Don’t get me wrong. They’re all lovely people. And the Story Trust is
very good at telling us stuffy wildlife guys how to make our films seem that
much more engaging,” Alastair stated. “But every so often, they’ll
throw a story suggestion our way and I just have to respond by saying ‘Yeah, if
we were animating this film, we could maybe do that. But that doesn’t actually
happen in nature. And in the end, these films have to be scientifically
accurate. We want the narrative to be true to nature.’ ”


John C. Reilly shares a laugh with celebrated primatologist Jane Goodall at the
premiere of Disneynature’s “Bears.” Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc.
All rights reserved

That said, Fothergill readily admits that he has accepted a number of the Story
Trust’s ideas. Take — for example — Rich Moore‘s suggestion about who should
narrate “Bears.”

“It was Rich who suggested that we should get John C. Reilly to come be
the narrator of this Disneynature production,” Alastair smiled. “Rich
& John had worked together on ‘Wreck-It Ralph.’ And as soon as we heard
John’s voice … Well, it was a no-brainer for us. Mr. Reilly sounds like he
was a bear in a previous life. And he had a lovely time recording the narration
with him. John gave us a lot more time than he probably should have done. He
really got into it.”

But when you’re making a nature documentary, that’s what you always have to do.
Make the most of opportunities when they are presented to you. Take — for
example — the wolves in “Bears.” Who — over the course of this film
— emerge as one of the key threats to Sky and her cubs, Amber & Scout.


Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

“You know, when we’re making these Disneynature films,
we’ve got to keep kids & their parents entertained for 75, 80 minutes. So
we always try to make sure that these movies have a variety of locations, a
variety of color, plus extra characters like these wolves,” Fothergill
explained. “I mean, we’re always looking for baddies because every movie
needs a baddie. But in all the research that we’d done prior to the shooting of
“Bears,” we’d never come across anything that would suggest that the
local wolf population would go after the Alaskan Brown Bears the way that they
did in this movie. The guides that we worked with while we were filming in Katmai
National Park had seen wolves one
or two times. But they told us that the amount of interaction that we got film
between the wolves & the bears was completely unique. That no one had ever
photographed this sort of behavior between these two species before.”

“And that — in the end — makes me very happy. To not only have put
together a nature film with a narrative that’s scientifically accurate but to
have also captured this sort of interaction between two species … Well, that
just makes all of those months of shooting on location — not to mention all of
those hours in the editing bay, reviewing footage — worthwhile,” Alastair
concluded

And with “Bears” about to debut on Blu-ray & DVD (this new Walt
Disney Studios Home Entertainment release will hit store shelves next Tuesday),
Fothergill & Co. have now turned their attention to their next Disneynature
production, “Monkey Kingdom.” Which will be released to theaters on April 22, 2015.


Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

This story originally appeared on the Huffington Post’s Entertainment page on August 6, 2014

Related Topics:

Jim Hill is an entertainment writer who has specialized in covering The Walt Disney Company for nearly 40 years now. Over that time, he has interviewed hundreds of animators, actors, and Imagineers -- many of whom have shared behind-the-scenes stories with Mr. Hill about how the Mouse House really works. In addition to the 4000+ articles Jim has written for the Web, he also co-hosts a trio of popular podcasts: “Disney Dish with Len Testa,” “Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor” and “Marvel US Disney with Aaron Adams.” Mr. Hill makes his home in Southern New Hampshire with his lovely wife Nancy and two obnoxious cats, Ginger & Betty.

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News & Press Releases

New Updates and Exclusive Content from Jim Hill Media: Disney, Universal, and More

Published

9 months ago

on

February 23, 2024

By

Boy oh boy, do I have some exciting news to share with all of you.

If you’ve been following our journey at Jim Hill Media, you know we’re all about peeling back the curtain to reveal behind the scenes insights, news, and history that surround the world of entertainment and theme parks.

And today, I’ve got a treasure trove of updates to share. So, grab your popcorn, and let’s get into it.

A New Chapter on Patreon

As many of you know, we recently made the big leap over to Patreon, and let me tell you, it’s been quite a rollercoaster ride. This move was driven by your requests for more exclusive content (and the easy to use RSS feed and app is a BIG bonus).

I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for your unwavering support. Your enthusiasm and engagement have been the driving force behind our passion for delivering the best of Disney and Universal content.

Moving to Patreon has opened new avenues for us to connect more deeply with our listeners, offering exciting perks and benefits that allow us to tailor our content more closely to your interests and preferences. It’s been an incredible journey of crafting special content, such as the launch of our video podcast series, [Disney Unpacked].

[Disney Unpacked] – A Video Podcast Series Like No Other

Imagine sitting down for a chat with a Disney Imagineer who’s helped shape your Disney experiences for over three decades. That’s what we’re bringing to the table with [Disney Unpacked]. Alongside the legendary Jim Shull and my partner in crime Len Testa, we explore Disney’s storytelling, sharing how beloved rides and attractions were created, through the eyes of an Imagineer like Jim Shull who personally contributed to these projects.

It’s a rare opportunity to host a video show with Jim Shull, a Disney Imagineer who’s worked on projects like Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Toontown for over 33 years. If you’re curious about Jim and his work, check out our “Meet Jim Shull” video.

But that’s not all – as a patron, you’ll gain access to even more exclusive content. Our “Carry On” podcast, where Jim Shull and I explore stories that didn’t quite make it into the main episodes, offers a fascinating glimpse into the creative process behind [Disney Unpacked]. Plus, our regular Q&A sessions give you the chance to get answers to all your burning questions about the show.

Beyond the Podcast: Photos and Artifacts from an Imagineers Personal Collection

And if that wasn’t exciting enough, let me introduce you to our brand-new monthly video show, “Picture This.” Hosted by yours truly alongside Jim Shull and moderated by Lauren Hersey, “Picture This” offers a behind-the-scenes look at Jim Shull’s personal collection of over 60,000 photos and artifacts from his 33-year career at Disney. From rare behind-the-scenes shots to exclusive glimpses of Disney history, this show is a must-watch for any serious Disney fan.

Jim Shull opens up his vault and shares some never-before-seen photos and the stories about them.

The History of the Pixar Place Hotel

Recently, it was announced that Disneyland’s Paradise Pier hotel would be reopening as the Pixar Place Hotel.

Curious about the backstory behind this decision? Join Jim Shull and me as we delve into the history of the Pixar Place hotel. Explore its fascinating origins and gain insights into the inspirations drawn from Jim’s leadership on the Toy Story Hotel project at Shanghai Disney.

This YouTube documentary-style video offers a look into the creative process behind one of Disney’s iconic hotel projects.

Debut of “I Want That Too” Video Podcast

Introducing our newest podcast addition, “I Want That Too,” where Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey dive deep into the fascinating world of Disney products. From toys and collectibles to apparel and home goods, we’re here to unpack it all.

But we’re not just about the merchandise – join us as we explore the rich history and untold stories behind your favorite Disney goodies. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting your Disney journey, there’s something for everyone on “I Want That Too.”

This show drops bi-weekly as a Podcast and a Video over on the Jim Hill Media YouTube Channel.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today.

Welcoming Universal Fans with “Epic Universal” Podcast

And for all you Universal enthusiasts (or Universal Curious) out there, we’ve got you covered too! Introducing “Epic Universal,” a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Eric Hersey and yours truly.

Join us as we dive into the latest news, interviews, and trip planning tips from the Universal universe. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just curious about what’s happening at Universal Studios, we invite you to join the conversation and stay updated with “Epic Universal.”

A Look Ahead: The Future of Jim Hill Media

Phew! It’s been an exhilarating few months at Jim Hill Media, with our Patreon move and new show launches, all dedicated to bringing you top-notch theme park news, insights, and history. Your support and enthusiasm have been the driving force behind our efforts, and we’re incredibly thankful for it.

Looking ahead, we’re excited about the future, with more content and partnerships on the horizon. Whether you’re into Disney, Universal, Marvel, or Merch, we invite you to stay engaged and subscribe for more updates.

A huge thank you for being part of our journey.

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News & Press Releases

Disney Will Bring D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event to Anaheim, California in August 2024

Published

1 year ago

on

September 9, 2023

By

Expanded Disney Fan Experience Will Feature New and Exciting Events Across Multiple Locations, Including a D23 Takeover of the Happiest Place On Earth, Evening Entertainment at the Honda Center, D23 Day at Angel Stadium, and Much More

Fan Favorites Including Exhibits, Panels, Shows, and Shopping Will Dazzle Disney Enthusiasts at the Anaheim Convention Center

D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event is a one-of-a-kind fan experience like never before with spectacular shows, new venues, and multiple days of entertainment that will bring together the best of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and more!

Highlightswill include:

  • Sunday, August 4: D23 Day at Angel Stadium, where D23 fans are invited to attend the Los Angeles Angels vs. New York Mets game. 
  • Thursday, August 8: D23 kickoff celebration at Disneyland Resort.
  • Friday, August 9 – Sunday, August 11: Shopping, exhibits, panels, and presentations will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center during the day, with the fun extending into the evening at the Honda Center, the bigger home to marquee shows.

Tickets for D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event will go on sale in Spring 2024, with ticketing options to be announced later for access to the Anaheim Convention Center and the Honda Center. Admission for D23 Day at Angel Stadium and the D23 kickoff celebration at Disneyland Resort will be available as separate ticketed events. Additional details for D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event will be announced in early 2024.

You can get updates by staying connected to D23 via social media (@DisneyD23 on Facebook, Instagram, X), D23.com, and our weekly D23 FanFare email (sign up for free as a D23 General Member at JoinD23.com).

About D23

The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s nearly 100-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic year-round through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; the latest news and stories on D23.com; member-exclusive offers and discounts; the popular D23 Inside Disney podcast; and special experiences for D23 Members throughout the year.

Fans can join D23 at Gold Membership ($99.99/year), Gold Duo Membership ($129.99/year), and General Membership (complimentary) levels at D23.com. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube.

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News & Press Releases

Star Wars Spoof: Space Robots in Outer Space Ep X: Battle for the Halcyon: The Last Starcruiser

Published

2 years ago

on

May 4, 2023

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Sure, Star Wars is cool and all. But let’s not forget about that other multi-part sci-fi cinematic spectacular, “Space Robots in Outer Space.” In fact, Hank Lonely (Hollywood’s ultimate hyphenate — actor / producer / director / writer / guy who makes sure the Porto Potties are kept squeaky-clean) just announced that there’ll soon be a 10th installment of this … Well, not exactly beloved. How about we say “admired from afar” instead? … series coming to a theater near you. In fact, here’s the highly anticipated teaser trailer for that project. Which is supposed to be titled “Space Robots in Outer Space X — Battle for the Halycon: The Last Starcruiser.”

Okay. Now the real story … In honor of Star Wars Day (i.e., May 4th. As in “May the Fourth Be With You”), Len Testa and I are sharing something that we produced with the help of all the nice folks who joined us last month aboard the Halycon.

We turned the Galactic Starcruiser as well as Black Spire Outpost into the backdrop for an affectionate send-up of all things Stars Wars. We hope that you (more importantly, the legal team at Lucasfilm) take this faux trailer in the spirit with which it was intended. Special thanks to Aaron Adams for so skillfully stitching all of this footage together. Also thanks to the team at Storybook Destinations, Touring Plans and the talented cast & crew aboard the “Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser” for making this “Disney Dish” fan event so memorable.

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