In 2001 the BBC released a groundbreaking documentary series - The Blue Planet - described as the “first ever comprehensive series on the natural history of the world’s oceans”.
The 8-part series included incredible sequences revealing behaviour that had never been filmed before and went on to win numerous awards, including a number of Emmy and BAFTA TV awards for its cinematography and music. For many, the Blue Planet was the pinnacle of underwater natural history programming - until October of this year, when it’s sequel, The Blue Planet II was released around the world.
Blue Planet II
The BBC’s Blue Planet II premiered on October 29th 2017 to much critical acclaim. Reviews have described it as “the ocean as you have never seen it before”, and “action, wonder, and wave after wave of exquisite photography”. Sir David Attenborough, who once again narrates the series, promises in the first episode that the Blue Planet II will bring us “creatures beyond imagination”, and “a new understanding of life beneath the waves”.
The Blue Planet II was filmed over the course of 4 years and a total of 125 expeditions across 39 countries. The huge team involved produced a total of 6,000 hours of underwater footage from around 4,000 dives - which was then condensed into 7, 50 minute programmes. The extraordinary effort required to produce such a series is reflected in the quality of filming, editing and sheer awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping story-telling that anyone passionate about the marine environment will enjoy.
ZuBlu are lucky enough to know one of the main cameramen involved in the filming of this landmark series - Roger Munns. We recently interviewed Roger about his work as a cameraman, his involvement with The Blue Planet II production and the marine environment.
How long have you been working as a cameraman? Where are you based?
Firstly, how did you get involved in underwater filming? Did you train or are you self taught? How did you get the experience you need to work as a professional underwater cameraman?
Who or what inspires you as a cameraman?
What sort of camera equipment do you use typically? Dive gear? Do you do things differently when you are diving as a professional underwater cameraman?
With regards to subjects or particular styles of filming, do you specialise in anything in particular or are you more of a generalist?
How did you get involved with the BBC? What does it take to get considered for such a production? Do you have any advice for aspiring cameraman looking to start a career as a professional cameraman?
Natural history programming has often evolved hand-in-hand with advances in technology - for instance the development of high-speed filming has allowed cameraman to capture previously unseen behaviour. Did you or any of the other underwater cameramen utilise any new technologies for the underwater sequences?
If you could only dive one place, where would that be?
What is you favourite species or type of animal to film?
Is there anywhere that you are particularly excited about at the moment? Do you have any shoots planned for the future?
What episodes of the BP II were you involved in? What was your favourite location from the series?
How much work actually goes into producing a programme such as BP II? For instance, how long would you spend on location? How long would you spend underwater typically to get all the footage required for a sequence?
What work are you most proud of from the series? And your most memorable moment from the filming?
What sort of role does a series such as BP II play in conservation? Without giving anything away, does the series touch on conservation issues?
It is sometimes said that natural history programming can ignore or gloss over environmental problems, painting a very different picture from reality - the rose-tinted lens of natural history programming. How do you feel about this? Does the BP II paint a picture that is closer to reality?
What sort of changes in the marine environment have you seen since starting up as a cameraman?
Our platform hopes to highlight sustainable business practices and conservation projects, and encourage our guests to look at how they travel and what they can do to conserve the marine environment. As a long-time diver who has probably seen the good, the bad and the ugly within the dive industry, do you think dive tourism has a role in conservation? Can it be sustainable?
Many thanks Roger for the interview. You can view The Blue Planet II every Sunday evening at 8pm GMT over the coming 6 weeks.
Learn more about the BBC's Blue Planet II and Roger Munn's work as a cameraman on his website, or follow him on his Instagram account @roger.munns.
All images courtesy of Jason Isley / Scubazoo.
