Nat Geo’s “Hostile Planet”: A Searing Look at Climate Change

Wisely the camera does not linger on death amp160Instead the cinematic series focuses on the struggle of life amp160It illustrates how climate change is affecting every part of the world mountains oceans grasslands jungles deserts and the poles and shows animals trying to adapt to survive amp160While wildlife documentaries are by definition visually rich this one is different courtesy of Oscarwinning cinematographer Guillermo Navarro an executive producerFrom the beginning Navarroamp8217s vision mandated this evolve above and beyond traditional nature films amp160amp8220What I thought had to change was to make it more visualamp8221 Navarro told MediaVillage amp160amp8220We are seeing what it is like to be there now amp160There needed to be a change in how we do the movies It is important that the lens was close to them amp160They are the heroes of this storyamp8221Familiar stories such as turtles hatching on the beaches of Costa Rica are presented in a fresh perspective from the animalsamp8217 point of view amp160The audience sees what whales see as they swim in a pod or what polar bears espy in a tundra that was once solid and is melting amp160These are oftendismal scenarios as creatures swim farther climb higher and search longer for food amp160Animals encroach on one anotheramp8217s territories leading to fights such as a death match between a jaguar and a caimanWhile this series three years in the making is about the animals viewers also see the effects of extreme climates on a humanamp160 host and narrator Bear Grylls pictured at topamp160 The former British Special Forces Agent is a bit of a superhuman and even he struggles amp160A TV fixture with Discoveryamp8217s Man vs Wild and NBCamp8217s Running Wild with Bear Grylls which moves to National Geographic in December Grylls talked with MediaVillage in a far cushier locale a climatecontrolled hotel room about why he is the perfect match for Hostile Planetamp8220For a show about the survivability of families of animals they felt it was best to get a survivor to speak for itamp8221 Grylls told me amp160amp8220Even though hard and brutal the world is really fragile and some of the most amazing animals are on the edge of existence amp160Hostile Planet shows what climate change means for them amp160Itamp8217s desperate desperate desperate amp160And I can speak with reality about what survival meansamp8221Each episode a result of 300 days of shooting is crammed with the challenge of survival which can take bizarre turns amp160In the Namib Desert Namibia where the temperature is rising three times faster than the global average is a remarkable sight a hyena mom living with her pups in an abandoned mining town amp160The visuals are astonishing as the mother hyena heads out trots a mile to the ocean stalks a seal pup and returns with foodWhile each selfcontained film is filled with sobering facts and images at no point does the series turn to the obvious Blame and lecture amp160Of course mankind has wrought this destruction but that is never saidamp8220The moment someone feels they are being lectured they stop listeningamp8221 noted Kevin Mohs National Geographicamp8217s Vice President of Production and Development and executive producer for this series amp160amp8220We want you till the end and you will learn somethingamp8221Thatamp8217s inevitableamp8220I realized that we canamp8217t do everything in one showamp8221 Mohs acknowledged amp160amp8220Climate change is a big and complex issue that has many facets and that39s why at National Geographic we39ve approached it from various angles in programs like Paris to Pittsburghamp160and Before the Flood amp160In those programs we look into the causes and explore solutionsamp160 Inamp160Hostile Planetamp160the animals take center stage as they contend with the new realities of an evermore volatile worldamp8220For them thereamp8217s no debate as to why storms are more intense or wildfires more devastating than ever beforeamp8221 Mohs continued amp160amp8220Their worlds have changed and they are trying to deal with it as best they can in order to get that next meal and to pass on their genes to the next generation amp160With our intimate stories of survival told on an epic scale our goal is that viewers will understand that the consequences of our actions are not only impacting humans but our natural world as well People are spurred into action when they are passionate about something and we want them to fall in love with every creature we feature no matter how large or smallamp8221Hostile Planet is telecast Mondayamp160at 9 pm on Nat GeoClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Nat Geo’s “Hostile Planet”: A Searing Look at Climate Change

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Jacqueline Cutler

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Nat Geo’s “Hostile Planet”: A Searing Look at Climate Change

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Jacqueline Cutler

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