Hotel Armadillo

Making Hotel Armadillo #1

The evolution of the film

-Nigel Pope

Making “Hotel Armadillo” was very much a team effort involving so many people, passionate about the natural world and of course, Giant Armadillos!
However the most important collaboration for the film team here at Maramedia, was the special relationship we forged with RZSS scientist Arnaud Debiez and his team.

We had been chatting to Arnaud about his research for a few years but first met when he was visiting Edinburgh Zoo. He was performing a comedy routine about Armadillos to raise awareness (and funds!) for the incredible Giant Armadillo that lives in the Pantanal wetland of Brazil. Arnaud and his team at the Giant Armadillo Project had discovered that Giant Armadillos were far more important to the biodiversity of the Brazilian Pantanal than we could have ever imagined. With their super hero digging skills and immense strength, they create beautifully excavated burrows from the hard ground each night. These become ideal homes and refuges for a host of other species from tiny rodents to large silky anteaters. The earth mounds that they create also become an important food source – allowing animals to feed on newly excavated seeds and grubs.

So, in short the Giant Armadillo has a critical role to play in the stunning and biodiverse wetland of Brazil. It is what scientists call an “ecosystem engineer,” in that it modifies the landscape, supporting lots of other species inspiring the “Hotel Armadillo” theme for the film!

But Giant Armadillos like so much of the worlds wildlife are under threat, and we are only just realising how critical and intertwined with the habitat they really are. This makes it even more imperative that passionate scientists like Arnaud from RZSS, and his Armadillo team are able to study these incredible creatures through the generosity of so many supporters. Important conservation awards like the Whitley award have recognised his work and we, as film makers, are able make such a special film to share these stories and that passion with the world and make more people care about a very special creature – The Giant Armadillo.

We are very grateful to BBC Natural World and PBS Nature for commissioning us to make such a film.

'The Giant Armadillo Project' are eternally grateful to all those involved in making it as successful as it has been so far and would like to thank everyone involved . 

Menopause: The making of

Sometimes the most obvious stories are not told - this was certainly the case with this documentary.  Executive Producer May Miller reveals some of the background to making such a film.

When first pitching this film, typing MENOPAUSE in the email subject line felt rather daring.  I could sense commissioning executives up and down the UK collectively flinch. I had been warned that it would be impossible to get the film off the ground and if I did, no one would ever want to talk about it on camera.  However, fortunately BBC Scotland recognised its potential and greenlit the project very quickly.

Assistant Producer Louise Arthur came on board and set about the very time consuming and sensitive task of finding women who were prepared to talk about their experiences.  It was both heartening and very moving to find so many who, although apprehensive, were willing to share their stories to help others.

Producer Director Shiona McCubbin has considerable experience in human interest documentary. She worked hard to win the trust of the interviewees and made sure that they felt comfortable about relating often very difficult testimony. Shiona ensured that the filming environment was calm and unpressurised so that they knew they were in safe hands.

Our presenter Kirsty Wark shared her own personal menopause story in order to encourage others to do the same. Her exploration of what the menopause is, how we manage it and how we approach the years after the menopause is frank, often funny and highly intelligent. It is entertaining but also informative and the team at Maramedia hope that it will benefit all women, their family, colleagues and friends and encourage them to talk about this important life event.

We are extremely grateful to everyone who helped in the making of this documentary - they are many. In particular, thanks must go to Heather Currie, Chair of the British Menopause Society. For two years, she must have felt that she was being stalked by a deranged Walter Mitty type who imagined she was going to make a programme about the menopause. Well we got there in the end.

The Menopause is an important life event which affects every woman.  It is an issue that needs to be discussed more openly - we are proud that the programme may help start that conversation.

Wellbeing of Women is a fantastic charity that funds medical research across the breadth of women’s reproductive health and childbirth to find cures, improve treatments and develop new diagnostic techniques.  Many of the treatments and tests taken for granted today and used in everyday clinical practice both here in the UK and abroad benefitting millions of women came about thanks to research Wellbeing of Women funded over the last 50 years. 

THE INSIDERS' GUIDE TO THE MENOPAUSE

In a departure from our usual wildlife productions, we are delighted to announce our latest documentary, The Insiders' Guide To The Menopause, authored by Kirsty Wark. Originally broadcast at 21:00, Thursday 16th February on BBC Two Scotland.

To view clips and find out more information, please visit the BBC Programme Page.

#InsidersGuideToMenopause

MARAMEDIA'S TOP SHOTS OF 2016

We are often asked about how to get started in the wildlife filmmaking industry and, as many will tell you, the best and most straightforward advice is to get out with a camera and shoot! Wildlife stills are a great way to get started and we're lucky to live in a digital age where cameras are cheap and accessible, even if it's just on your phone. Studying wildlife photographers and how they take great pictures is a fantastic way to learn how to get that elusive shot...

The new year may well be underway but here at Maramedia we can always make the time for some wonderful wild imagery. From moody skies to lichen-festooned trees and friendly urban foxes, the Maramedia camera team reflect on their favourite wild images of 2016 and tell us how they got the shot.

RAYMOND BESANT

I had just finished filming Sanderling on a wild beach on the island of Sanday and was packing my kit away. I thought I would have one last look at the shore and when I walked over the top of the dunes I saw this dramatic sky, full of angry snow clouds. I rushed down the beach and saw the lovely light being reflected in the wet sand. I used a 20mm lens and waited for the inquisitive Fulmar who had been circling me to make another pass, firing off some shots as it flew through the frame. 

JIM MANTHORPE

High pressure was sitting over Scotland for much of November so there were plenty of clear, cold, frosty mornings. This was taken in Glen Affric where you will find one of the finest remnants of Caledonian pine forest in the land. But a pine forest is not just Scots pine. There are plenty of ancient birch trees too. This one was festooned in lichen. To get the best shot I opted to get under the tree, down low and shoot into the sun to make the most of the soft backlighting on the bracken and leaves. I positioned the camera so the sun was partially hidden by the tree, to avoid glare on the lens which would have killed the subtle light. 

steven mcgee-callender

I am lucky enough to stay right round the corner from a fox den. This year the pair had three cubs and I would see them in my garden regularly. One morning I decided to get up at first light to see them emerge from the den. From watching them on a number of previous occasions I knew the larger male cub was extremely bold and often would approach me with little to no signs of fear. This particular morning I decided to sit on the ground to appear as unthreatening as possible. The cubs curiosity quickly got the better of him and it was not long before my shoes became his new favourite chew toy. He stayed close by for roughly 5 minutes until he decided I was no longer interesting or providing him with food and he made his merry way back into the woods.

 

FERGUS GILL

My approach to landscape photography has always veered towards the abstract end of the spectrum. Each woodland has its own charm and character, which in turn changes with the seasons. Often I find myself experimenting with multiple exposures, photographing individual trees and painting over or under them with other views from within the woods. There’s a lot of trial and error involved as you’d expect but every image you create is unique and that’s what I love about it.

AMY THOMPSON

My most recent obsession has been experimenting with cheap, vintage lenses (inspired by the wonderful Vintage Lenses For Video). Vintage macro lenses are great as autofocus isn't much of an issue in macro photography and new macro lenses can be particularly expensive. While on holiday in Cornwall, I was photographing foxgloves with a new (old) Vivitar macro lens when I spotted this busy bumblebee, proboscis-poised and dwarfed by the foxglove's bells.

JUSTIN PUREFOY

Lamu island is part of an archipelago off the coast of Kenya. Rich in a Swahili-Arab history, it was has been a trading hub for hundreds of years. There are no roads on the island and so the best way to get around are on traditional dhows, which have been used for centuries to ferry passengers and traders across East Africa and all the way to the Middle East. I took this picture of while onboard, as the sails, still constructed in their traditional style, caught the trade winds.

We are always keen to see and share your wildlife and landscape images and so if you have a story to tell then get in touch on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.