Filming with Bristol’s budding Attenboroughs

It’s a grey, wet morning at Wild Place Project and everyone is adjusting to the early start. Rubbing the sleep out of their eyes, 15 budding Attenboroughs warm their hands with a much-needed coffee in the cafe. They are about to embark on a journey into the wild, learning skills in filming, editing and production. 

As we head out in the hope of catching some magical shots of the meerkats, we disturb a sleeping zebra who timidly peers out at the day’s first visitors. This outdoor setting is a welcome change from the classroom for the 16- to 18-year-olds taking part in the project, who attend colleges and schools across Bristol. 

All frantically adjusting camera lenses and building tripods, the students are trying to capture scenes for their own short wildlife films.

The films will be planned, filmed and edited over just three days, and as if that was not stressful enough, the final products will be premiered alongside Planet Earth II in front of Sir David Attenborough himself at Cinema de Lux on Wednesday, November 2; four days before episode one of the lavish six-part series screens on BBC1 on Sunday. 

Having only planned the films the day before, the students seem surprisingly prepared, moving to different locations with lots of energy.

Trying to keep up with them is Sophia Wollschlager, who works with BBC Outreach & Corporate Responsibility, the organisers behind this annual project. 

Sophia explains that the project is usually three days spent at the BBC Natural History hub on Whiteladies Road, but this year they decided to take the filming outdoors.

“It’s especially intense this time because there’s a tight deadline for the premiere,” Sophia says. “I think the students were shocked at the workload.”

But the tight schedule and early mornings only add to the real-life work experience that these young people are getting. 

Finlay, a student from City of Bristol College, is especially keen about taking part in the project. Watching her film the nearby zebra, which now appears to have overcome its stage fright, she is in her element. 

Despite studying creative media at college, this is the first time that she has worked with professional camera equipment. 

“It’s been tiring” she admits, evidently still recovering from the early wake-up call, “but this is better experience than college because we’re learning in-depth knowledge about the cameras.”

The cameras that the students are using were developed by Canon and the BBC and despite the array of buttons and dials, Sophia says that they are purposefully easy to use.

Joe is another keen filmmaker in the group. He has deferred his entry into university and is using the extra year to complete a level 3 creative media course. 

“This hands on experience is a great way to get your foot in the door and build up a portfolio,” he says Combining grades with experience is the best way to get into the industry.” 

The excitement in his voice and his enthusiasm to talk about these future aspirations shows how important this opportunity is for him.

Having previous filming experience, Joe guides Finlay through the use of the huge camera that she is holding. It’s clear that this is an invaluable chance for the young people to work together and share their knowledge and skills with each other. 

BBC Outreach not only helps young people, but aims to connect the BBC with other audiences that they find harder to reach. 

“The BBC is meant to be for everyone” explains Sophia.

Projects such as this ensure that young people from across Bristol have the opportunity to gain experience, that perhaps one day will see them emulate Attenborough.

Read more: Leveling the playing field for young people