Town Hall

When Nature Films Lie (September 2011)

As you read in this month's story "(Un)True Nature," wildlife filmmakers often use tricks and deceptions to tell their stories. Even though you believe you're seeing animals behaving naturally in the wild, you may really be watching tame creatures in captivity--or a scene that's been made more dramatic with CGI. Is it wrong for filmmakers to deceive their audience? Or is it for the best, since exciting nature movies get people to care more about protecting wildlife?

I think sometimes it's okay. Like, using CGI to recreate something that acually happen, using different whales throughout the film, or filming a polar bear giving birth in a zoo. But other things, like trapping a wold and a deer in a small inclosure, making one snake eat another when it normally wouldn't, or creating things that never happen with CGI. I think that nature films should say at the beginning "Not all of the following film was done in wild. Some of it was (insert untruthfulness here).", if they didn't film everything naturally.

submitted by Katie G.
(September 5, 2011 - 11:54 am)

I agree. Sometimes it is best for things not to be filmed in the wild. If you are doing the best thing for the animals, that's ok. But if you're just doing the easy way and actually harming the animals, that's just plain bad.

submitted by Tealle
(September 8, 2011 - 5:54 pm)

i agree too

(^^)

;P

submitted by Frodo B.
(September 24, 2011 - 2:39 pm)

why do they trick sckool children into beliving that everything that you see in a nacher film is real. what can we trust and what can't we. i belive that if one is going to film somthing for educationel perpeses one should at least have the disensy to yous reality. perchance captureing the footage in a setting that may be more controlable as long as the vareables do not afect the reality of the film, then perchance it is acceptable. please help me out hear, i want to hear what you think fellow muse fans. icsuse the spelling please :)

submitted by maya.h, age 13, salinas ca
(September 8, 2011 - 9:21 pm)

Personally, I agree with you. But my objection is that if you use words like "perchance," why would you spell use "yous?"

No offense, or anything, just curious.

submitted by catherine G, age 12, Arlington, VA
(September 14, 2011 - 3:53 pm)