TIM SCOONES - INDEPENDENT PRODUCER / DIRECTOR (UK)

While making the film, Tim was working for world-renowned independent production company Oxford Scientific Films , based in the UK.  Tim’s job was to think up the story, sell the idea to National Geographic Television, hire the field crew, plan and direct the shoots, manage the money and supervise the edit.  To find out more about Tim’s experience of making the film see “A personal view”

To visit Tim’s biography click here

To visit the OSF page click here
 

 
NEIL RETTIG - FREELANCE CINEMATOGRAPHER / CLIMBER (USA)

Neil is without doubt one of the best natural history cameramen in the world, with experience of filming in most corners of the globe, and a string of prestigious awards.  Neil’s involvement in the project was crucial to its success as he is one of the few cinematographers who can also climb to, and work in, the tops of trees.  Neil has also developed the best technique for “flying shots” through the forest - crucial to show the awesome sense of height and space one gets in the rainforest canopy.  Neil’s long term work filming the Harpy Eagle was also an invaluable resource.
 

JUSTINE EVANS - FREELANCE CINEMATOGRAPHER / CLIMBER (UK)

Justine is one of the rising stars of natural history cinematography in the UK and is also well known for her ability to climb trees to film.  Justine’s filming work in Panama in the mid 1990s (which she undertook for National Geographic “Explorer”, again working with Tim Scoones and Oxford Scientific Films) was a rich resource from which to draw.  Justine’s stamina in the field is well known, and this was vital to deliver the Malaysia sequence for this project under extremely difficult conditions.
 

LUIS ENRIQUE (“KIKE”) ARNAL - CLIMBING SPECIALIST (VENEZUELA)

The whole field crew owe their lives to Kike (seen briefly climbing and rigging early on in the film), as Kike’s role was to make sure all our climbing and rigging was safe.  This is obviously crucial to such a dangerous project, and we were delighted to have someone as skilled as Kike rigging trees and building platforms.  Venezuelan by birth, Kike met up with Neil Rettig through joint work on the Harpy Eagle, so Kike and Neil joined the crew as an established team.  When not climbing and rigging, Kike was also invaluable at organising logistics and taking fabulous photographs.
Earth Matters http://www.earthmatters.org
 

 
KIM HAYES - FREELANCE SOUND RECORDIST (USA)

Kim is a well established sound recordist in documentary and natural history films.  Kim lives and works with Neil Rettig and is well versed in climbing techniques and field production, so she was crucial on shoots where there was too much to do with too little time to do it !  Sound recorded in the field plays a vital role in one’s enjoyment and understanding of natural history films.
 

 
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TEAM

There are many people who work on a documentary production, especially one of this scale.  Each has a specialisation based on their own skills and experience.  To see the full list of people and organisations involved, go to the credits section of this web site.  In the meanwhile, here are some more key players :
 

NICOLAS NOXON - Executive Producer at National Geographic “Specials” in Los Angeles  (USA)
Nicolas is one of the most experienced and well respected producers in our industry and it was he who originally commissioned the film from Tim Scoones and Oxford Scientific Films.  Nick’s role was to guide the creative process and advise the team how best to make a great film whilst still satisfying the needs of NBC, the ultimate broadcaster, and international / video sales.  Nick’s story-telling and production experience was invaluable.
 

KEENAN SMART - Head of the Natural History Unit of National Geographic Television headquarters in Washington DC  (USA)
Originally based at the BBC’s Natural History Unit in the UK, Keenan is extremely knowledgeable in natural history and wildlife television, with a long list of awards for films he produced.  Keenan’s role was to guide the creative direction of the film, especially at the development stage, to give it the natural history calibre one expects from a National Geographic Special.
 

CATHY McCONNELL - freelance Writer and Co-producer  (USA)
Cathy is well known in the natural history documentary world from her years of work with both National Geographic Television and PBS/WNET.  Cathy worked in close partnership with Tim Scoones (producer/director) to craft the story structure right from the outset.  Cathy then helped win the commission, advised Tim and the crew throughout field production, and worked in the creative team during the edit to tell the most compelling story with the images and sound available.  Finally, Cathy wrote the narration script that was then performed by F. Murray Abraham.
 

NICK STRINGER - freelance Associate Producer (UK)
Nick joined producer Tim Scoones at an early stage of production, and was responsible for setting up most of the shoots and researching story ideas.  Nick has great skills in negotiation and logistical organisation - this helped us have smooth-running shoots and saved us lots of money too !  Nick ran two important shoots - the shoot in Malaysia with Justine Evans, and the studio/macro shoot in Costa Rica with Steve Downer.
 

STEVE DOWNER - freelance macro/studio cinematographer (UK)
Steve is well known as one of the world’s best natural history cinematographers, especially in the field of studio and macro (close-up) work.  We were delighted that Steve was able to join us in a ground-based crew in Costa Rica to film some of the smaller canopy creatures like the Strawberry Frog, the “Ant garden” and life inside a Bromeliad plant, giving the film an interesting new perspective.
 

MARK FLETCHER - freelance editor (UK)
Mark is by far one of the most accomplished and imaginative editors of the natural history documentary world.  He has worked on some of the most prestigious and memorable projects the industry has ever seen.  Mark moved to Los Angeles for the three month edit and worked with Tim Scoones, Nicolas Noxon and Cathy McConnell to hone the pictures, sound and words into the final story.  Mark is particularly good at creating pace and mood in a film, and much of the film’s unusual and yet engaging energy is the result of Mark’s keen eye.
 

DARREN RENNICK - inventor of the "Canopy Tour" (COSTA RICA)
Darren Rennick is the inventor and patent holder of "The Original Canopy Tour", which has brought thousands of people to the tops of trees to experience the canopy world for themselves. Click here for his own story about his work and his help with the film
http://canopytour.com
 

Visit the full Production Credits list by clicking here.