3D Panda Movie and filming process

The filming crew packed into B12, the second to last breeding pen.

I don’t know if I mentioned this earlier (we didn’t know how hush, hush this project was so were hesitant to publish anything on the blog), but National Geographic and Sky 3D were at the breeding center this winter filming an exciting new 3D panda movie! It is going to be a 45 minute documentary and was supported by the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association and the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. The goal is to highlight the challenge the Wolong Reserve faces of restoring viable breeding populations of the species to the wild.

Stephanie recording on our hi-tech cameras and National Geographic with theirs in the background

PANDAS 3D was directed by Nicolas Brown (Human Planet) and produced by Caroline Hawkins (Meerkats 3D). There entire team was so nice when we met them and caused quite the stir during their two week stay. I was so impressed with how quickly they moved their camera equipment around the confined spaces of the breeding center. Rather than being frustrated with the constant breeding of pandas (as we were because it wasn’t ideal for data collection) they, or course, thrived on the challenge of recording so many breedings. It was a perfect setup for filming as we were getting around 4-6 breedings per day!

The crew was so nice and friendly, and they let us have some of their American instant coffee sticks every morning which made us insta-friends. We’d give them the insights into which pandas would probably be breed that day. Nicolas Brown said to me, “I feel like a bookie and your the expert with the inside information”, because I’d constantly brief him in the morning with which cages he should concentrate their efforts on. Here’s a brief clip of Mei Sheng and Qian Qian’s introduction on the inside cage of B12 (sometimes they make their way inside during breedings).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2QHItXSCOw&feature=youtu.be

Here what the National Geographic site says about the release of the film:

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Pandas 3D: Million Dollar Babies

Release Date: June 27, 2014

Running Time: 40 minutes

Produced by Oxford Scientific Films

Distributed by National Geographic Entertainment

Oxford Scientific Films was granted permission to film the first-ever release of pandas bred at China’s giant panda breeding center and to follow a group of wild pandas in their mountain habitat. Charismatic, captivating and severely endangered, the giant panda has been the worldwide symbol of nature conservation for 50 years. The 40-minute film invites audiences to witness the births, nursery care and teaching of panda cubs, part of an extraordinary effort to save the panda in the wild. “Pandas” will be available in 2D and 3D digital formats.

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I’m in talks with OMSI about showing the film and speaking a couple of nights there about my research. Let’s hope it pans out!

-Meg