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Stories of Natural History Film-Making from the BBC

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Networks of Nature: Stories of Natural History Film-Making from the BBC Gail Davies Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Submitted 1997 Awarded 1998 University College London Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature Abstract In May 1953 the first natural history television programme was broadcast from Bristol by naturalist Peter Scott and radio producer Desmond Hawkins. By 1997 the BBC's Natural History Unit has established a global reputation for wildlife films, providing a keystone of the BBC's public service broadcasting charter, playing an important strategic role in television scheduling and occupying a prominent position in a competitive world film market. The BBC's blue-chip natural history programmes regularly bring images of wildlife from all over the globe to British audiences of over 10 million. This thesis traces the changing aesthetics, ethics and economics of natural history film-making at the BBC over this period. It uses archive material, interviews and participant observation to look at how shifting relationships between broadcasting values, scientific and film-making practices are negotiated by individuals within the Unit. Engaging with vocabularies from geography, media studies and science studies, the research contextualises these popular representations of nature within a history of post-war British attitudes to nature and explores the importance of technology, animals and conceptions of the public sphere as additional actors influencing the relationships between nature and culture. This history charts the construction of the actor networks of the Natural History Unit by film- makers and broadcasters as they seek to incorporate and exclude certain practices, technologies and discourses of nature. These networks provide the resources, values and constraints which members of the Unit negotiate to seek representation within the Unit, and present challenges as the Unit seeks to preserve its institutional identity as these networks shift. The thesis tells a series of stories of natural history film-making that reflect one institution's contributions and responses to the contemporary formations of nature, science, the media and modernity. 2 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature Acknowledgements A great many people have advised and encouraged me over the last four years in a great many ways. I am particularly indebted to my supervisor Jacquie Burgess, without whom this PhD would never have seen the light; for her inexhaustible enthusiasm, endless patience and personal support. I want to thank everyone in the geography department at UCL who has contributed to the development of ideas in the PhD, either knowing or unknowingly. Amongst them are postgraduates, past and present, whose friendship and understanding have provided solidarity and a source of inspiration; in particular thanks to Tracey Bedford, Kevin Collins, Julia Cream, Nicole Dando, James Kneale, Minelle Mahtani, Ben Malbon, Diane Mortimer- Rebane, Pip Noon, Simon Pinnegar, and Jeremy Stein. My thanks to all the staff at UCL who have patiently read and listened to endless stories of natural history film-making and helped me to make sense of them: Judy Clark, Phil Crang, Claire Dwyer, Peter Wood, Carolyn Harrison, Peter Lunt, and Jon Turney. I am also indebted to Richard Munton for providing regular support for grant applications, and a continuing belief in my research. Thanks are due to everyone at the BBC in Bristol, for not only tolerating my intrusions, conversation, and questions, but additionally offering advice and making me welcome. I would like to express my particular gratitude to the following: Alan Baker, Rob Collis, Jane Gray- Wallis and everyone else in the library for their invaluable assistance in finding archive material, locating films, and following up members of the Unit; the Head of Department Alastair Fothergill for sparing time to talk and the rest of his office for assistance with the questionnaire; Paul Appleby and everyone else in Nature Detectives who allowed me to help and hinder them for a couple of weeks. I am grateful to everyone who helped in developing research ideas and suggesting other contacts; particularly John Sparks, Richard Brock, Keith Scholey, Michael Bright, Ros Kidman Cox, Mike Kendall, Sue McMillan, Clare Brook and Jeffrey Boswall. I am, of course, especially indebted to everyone who filled in questionnaires and found time between busy filming schedules to talk to me and guide me through their complicated histories of natural history film-making. I wish you all the best of luck for the future. Finally, I would like to thank all those people who have provided friendship and more over the last four years. At Bristol University, James Kneale and Bon Holloway provided coffee and a sounding board for the frustrations of doing research. Nic Beynon and Jenny Coe have given moral support and demonstrated that there is life beyond postgraduate studies. Luke Desforges has been a fine companion throughout the lengthy process of doing a PhD. And as ever my family have provided love and support. I would lastly like to thank Geoff Kent, for his love, commitment and encouragement, and his ability to share equally in the low periods and high points over the last four years. Any mistakes in the thesis are of course all my own. 3 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature Table of Contents Abstract Acknowledgements Table of Contents List of Figures List of Plates Preface Chapter I: Introduction: Histories of Natural History Films 1.1. Introduction: Stories of Natural History Film-Making 1.2. Forty Years of Film-Making at the Natural History Unit 1.3. Cultural Geography and the 'Matter of Nature' 1.4. Reviewing Natural History Films 1.5. Natural History Films and the Nature of Modernity 1.6. The Aims and Scope of the Thesis Chapter II: Television, Science and Television Science 2.1. Part 1: "Doing Television" 2.1.1. An Introduction to Two Cultures 2.1.2. Media Studies and the Communication of Science 2.1.3. The Narratives of Television Science 2.1.4. The Science of Television Science 2.2. Part 2: "Doing Science" 2.2.1. The Social Construction of Scientific Knowledge 2.2.2. The Anthropology of Modernity 2.2.3. Networks of Nature 2.2.4. The Situatedness of Science 2.2.5. Representation and Scientific Practice 2.3. Part 3: Interpretations of Natural History Traditions 2.3.1. Enrolling Animals and Natural History Classifications 2.3.2. Inscription and the Emergence of Ethology 2.3.3. Negotiating the Position of Animals 2.4. Part 4: "Doing Natural History Television" Chapter III: Researching the Networks Natural History Film-Making 3.1. Introduction: Networks and Research Methods 3.2. Qualitative Analysis and the Politics of Research 3.3 Case Studies and Production Ethnographies 3.4. Discourse Analysis and the Narratives of Actor Network Theory 4 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature 3.5. Materials and Methods 3.5.1. Learning the Language 3.5.2. Learning the History 3.5.3. Following the Actors 3.5.4. Analysing the Relationships 3.5.5. Constructing Narratives 3.6. The Actor Networks of the Natural History Unit Chapter IV: The Era of the Amateur Naturalist Film-Maker 4.1. Introduction: Enrolling Animals 4.2. Post War Opportunities 4.3. News from the Zoos 4.4. A New Look at Nature 4.5. Survival: Competition and Gaining Control 4.6. Conclusions: The First Networks of Natural History Films Chapter V: Empire Building in an Age of Broadcasting 5.1. Introduction: Building the Network 5.2. Before Life on Earth 5.3. The World About Us 5.4. Life on Earth 5.5. After Life on Earth 5.6. Conclusions: Networks and Exclusions Chapter VI: The Ethics and Environmental Responsibilities of Natural History Film-Making 6.1. Introduction: Animal Images and Animal Rights 6.2. Supersense and the Supernatural 6.3. Science, Entertainment and Film-Making Ethics 6.4. Conclusions: Building Momentum and Maintaining Authority Chapter VII: The Birtean Revolution and the New Television Age 7.1. Introduction: Extending Choice and Centralising Control 7.2. Managing Success 7.3. Watch Out and new styles of Natural History Television 7.4. "Something to Write About” 7.5. Conclusions: Looking Back and Looking Forward Chapter VIII: The Commissioning Process: A Year in the Life of the Natural History Unit 8.1. Introduction to the Editorials 8.2. The Production and Consumption of Natural History Films 8.3. The Future of Natural History Film-Making 5 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature 8.3.1. “There will always be a place for the blue-chip film” 8.3.2. “The Animal Hospital Syndrome” 8.3.3. Environmental Programming 8.3.4. Conclusions: “The same, very differently” Chapter IX: Conclusions: The Politics and Pleasures of Natural History Film-Making 9.1. Introduction: Modern Freedoms and Obligations 9.2. Natural History Film-making and Situated Knowledges 9.3. Natural History Films and Universal Knowledges 9.4. Actor Network Theory and Natural History Film-Making Appendix B: Questionnaire Responses Appendix C: A Filmography of Films from the Natural History Unit: 1946-1996 Sources Bibliography 6 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature List of Figures Figure 2.1. The Processes of Purification and Translation Figure 2.2. Purification and Translation in Natural History Films 7 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature List of Plates Plate 1. Look 1955 Heinz Sielmann Johnny Morris Peter Scott Armand and Michaela Denis (all copyright, NHU publicity brochure, 1990, BBC South) Plate 2. Life on Earth 1979 Filming Life on Earth Life on Earth Book Cover David Attenborough David Bellamy (all copyright NHU publicity brochure, 1990, BBC South) Plate 3. Supersense 1988 New Filming Techniques Trials of Life Logo Supersense Book Cover Nature (all copyright NHU publicity brochure, 1990, BBC South) Plate 4.
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