Huw Cordey Interview
"If you really want to work in this business you can. Yes, it’s competitive but perseverance (and a fair bit of luck) will pay off. " - Huw Cordey
Huw in action
1. How did you become involved in natural history programmes? Did it lead on from what you studied at university? Or is this a passion you developed later on?
I've had a passion for wildlife as far back as I can remember. When I was six I wanted to be a wildlife photographer after seeing a book by cameraman Hugo Van Lawick (Jane Goodall's ex-husband) called 'Grub and the Bushbaby' about his son, my age, who lived with animals in the Serengeti (Twenty years later I met both Hugo and Grub). My university degree (History and Politics) certainly didn't lead to a career in wildlife films but it didn’t seem to do me any real harm in the long term. However, not having a biological background did mean that I had to come into the business via a slightly different angle than most producers ie through editing. My first job in nat hist films was for an independent production company called Partridge Films. My girlfriend (now wife) was already working for Partridge so she was able to tell me when a job was coming up. Nepotism and serendipity are important ingredients when getting started in this business!
2. Your reputation for fantastic productions is universal, but which TV episode and series did you find the most rewarding?
Working on Life of Mammals was a highlight because it gave me the chance to work closely with David Attenborough, but if I had to pick one series and one programme it would be Planet Earth and Caves. The aim of Planet Earth was to push the boundaries of wildlife film making and to show our audiences things ‘as never seen before - who could not feel challenged by these lofty ambitions (particularly in a genre that many people feel they’ve seen all before)! ‘Caves’ was my first choice on the series - and the last for all the other producers - and certainly the most challenging film I’ve ever made. And before starting it I didn’t even particularly like going in lifts, let alone squeezing myself between two slabs of rock a mile from the surface or spending nights underground. Anyway, given the limited diversity of animals in this environment (and in many cases the scarcity of animals themselves) I feel proud of what the cave team achieved.
3. Did you realise straight away the uniqueness of Dylan Longbottom’s slow motion wave surfing clip?
We shot this sequence off a tiny island called Pohnpei in Micronesia. The day we got this shot there were 16 very experienced surfers out riding the waves (12 were professional or semi professional). When we downloaded the shots on the boat these guys were blown away (‘man that is unbelievably sick’. ‘Sick’ being a very good thing in surfing!). So from the reactions of this discriminating audience I knew our shots were going to stand out.
4. Were you expecting this clip in particular to be so well received, with it having 1.2 million views on youtube alone?
I think the clip appeals to both surfers and non surfers alike. Indeed, personally, I don’t really see the clip as just a surfing shot. The surfer was there for scale: the real beauty of the shot was in the shape of the wave and the artistry of the image.
5. Is there a part of you that would love to present all of your productions, or are you happy to hand over that particular part of the programme?
I’ve presented a number of radio programmes, and appeared in several making of’s, over the years and have enjoyed this role. At one time I was keen on doing more presenting but I’m not so bothered now. If a bigger opportunity came up I’d give it a go: if not I’m happy to stay on the producer/director side of the camera.
6. What are your opinions on anthropogenic global warming?
Absolutely. How much part we’ve played in global warming is open to debate but if the current research is anything to go by....it’s a lot! There is no serious scientist today who believes that people have not changed the earth’s climate. Only the most blinkered (or Malaysian logging companies ie those with a vested interest in continuing to exploit the earth’s resources in an unsustainable way) think otherwise. Indeed, there are some highly respected scientists that believe we’ve already gone past the point of no return (ie the so called ‘tipping point’) and that the only thing we can do now is find a way to live with a warmer planet - obviously not very encouraging! I’ve never been to the arctic regions (where climate change is most obvious) but I have been to many tropical places in areas that have been heavily logged and invariably the locals will tell you how they now have less rain and higher temperatures.
7. Do you feel as a country we should be investing so heavily into climate change research and alternative energy (£1.2 billion) when the NHS and education clearly lack funds?
One could debate, endlessly, how much money we should be investing in climate change, but the short answer is that investment in cleaner energy needs to be enough to at least try to reverse the impact of these changes. And the last ten years has shown that governments are the only institutions capable of making any real difference on this subject. I’m also not sure we should be comparing this amount to how much we invest in the NHS or education (which frankly are in better shape that the world’s environments). If we don’t do something about global warming now the cost to our species, and every other living thing on the planet, will be much greater. Obviously, all developed countries should be investing in alternative energy and research since clearly our efforts alone would not be enough.
8. Finally what would you say to the aspiring geographers among us, who one day hope to be working alongside yourself?
I would say ‘welcome aspiring geographers’! If you really want to work in this business you can. Yes, it’s competitive but perseverance (and a fair bit of luck) will pay off. The key for anyone wanting a career in nature films is to watch wildlife programmes (and work out what you like/don’t like), contact people in the business, try to meet them, do work experience - and then, providing you have some talent, a job is out there for you.....
We thank GeoUniverse Writer Sophie Dun for her efforts in conducting the interview, and we also thank Huw Cordey for taking time to answer our questions. We wish him the best of luck in the future, and we look forward to seeing many more of his films on our TV screens!
