Lights, Camera, Conservation! How the media moves us


How do documentaries move us emotionally? Most of us can recall being brought to tears when a lioness pounces on a helpless baby wildebeest, or overjoyed when that tiny turtle finally finds the safety of the sea. There can be no doubt that the way in which we watch shapes our view of the natural world, but is it just movie magic? Let’s take a deeper look and figure out how the media moves us.

 

Why do we watch? 

People have looked at the natural world around them for entertainment since the dawn of time, think of Neanderthal cave paintings from nearly 64,000 years ago. It’s no surprise, this time-honoured tradition continues today. Let’s face it going about your regular 9-5 can be dull. Our minds seek out engaging and exciting things to help us escape from everyday reality, and that is the function of a documentary. They help us escape from the concrete jungle to habitats that seem alien, with the added bonus of sneaking in some education. Now, we are beginning to understand why we watch, what is needed to make an engaging documentary?


We cant have a post about documentary's without showing you one of our favourites. 


Exciting stuff right? Our personal favourite are the frogs, we stan a caring father. What would you rate this documentary?

Rating: 4 stars
1 vote

What makes a good Documentary?

David Attenborough: The Nature Narrator

We can’t talk about nature documentaries without mentioning the ultimate granddaddy of all things wildlife – Sir David Attenborough. Seriously, this knighted legend has brought us decades of awe-inspiring narratives about earth's wonders. The man could make a documentary about snails, and we'd all be on the edge of our seats! But is he the secret to a nature documentaries success? Well, he sure helps but a good narration isn't the only trick you need. 

Emotional connection

Documentaries are like emotional roller coasters, taking you from awe, to laughter, and even a cry or two. They present animals like characters in a story, with unique features and personality's that rival the best Disney sidekicks. Documentaries humanise animals in a way that makes them emotionally relatable. It’s a pretty easy trick to do too! Some emotive music, good camera work, and your brain does the rest. That's right, even your own psychology is helping to engage you. Human brains have the handy habit of filling in blanks, leading us to connect human emotions to wild animals. For example, when we see a dog lift up its brows, our brain connects it to an expression of sadness. (By the way, did you know dogs have evolved muscles to move their brows just because of us? That's right your dog has learned how to emote just to trick you into handing over those tasty treats). 

 

Biophilia 

Your psychology has one more trick in mind, pun intended. Biophilia is the innate love for nature humans retain through our primal connections. Our eyes are trained to focus on lush natural features, and our brains are naturally drawn to it. Which is possibly why some people have more plants than a tropical forest inside their homes. Its instinctive for you to be drawn to natural imagery, and documentaries use that to their advantage. An iconic sweeping camera pan of the savanna or Antarctic is a captivating sight that draws in a viewer, allowing documentaries to sneak environmental lessons past you. 

 

Education in Disguise 

Let's not kid ourselves documentaries are stealthy teachers. You're learning about ecosystems, animal behaviours, and the threats facing our environment without realising it. This is where the documentaries tricks start to pay off. Having activated your primal biophilia brain and made you emotionally invest in an animal, now they can use facts to stress the climate crisis. Feeling like a worked up eco-warrior after watching a wildlife documentary, people will walk into a room and blurt a burning knowledge nugget to anyone who will listen. Surprise, Surprise, the documentary wants you to do this too. They spark conversations, and suddenly, you're swapping stories about the latest climate change issues.

 


 

There you have it, from David Attenborough's dulcet tones to the heart-tugging tales of triumph and survival. These films are more than just entertainment, they are a rallying cry for conservation action. If you are an armchair explorer or an eco-warrior on the move remember that every moment spent watching documentaries is a step closer to understanding, appreciating, and safeguarding the incredible world we call home. So go ignite the conservation warrior within you and watch away!

 


Lets us know what you think, what's your favourite documentary? 

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