Gone With the Wildebeest
Behind the Scenes at a Nature Documentary
By Roz Warren and Janet Golden
A recent book reveals that nature documentaries are staged. Shocked by this claim, we went on location to discover the truth for ourselves.
The Unmotivated Lion
Director: “You’ll spot the wildebeest, freeze, and then charge. Okay? And try to bring it down on the left side, so its head is facing the camera.
Lion: “What’s my motivation?”
Director: “Motivation? What motivation? You’re a predator! You hunt. You kill. Take that sucker down and rip it apart!”
Lion: “I’m not that hungry, actually. I had a late breakfast.”
Director: “Think about the thrill of the chase. The capture. The blood. The drama! This is your shot, baby.”
Lion: “I need more than that.”
Director: “Like what?”
Lion: “Like instead of calling this ‘African Hunters,’ why not go with ‘Lion: The Greatest Hunter of All?’”
Director: “We’ve gone over this. It’s a contractual matter. It’s out of my hands.”
Lion: “I need to call my agent.
The Reluctant Wildebeest
Assistant: “Sorry to interrupt but the wildebeest refuses to leave his trailer.”
Director: “What now?”
Assistant: “He says the hair people have ruined his tufts and he won’t come out until they’re redone.”
Director: “Talk to him.”
Assistant: “I did. No dice. He refuses to participate in this scene with inadequate tufts.
Director: “God, I miss those penguins.”
Seedless Watermelon
Baby Elephant: “Excuse me?”
Director: “What is it?”
Baby Elephant: “”My contract calls for seedless watermelon.“
Director: “And so?”
Baby Elephant: “I’m not eating the stuff they put in my trailer. I arrive on set ready to work and what do I get? Watermelon with seeds! Would Zac Efron endure this kind of incompetence? Does Elle Fanning have to beg to get a decent meal? I don‘t think so.”
Director to Assistant: “Seedless watermelon. Didn’t you read the damn contract? Make sure he gets it.”
Baby Elephant: “And?“
Director: “What else?”
Baby Elephant: “If those craft services people make one more Dumbo joke I want them fired.”
Director: You got it, baby.”
Going Out And Getting Dinner
Mother Elephant: “Can I speak with you a moment?”
Director: “Why not? Everyone else has.”
Mother Elephant: “The big money shot is when I find my baby in the middle of the desert, right? So why aren’t I getting a producer credit? The zebras told me the lion is getting a credit and all he does is take down a fucking wildebeest. Since when is going out and getting dinner such a big deal?”
Director: “Those zebras are a bunch of assholes. I’ve had it with all of you! You signed the contract and now you‘re whining like a damn hyena!”
Mother Elephant: “Shout all you want. Just try making this picture without me.”
Director: Fine. I’ll do it. We can send the baby elephant out to die in the storm. We’ll cut your part entirely and you won’t get a fucking dime in percentages.”
Mother Elephant: “Okay okay, calm down.” She stalks off.
Director to Assistant: Fire all the zebras.
Lawyer on the Phone
Lion: “My lawyer’s on the phone. She says there’s nothing in the contract at all about titles.”
Director: “Not my problem. Tell her to talk to the Producer. I don’t care what they call this picture. They can call it “Kvetching Lion, Hidden Profits” for all I care.”
Lion: “Tom Cruise wouldn’t put up with this kind of treatment.”
Director: “Tom is a pro. Tom wouldn’t need motivation to shoot a lousy predation sequence.”
Assistant: “Phone for you.” (Hands phone to Director)
Producer: “Our people are on it. The title isn’t changing.”
Director: “Great. Just get everyone off my back, okay?”
The Canoodling Wildebeest and the Gazelle
Producer: “What about some control at your end? I’m still hearing rumors about the wildebeest and that crazy Thompson’s gazelle. Weren’t we going to close the set and keep that out of the press? If the paparazzi get photos of the two of them, this picture will be NC-17. “
Director: “I wouldn’t worry about it. They never come out of the trailer.”
Producer: “God, I miss those penguins.”
The Motivated Lion
Director: Let’s try this again. You’ll spot the wildebeest, freeze, and then charge.
Lion: And my motivation is —
Director: Your motivation is if you screw up this shot, we replace you with Tyler Perry and re-title the film “Medea and the Wildebeest.”
Lion: “Got it. Let’s roll.”
( Writing Coach and Medium Sherpa Roz Warren writes for everyone from the Funny Times to the New York Times and is the author of Our Bodies, Our Shelves: Library Humor.