Planet Earth III Executive Producer on the Series’ Importance in the Digital Age – Exclusive

Most 90s kids remember watching Discovery Channel or National Geography to better understand nature and wildlife. With time and the advent of the internet, such shows may seem irrelevant. However, the executive producer of ‘Planet Earth III’ told IndiaToday.In that their show is much more than what the Encyclopedia and Google can offer. In an exclusive interview, Mike Gunton shared details about the new season of Sony BBC Earth, hosted by Sir David Attenborough.

He said that contrary to popular belief, documentary film is not just for informational purposes. It gives viewers a chance to see the world up close.

“I think these shows are still relevant. We do the hard work for you; we take all that knowledge, information and experience and, I think the better way to put it, we wrap it in a story that goes straight to your heart and your brain. So you’re learning not just facts but relationships, broader concepts. And I think that’s a lot harder than just using the Internet. The Internet is all about little micro details. It’s still nice to have little micro details, but they always have to serve the story,” Mike Gunton told IndiaToday.In.

“And I think ‘Planet Earth’ works on a very emotional level, so it has a bit of drama to it. When you watch it, the way it’s filmed, the camera is constantly moving. So it’s a bit like a drama. If you watch a movie or a TV show, the cameras aren’t static; they’re constantly moving. You get different perspectives. I think it’s kind of a combination of documentary and drama. Now the difference and the reason it’s still a documentary is that what you’re doing is real, it’s authentic. You’re the fact, not just telling the facts,” Mike added.

As he spoke about emerging technology and filmmaking, we discussed the prospect of a career in wildlife. We informed the producer how the 2009 hit 3 Idiots featured a character who was supposed to be an engineer but harbored dreams of becoming a wildlife photographer, much to the chagrin of his parents. So are projects like Planet Earth helping people around the world become more aware and look at a career in wildlife? Mike Gunton revealed that he began working in the genre after watching Sir David Attenborough as a teenager, and found it “incredibly romantic, exciting and wonderful.”

Mike Gunton said: “You see the animals, you travel, you make films, it’s wonderful, all that. There’s this general feeling. When I meet people, they always tell me you’ve got the best job in the world. I think it’s one of the best jobs in the world, but it’s not as wonderful as what people see from the outside. It’s also quite a niche field, inevitably, because there are only so many projects like that that you can do, and they’re expensive.”

“A major hit like Planet Earth requires a huge investment of time, resources, contacts, effort and infrastructure,” he added.

At the same time, he added that the younger generation does not perceive this field in the same way as he does.

“They see it more as communication, content creation. So they do a lot of that, even on the phone. They make their little film with digital cameras and they’re more of a one-man band. And it’s not just films, there’s a lot more opportunity today to tell nature stories through podcasts, social media, radio shows. When I started out as a teenager making films, I had to buy my own film and camera, I could only shoot a little bit and I didn’t have the opportunity to show it to the world. So in some ways I think people have better opportunities now,” Gunton said.

Mike Gunton, when asked if it’s possible to do it professionally, called it “difficult.” But he encourages a new generation to tell nature stories to their friends and the generation after them. “I think that’s how we’ll continue the cycle,” he said.

“Planet Earth III” is currently available on Prime Video.