Latest news with #Scholey
The Print
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Print
'Ocean' is David Attenborough's greatest, most personal account yet: team behind Nat Geo documentary
For directors Keith Scholey, Colin Butfield, and Toby Nowlan, and executive producer Enric Sala, one thing is clear — the documentary wouldn't exist without the 99-year-old legend. The National Geographic film, described by the team as Attenborough's most personal yet, explores the story of the ocean through the lens of a man whose life has paralleled the rise of marine science. New Delhi, Jun 7 (PTI) Veteran British broadcaster David Attenborough is the world's most trusted storyteller, bringing not only passion and truth but also a rare personal connection to everything he touches — something that is evident in his latest documentary, 'Ocean with David Attenborough', say the filmmakers behind the project. 'Without David, there's no film. There's no two ways about it. This is a challenging subject which has to happen. David has always told people the truth and he has universal trust. 'To have a person of his stature to be able to tell this story, it is so important to get it funded in the first place, and then get it on cinema screens, and then to the world,' Scholey told PTI in an interview. The documentary special, which explores diverse and vital marine ecosystems, highlighting their connection to preventing climate disaster and the threats posed by harmful fishing practices, will premiere on National Geographic and stream on JioHotstar at 7 pm on Sunday on World Oceans Day. As a broadcaster, Scholey said Attenborough possesses the quality of creating a passionate narration, and delivering it in an effective way that reaches the audience. 'Thank heavens we've got him, because otherwise, we couldn't make films like this, we just could not reach so many people, so he is a great gift,' said Scholey, who has been collaborating and working with the British legend consistently for the past 40 years. Butfield, who besides co-directing the documentary also wrote the book 'Ocean: Earth's Last Wilderness' with Attenborough, believes the British broadcaster's life closely mirrors the ocean's journey of exploration and discovery. 'He's (Attenborough) had such a long life, he's seen so much of the natural world… When he was a boy, we knew very little, and then as he started to dive and film and travel, we gradually uncovered more and more. 'Also the large-scale destruction of the ocean started to happen in his lifetime, and it's happening off the coast of the country he, Keith and I live in (the UK) as well as many other parts of the world. And then the recovery has happened during his lifetime in certain places. So he's got that phenomenal span of it,' he added. Nowlan, who has worked on BBC's 'A Perfect Planet', and Emmy-winning series 'Planet Earth II' and 'Our Planet', all with Attenborough, added that he brings not only authority but also unwavering enthusiasm to his work. 'Even at 99 years old, when he narrates something, when he lends himself to something, he says it with such presence and passion. It's as if someone's just seen it for the first time. When David says something, it's never about the David Attenborough show. It's all about the subject, and this subject is the ocean. It's his greatest message yet, the most important story he's ever told,' he said. And for Sala, a marine biologist and National Geographic explorer-in-residence, Attenborough is the 'opposite of fake news'. 'David was extremely passionate about this project and this idea that after 100 years, he's come to this big conclusion that there's nowhere more important on Earth than the ocean. And so that lent himself to being very personally involved in everything in the film. It's very unique and might be the most personal account from David on screen,' he added. According to the makers, 'Ocean with David Attenborough' features never-before-seen footage of bottom trawling, the act of dragging weighted fishing nets along the Ocean floor, exposing its severe impact on the ocean. While Attenborough highlights these urgent threats in the documentary, he also shares inspiring global stories, showing that if the world acts now, marine life can recover faster than expected. Scholey said climate change in the 1990s was widely dismissed by many. 'I just remember then, just talking about climate change, everyone sort of said, 'Oh, it's all made up.' And, of course, no one would dream of saying that now,' he said. Butfield said the film is timely as many countries worldwide are seriously considering how to protect their coastlines. 'You can really show it at a moment when the global political infrastructure is starting to think, 'Yeah, maybe there's a win-win here.' Maybe by protecting the ocean, we get more jobs, better livelihoods, food security, we also help tackle climate change. 'It's good for us, nature, climate, and it felt like it's the right optimistic story coming at the right moment,' he added. Sala believes ocean recovery is possible because many protected areas worldwide have already shown miraculous signs of healing and replenishing themselves. 'Many countries have done it. India is one of the countries that agreed to protect at least 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030, (it) still has a long way to go, but the commitment is there. So, we believe it's possible because it's already happening in many places around the world,' he said. Nowlan agreed and said the biggest takeaway from the documentary is its message of hope. 'This is not fake hope. This is real, tangible hope that if we protect big slices of ocean, a third of the ocean, then they fill up with life again very quickly and in the most spectacular way, more than anyone had realised was possible, and quicker than people had realised, and it fills the surrounding areas,' he added. 'Ocean with David Attenborough' is a Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production. PTI BK RB RB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Scoop
23-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Special Olympics Marks 200 Day Countdown To National Summer Games
Press Release – Special Olympics NZ Special Olympics Chief Executive Fran Scholey says that Christchurch is working hard to prepare the facilities and her team are ramping up their recruitment drive for the 700 volunteers required to enable the athletes to compete. Special Olympics New Zealand tomorrow, May 24, will mark the 200-day-to-go milestone counting down to the National Summer Games in Christchurch. The National Summer Games, on December 10-14, are the four-yearly pinnacle event for athletes with an intellectual disability with over 1300 athletes and thousands of support crew and family expected to flood the city's new sports facilities. Special Olympics Chief Executive Fran Scholey says that the city is working hard to prepare the facilities and her team are ramping up their recruitment drive for the 700 volunteers required to enable the athletes to compete. 'This is the largest inclusive event in the country and can only happen with the support of our wonderful volunteers,' says Scholey, who adds that the event will need volunteers to look after a variety of roles from transport, accommodation, competition, media and the Healthy Athletes Programme. Scholey is grateful Freemasons New Zealand have again come on board as the Premier Partner for the event and many of its members will again step up in volunteering roles. 'Freemasons New Zealand and the Freemasons Charity are proud to be premier sponsor of the Special Olympics NZ 2025 National Summer Games and Volunteer Programme — a celebration of inclusion, dedication, and community spirit. Our shared values make this partnership truly 'special',' says Chris Thorndcroft – District Grand Master for the Canterbury District. Scholey is heartened by the fact that many corporate businesses are encouraging their staff to use their corporate volunteering days to support the National Summer Games, with Westpac New Zealand one of the first to put their hands up to support the event. Westpac Canterbury Regional Board Chair Leah McIvor says the National Summer Games are a brilliant event and the team is thrilled to help it come to life. 'At Westpac, all staff get two Volunteer Days each year so we thought the Special Olympics would be a great way to use them as a team. It's a great way to support the community, support the athletes, and a great bonding experience for all of us. We can't wait,' says McIvor. Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger is super excited to be welcoming the National Summer Games to his city and the fact that Special Olympics athletes will be enjoying some of the new sports facilities that were built after the 2011 earthquakes. 'I can't wait to get along to some of the events and to show what an amazing host city we are. It's been 20 years since we last hosted this event and I'm sure everyone involved will do a wonderful job,' the Mayor says. Fiona Sawers is the Volunteer Manager for Special Olympics New Zealand, responsible for recruiting, training and overseeing the 700-plus volunteers before and during the event, and says the National Summer Games is an incredibly special event to be a part of. 'Volunteers generously offering their time and energy to help with the running of this event enables our athletes to be supported, so they can feel safe, welcome and able to deliver the best performance of their lives.' Sawers says the athletes have trained very hard for four years for their competition, but coming to an unfamiliar environment can create challenges for the athletes. 'We need local volunteers to help ensure they have a wonderful experience competing, having fun and making new friends.'
Scoop
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Special Olympics Marks 200 Day Countdown To National Summer Games
Special Olympics New Zealand tomorrow, May 24, will mark the 200-day-to-go milestone counting down to the National Summer Games in Christchurch. The National Summer Games, on December 10-14, are the four-yearly pinnacle event for athletes with an intellectual disability with over 1300 athletes and thousands of support crew and family expected to flood the city's new sports facilities. Special Olympics Chief Executive Fran Scholey says that the city is working hard to prepare the facilities and her team are ramping up their recruitment drive for the 700 volunteers required to enable the athletes to compete. 'This is the largest inclusive event in the country and can only happen with the support of our wonderful volunteers,' says Scholey, who adds that the event will need volunteers to look after a variety of roles from transport, accommodation, competition, media and the Healthy Athletes Programme. Scholey is grateful Freemasons New Zealand have again come on board as the Premier Partner for the event and many of its members will again step up in volunteering roles. 'Freemasons New Zealand and the Freemasons Charity are proud to be premier sponsor of the Special Olympics NZ 2025 National Summer Games and Volunteer Programme — a celebration of inclusion, dedication, and community spirit. Our shared values make this partnership truly 'special',' says Chris Thorndcroft - District Grand Master for the Canterbury District. Scholey is heartened by the fact that many corporate businesses are encouraging their staff to use their corporate volunteering days to support the National Summer Games, with Westpac New Zealand one of the first to put their hands up to support the event. Westpac Canterbury Regional Board Chair Leah McIvor says the National Summer Games are a brilliant event and the team is thrilled to help it come to life. 'At Westpac, all staff get two Volunteer Days each year so we thought the Special Olympics would be a great way to use them as a team. It's a great way to support the community, support the athletes, and a great bonding experience for all of us. We can't wait,' says McIvor. Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger is super excited to be welcoming the National Summer Games to his city and the fact that Special Olympics athletes will be enjoying some of the new sports facilities that were built after the 2011 earthquakes. 'I can't wait to get along to some of the events and to show what an amazing host city we are. It's been 20 years since we last hosted this event and I'm sure everyone involved will do a wonderful job,' the Mayor says. Fiona Sawers is the Volunteer Manager for Special Olympics New Zealand, responsible for recruiting, training and overseeing the 700-plus volunteers before and during the event, and says the National Summer Games is an incredibly special event to be a part of. 'Volunteers generously offering their time and energy to help with the running of this event enables our athletes to be supported, so they can feel safe, welcome and able to deliver the best performance of their lives.' Sawers says the athletes have trained very hard for four years for their competition, but coming to an unfamiliar environment can create challenges for the athletes. 'We need local volunteers to help ensure they have a wonderful experience competing, having fun and making new friends.'
National Geographic
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
Fish flee for their lives in rare, chilling video of bottom trawling
As a cloud of destruction approaches, all the creatures in its path scramble desperately to get out of the way—fleeing for their lives. However fast they go, they can't outpace it. It looms closer and closer until it swallows them up. Although it may sound like a disaster movie, this is a scene from newly released rare footage of bottom trawling—a particularly destructive method of fishing in which a ship drags a heavy iron net across the seabed, blindly catching anything in its path. These vessels usually fish for just one species—cod, haddock, and halibut, among other animals. Anything else is dumped overboard. 'It's hard to imagine a more wasteful way to catch fish,' says David Attenborough in the new documentary Ocean with David Attenborough, which premieres on National Geographic on Saturday, June 7, at 9/8c and can be streamed globally the next day, World Oceans Day, on Disney+ and Hulu. 'Over three quarters of a trawler's catch may be thrown away.' The filmmakers knew they wanted to shine a light on the harm caused by bottom trawling in the documentary—Attenborough's statement piece on the health of our oceans. The number of animals killed unnecessarily by trawling was 'the thing we found most distressing,' says Keith Scholey, the documentary's co-director and executive producer at Silverback Films. Yet they couldn't find any clear footage of bottom trawling—so they had to find a way of filming it themselves. To capture the footage seen here, they got permission to mount cameras on the nets of a commercial trawler. 'We didn't really want to film it,' Scholey says, because that meant engaging with the destructive process. But the team decided that people need to see what really happens. They also filmed scallop dredging with scientists from the Marine Biological Association who were studying its impacts—and they agreed to make their footage of both trawling and dredging available to scientists 'so that no one ever has to [film] it again,' Scholey says. 'It's one of the most important things I've ever done in my career.' The impact of bottom trawling Enric Sala—a National Geographic Explorer and co-producer of Ocean with David Attenborough—has long studied the impacts of these fishing techniques. But even he was shocked by the footage, which shows not only the sea creatures' desperate attempts to escape the trawler but close-up images of their wriggling bodies after they're dumped onto the deck of the fishing vessel. 'I was outraged,' says Sala, who is also the founder of Pristine Seas, a National Geographic Society conservation program that has established 29 of the largest marine protected areas in the world. 'I hope that people will understand the truth about industrial fishing.' Some elements were too brutal to make the final cut. 'There's some terrible shots of all these spider crabs being crunched up because the dredge has these teeth,' Scholey says of the scallop dredging scene. It could have been even worse. When the videographers dropped cameras to check if an area was suitable to film dredging, they happened upon a piece of seafloor that trawlers avoid— perhaps because of the shape of the landscape. They were gobsmacked to see a total contrast from the trawled areas nearby. The seafloor was covered with a carpet of pink sea fans. It can take these delicate corals a year to grow just one centimeter. If dredged, this habitat would take decades to recover. Trawling 'is like using a lawnmower to chop down everything in sight,' writes Max Valentine, a senior scientist and campaign director of illegal fishing and transparency at Oceana, in an email. (Valentine wasn't involved in the film.) 'It also bulldozes the homes of other marine life.' According to the film, trawling destroys an area of the ocean floor nearly as large as the Amazon rainforest every year—these vessels plough the seabed over and over, without giving it any chance to recover. Studies estimate that bottom trawling releases up to 370 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, contributing to global warming. Some deep-sea coral and sponges could take centuries to recover but many fish populations can bounce back in under five years when trawling stops. Bottom trawling lands around 19 million tons of fish and invertebrates each year. That's nearly a quarter of all wild marine fish caught. Scientists estimate the total weight of large predatory fish in the ocean today is just 10 percent of what it was before modern industrial fishing. Surprisingly, however, bottom trawling and dredging is legal in most marine protected areas (MPAs). Solutions for bottom trawling One way to help the sea floor recover from trawling is to create marine protected areas where industrial fishing is banned. These can have a spillover effect as larvae born inside these protected areas drift on the current across the ocean—including into these devasted regions—boosting marine life populations there. Many small-scale fishers support MPAs that are closed to fishing when they see the benefits this spillover has in boosting the numbers of their catch. 'The worst enemy of fishing is overfishing, not protected areas,' Sala says. Conservationists and fishers both want the same thing: more fish in the sea. Sala and other experts say we need to fully protect 30 percent of the world's oceans from fishing for ecosystems to rebound and thrive. Currently, just 3 percent is fully protected. This would cost around $20 billion each year—around the same amount governments give as subsidies to the fishing industry. Ocean with David Attenborough aims to highlight how policy can lead to remarkable ocean recovery—for example, Scholey says, when the International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling in the 1980s. 'With a stroke of the pen, it ended,' he says, and some species bounced back from near extinction. 'The recovery of whales in my lifetime is unbelievable.' The filmmakers and other experts hope similar decisions will be made to protect the ocean from trawling at the upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference in June. 'It's important for governments to step up and stop bottom trawling—and enforce bans that are already in place,' Valentine says. 'What we're doing to the ocean is horrible, but we can bring it back,' Sala says. 'When we protect places, marine life comes back spectacularly. It turns deserts into beautiful jungles and forests and underwater forests.' Ocean with David Attenborough begins airing on National Geographic June 7 and streams globally the next day, World Oceans Day, on Disney+ and Hulu. The film is currently playing in select countries outside the U.S.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘I've directed Sir David Attenborough for 40 years – these are my best stories'
Contingency plans were made in case the broadcaster passed away during production. 'I guess at the back of your mind you've always got a view, you know, we might have to change tack,' says Scholey. It calls upon the United Nations Ocean Conference this June to commit to the target of protecting 30 per cent of the world's oceans by 2030. Filled with dramatic orchestral crescendos and closely cropped shots of trawlers, the legend is on narrative duties, and there are poignant shots of Attenborough on the south coast peering out to sea as he ponders the not-far-away moment when he too will be become matter, like the particles that make up the waves. It's the latest in dozens of series by the broadcaster to confront climate change, following 2021's The Year The Earth Changed and Blue Planet; Attenborough's approach has been so significant that he has inspired British investors to take more sustainable and ethical approaches , causing a spike in funding for environmental projects. Scholey has produced dozens of Attenborough series, including State of the Planet and The Life of Mammals. He also produced and directed The Blue Planet, Andes to Amazon and Wild Africa, and has spent the past couple of years working on Ocean with David Attenborough , which Scholey describes as 'a polemic by Sir David' in which the documentarian acknowledges he's 'approaching the end of his life.' 'He has sort of stopped still in the ageing process, especially in his mind,' adds Scholey. 'He's as sharp as ever. So there is an element when you meet that he's the same guy and nothing much has changed.' But he adds soberingly: 'All of us are aware of a number.' Scholey was in his twenties then and, now in his late sixties, he's immune to speculation about what life might look like post-Sir David. 'I've gone through so much of my life and people have said: 'Is this the last David Attenborough series? His last film?' That's been going on for twenty years. I don't even bother with that anymore.' Here's a remarkable fact: when TV producer Keith Scholey first worked with Sir David Attenborough in 1983, the nature documentarian was approaching the end of his 'first' career. In his fifties, Attenborough had been director of programming at the BBC throughout the 1960s and 1970s, but turned to presenting as a swansong. Story continues As you'd imagine, Attenborough's admission that he'll soon be departed hasn't been missed by the tabloid media. Social media posts have gone viral quoting the legend referring to his final years, with hundreds of crying face emojis littering the comments. Scholey is happy to regale stories about how working with Attenborough has come to define his career. But he doesn't ponder long when I ask whether he and Attenborough have discussed a legacy piece to publish posthumously: 'Never, no. I don't think he'd want to do that. David doesn't like looking back.' Would he ever bring the subject up? 'No. The great thrill of working with David Attenborough is that he thrives on looking forward.' 'It's a cliche that coral is beautiful, but we've managed to portray it in a new way that feels fresh and wonderful' There is a good story from the filming of Ocean that demonstrates how the 99-year-old remains singularly focused on his work despite approaching triple figures. Just before the credits roll, Attenborough delivers his most personal speech ever, about how we can save humankind by protecting the ocean. As he says his lines, a camera fixed on a drone zooms out to reveal Attenborough standing on the edge of a cliff completely alone. He had to withstand sub-zero temperatures on the Jurassic Coast in order to get the perfect shot. Scholey says there was no camera trickery, it really was just Attenborough standing completely alone just before dawn one winter morning, with no one around for what looks like miles. 'It was absolutely baltic,' says Toby Nowlan, co-director. 'It's quite an orchestration, to get everyone clear and get him in position, especially as the final shot of the film. It has to carry and deliver.' From left to right: Toby Nowlan, director, and Keith Scholey, who has worked with David Attenborough for over 40 years (Photo: Getty) It may surprise his fans to know that Attenborough's genial presence is more manufactured than it seems. Attenborough 'really struggled with this whole celeb bit,' says Scholey. 'He absolutely is not interested in David Attenborough, but he is fundamentally interested in the world outside him, and that includes people.' If he seems like a natural during appearances on radio shows like BBC Radio 1, with its young audience, that is testament to him being 'an amazing broadcaster. He understands the medium and each thing he's operating in.' Nowlan remembers of Attenborough on set that 'he'll be delivering these pieces to camera, trotting them out with just complete perfection, saying: 'Oh shall we go again? Shall we go again?' Just a wonderful, stoic presence. He was talking about how if we save the sea then we save our world. He did it with such intimacy and poignancy. It was really, really emotional.' Much of the filming for Ocean was in the UK, from kelp forests to scallop beds and trawlers. 'It's not some pristine Pacific island,' says Scholey. 'We're talking about the grey English channel with its groynes and mud flats.' There are some astounding facts, like how sea grass absorbs carbon dioxide 35 times faster than any tropical rainforest, and oceanic habitats soak up far more carbon than everything combined on land. Read more: David Attenborough calls for govt to stop 'short-sighted' attack on broadcasting 'What is extraordinary about spending time with David is he's got another story that you just can't believe. He told me the other day something that I didn't know. Anthony Eden did his speech announcing to the nation that we were going into Suez [canal], and David was the producer. He used to play tennis with Eden as well as being his producer. He's probably known every Prime Minister since Churchill. It's incredible, let alone all the wildlife stuff.' It's pertinent and totally surreal to think that this one really might signify the end. But Scholey will always have his memories. What's his favourite one? He looks overwhelmed at the thought of singling out one instance from a lifetime's work, but manages to. 'I remember very early on when I was working with him, coming out of a tent and this big bull elephant just walked down the path. David turned to me and said: 'Do you think he's friendly?' I was a real youngster. We just watched this elephant go past, and David said 'I suppose we better follow him.' It was just such a magical moment with this bloody great big animal that could have killed us in a flash.' Ocean with David Attenborough is in cinemas from 8 May to coincide with Sir David's 99th birthday. Show support to his cause by supporting the Blue Marine Foundation's campaign to ban bottom trawling in marine protected areas, part of the film's campaign to protect 30 per cent of the world's oceans by 2030.
