The science of natural history delivered with the flair and creativity that is Apple.
Science and artistic ability are usually thought of as polar opposites, but Otago University’s Post Graduate Diploma in Natural History Filmmaking and Communication is teaching students that they are capable of mastering both.
The Post Graduate Diploma in Natural History Filmmaking and Communication at Otago University is a unique course that provides students with a host of skills. Graduates, many of which have previous Science based qualifications, leave the course with knowledge of the natural history field, but furthermore they are armed with practical filming, editing and most importantly storytelling expertise.
Only twelve students are accepted to the course per year but, as it is the world’s first university-based course in natural history filmmaking, it is gaining quite a reputation both in New Zealand and overseas. It’s popularity and success can be attributed to the right combination of high quality teaching staff in conjunction with the latest and greatest technology available.
Three editing suites made up of a Power Mac, Apple display and television screen each, ensure that students have access to the right resources. Student’s use Canon cameras for shooting and also have access to a sound room where they can record their own special audio effects.
Final Cut Pro 4 is used across all of the editing suites and covers all of the student’s editing requirements. Director and associate professor Lloyd Davis, who is himself an internationally recognised scientist and an award-winning author and filmmaker, acknowledges Final Cut Pro as the leader in digital editing software:
“Final Cut Pro has put its hand up and said we’re the one to beat... The thing with Final Cut Pro is that it’s such a complete solution, we don’t need much else.”
Other than updating the hardware and perhaps adding a couple of extra screens, Davis says there is no real need for more equipment.
Storage capability is a vital factor when dealing with digital video, but with the capacity available in the Power Mac G5 and even G4 machines the department has found that they do not need any other expensive storage solutions. If additional storage is ever needed they simply use external firewire hard drives.
Using Final Cut Pro means that the students are not only editing on industry standard resources, but moreover they are using equipment that does not limit their creativity.
Professor Davis encourages students to explore the potential of their originality during their studies, as they are not restricted by the need to satisfy a producer or employer. Davis says this gives students the opportunity to take ownership of their films and think outside of the square.
When working with Final Cut Pro, you are using the same systems as someone in the biggest production house in the world. Although the same can’t be said for the cameras, as mini DV cameras are used, Davis makes no apologies. He claims results are derived from the way that the camera is used, through composition and sequencing.
Davis is sincere in his allegiance to Apple’s technology being used not only in filmmaking, but also education and science. And he should know, he has authored over 90 scientific publications on the behaviour and ecology of birds and mammals, had academic honours bestowed upon him including a Fulbright Fellowship, an Anzac Fellowship and a Prince and Princess of Wales Science Award, and is an award-winning writer, photographer and filmmaker!
According to Davis his students also become hooked on Apple by the time they leave the course as ‘Final Cut Pro jockeys’. He attributes the ease to which his students pick up the ability to use Apple technology to the fact that the operating system is incredibly user-friendly:
“The Mac platform is just so intuitive…I love OS X, the thing that used to annoy me was crashing but that just doesn’t happen anymore. I love the stability.”
In a bid to show students just how much they can achieve with the right tools, the first exercise students do on the course is with iMovie. This serves as an introduction to non-linear editing, and demonstrates how much really is possible even with entry-level software. Students are then moved straight on to using Final Cut Pro, which they use for the remainder of the course.
As part of the curriculum students are required to complete a half hour natural history film. Many of these films have been of such high standard that they have been screened in public and some of which have even been sold or broadcast as commercial films.
It is foreseeable that copyright issues surrounding the music used in the films may come about as student projects start becoming commercial works. For films being made on a fraction of the budget available to big production houses, purchasing usage rights is out of the question. Davis has recognised that a likely solution for this is to use Apple’s new audio software Soundtrack or even GarageBand which now comes standard as part of the iLife suite of digital applications. This software will give the students the ability to easily compose their own original music, which could not only fit perfectly with their film, but also eliminate the issue of breaching copyright.
Another requirement of the course is to attend an internship with an organisation involved with the production of a natural history film or the communication of science. Natural History New Zealand (NHNZ), who is the second biggest natural history production company in the world, has hosted many of the students through their internships and continues to be an important partner for the department.
The Post Graduate Diploma in Natural History Filmmaking and Communication has now been running for three years and has been using Apple hardware and software from the word go.
For more information on the Postgraduate Diploma in Natural History Filmmaking and Communication go to www.otago.ac.nz/nathist
