Matthew Aeberhard Looks Back At The Crimson Wing

16 March 2010

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Matthew Aeberhard has always been fascinated by the natural world and has made a career out of making and working on documentaries such as Hunt of the Golden Jackel and Serengeti Symphony.

But for his latest project The Crimson Wing, which follows the flamingos of Lake Natron, he is in the director's chair with Leander Ward.

I caught up with Matt to talk about his latest project and the struggles he and he small team faced whilst filming in Lake Natron.

- How would you describe your new movie The Crimson Wing?

It's an epic wildlife film set in one of the most dramatic and wildest places on earth.  We wanted to take a different approach - our film is not a science lesson but an intimate portrait of a special wild area of the planet.

- How did you get involved in the project, I read that you took the idea to Melanie?

I drove the project.  I was first interested in Natron as a result of my work in Serengeti (I've lived there since 1993) and through the aerial photography of an old friend. 

I took Melanie to Natron on a "first date"  and she was pivotal in articulating the various ideas for the film into a solid film treatment.

- What story did you want to convey with the movie?

We wanted to show the interconnectedness of life and environment. The struggle for life and the promise of hope and renewal through nature.

- At what point did your involvement with Disneynature start and how difficult was it getting backing for this film?

In 06.  It was easy to get backing because we had a well articulated vision for the film - and the spectacle of a million flamingos set in a lake that at times looks like an "other world" was difficult to ignore.

- You filmed at lake Natron so what were the condition like? And what difficulties did you encounter?

The environment was extremely hot and uncomfortable. And getting out to the flamingos safely (without disturbing them)  was the most challenging aspect of the production. 

In the event we used a military spec hovercraft to get us within striking distance. But the problems of the salt,  and the abrasive nature of the salt flats caused even this machine problems.  

We had to use snow shoes on the salt flats which abraded in very quick time (to prevent us sinking in the brines). And the salt got everywhere and stung like hell. 

But all the problems aside - the privilege of actually recording the intimate lives of the birds (in a place where less people have stood than have stood on the moon) made the physical discomfort completely bearable!

- The documentary says that the volcano only errupts every thirty  years so was filming timed to coincide with that or was it just pure  coincidence that you were there?

Actually coincidence - but a terrific opportunity even if,  at first,  we were a little disconcerted by the activity of our close neighbour!

- The movie is very brutal it doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of the bird's journey did you find it difficult to film at times?

Life is hard at times. This is one of the universal truths.  so to remove this reality from a wildlife film seems to me to diminish the subject - and make nature mean less.  

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