If the BBC and National Geographic have taught us anything, it’s that extraordinary and innovative videography can seduce even the most reluctant viewer into the world of science.
With that in mind, I’d like you to see this great film by Samuel Orr. Orr is a photographer and documentary filmmaker who specializes in time-lapse videography. For the past 6 years he has been following and filming different broods of cicadas in order to document their entire life cycle. He has amassed over 200 hours of video. This short film, featuring highlights from Orr’s collection, serves as an introduction to Orr’s larger project — “Return of the Cicadas,” a one-hour documentary on the 17-year cicada to be completed in 2014 and aired on PBS.
If you liked that video, click on over to Orr’s Kickstarter page, to support his “Return of the Cicadas” project.
For those of you interested in the photography side of this, here is Orr’s answer when asked what kind of camera he uses:
The footage has been shot over past 6 years, so camera use has evolved. Early days I used a Canon XHA1 (which does great macro work). Lately, it’s been a Canon 7D and sometimes a 5D. The time-lapse is a mixed bag as well, mostly Canon DSLRs (7D and t3i).
For more information on cicadas:
- Magicicada
- Map of current (2013) East Coast Brood II emergence
- National Geographic – Cicadas Coming to U.S. East Coast This Spring
- If you can’t beat ’em, cook ’em: Cicada Recipes (Note: do not eat cicadas if you are allergic to shellfish)
- Wikipedia – Periodical Cicadas
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