A Perfect Planet : Aldabra Tortoise
9.4237° S, 46.3433° E
I travelled to the incredibly beautiful Aldabra Atoll with Director Huw Cordy to film the giant tortoises that inhabit this remote island. Once an active volcano Aldabra is comprised of four large coral islands which enclose a shallow lagoon; the group of islands is itself surrounded by a coral reef. Due to difficulties of access and the atoll’s isolation, Aldabra has been protected from human influence and thus retains some 152,000 giant tortoises, the world’s largest population of this reptile.
We spent over a month camped out at various locations across the atoll to show the daily migration these individuals undergo in order to find food and shade in a pretty hostile and unforgiving environment.
The young red-footed boobies were very inquisitive of the easy rig and gimbal floating around them!
Floating through the mangroves shooting scenics for the opening of the sequence.
Hatching a plan with Huw, think we discussing where to place the tracking time-lapse rig.
The luna like landscape of the interior of the atoll seemed very hostile and it got insanely hot in the middle of the day.
The DJI Ronin gimbal was one of the primary tools I used on the sequence. It allowed me to add cinematic movement to shots with minimal fuss and set up time. I could also get it really low and close to the tortoises' without getting in their way and affecting their natural behaviour.
Picking out details on a long lens to cut with my Ronin, drone and time-lapse work.
Camping facilities where basic but comfortable, all you need really. No internet...heaven. Could have done with a fridge to keep the beers cold though.