2016 | 21m | Language: English

Documenting Central Annam’s Remote Avifauna

You'd expect a Nat Geo-funded assignment to mean a media crew and a chockful of expensive gear. What we had instead were six researchers, a compact Canon, and a GoPro equivalent. We had timed our climb up Nui Giang Man just ahead of the monsoon season. So, every hour, every kilogram up on this Annamite peak counted. Yet, despite the ominous clouds on the horizon, we kept calm and carried on. Mist-netting, DNA sampling, specimen prep… until the rains rolled in early and the rivers rose. Stranding us on what was a mountain but now an island.

There was nothing to do but wait for rescue. For once I wasn't splitting attention between sampling and setting up shots. I could just film. Everyone were worried, yes. But we carried on calm, same as before. Wasn’t because the chaos was familiar, but because setbacks are part of the job. In field or lab. Fulfilling standard funding deliverables were the brief. But what I wanted to also show donors was the reality behind them. Science practised by people with steady hands, and even steadier hearts.

in collaboration with: Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development; National Geographic Society