Directed by 2C Media’s director/DP Bart Tau (Burn Notice, The Glades, Police Women of Broward County), the production featured scenes shot both beneath and above the murky water, with angles and pacing designed to build suspense. The elaborate setup involved a snorkel lens-equipped Arri Alexa camera at the end of a Super Technocrane, which swooped in and out of the swamp to create the dramatic effects. Operator Neal Norton (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Planet of the Apes) worked closely with Tau to shoot the footage.
2C Media had pitched several treatments to Animal Planet, from which the network’s creative selected one and the two organizations collaborated on the script and two-day production shoot.
“We’re very proud of the promos and other River Monsters creative generated by this exceptional production shoot,” said Michael Eisenbaum, Animal Planet senior creative director, on-air marketing. “What Bart Tau and our producer, Charles Barron, were able to conjure up is inspiring, and the resulting creative is absolutely stunning.”
“Given the multiple perspectives of this shoot and the challenging nature of our set, we needed a tremendous team effort in order to make these spots possible,” added Chris Sloan, 2C Media co-president and executive creative director. “I believe the end result speaks for itself as to how well this collaboration worked.”
For safety, there were alligator wranglers on site, including Paul Bedard from Animal Planet’s sister show Gator Boys, to keep any curious creatures away. Additionally, Jesse Kennon, the Mayor of Coopertown, (known for supporting filmmakers with its airboats), served as a spotter from land.
