Of Gods And Lemurs

This photo is unworthy, apologies to all. My distinguished colleagues are gathered around Richard Thomas, our professor (left) and Rod Morris (right). What can I say? I was under the influence of The Rod Morris Effect.

Perhaps You don’t know that filmmaking magic and Rod Morris are synonymous. Rod is the Kiwi superstar of natural history. This afternoon, he came in to share his experiences with our class. For me, it was like dissecting a concert with the Maestro, when he happens to be an expert on all the instruments. As a scientist, he can tell you anything you’d want to know about the most obscure creatures, like parasitic wingless fruit flies. As a filmmaker, photographer and author, he reinvents the art of communication. If I didn’t pinch my lips as we scrolled through his film, Ghosts Of Gondwana, I would have been constantly blurting out “Get out! That was fake?! You mean that was a set up?!” The man is a sorcerer. But he generously shares his tricks. He mesmerized us with his latest project in development, Gods And Lemurs, a story that includes the Golden Crowned Sifaka, the Aye-Aye and a whole lot of human tragedy. Rod makes natural history films that celebrate biological wonders, while still making us reflect on the fragility of our existence. Conservation films that convey the bigger picture.