Moths and Butterflies – Filming and Photography at Flatford Mill

Moths and Butterflies – Filming and Photography

This weekend course will show you how to get the best from your stills camera and/or camcorder when photographing or filming moths and butterflies. Specialist macro equipment will be available. Sessions will include moth trapping and identification, and the natural history of this fascinating group of insects. The location is the Field Studies Council Centre Flatford Mill on the River Stour close to the Suffolk-Essex border.

The workshop is taught by wildlife film-maker and former Survival producer Mike Linley, and Piers Warren - Principal of Wildeye: International School of Wildlife Film-making.

No experience or equipment is required, but it is recommended that you bring a camera and/or camcorder, however basic, and tripod for use during the course (not essential however as we are able to provide some equipment for those without any).

Itinerary

Friday: Please aim to arrive between 4pm and 6pm to allow us sufficient time to show you to your accommodation and around the communal areas.
7pm - evening meal served
8pm - introductory chat - who we are, who you are, and what we will be doing this weekend.
Setting up moth traps for the night

Saturday:
8.15am - breakfast
9am - introduction to filming and photography of moths and butterflies
10am - working through the previous night's moth-catch - identification, filming and photography
11am - tea break followed by further practical work
12pm - a further look at specialist equipment available for macro work and techniques such as time lapse
1pm - lunch
2pm - practical filming of butterflies in the grounds of Flatford Mill
3pm - macro photography using sets indoors
4pm - tea-break
4.30pm - more filming in the grounds using specialist lenses
5.30pm - time lapse practical
6.30pm - evening meal served
7.30pm - the natural history of moths and butterflies
8.30pm - BBC Natural World Film: Butterflies: A Very British Obsession
As darkness falls there will be a demonstration of infra-red camera technology and setting up moth traps for the night

Sunday:
8.15am - breakfast
9am - working through the previous night's moth-catch - identification, filming and photography
11am - tea break
11.30am - practical filming of butterflies in the grounds of Flatford Mill and in sets in the classroom
1pm - lunch
2pm - final viewing of images
3pm - what to do with the finished product (films/photographs)
4pm - course ends

Tutors

Mike Linley - Mike was a producer and scientific advisor to Survival the Internationally acclaimed wildlife programme making company from 1980 until its demise in 2001. During this time he filmed and produced over 60 documentaries, many of which won major International awards. He also researched, wrote and produced over 200 wildlife programmes for children including the series Animals in Action. He then formed Hairy Frog Productions, an independent wildlife production company. Since then he has worked on productions for Granada, National Geographic and Discovery/Animal Planet. Mike is also a keen lepidopterist.

Piers Warren - Principal of Wildeye - Piers is well known throughout the wildlife film-making industry as the editor of Wildlife Film News and producer of wildlife-film.com, which he created in the 1990s. With a strong background in biology, education and conservation, he has had a lifelong passion for wildlife films and has a wide knowledge of natural history. He cut his teeth in the industry as a sound engineer and multi-media producer, running a studio for many years. He is one of the founders of the international organisation Filmmakers for Conservation and was Vice President for the first three years. Piers is the author of many magazine features and several books including Careers in Wildlife Film-making and Go Wild with Your Camcorder - How to Make Wildlife Films.