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Nine days at sea for one minute of TV — why wildlife cameraman Doug Allan’s work is worth the wait

15 November 2017

Doug Allan’s films of underwater life have captivated television audiences around the globe.

The Dunfermline-born cameraman’s work has included key scenes in landmark wildlife programmes such as Frozen Planet, Operation Iceberg and The Blue Planet.

And while we’ve been left awe-struck at the amazing scenes shown on Blue Planet II, Doug has been explaining just how long it takes to make such an incredible series.

He told Radio 4’s Now Show, “The rule of thumb is if you put someone like me out in the sea for nine days I will put a minute on the screen”.

“So when you look at one of these programmes you’re looking at about 450 days of filming to put 50 minutes on the screen.

“It’s a massive effort.”

Bird-eating fish takes to the air

Giant trevallies launch themselves out of the water to catch fledgling terns.

The Holy Grail of wildlife photography

But time spent underwater is well spent when it reveals previously unknown secrets about our world.

“The Holy Grail is to film something that no one has seen before”, says Doug.

“For example, that trevally sequence in programme one [of Blue Planet II], with the big fish leaping out of the water to catch birds in mid-air.”

But even with all his experience, there remains one animal that Doug has yet to successfully film and he’ll have to go back to the Arctic to find it.

“There’s a small whale up there called the narwhal,” he says. “And the great thing about it is that the male’s got a single ivory tusk growing out of [its] upper jaw.

“They’re extremely wary, but I am going to go up there and try again, and if I get it I will drown a happy man.”

Doug Allan's career highlight

Doug Allan has captured some of the most memorable wildlife images to have appeared on TV.

Doug Allan on Desert Island Discs

Blue Planet II

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