The Fast & Furious Flukes
HOW DO YOU FILM A HIGH SPEED ‘FAST & FURIOUS’ HEAT RUN, WHEN BEING CRUSHED BETWEEN 40 TON MALES RISKS INSTANT DEATH?
When faced with the challenge of filming the annual humpback ‘heat run’ in Hawaii, the Our Oceans team turned to the only camera operators on the planet that could survive being caught in such intense and dangerous action - the whales themselves!
Weighing a colossal 40 tons each, heavy hitting humpback males engage in a brutal battle for the pole position in this season's race for a mate. With the force of speeding juggernauts, they crash into each other in an attempt to knock their competitors out of the rankings. This ‘Fast and Furious’ chase is so intense and perilous that it’s too dangerous for even the most daring cinematographers to get close. So instead, the filming team collaborated with local scientists to deploy cameras on the backs of these oceanic titans, attached with suction cups, gaining unprecedented access to the heart of the action, revealing all the biggest crashes and astonishing moments as the whales fought for a chance to mate!
But this wasn't your typical heat run, the female had a baby on board, so we came up with a bold mission - to film the interactions between a mum and calf when caught in a ‘heat-run’ of massive males. Collaborating with world leading scientist Lars Bedjer from the Marine Mammal Research program at the University of Hawaii, we were not only able to capture the intensity of the battle and the incredibly brave lengths mom goes to to protect her baby, but also the cryptic whispers mom used to talk with her baby so as to hide from marauding males. And finally, when it was all over and mum and baby were safely resting in the shallows, we even captured a baby eye view of the precious moment it suckled from its mother. This four year feat has led to new discoveries in humpback whale communication and new insights into the edge of your seat action when a mum and baby are caught in the ocean’s most nail biting car chase.
It turns out that a humpback whale may well be the best wildlife camera operator on the planet!
Pacific Producer Rachel Scott recalls “The footage captured by these onboard cameras takes immersive filmmaking to the next level; the whale cams captured so many awe-inspiring moments and it gave such an intimate view into the private lives of one of the most iconic animals of the Pacific.”
CAPTAIN'S LOG
Alex Warham, Our Oceans Field Director and Series DoP Roger Munns set out to film intimate moments of these charismatic whales in the waters off Hawaii, working closely with local camera operator Kim Jeffries who has spent years diving these waters. Kim’s extensive knowledge of the whales helped guide the team to a resting mother, calf and escort. The whales hung almost stationary in the water for 2 hours rising to the surface every 20 minutes to breathe. Working on rebreathers, allowing them to stay underwater for hours whilst making no noise and blowing no bubbles, our team were able to capture incredible footage of the interactions between mother, baby and their escort.
“As a long time resident in Hawai'i, I know the waters here well. I've had years of experience above and below the water with Hawaiian Humpbacks and have been fortunate to see and film some of the rarest behaviors. But there is nothing more amazing than the incredible love a mum shows for her baby and what makes it even more special for me is getting to know them, with the same individuals returning year after year.” - Kim Jeffries
You can't outrun the dangers of humanity
During their thrilling shoot of the humpback whale “heat run”, the Our Oceans team faced a stark and sobering reality, as they encountered countless whales bearing enormous scars, the reminders of fishing line entanglements, displaying the increasing pressure we humans put on these whales. The gravity of the situation hit hardest when they encountered a young humpback female ensnared in life-threatening nets. Initially spotted by the drone, she was trailing a length of rope over 100-foot long, visibly distressed, and the team sprang into action. Immediately, contacting the NOAA entanglement team, the crew abandoned their filming, instead redirecting their drones to follow the struggling whale for nearly four agonizing hours, ensuring her safety until the rescue team could arrive. Documenting her condition closely, the team were initially confused by her swimming pattern, noting her pectoral fins, normally used for maneuvering through the water, were strapped down by her sides, unable to move within the confines of the net. This would have drastically affected her ability to swim effectively, causing her to lose more energy and possibly struggle to feed properly.
The team and NOAA's swift efforts not only aided in the rescue of the young humpback but also highlighted the critical importance of conservation efforts to safeguard the future of these gentle giants.
The humpback whale entangled in fishing gear, its pectoral fins bound by ropes, is tracked by drone while awaiting rescue from the NOAA entanglement team. Drone footage : Martin van Aswegen
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NEW SCIENCE
The opportunity to work closely with world-leading scientists such as Lars Bejder allows us unparalleled access to stories as they are being studied. In the case of the Hawaiian Humpback whales, the CATS Cam footage can allow scientists new, up-close information on how different individuals interact with the ‘heat run’ and their onboard microphones can help us understand smaller behaviors, such as communications between mom and baby, which can be difficult to catch on cameras or hydrophones from a boat. This partnership has lead to the publication of 3 new scientific papers.
Photos by Kim Jeffries ©Netflix 'Our Oceans'
IMPACT FILM : THROUGH THE EYES OF THE WHALE
5 MINS 13 SECONDS
The ability to film such intricate stories like a mother and her baby's race within the heat run, was only possible due to the incredible culture of collaboration that Our Oceans cultivated between scientists and filmmakers. This short film explores our relationship with world-leading scientist Lars Bejder, celebrating his incredible expertise which has been formed through thousands of hours spent studying the majestic humpback whales in Hawaii to better understand their behaviors and life history. It is only with Lars’ specialist, profound knowledge that we have the opportunity to cast an eye on these behaviors for the first time.