THE MAN IN THE WILD

Peter Rowe on Wilderness Filmmaking, its Risks, and His Advice to New Filmmakers

When it comes to wilderness filmmaking, Peter Rowe stands atop the highest pedestal in the world of cinema. Widely regarded as among the most arresting chroniclers of natural history, the Canadian filmmaker is no stranger to the wild outdoors. With more than 200 games under his belt, Rowe has traversed the world to catalogue some of nature’s most striking sights.

Among other things, Peter Rowe is best known for his contribution to Angry Planet, the 5-season long reality series that focused on global environmental issues. His days at Angry Planet took Rowe through some of the most rugged and untrodden ways- from the monsoon-affronted badlands of Bangladesh to the underground caves across the world. The filmmaker recalls making his way through the slippery slopes of these caverns- sometimes using drysuits to cross freezing waters and using refrigerated suits to survive in extreme heat and humidity.

Now a veteran in the art, Peter Rowe has much to say to new students of wilderness filmmaking. “Know your equipment well before going out to the field,” he advises. For them, there would be little time to learn its operation in a high-pressure environment. A filmmaker’s health is their top priority in the wilderness, for you can not do much work if you’re sick and ailing. An attitude of reverence towards nature is of utmost importance- while shooting will take you through some rough conditions, he says, know that you are privileged to witness nature generally informed unwitnessed by the commoner.