They have been accused of staging “kill scenes” and wild animal fights. It is even possible to make a “caged kill” scene appear as if it took place out in the wilderness. For example, watch a typical predator and prey chase scene. The likelihood in the wild is the prey oftentimes escapes. However, for the wildlife filmmaker instead of showing the prey escaping the chase he can simply cut or edit to a recreated bush scene in an enclosed area about the size of an acre as the predator pounces on its caged, helpless prey and starts to devour it.
Sometimes you can detect a staged kill scene if you notice that the look of the film changes, for example, if lighting conditions of the kill scene do not match up well with the chase scene. Or a filmmaker can take an animal out to the bush that’s loaded with predators, unload it and let it go then film the carnage.
Do you really think all wildlife filmmakers can afford to sit around in the bush possibly for months just waiting for wildlife events to occur naturally?
SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCE: FT. LAUDERDALE SUN SENTINEL NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 10TH 1996