Life & Death in Paradise - Crocodile Odyssey
As the biggest and most diverse Caribbean islands, Cuba and Hispaniola are home to both ancient mammals that have gone extinct elsewhere, but also to new endemic species like the Cuban Crocodile.
The story of an American crocodile caught in the Caribbean Current and washed up on Cuba’s shores reveals the challenges of island life. Life on Cuba and Hispaniola means isolation – a blessing and a curse in equal measure. Above all, survival here requires adaptation. Over time, it has produced new species and preserved others, including some so secretive they’re rarely seen, like the bizarre venomous solenodon. And sometimes, it’s even possible to find an animal in the process of evolving into something new, including an isolated population of American crocodiles caught in the confines of Hispaniola’s unique salt lake, Lago Enriquillo.
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Marion PöllmannDirectorExpedition Essequibo
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Daniela PulvererWriter
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Marion PöllmannProducerExpedition Essequibo
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Rainer BergomazPhotographyExpedition Essequibo
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Project Type:Documentary
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Runtime:52 minutes
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Completion Date:March 25, 2019
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Country of Origin:Germany
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Country of Filming:Cuba
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:RED, Blackmagic, DJI Inspire
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
Blue Paw Artists specializes on producing high-end natural history and wildlife films for TV and Cinema worldwide.
We combine our passion for cutting-edge technology with captivating narratives to tell extraordinary stories.
We’ve been making documentary films for international broadcasters like National Geographic, Discovery and the BBC, and domestic clients including ZDF, ARTE, ARD and BR for the last 23 years.
Our trademark is exceptional attention to detail and fresh ideas about getting unusually close to the animals and subjects we’re filming. We want to establish a personal and intimate connection between the viewer, the subject, and the story.
Driven by technological visions we are looking for new perspectives, stunning aerial photography and unseen stories. The aim is to captivate our audiences just like a major blockbuster would by bringing astonishing images to the screen and taking the viewer on a rollercoaster ride of the natural world like never before.
We already made about 20 one hour specials for ARD, ZDF and Co-Partners like National Geographic, BBC, Animal Planet and Smithsonian about Nature and Ecology of tropical forests.
We are supported in our German headquarters by a dedicated team of office managers and editors, as well as a host of expert freelance professionals.
The solenodon is the oddest, highest and most magnificent survivor of all the Caribbean islands. It’s extremely sensitive for light and noise and could only be filmed under extraordinary conditions to protect this little species. We used a specially designed super light-sensitive camera and could film without artificial light.
The whole project was realized in close collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). On the ground every step was supervised by local rangers.