YEAR 12 and 13 students at RSA Academy Arrow Vale got a unique insight into cutting edge television when BBC producer Emma Napper, well known for her work on Planet Earth 2, popped in to talk to students, writes Chloe Beaumont.
Emma studied Biology at the University of Sheffield and for her doctorate studied the life of ants, adding that she especially liked filming small creatures as they are fascinating to her, and often finds herself rooting for them in the harsh climates in which they must survive.
She described working with environmentalist and Planet Earth presenter David Attenborough, who she had looked up to as a child, and how he has been very much an inspiration throughout her career.
She also told the students about some of the rare creatures she’d come across through her work, including the Iranian viper which has a distinct spider look-a-like tail.
This fake ‘spider’ with leg-like scales is waggled to tempt birds within striking distance.
She also explained how she and her camera crew filmed different animals, saying that with animals such as lions it was easier to capture them and almost manipulate the footage to portray their story.
However, with smaller animals, or those that are nocturnal or hard to find she had to work with the outcome of what the crew captured.
It was all part of an inspiring presentation which showed the vast opportunities available through her career in media and biology.
