Latest news with #SharksUpClose
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Sharkfest 2025' teams go to new depths for footage
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Dan Beecham has been in the water with and photographed sharks at countless points around the globe for nearly two decades. He has developed a great respect for the underwater beasts that prowl the oceans but that didn't come until a little later in his life. He recalls that he was scared the first time he came face-to-face with a shark. Part of his fears can be traced back to the film work of Steven Spielberg. 'It was in the Red Sea, and I would have been 13 or 14 years old,' Beecham says. 'I remember being pretty scared of it. I remember not really knowing how to deal with the situation. I wasn't of the 'Jaws' generation but I did watch 'Jaws' when I was very young and do remember being scared to get into the bathtub. So, in a way it is kind of weird that I have become so obsessed with sharks.' Beecham is not quite sure when he changed from fearing sharks to respecting them and finally being obsessed. No matter when that happened, his latest underwater work can be seen with the National Geographic production 'Sharks Up Close with Bertie Gregory' debuting at 8 p.m. July 5 on the cable channel. The series kicks off this year's 'Sharkfest 2025' for National Geographic that will include more than 25 hours of programming diving deeper than ever into the science, power and beauty of the ocean's most misunderstood predator. As an example of the depths the filmmakers were willing to go, Beecham and Gregory set off on a mission to film great white sharks off the coast of South Africa. The difference for their underwater shoot would be that it would not include a cage to protect the filmmakers. Beecham's project is one of a host of new programs examining sharks. The difference between 'Sharks Up Close' and the others is the focus on the connection between humans and the sharks. 'That particularly has happened here in South Africa because of the changing ocean. The ocean is changing all the time and that has caused these quite shocking human and shark conflicts that didn't happen before,' Beecham says. The underwater cinematographer adds that while there have been endless hours of research done, many mysteries remain. He points out that very few sharks have been filmed while mating. Rick's Picks: 10 movies to look for this summer Not many species of sharks have been filmed while feeding. Beecham has done his part to help fill in the gaps. He developed a passion for diving and underwater photography at the age of twelve and has since then logged thousands of dives across the globe. He worked for nearly a decade as a cameraman for the Save Our Seas Foundation, where he chronicled research projects, conservation efforts before being selected to the prestigious BBC Natural History Unit camera bursary program. For two years, he worked exclusively on the series 'Blue Planet II' followed by 'Hostile Planet,' 'Seven Worlds, One Planet,' 'Frozen Planet II' and 'Mammals.' This year's 'Sharkfest' features leading marine scientists and experts, offering insights into shark behavior and how we can coexist with these extraordinary creatures. It is a global deep dive from California shores to the seas down under in Australia. Other programming slated to air as part of National Geographic's 'Sharkfest 2025' are: 'Investigation Shark Attack' (9 p.m. July 5): The six-part production provides an in-depth look inside the mind of these apex predators and explores shark behavior from their unique perspective. 'Super Shark Highway' (10 p.m. July 5): Sharks have ruled our oceans for over 400 million years. In the six-part series, two elite shark research teams infiltrate two of Australia's busiest shark migration routes to unlock the mysteries of these apex predators. 'Jaws @ 30: The Definitive Inside Story' (9 p.m. July 10): The documentary celebrates the film that redefined Hollywood, 50 years after its premiere. It features archival footage and interviews with Hollywood directors, top shark scientists, and conservationists. 'Sharks of the North' (10 p.m. July 12): Sightings of great white sharks have been on the rise on Canada's Atlantic coast. Alanna Canaran, a passionate science educator and dive instructor, embarks on a mission to unravel the enigmas surrounding these magnificent creatures and is determined to dispel fear of sharks in Nova Scotians. 'Shark Quest: Hunt for the Apex Predator' (9 p.m. July 13):As shark populations are declining, finding ways to share the seas is more critical than ever. Survivors recount their encounters with massive sharks where some emerged miraculously unscathed and others were less fortunate. Select series and specials will stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. Shark-infested content will air on Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo Mundo, Disney Jr., and DisneyXD throughout the month. A 24/7 live stream of content from 2024 will also air on YouTube. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
TV star flees filming in fear amid horror storm while filming documentary
As a wildlife filmmaker, Bertie Gregory is always ready for a challenge. But his adventurous streak leads him to unimaginable danger - he's recently shared a notable career moment. Sharks may rule the ocean - but Bertie Gregory sets the record straight as he says they've never been more at risk. The wildlife filmmaker returns to our screens with Sharks Up Close, a new feature-length documentary for National Geographic, following on from his hit series Animals Up Close. This time, the 31-year-old swaps snow leopards and forest elephants for the world 's most misunderstood marine predator: the great white shark. As ever, Bertie Gregory 's approach to filming is immersive and adrenaline-fueled - sometimes to a fault. 'It's hardwired into me to keep filming. My first instinct is to hit record and decide later if it goes in the film,' he says. One scene for Animals Up Close led him to film African forest elephants in a treehouse made of metal platforms. 'We were right in the middle of a lightning storm,' he remembers. 'We had to zipline torrential rain to a safer tree with no metal. I was giggling with fear but filming the whole time.' Now Bertie faces the good, the bad and the ugly side of marine life. 'In the world of wildlife film and ocean conservation, it's no secret sharks are in serious trouble,' he says. 'We kill over 100 million every year. It's easy to blame the shark fin trade in Asia, but here in the UK, we kill plenty too - often as bycatch or even sold in fish and chip shops under different names.' Filmed off the coast of South Africa, in Plettenburg Bay, Sharks Up Close sees Bertie attempt to swim alongside a great white - a childhood dream for many, but a complex and sobering mission in reality as he teams up with researcher Lacey Williams. 'I realised how at risk great whites are while I spent time with the local community, learning from scientists and guides,' Bertie says, 'They're facing a perfect storm of threats - both natural and human-made.' Among the most urgent, Bertie points to controversial bather protection systems used in parts of South Africa. 'Along the coast, lethal methods like baited hooks and drum lines are used to reduce human conflict, but they kill sharks,' Bertie says. 'At the same time, the shark's prey, smaller species like smooth hound sharks, are being overfished. Young great whites rely on these species.' It's this loss of prey, he explains, that's silently fuelling their decline. 'When people say conservationists only care about charismatic animals like lions, polar bears, or great whites, what they miss is that protecting these predators helps protect entire ecosystems,' Bertie insists. 'They're indicators of ocean health. If you want healthy oceans—and we need them for food, climate regulation, and even the air we breathe - you have to protect the species that maintain that balance.' But humans aren't the only threat, with killer whales known to hunt great white sharks. 'Killer whales might seem friendly to humans, but they're not to anything else in the ocean. They're the true apex predators,' Bertie says, 'So although we think of great whites as untouchable predators, they're under serious pressure from all sides.' Despite these enormous challenges, Bertie refuses to lean into despair. 'It's heartbreaking. But I don't believe in doom and gloom as a motivator,' he says. 'People already feel overwhelmed. Instead, I focus on hope and recovery. Nature is incredibly resilient. If we give it space and protection, it can bounce back on an extraordinary scale.' That message of hope is sprinkled throughout Sharks Up Close, which captures unexpected and moving encounters. 'Some of our most incredible encounters were totally unexpected, like with Southern Right whales. These amazing whales were heavily targeted during the whaling era because they float after being killed,' Bertie says. 'But thanks to protections from the 1970s, they're making a comeback. The area where we filmed is a sanctuary for Southern Right whale mothers and calves. We had magical dives with them.' One particularly dramatic scene sees two mother-calf whale pairs being harassed by a pod of bottlenose dolphins. The documentary also completely breaks convention by embracing the unpredictability of nature. 'Without giving too much away, this isn't your typical wildlife documentary. We often celebrate the 'wins' but this film embraces failure too,' Bertie says. 'Nature doesn't always deliver what you expect. But if you're passionate and persistent, it might give you something even better than what you planned.' What Bertie is trying to shift, ultimately, is the narrative around sharks - especially great whites. 'We've spent too long fearing great whites when we should be fearing for them,' Bertie says. 'Yes, they can be dangerous, but coexisting isn't about controlling sharks -it's about controlling human behaviour. When attacks happen, it's due to mistaken identity. Sharks don't want to eat humans - we're not fatty enough like seals and we taste strange to them. But their hunting method involves striking hard and fast, so if they get it wrong, the consequences for a human can be catastrophic.' The solution, he says, lies not in culling but in changing human behaviour. 'The key is reducing the chance of a mistake: don't swim at dawn or dusk, in murky water, or when you know a shark is nearby,' he says. But at the heart of Sharks Up Close, this time round, is a deep belief in action and impact. 'Yes, the planet's in trouble, but the work isn't hopeless,' Bertie says. 'If we stop trying to 'save the world' and instead fix one problem at a time - one coastline, one species - we'll see real results. That's what drives me: hope, action, and the joy of celebrating the times we get it right.'
UPI
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Watch: NatGeo's 25-hour SharkFest programming block includes 'Jaws @ 50'
SharkFest 2025 is set to air on NatGeo next month. File Photograph by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo June 9 (UPI) -- National Geographic Channel's 25-hour SharkFest programming block will include the premiere of the documentary Jaws @ 50 on July 10. Jaws @ 50 is a documentary marking the 50th anniversary of the film Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss. The doc explores the making of Jaws and its impact. "This year's SharkFest features leading marine scientists and experts, offering critical insights into shark behavior and how we can coexist with these extraordinary creatures," NatGeo said in a press release Monday. "From myth-busting science to cinematic underwater adventure, SharkFest is a global deep dive into the awe-inspiring world of sharks. From California shores to the seas down under in Australia, SharkFest will take viewers on an epic ocean adventure across the globe." Sharks Up Close with Bertie Gregory premieres on July 5. The same night, two six-part nightly series -- Investigation Shark Attack and Super Shark Highway -- will kick off. Sharks of the North is set for July 12 and Shark Quest: Hunt for the Apex Predator is to air on July 13.
