MovieChat Forums > The Meerkats (2009) Discussion > Is this really a doc?

Is this really a doc?

posted 14 years ago by rgcustomer
6 replies | jump to latest

Watching this film, a lot of things just seemed very convenient, like pretty much everything that happened.

A statement in the credits says that the scenes are "based on" observed behaviour, and were shot over 6 months. Some scenes were reconstructed.

That sounds likes it's getting closer to Fiction than Documentary.

It felt to me like certain scenes, such as the snake, might have happened one time and were edited into different points in the film.

Does anyone know? Is there a "Making of"?

[–] ryckarduh 14 years ago

dude, in my opinion copy/paste is always happening in these documentaries, i would say maybe those guys even throw a zebra in lion territory just to make a hunting scene... who would know right?

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] pavlijas-983-773646 13 years ago

Do not spoil the impression of a film which is fantastic as well as those beautiful animals.

[–] chicago85 13 years ago

I guess to give it structure they gave it a plot but it seemed contrived to me.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 13 years ago

My understanding of meerkat studies is that they are naturalistic and the people studying do not intervene. The intention is to observe their society only and I would imagine the most they do is edit the footage they have over the period to create a coherent story and no more. Anything else would disrupt the meerkat society.

rouge silk,
fierce concentrated joy,
fires the blood