Our Planet: Behind the Scenes

As a standalone film, there's really no reason to make this. The exciting parts just tease the awesome sights seen in the full series Our Planet, and any sort of narrative that they build is thrown out the window with the final segment. I'm glad they didn't hold back and kept the last part in, but that part is probably what forced them to make this a separate film. From an editing perspective, the ending is terrible, and not just in the most obvious way. It's cut very awkwardly and gave me the feeling that I had accidentally stopped a movie right at the climax. A few more moments were needed to solidly conclude the episode.

However, as an episode of the show, it would fit perfectly. It still shows some great shots, and it's extremely informative to see the successes, failures, and wild adventures of the film crew.

Whereas the usual Silverback Productions on the BBC have little ten-minute "behind the scenes" segments bolted onto the end of them (something to do with making up the ad breaks on lesser networks) the Netflix series never had to do this - so all of these bits are condensed into this extremely pleasant but fraught supplementary documentary. I often find these addendums as interesting as the core series and this is no exception - showing the incredible lengths the production teams go to capture the wildlife and scenery. Some moments are particularly intense, and most of those involve the humble walrus. Worth seeking out if you've seen the series!

I love documentaries about nature, especially when Sir David Attenborough is the narrator.

When I watched this, I realised I never gave it some thought of those who made any documentary about nature possible. I just took it for granded. That is why this was such an eye-opening documentary that made me love documentaries about nature even more. What an effort and devotion these people have to make it all possible for the viewer to watch beautiful scenes of nature. Definitely worth to watch.

It's incredible the job behind the crew to shot amazing footage. This documentary shows how's frustrating can be to have the perfect spot (if nature allows it).

The last part of the documentary is very very sad ...

This is a sort of "bonus" episode for enthusiasts of the "Our Planet" series. It shows the preparations and execution of some of the most difficult shots. As a photographer and filmmaker, I was mesmerized by the crews' dedication, spending in some cases up to two years to get a few minutes of precious footage. My wife, who is not interested in the technical portion of filmmaking, was as excited as me about this film. We watched this before watching the actual series, and I think it could work both ways. Besides seeing what it takes to get each shot, one also experiences the devotion these filmmakers have for their craft. And, more importantly, their love for the animals. It feels like you're on an expedition with them.