Our film about Japan's obsessive relationship with fish - the one we filmed last October and November - at last went out on BBC4 last Monday 23rd March.
It's a relief to have it finished. A relief too that it went down well: "a treasure house of wonders" said the Independent. I suppose Japan was always going to be that. But lots of "picks of the day" and good ratings too, apparently. The film was directed and filmed by Gavin Searle, edited by Mark Atkins and flew under the Keo Films banner.
But the real star, quite obviously, was Shacho, "the boss". Fermented sushi king and Japan's answer to Roger Melly. If you didn't catch the show it's worth the watch for Shacho alone. It is still available to watch in the UK on bbc iplayer:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jdw5k/Fish!_A_Japanese_Obsession/
Posts
5 comments:
Your show about Japan was interesting to watch. I didn't really understand your inconsistent, selective responses to what you considered to be cruel for the animals and what you didn't. I saw all kinds of cruelty that was fun for you. You said you didn't really understand Aki's idea about eating whales, but I find it completely incomprehensible justifying killing any animal just for me to have a meal. Or entertaining myself where an animal's body is pierced, wounded, where pain is inflicted for fun. You mention farmed blue fin requiring 10kg of mackerel per kg of tuna and how this is not environmentally sustainable. The exact same situation exists in feeding grain to land-based livestock. There'd be a hell of a lot less environmental destruction and poverty if humans would eat a plant based diet. How about making a film as interesting as this one, but about taking responsibility for not causing pain, to each other, the environment, to those we share the planet with.
I enjoyed the film very much - only criticism being that it was too compressed...should have been at least two programmes. I've only just discovered your blog - and can confirm that from now there will be someone reading, it's an interesting journal.
Charles
I was delighted when Alistair the urban fly fisher linked to your blog as i've often wondered why you didn't have one. I've been a fan of your work since the AA series especially the london episode which inspired my own adventure with the elusive Mr Quinn, so I was delighted when Alistair the urban fly fisher linked to your blog.
http://suburbanbushwacker.blogspot.com/2008/04/with-jeremiah-bushwacker-on-fly.html
I caught your Japanese adventure on iPlayer, it was excellent hopefully they'll commission another.
Your fan
SBW
Kushla - thanks for your comments. We tried to show, not judge. But then of course I am going to react personally to things I experience. And in that sense my reactions will be subjective and therefore open to being seen as inconsistent to someone who looks at the world differently. My problem with hunting whales is that they are rare and difficult to kill humanely, not that people eat them. No-one leads a lifestyle insulated from a negative impact on the environment. We all flush our toilets too much, eat food that is too packaged, create too much waste, travel unnecessarily. The plastic bag carrying home a vegetarian's shopping might just as well kill a leatherback turtle, as the plastic bag of a meat-eater. I have my own ethics with regard to fishing and eating and lifestyle, and while I accept that they might even offend some people, I'm square with them myself. My feeling is that we all should recognise the toll we have on the planet, no matter our personal lifestyle choices (and in that sense I'm sure that we would agree on many things even if we disagreed on others), and do positive things to counter it. So I fish. And when I'm not fishing I campaign for and fix rivers. Doesn't make me a saint, but it means I'm trying. That positive thing could be seen as self-interest, but that doesn't matter to the fish or the rivers.
mr kleeg - We shot enough to make two films and loads of stuff stayed in the can. That's telly. Glad to hear I have picked up a reader. SBW - I'll go and look at that link and see also if I can find out what your elusive Mr Quinn adventure was all about. Sounds good though. Thanks for the feedback. C.
Post a Comment