Who Moved the Tortoise?

Conversations with science and wildlife filmmakers about the films, TV shows - and other stuff - that inspired them to make films about science and nature. Presented and produced by Alex Hemingway and Kate Dooley. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

SPECIAL: Live at the Royal Institution

April 22, 2025 • 89 mins

This special episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the Royal Institution on 14th April 2025. Kate and Alex are joined by a panel of guests to talk about the TV years of the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. With David Dugan, David Coleman, Helen Czerski, Hugh Montgomery and Andy Marmery.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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The Deceivers - with Steve Crabtree

April 1, 2025 • 52 mins

This time nothing is quite as it seems, as we chat to Exec Producer and ex Series Editor of Horizon Steve Crabtree. His inspiration is the 1981 Jeremy Beadle-fronted series The Deceivers, a bizarre but entertaining exploration of tricksters, cheats and swindlers. Along the way we discuss Steve's time painting nuclear submarines, how Stan Lee made him cry, and just how long it took him to watch all 1,250 episodes of Horizon.

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Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives... again - with Phil Bax

March 18, 2025 • 59 mins

A first for the podcast this week. Or rather, a second. In this episode, sound wizard Phil Bax has brought in his inspiration - and it's a film we've discussed before. Fortunately, it's an absolute cracker - the remarkable BBC film Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives featuring Eels frontman Mark “E” Everett.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Professor Bonner & the Slime Molds - with Robert Sternberg

March 4, 2025 • 60 mins

This time, we visit Imperial College London to chat with Robert Sternberg, course leader of the Science Media Production MSc, a degree that has produced some of the industry's top science-specialist talent. Robert's inspiration is the 1984 Horizon episode Professor Bonner and the Slime Molds, a character study of a scientist working at the fascinating boundary between single-celled and multicellular life. Along the way, we talk Fre...

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Powers of Ten - with David Dugan

February 18, 2025 • 56 mins

This time, Kate and Alex are joined by science TV royalty as they chat to the multi-award-winning filmmaker and chairman of Windfall Films, David Dugan. On the menu for discussion, the 1977 short film Powers of Ten. This groundbreaking film plays with scale, first expanding out from the Earth until the entire universe is surveyed, then reducing inward until a single atom and its quarks are observed. Along the way, we take a whistle...

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Reality on the Rocks - with Dallas Campbell

February 4, 2025 • 67 mins

Nothing is quite as it seems this week as presenter, writer and podcaster Dallas Campbell joins us to talk about Ken Campbell's mind-bending series Reality on the Rocks. Along the way we talk about Dallas' career trajectory from actor to science presenter; the mad genius of Ken Campbell; and what it's like to dive in Mexico City's sewer system - an anecdote that's not for those of a weak disposition. Contains very occasional bad la...

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Fourteen Days in May - with Sophie Robinson

January 21, 2025 • 61 mins

This time, Kate and Alex talk to BAFTA and Emmy winning director Sophie Robinson about the film that inspired her - the powerful and moving Fourteen Days in May. This 1987 Grierson-winning film recounts the final days before the execution of Edward Earl Johnson, an American prisoner convicted of rape and murder and imprisoned in the Mississippi State Penitentiary. If you're in the UK, you can watch the film on BBC iPlayer here - ht...

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Microcosmos - with James Manisty

January 7, 2025 • 46 mins

For the first episode of 2025, the Tortoises talk to wildlife producer and macro filmmaking wizard James Manisty. On the menu, the 1996 classic macro bug film Microcosmos. It's a deep dive into the world of the tiny, with chat about Micro Monsters 3D, Super/Natural, A Real Bugs Life and more. You can watch Microcosmos here - https://archive.org/details/Microcosmos-la-gente-de-la-hierba

H...

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Christmas Films Special

December 24, 2024 • 32 mins

It's Christmas Eve and the Tortoise are tearing up the rulebook for one day, meaning there's no science or wildlife chat this time. Instead, we talk to our previous guests about their favourite Christmas films. It's a nostalgic dive through some absolute classics, so grab a mince pie and come and join us! There's also some big news about our first ever live recording, coming to the Royal Institution in February 2025. https://www.ri...

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Great Britons: Brunel - with Simon Winchcombe

December 10, 2024 • 42 mins

This week the Tortoises are talking to series producer Simon Winchcombe about the show that kicked off his TV career - Jeremy's Clarkson's Great Britons episode on Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Along the way we talk about the genius of James Burke, changing careers in your 30s, and the cliche of presenters using a torch (trust me, it makes sense when you listen to it).

Hosted on Acast. See ac...

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Mythbusters - with Mariana Kneppers

November 26, 2024 • 43 mins

This week the Tortoises welcome location producer and friend of the pod Mariana Kneppers to talk about the science megaseries Mythbusters. Along the way we discuss the cultural minefield of being an American living in the UK: the challenges of starting out in TV; and ask whether productions are becoming more risk averse. With thanks to Talesmith for hosting this episode.

Hosted on Acast....

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Life on Earth - with Baroness Freeman of Steventon

November 12, 2024 • 65 mins

This week the Tortoises are talking to cross-bench peer and science communicator Alex Freeman, Baroness Freeman of Steventon. On the menu - Sir David Attenborough's seminal 1979 series Life on Earth. We take our usual meandering conversational route, discussing early career missteps; the importance of Carol Vorderman (again... it's becoming a habit); and rubbing shoulders with the crew of Ocean's Eleven. We also talk about the seri...

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The Man Who Eats Badgers - with Will Millard

October 29, 2024 • 58 mins

This week the Tortoises are turning the tables, as the subject of one of our early episodes becomes a guest. Writer and presenter Will Millard joins us to talk about a quintessentially British piece of television - The Man Who Eats Badgers and Other Strange Tales from Bodmin Moor, a 2008 episode of BBC 2's Wonderland. Along the way, we discuss the parallels between this film and the films that Will went on to make, including My Yea...

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Jurassic Park - with Mike Davis

October 15, 2024 • 60 mins

“They were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should”. No, not a review of this podcast, but a quote from one of the greatest films of the 90s - Jurassic Park. The Tortoises are joined in the studio by BBC NHU Exec Producer Mike Davis, and they tear into this 1993 classic with all the appetite of a ravenous Dilophosaurus. It’s a deep dive into the world of VFX and beyond, but there’s ti...

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Tomorrow's World - with Emma Kolasinska

October 1, 2024 • 44 mins

Welcome back to Who Moved The Tortoise? After a summer break at Tortoise HQ we’re kicking off series two in praise of Judith Hann with VFX Executive Producer Emma Kolasinska. On the menu, the BBC’s long-running tech series Tomorrow’s World. Along the way, we talk the language of VFX, the problem with hyenas’ semen and the joy of Findus Crispy Pancakes. Oh… and the rumbling you hear every three minutes isn’t Alex’s stomach, it’s the...

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Series 2 Trailer

September 24, 2024 • 2 mins

After a summer break, the Tortoises are back! The first full episode of series 2 will be coming at the beginning of October, but for now here is a little teaser.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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From the Earth to the Moon - with Libby Jackson

July 23, 2024 • 49 mins

In the last episode of the series we strap on our space suits and launch into orbit with the the Head of UK Space Exploration at the UK Space Agency, Libby Jackson. Watching the 1998 HBO series From the Earth to the Moon was one small step in Libby’s high flying career which included emailing NASA for work experience at a time when the word spam had just made it into the dictionary. Our discussion gravitates around DVDs (if you don...

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Cosmos - with Nat Sharman

July 16, 2024 • 47 mins

In the penultimate episode of our first series, Team Tortoise welcomes writer, producer and director Nat Sharman to talk about possibly the biggest and most celebrated science series of all, Carl Sagan’s 1980 epic Cosmos. Along the way we chat about shitty sticks, brown corduroy jackets and whether bigger budgets are always better.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informat...

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The Private Life of Plants - with Alice Jones

July 9, 2024 • 47 mins

Alice Jones joins the Tortoises this time for a mid-90s nostalgia-fest. On the menu, Sir David Attenborough’s 1995 series The Private Life of Plants. Our chat takes us via Rednex and Supergrass to How 2, Countdown, filming Will Smith in a submarine and why Carol Vorderman is great. If you’re in the UK, you can watch the episode of Private Life of Plants we’re discussing here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00780vh

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Prisoner of Consciousness - with Peter Leonard

July 2, 2024 • 50 mins

The Tortoises are back at school this week as they visit the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield. Here, head of the (Producing and Directing) Science and Natural History MA Peter Leonard talks about the film that opened his eyes to science filmmaking, the 1986 Equinox episode Prisoner of Consciousness. As well as dissecting this remarkable and affecting film, we also talk about videotape, working for Auntie and the ...

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