Jeffery Boswall
Encyclopedia
Jeffery Boswall is a naturalist
, broadcaster
and educator.
One of the longest serving producers with the BBC Natural History Unit
(1957-1987), and the writer and presenter/narrator of many of the programmes he produced, he has also been prominent in the development of the ethics of natural history broadcasting and the encouragement of new entrants into the field. Boswall wrote and produced the first wildlife film shown in colour on the BBC, the Private Life of the Kingfisher, filmed by Ron Eastman. It was broadcast in 1967 on BBC2.
in March 1931. A keen amateur ornithologist, his first published article appeared in the journal British Birds
when he was 16. His first full time job was as assistant to the Director of Watchers and Sanctuaries for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
.
in 1957, producing series including Birds of the Air and The Naturalist.
He started to work on television programmes in 1964. He produced the Look series (introduced by Peter Scott
) from 1963 to 1969.
Boswall wrote and produced the first wildlife film shown in colour on the BBC, the Private Life of the Kingfisher, filmed by Ron Eastman and narrated by Peter Scott
. It was broadcast in 1967 on BBC2. It won the Silver Medal at the Moscow Film Festival in 1967. It enormous popularity led to it being repeated an unprecedented eight times, as well as to Boswall commissioning a series of 18 programmes on single species in a series known as Private Lives, ranging from the Jackass Penguin to the Siamese Fighting Fish to the Cuckoo.
He produced and presented Wildlife Safari to Ethiopia (1970) a six part series. It was described by Christopher Parsons
, former head of the BBC's Natural History Unit, as "arguably one of the best series of its genre ever made". Boswall went on to produce and present three follow up series: Wildlife Safari to the Argentine (1972), Boswall's Wildlife Safari to Mexico (1977) and Boswall's Wildlife Safari to Thailand (1979).
He wrote, produced and narrated Animal Olympians (1980) a one hour special which compared the feats of animals to those of human olympians, as well as celebrating superlative feats from the natural world which have no human analogue. This was broadcast in connection with the Moscow Olympics in 1980 and was for many years in the top 5 sales of BBC
programmes internationally.
Other programmes he produced included Cracking the Egg (1982), The Truth behind the Turkey (1982), Natural World: Where the Parrots Speak Mandarin (1986) and Wild Waterfalls (1989)
He was series producer for Birds For All Seasons a three part series broadcast in 1986, narrated by Magnus Magnusson
. He wrote a book to accompany this series, with David Helton.
He has frequently appeared on or contributed to other radio and television programmes, including Today
, Animal Magic, Nationwide
, and Wogan
.
On the latter topic he was quoted in Discover magazine in 1985:
and Hugh Falkus
. This event was merged with Wildscreen
from 1994.
In 1992 he became Senior Lecturer in Wildlife Film-making at the University of Derby
. Boswall has taught courses in the UK and internationally on natural history film-making. He has appeared on the jury at a number of international wildlife film festivals.
Boswall's overall contribution to natural history broadcasting has been recognised by awards from the Royal Geographic Society and the British Kinematograph Sound and Television Society.
He is joint author of The Peterson Field Guide to the Bird Songs of Britain and Europe and co-founder of the British Library of Wildlife Sounds collection now at the British Library Sound Archive
in London.
in 1987 he became Head of Film and Video at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
, producing a variety of programmes including Mud Matters (1988), Eagles - the Majestic Hunters (1990) and Flying for Gold (1992).
Throughout his career he has given frequent public lectures on a variety of natural history topics, including bird song
and tool using by birds. He has also led courses since 1988 aimed at those seeking to enter natural history television as a career on how to make wildlife documentaries.
From the 1980s, Boswall was involved in the vanguard of the emerging trend towards eco-tourism, and has led wildlife tours to places as varied as the Galápagos Islands
, Ethiopia
, Russia and China.
Boswall has written over 100 articles in scientific journals on natural history subjects. He wrote the annual update on global ornithology for Encyclopædia Britannica
Yearbook from 1964 to 1998.
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
, broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and educator.
One of the longest serving producers with the BBC Natural History Unit
BBC Natural History Unit
The BBC Natural History Unit is a department of the BBC dedicated to making television and radio programmes with a natural history or wildlife theme, especially nature documentaries...
(1957-1987), and the writer and presenter/narrator of many of the programmes he produced, he has also been prominent in the development of the ethics of natural history broadcasting and the encouragement of new entrants into the field. Boswall wrote and produced the first wildlife film shown in colour on the BBC, the Private Life of the Kingfisher, filmed by Ron Eastman. It was broadcast in 1967 on BBC2.
Early years
Jeffery Boswall was born in BrightonBrighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
in March 1931. A keen amateur ornithologist, his first published article appeared in the journal British Birds
British Birds (magazine)
British Birds is a monthly ornithology magazine that was established in 1907. It is now published by BB 2000 Ltd, which is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust , established for the benefit of British ornithology...
when he was 16. His first full time job was as assistant to the Director of Watchers and Sanctuaries for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Bird Notes and News was first published in April 1903.The title changed to 'Bird Notes' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year . Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years...
.
BBC Natural History Unit
Boswall began as a radio producer, upon joining the BBC Natural History UnitBBC Natural History Unit
The BBC Natural History Unit is a department of the BBC dedicated to making television and radio programmes with a natural history or wildlife theme, especially nature documentaries...
in 1957, producing series including Birds of the Air and The Naturalist.
He started to work on television programmes in 1964. He produced the Look series (introduced by Peter Scott
Peter Scott
Sir Peter Markham Scott, CH, CBE, DSC and Bar, MID, FRS, FZS, was a British ornithologist, conservationist, painter, naval officer and sportsman....
) from 1963 to 1969.
Boswall wrote and produced the first wildlife film shown in colour on the BBC, the Private Life of the Kingfisher, filmed by Ron Eastman and narrated by Peter Scott
Peter Scott
Sir Peter Markham Scott, CH, CBE, DSC and Bar, MID, FRS, FZS, was a British ornithologist, conservationist, painter, naval officer and sportsman....
. It was broadcast in 1967 on BBC2. It won the Silver Medal at the Moscow Film Festival in 1967. It enormous popularity led to it being repeated an unprecedented eight times, as well as to Boswall commissioning a series of 18 programmes on single species in a series known as Private Lives, ranging from the Jackass Penguin to the Siamese Fighting Fish to the Cuckoo.
He produced and presented Wildlife Safari to Ethiopia (1970) a six part series. It was described by Christopher Parsons
Christopher Parsons
Christopher Eugene Parsons OBE was an award-winning English wildlife film-maker and the executive producer of David Attenborough's Life on Earth, widely regarded as one of the finest and most influential of nature documentaries...
, former head of the BBC's Natural History Unit, as "arguably one of the best series of its genre ever made". Boswall went on to produce and present three follow up series: Wildlife Safari to the Argentine (1972), Boswall's Wildlife Safari to Mexico (1977) and Boswall's Wildlife Safari to Thailand (1979).
He wrote, produced and narrated Animal Olympians (1980) a one hour special which compared the feats of animals to those of human olympians, as well as celebrating superlative feats from the natural world which have no human analogue. This was broadcast in connection with the Moscow Olympics in 1980 and was for many years in the top 5 sales of BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
programmes internationally.
Other programmes he produced included Cracking the Egg (1982), The Truth behind the Turkey (1982), Natural World: Where the Parrots Speak Mandarin (1986) and Wild Waterfalls (1989)
He was series producer for Birds For All Seasons a three part series broadcast in 1986, narrated by Magnus Magnusson
Magnus Magnusson
Magnus Magnusson KBE was a television presenter, journalist, translator and writer. He was born in Iceland but lived in Scotland for almost all of his life, although he never took British citizenship...
. He wrote a book to accompany this series, with David Helton.
He has frequently appeared on or contributed to other radio and television programmes, including Today
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
, Animal Magic, Nationwide
Nationwide (TV series)
Nationwide was a BBC News and Current affairs television programme broadcast on BBC One each weekday following the early evening news. It followed a magazine format, combining political analysis and discussion with consumer affairs, light entertainment and sports reporting...
, and Wogan
Wogan
Wogan was a chat show on British television, hosted by Terry Wogan. It followed the format of a series broadcast in 1980 entitled What's On Wogan?, which failed to gather viewers. The Wogan show was initially broadcast on Tuesday evenings on BBC1 in 1981 and from 1982 to 1984, it moved into the...
.
Ethics of natural history broadcasting
Boswall is acknowledged as one of the key figures in shaping the approach to ethics in natural history broadcasting. He is credited with establishing two main commandments "Thou shalt not deceive the audience" and "thou shalt not harm nature".On the latter topic he was quoted in Discover magazine in 1985:
When I lecture about this issue, I ask this question: Who would shrink from introducing a living fly into a spider's web to get a shot of the spider feeding on the fly. Usually no one objects to that. Then I carry the same question through the animal kingdom, up to using a monkey as a bait for a boa constrictor. Not many people like that too much. Then I ask - supposing of course that adequate provisions were made for his family - how would you feel about feeding a human to a crocodile? Crocodiles do feed on humans, you know, so it would be scientifically correct (original emphasis).
The profession of natural history broadcasting
Boswall chaired the first six BKSTS International Symposia for Wildlife Filmmakers from 1976 to 1991, being the main forum in the UK for wildlife filmmakers to meet and debate current issues in the profession. Keynote speakers included David PuttnamDavid Puttnam
David Terence Puttnam, Baron Puttnam, CBE, FRSA is a British film producer. He sits on the Labour benches in the House of Lords, although he is not principally a politician.-Early life:...
and Hugh Falkus
Hugh Falkus
Hugh Falkus , Cheam, Surrey, England – , was a British writer, film maker, World War II pilot and angler...
. This event was merged with Wildscreen
Wildscreen
Wildscreen is an educational charity based in Bristol, England, working globally to promote the conservation of nature, and the public’s appreciation of biodiversity, through wildlife imagery....
from 1994.
In 1992 he became Senior Lecturer in Wildlife Film-making at the University of Derby
University of Derby
The University of Derby is a university in the city of Derby, England. The main site is on Kedleston Road, Allestree in the north-west of Derby close to the A38 opposite Markeaton Park...
. Boswall has taught courses in the UK and internationally on natural history film-making. He has appeared on the jury at a number of international wildlife film festivals.
Boswall's overall contribution to natural history broadcasting has been recognised by awards from the Royal Geographic Society and the British Kinematograph Sound and Television Society.
Wildlife sound recording
In addition to owning one of the largest privately held collections of commercially issued bird voice gramophone records and tapes, Boswall has published numerous discographies including sound production by birds, mammals, insects and amphibians.He is joint author of The Peterson Field Guide to the Bird Songs of Britain and Europe and co-founder of the British Library of Wildlife Sounds collection now at the British Library Sound Archive
British Library Sound Archive
The British Library Sound Archive in London, England is one of the largest collections of recorded sound in the world, including music, spoken word and ambient recordings....
in London.
Other work
After leaving the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1987 he became Head of Film and Video at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Bird Notes and News was first published in April 1903.The title changed to 'Bird Notes' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year . Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years...
, producing a variety of programmes including Mud Matters (1988), Eagles - the Majestic Hunters (1990) and Flying for Gold (1992).
Throughout his career he has given frequent public lectures on a variety of natural history topics, including bird song
Bird song
Bird vocalization includes both bird calls and bird songs. In non-technical use, bird songs are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear. In ornithology and birding, songs are distinguished by function from calls.-Definition:The distinction between songs and calls is based upon...
and tool using by birds. He has also led courses since 1988 aimed at those seeking to enter natural history television as a career on how to make wildlife documentaries.
From the 1980s, Boswall was involved in the vanguard of the emerging trend towards eco-tourism, and has led wildlife tours to places as varied as the Galápagos Islands
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, Russia and China.
Boswall has written over 100 articles in scientific journals on natural history subjects. He wrote the annual update on global ornithology for Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
Yearbook from 1964 to 1998.