In this world, certainly in America, their seems to be people and their vocational endeavors that add to the world, and those that subtract. Some lawyers spend all of their professional lives suing people and businesses, ultimately leading to more restrictive laws, and sucking in money (to their bank accounts) that might otherwise go to something productive and/or useful (i.e., goods that one can actually see, touch, and get something useful out of). These folks, in my estimation, have a “dishonorable” profession. Politicians are also questionable in this regard. A litmus test might be, “show me something that you produce that you can also see an touch”. And/or, “show me something that you’ve produced that in some way benefits mankind”. Lawyers and politicians would turn the litmus paper black and blue.

You normally think of people out doing nature videos as people that are adding to the overall quality of life, at least certainly not subtracting. They work hard physically as well as mentally, climbing mountains, going where no man has gone before, and capturing natural scenery in an enticing, educational, and artistic manner. They then make these films available for others to see. Of course they make a living out of it, but you also think of these people, in much the same way we think of teachers, as people that are NOT “in it for the money”. They do it because they love their art, and they love nature. It’s a natural marriage for the wildlife videographer.

Enter the federal government, and in more particular, the Department of the Interior. In May of 2006, the feds put into effect a new fee for filmmakers, charging them at least $150 per day for filming in the park. Prior to that date, they only had to pay $200 per year, plus fees for any park services or assistance they require. I think very reasonable, by anyones book. “It won’t just be the filmmakers and photographers affected by this, it’ll be the whole country,” said Jeff Hogan, a documentary filmmaker in Jackson, Wyo., who has shot wildlife programs for National Geographic and the BBC. Bob Landis, an Emmy-winning filmmaker for his 2004 documentary “Wolf Pack,” said the National Park Service probably needs to charge filmmakers more for filming than it currently does, but not as much as the new fee structure. Under the new schedule, Landis — who said he shoots at least 300 days a year in Yellowstone — would have to pay at least $45,000 a year. The problem, Landis said, is that the Park Service is treating large production companies that come into parks to film commercials or movies the same way it treats small, independent wildlife documentary filmmakers. “The philosophy seems to be one size fits all,” Landis said. “If they can come up with a category that fits us — documentary and education filmmakers — then I think they’ll benefit all the way around.”

Rock on Feds, you’ve done it again: one more step driving us to bad TV and WalMarts of the world, both figuratively and literally. Maybe the Feds figure we can get our “nature kicks” from watching survival shows on the Tube? Anyway, I know a few once excellent and dedicated wildlife videographers who have had to turn to other professions, (and in a few unfortunate cases, even the porn industry!) to make a living. Yet another blow to us Americans leading to an overall down slide in our quality of life. Our national park system is/was one of the last great resources originally set aside for “the people”. Now this seems to be under serious attack by a government too quick to take money from such resources in order to fill our evidently bottomless war coffers . Smokey, its time to “bear” arms and invade Iraq in the name of oil (err, I mean “democracy”).