Filming a Controlled Burn
The ‘Flytrap Town’ team has completed filming a prescribed fire led by expert practitioners in Brunswick County. Being on the ground as the fire moved through the landscape was unforgettable.
Venus flytraps live in a fire-dependent ecosystem, where controlled burns are essential to prevent shrubs and trees from choking out their habitat. Many people are surprised to learn that wild flytraps need fire to survive. Their energy is stored in a rhizome underground.
At a later date, we will film timelapses of flytraps emerging from the ashes. In the documentary, this sequence will help audiences understand that fire here is not destruction, but renewal.
WECT News Covers ‘Flytrap Town’ with Director Robert Ford and Rescuer Kathy Sykes
Wilmington-based WECT has covered the behing-the-scenes story of Flytrap Town in a TV news package. Reporter Delaney Tarpley interviewed the film’s Emmy-winning director Robert Ford, as well as one of the subjects of the film, Venus flytrap rescuer Kathy Sykes.
The WECT piece let locals in southeastern North Carolina know that the film is in produciton in their area, and is about conservation efforts to save the iconic Venus flytrap which is native only to this area.
30 Days, 5 Counties: Behind the Scenes of Flytrap Town
After six months of dedicated work, Flytrap Town has officially completed 30 days of filming across five counties in North Carolina. London-based documentary filmmaker Robert Ford - whose fascination with the Venus flytrap dates back to childhood - has been leading the project, capturing the incredible beauty and unique behaviors of this iconic plant.