Filmmaker Q+A with Maxwel Hohn, Director and Cinematographer of Tadpoles: The Big Little Migration

Photo courtesy of Tadpoles: The Big Little Migration

Q:What inspired this story?
The tadpoles had their own story to tell, I just had to spend enough time filming and researching them to discover what that was and translate it to film. These resilient creatures undergo some impressive feats that most people would never have the opportunity to see for themselves. I think what inspired me the most was bringing the amazing natural migration of these toads to light for everyone to see. I love to share my experiences, and hopefully inspire people to care more about our environments and the creatures in them, no matter how small.

Q: Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film. 
The subjects were incredibly tiny, and therefore difficult to film. I used just about every tool in my filming arsenal to get a variety of shots needed to make the film work.

Photo courtesy of Tadpoles: The Big Little Migration

Q: What did you learn from your experience making this film?
I underestimated the amount of time and energy that goes into making a film such as this. It was the first of its kind for me, and I would say the entire experience was a learning curve. It really opened my eyes to the world of filmmaking, and all the skills you must develop to get the proper sequences for the story. In addition to the technical side of things, you also must dive into the world of ecology, and use proper research to ensure our story is based in facts. 

Q: Were there any surprising or meaningful moment/experiences you want to share? Any fun facts about the film, the subject matter or the production crew that might surprise the audience?
As a self-funded passion project, we spent most of our time camping with my fiancée and two dogs. It’s about as grassroots as it come when we have our two westie dogs Fionnigan and Wallace in our credits!

Q: What's next?
​More filming! Whether it’s for other productions, or more personally produced films such as Tadpoles I just can’t get enough, so this is just the beginning

Photo courtesy of Tadpoles: The Big Little Migration