Filmmaker Matthew Griffiths realised his Dad, emeritus professor Charles Griffiths, a marine biologist from UCT had a wealth of knowledge about marine life during a seaside excursion.
The pair then decided to join forces to produce a series of short educational videos. The Youtube series is titled Explore the Shore.
On the show, Charles introduces Matthew to the idiosyncrasies of animals and seaweeds found along the coastline, and the wonders of their diverse habitats.
Their content focuses on the organisms and features of modern-day strandlopers and rock poolers while exploring coastlines.
Charles said coastal residents have little idea of how magical the creatures and their habitats are.
“Each short three to 0-minute episode provides close-up footage of and describes the unique habits of either an animal group or some aspect of this hidden world that most of us have never realised was available on our doorsteps,” he said.
The inspiration for the show came when the pair were on a seaside excursion. Matthew said he realised the vast knowledge his dad holds and did not want it to go to waste.
“I envisioned capturing my dad talking about the marine world in a short series that was engaging, accessible and informative,” he said.
Charles added: “We thought, ‘Let’s do this'. We are the ideal team - a person with the right information and a filmmaker. It can also be a great legacy for the family.”
“Matt and I both realised I have a whole lot of stuff in my head, much of it anecdotal information, which is not suitable for scientific papers, for example, unusual things that I’ve seen animals doing. All that knowledge is going to die with me if we don’t record it.”
The show started along the shorelines in the Western Cape but recently expanded on a family holiday to KwaZulu Natal.
Charles said the point of the series is to get beyond the academic audience and to involve and inspire the public.
“Although my students will also learn things from watching the videos, as they contain unpublished information you won’t find anywhere else,” he said.
He added: “They’re also useful for schools, wherever they are in the country. I’d love to see these used in biology classes, as it’s a free resource and a perfect introduction for those who have little experience of sea creatures.”
The duo plan to release a new episode every second Thursday and currently have a list of 50 different topics to film.
“It is a useful marine biology resource, especially for schools far from the coast,” Charles said.