AJAs 2024 Finalists
Mushroom People
| Slug/Label | |
|---|---|
| Date Aired or Published | April 14, 2024 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | CBC |
| Name of Program: | Atlantic Voice |
| If co-produced, list partner: | |
| Location: | Corner Brook |
| List awards, grants: | |
| Running time (TV/Radio): | 26:10 |
|
Short explanation of the story and how it developed: Mushrooms are a divisive food, and mushroom lovers know it. Good thing they also (for the most part) have a great sense of humour, because they’re in on a not-so-secret secret: mushrooms are, above all, fascinating organisms. That fascination drives this documentary, which explores the world of fungi, particularly in Atlantic Canada. Armed with a sense of celebration and fun, Mushroom People moves from exploring flavours, to the forest, to the almost bewildering amount of mystery surrounding humanity’s knowledge of the Fungi Kingdom. In doing so, Mushroom People also asks questions about the scientific drive to classify and understand the world around us, and the increasing importance of that in an era of changing climate. With foraging becoming a more and more popular hobby, producer Lindsay Bird noticed an online ad for a local mushroom tasting event, and recorded the night of culinary experimentations. From there, she connected with the chef of the event to spend time out in the woods to gain insight into the foraging mindset and an appreciation of the fungal beings, and conducted a remote interview with a prominent mycologist who has also discovered a new species of mushroom found only in Atlantic Canada, and who's primary research involves classifying species. |
|
|
Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: This documentary required several different days of gathering and involved many unbroadcasted research interviews with other fungi lovers in order to ensure factual and scientific integrity and understand the mindset of mushroom people. This documentary aims to both enlighten and entertain, and allow anyone, regardless of whether they’d touch mushrooms or not, to gain an appreciation for the organisms around us. Beyond the gathering, the audio required a week of scripting and editing, with additional polish from producer Caroline Hillier. |
|