Academic Animals - Behind The Scenes Roger Farr

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, 'tis the season to be jolly!

Can you imagine him dressed up as Father Christmas or an elf just to be close to the animals? We sure do! Welcome to the Christmas episode of Academic Animals in which Roger looks back into his experiences with reindeers during projects for this joyful and lovely season.

Roger met one of his longtime friends in a dog agility competition. This episode is about an experience with his friend Jan and his Saint Bernard dogs, a yogurt commercial, towels drenched in ice-cold water, and a trip from the Italian Alps all the way to Tel Aviv in Israel. Indeed, too many adventures!

Roger recalls the ups and downs of his journey in the film industry working with different animals.

Sometimes things go really well, exceptionally well, while others… don’t. But you know, it is just another day in the office!

The film industry is all about having secrets and tricks up our sleeves.

Hair, makeup, and special effects need them the most. In this episode, Roger reflects on how these three can work together with animals. Fast thinking is required to create these items for dogs, wolves, and monkeys! But also, taking care of animals while doing so, is a must!

In this episode, you will know when and under what circumstances Roger’s wife gave birth to her daughter and how their baby ended up in a supermarket trolley. Roger also shares some of his first experiences working with mice, how he ingeniously created a rubber stamp for autographs, and how tricky dreams can be! Being a professional animal handler can sometimes feel like a roller coaster!

After working for almost 3 decades with animals, there is still one thing Roger can’t quite prepare for, the unexpected. This is the story of a one-eyed bald ostrich that looked more like the turkey you’d see in a supermarket! Roger’s experience has brought him to resolve everything so creatively, in ways that you could not even imagine!