National Geographic's 'Lion' Series: Four-Year Journey Plus Drone Cinematography by Anthony Njuguna
On August 19, National Geographic will debut its documentary series Lion, directed by Jon Favreau, with streaming available on Disney+ and Hulu the following day. This four-part series chronicles the journey of Kio, a lion cub, as he grows over four years to become the leader of his pride. Aerial cinematographer Anthony Njuguna from Kenya employed a DJI Inspire drone along with various lenses to capture stunning visuals without disturbing the lions, often operating the drone from a vehicle for safety and better angles. Favreau and Mike Gunton from BBC Studios extended the production, highlighting the lion dynamics and the grasslands of the Maasai Mara. Njuguna worked alongside cinematographers Sammy Munene, Job Makatiani, Joe Treddenick, and Tania Escobar to convey the emotional depth of lions.
Key facts
- Lion premieres August 19 on Nat Geo, streams next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
- Directed by Jon Favreau.
- Follows lion cub Kio for four years on his journey to become king.
- Drone pilot Anthony Njuguna used a DJI Inspire drone.
- Njuguna used super-wide, standard, and telephoto lenses; preferred 50mm on Super35.
- He shot from a vehicle and maintained line of sight on the drone.
- Njuguna worked closely with other cinematographers to achieve a consistent look.
- The production was extremely long; Mike Gunton was executive producer for BBC Studios.
Entities
Artists
- Anthony Njuguna
- Jon Favreau
- Mike Gunton
- Sammy Munene
- Job Makatiani
- Joe Treddenick
- Tania Escobar
- Hannah Gormley
- Simon Blakeney
- Sophie Darlington
Institutions
- National Geographic
- BBC Studios
- PetaPixel
- Disney+
- Hulu
- DJI
Locations
- Kenya
- Maasai Mara