The Benshi

It’s “the feel good movie of the year”! How can you not love it. This is why everyone dreams of living in New Zealand..

SPOILER: They named them “Moonlight” and “Kate” (sorry, had to break the suspense — you still need to watch the video)

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Here’s a video about New Zealand kids and skinks that’s as wholesome as puppies and kittens. If you’re having a sad and uninspiring day, just watch a minute or two of it. You’ll feel better immediately.

Okay, why do I love this video? I get sent a lot of not-so-great videos, but then every so often something wonderful like this comes along — sent to me by Nathan Whitmore who runs the endangered lizard program in Otago, New Zealand. What makes the video so great is the convergence of several factors — the opening music choice (absolutely perfect), the child’s voice narrating, and most powerful for me, the kid with the sticker on his forehead for no clear reason — THAT is the moment where I said to myself, “This is brilliant.”

Seriously. Filmmaking is about clarity and consistency of voice. A video that tries to take a bunch of kids bumping into each other searching for skinks and make a heavy statement would be misguided. Or this same footage cut to some cheesy pop song would be terrible. Or having some boring adult narrating it telling you about the joys of learning … blah. There’s a thousand ways this stuff can be done poorly.

But this one is perfect, and a classic. And in the same league with the videos of the great Steve Ting, also of New Zealand.