The writer and producer Geoff D’Eon discusses the new documentary, How the Wild Things Sleep, which debuts Friday, 11 March 2022 on CBC’s The Nature of Things, sleep and its importance to humans and other creatures like primates, bees, geese, and more, with Joseph Planta.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

There’s a fascinating documentary that will premiere this Friday night on CBC’s The Nature of Things. How the Wild Things Sleep looks at sleep as researchers study the sleeping habits of orangutans, honeybees, elephants, fur seals, and Canadian geese. The documentary looks at how their experiences might be instructive as to our own, humans that is. Geoff D’Eon joins me now. He’s one of the writers of the film, and we’ll talk about what’s in the film, how creatures like seals can keep one half of their brains awake at all times while sleeping in water, while Canadian geese can do the same, flying hundreds of kilometers a day, even while sleeping. We all lose some function when we don’t sleep enough, and in the film we see the same happens to orangutans and bees. Yet, elephants seem to have no effect on their cognitive abilities if they have less sleep. The film is produced by Tell Tale Productions, and was shot by world-class production teams in Canada, the United States, Germany, South Africa, and Japan. I’ll ask Geoff about how the film was made, about some of the striking shots in it, and what it’s like to write for the film’s narrator, David Suzuki, the long-time presenter of the Nature of Things. Geoff D’Eon is an award-winning veteran of television and event production, with experience as a journalist, producer, writer, director, and executive producer. In his 25-year plus career with the CBC, his work was recognised with twelve Gemini Awards, an International Emmy nomination, and countless other journalism and news awards. In 2001, he produced and directed Rick Mercer’s Talking to Americans, which is the highest-rated comedy special in the history of CBC Television. How the Wild Things Sleep premieres this Friday night, 11 March 2022 at 9pm (9.30pm in Newfoundland) on CBC and CBC Gem. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Geoff D’Eon; Mr. D’Eon, good morning.

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