What does it take to make beekeeping look authentic in a Hollywood movie? In this BT Short, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman talk with Adam Hickman of Foxhound Bee Company, who served as a bee wrangler and beekeeping consultant for The Rivals of Amziah King, starring Matthew McConaughey.
Adam’s involvement began when a member of the production team visited his Alabama bee supply business looking for inspiration. Before long, Adam and his team were working with the filmmakers—and teaching McConaughey how to look and move like a beekeeper.
Adam takes us behind the scenes of several major bee sequences, including an elaborate cutout staged with a real colony and the striking scene of McConaughey holding a queen while thousands of live bees gather on his arm. The filmmakers wanted real bees, minimal protective equipment, and no CGI substitutes, creating some unusual challenges for the bee-wrangling team.
He also explains how beekeeping equipment, honey-processing gear, colonies, comb, and even the layout of the honey house were sourced and managed for production. And while Hollywood occasionally wins out over absolute accuracy—yes, actors really do run while carrying full honey supers—Adam says the filmmakers made a serious effort to portray beekeepers and beekeeping authentically.
It’s a fascinating look at what happens when the craft of beekeeping meets the craft of filmmaking—and how a group of Alabama beekeepers helped bring the bees to the big screen.
Notes and references:
The Rivals of Amziah King on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27706593/ Behind the Scenes of the Movie: https://www.foxhoundbeecompany.com/blogs/rivals-of-amziah-king-movie ______________
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Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
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