The advance of societal organization in urban centers granted us a massive challenge: coexisting with nature on a grander scale. Cities have had to coexist with wild animals since their inception; however, the newer styles of glass, construction, and wildfires offer a dangerous obstacle to different species, especially birds. Director Sally Aitken approaches in Every Little Thing the dynamic of metropoles challenges those animals’ instincts and threatens them severely. An example is the hummingbirds in the Los Angeles area. Their reproduction season coincides with the higher risks of fires in the city, and the animals suffer from the most diverse problems: their nest is set on fire, falls from surfaces, and getting stabbed at spiky objects are some of those occurring. In this sense, human collaboration is crucial to the recovery and survival of some birds, mostly the little birds that separate from their mothers. Terry Masear, a Hollywood area resident, became a hummingbird rehabilitator and ultimate reference in the field.
In more than twenty years, Masear has answered an estimated twenty thousand calls through her hotline that tracks, rescues, and treats hurt animals. She has created a paradise for hummingbirds to heal and learn to fly again at her old-style Hollywoodian house, featuring a long garden and plenty of free space. Multicolored flowers occupy the immense room, contrasting with the white walls of her place. The trajectory of the rehabilitator and the patients intertwine. Masear grew up in the rural Wisconsin area; she flew way too high during college, and she needed to heal from the substance abuse that would hurt her badly. It led to a life on the opposite coast of the United States, in California, where she found love and her desire to save birds. It may be the deepest that we get as to her biography. Director Sally Aitken drifts from focusing on the subject and navigates through her line of work to tell this story. The crucial storyline is the birds’ and not Masear’s.
Additionally, she tries to create a visual metaphor to explain the concepts she is trying to use. Flowers illustrate the multiple varied significances throughout the circle of life. The blooming or rotting conforms to the director’s presentation of the little birds rescued. Indeed, it is a fascinating choice to balance with the observational nature of the work, but it is an artifice with almost no usage. The film shifts from observing to narrating Masear’s conversations with people who ask her to save an animal and her solo moments with the birds. However, Aitken repeats visually when her film floods with a multitude of aerial shots. The drone camera often captures the roof of the house and the ambients. The highly repetitive framing reminds us of the decorated reality shows of Discovery Home and Health. The uneven directing ranges from a coherent nature documentary to a real estate reality show in a few seconds.
The emotional core of Every Little Ting lies between Masear and some birds in her sanctuary. In this sense, we feel their pain and fear but also mourn when they pass away. She has immense difficulty losing any of the birds she looks after. Her love for the birds is notable, and it is clear how she circles her life around her rescue hotline. Yet, there is not an understanding of her life beyond her work and the impact she has. It feels like an utterly curated documentary that avoids showing any mistakes of your subject. Besides some snapshots of her husband and citations of their intimacy, Aitken closes the curiosity gate and tires the audience with the connection lacking with the subject. Her work as a rescuer speaks for itself, whereas there is not enough to care for Masear as a person. Analyzing the public good of her action, especially after the terrible fires in California in 2025, her rescue hotline needs to get all of the praise and support. Still, it is an unidimensional documentary on her subject, and the observation of the birds lacks the focus and deepening to frame it as a birding film.
In the documentary, not every filmmaker balances the subject and its story. Dealing with the representation of reality requires efficacious framing and editing to absorb all of the nuances of its protagonists. Besides the engaging theme and the minimal observation of mockingbirds, Sally Aitken is unsure whether to point her camera at the birds or their rescuer.
Every Little Thing is now available on digital and on demand.
Learn more about the documentary at the official website for the title.
You might also like…
