WFN 172 - December 2013

The Natural History Unit of Africa Calls for Film Proposal Submissions by 31st January 2014 From NHU Africa18 November 2013

The Natural History Unit of Africa (NHU Africa) is announcing the last call for submissions in 2013.

Commissioning takes place throughout the year at NHU Africa, but producers submitting proposals for this call will be reviewed soonest.

All production companies, independent producers and filmmakers are invited to submit proposals before the deadline by 31 January 2014. NHU Africa will review all proposals that meet the commissioning criteria (see brief below)

The NHU Africa is a commissioning body and production house that produces and commissions some of Africa's finest natural history and wildlife programming. All proposals submitted should adhere to the NHU Africa commissioning brief and include one or more of the following points: Human-Animal Interaction, Adventure/Exploration, The Natural World and Pure Animal Behaviour, Investigation of the Natural World.

Commissioning Editor of NHU Africa, Vyv Simson outlines what is most likely to make up a successful pitch;

"A successful pitch will contain some or all of the following: a strong story intriguingly told; engaging human and animal characters; a dramatic visual style; a sense of something we have not seen before; a fresh insight or approach to something we thought we'd seen before."

See the Commissioning Brief here...

WFN 171 - November 2013

Silverback Films is recruiting Assistant Producers

Are you an experienced AP? If you are and you're available to work in Bristol, Silverback Films are looking for you to work on their latest upcoming landmark series!

Contracts will be for at least a year and there is flexibility with start date. Please send an up-to-date CV to sarah.edwards@silverbackfilms.tv by the 15th of November 2013.

WFN 170 - October 2013

Voluntary Media Production Assistant required by WWT - Slimbridge

At WWT, we believe the best way for people to understand and connect to wetlands is to experience them, so we bring awe-inspiring nature up close and let it do the talking. We are looking for a skilled volunteer wishing to get involved in our work to develop and deliver engaging ways of inspiring people through multimedia. We want you to help us share the stories around our conservation work with a wider audience, and get people excited about the wildlife experiences our centres have to offer.

Download a description HERE. Register your interest by emailing: susan.starkey@wwt.org.uk

WFN 169 - September 2013

Freelance Video Editor required by the RSPB

Freelance Video Editor required for occasional short-form blue-chip and ob-doc projects - visit www.rspb.org.uk/film for examples. Must be proficient in FCP7 and Adobe Premiere. Ideally located in Beds, Herts or Cambs, or must be prepared to travel. Please send CV and expression of interest to: .

Please send CV and expression of interest to: filmunit@rspb.org.uk

WFN 167 - July 2013

Volunteer at Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival

Full-time volunteers will be needed from 20–30th September, 2013, as this will include working during the Great Apes Summit too.

Visit: www.jhfestival.org/aboutUs/volunteer.htm

Application due: August 15, 2013

Click here to download the 2013 Volunteer Application

Highly recommended for newcomers!

WFN 166 - June 2013

FREE Hostile environment course, 4-5th June!

HASP Training are running a Hostile environment course from the 4-5th June 2013 on their training site near Bournemouth and they've generously offered a couple of free places to our members!!

See: www.wildlife-film.com/features/HASP-HostileEnvironmentTraining

So, if you're available and can get to Bournemouth, hurry and get in touch...
Contact Rupert Godesen: +44 (0)7884 001 600, or email: rupert@hasptraining.co.uk

WFN 165 - May 2013

BBC NHU Work Experience Placement Opportunity

Date of Placement: July 2013
Placement Location: Bristol
Placement Length: 4 weeks

The BBC Natural History Unit celebrates over 50 years of wildlife documentary making. The team makes natural history programmes for Television, Radio, On-line and more recently new technology such as mobile phone downloads. They are looking for work experience candidates with a degree in a biological or zoological or related discipline or equivalent.

Find out more and apply here: careers.bbc.co.uk

WFN 165 - May 2013

White-tailed sea eagle images wanted!

Member, Stuart Westfield, is currently self-producing a not for sale/not for profit film featuring the neolithic monuments of Orkney. 5000 years ago white tail sea eagles were common in Orkney and their remains have been found in a tomb there.

Stuart is looking for the following stills/moving images to illustrate the above topic. He has a budget to pay the copyright holder for the images and will be happy to give full credits and a DVD copy of the film, which will be published on YouTube & Vimeo.

He is looking for the following:

STILLS: White tail sea eagle
Close up (head, body, in-flight or perched) with neutral background (eg sky or vegetation).
Uncropped images in landscape orientation.
£25 paid for each image used.

MOVING: White tail sea eagle
Ideally in flight, but perched on nest or in neutral surroundings may also be suitable.
10 second clip needed in 16:9, 25p format, min quality SD 3CCD camera (eg Canon XL2).
£35 paid for each clip used.

Contact details: Stuart Westfield rangerexped@hotmail.co.uk +44 (0)7890 620 274

WFN 165 - May 2013

Volunteer Opening: Wildlife Videographer

Wild Lens is a non-profit dedicated to bringing biologists and filmmakers together to better communicate to the public the various risks to habitat and wildlife species, particularly in understudied populations. Wild Lens is looking for dedicated videographers willing to document their experiences at various field jobs throughout the globe. Primary duties will include documenting key study components and objectives through film, interviewing primary investigators when possible, obtaining signed release forms from individuals for Wild Lens, sending footage to Wild Lens upon conclusion of the field season, working with film producers during post-production, and possibly shooting additional footage when needed after the field job is complete. Videographers must be willing to take the time necessary to obtain footage that will ultimately be used to compose and edit a short Webisode. The Webisode will be used as an educational instrument for organizations conducting wildlife research and to further communicate the mission of wildlife efforts in conservation. To see examples of previous Webisodes, visit this link: www.wildlensinc.org/webisodes.

WFN 164 - April 2013

'WILD to Inspire' short film competition from NatGeo WILD - Now accepting submissions!

Nat Geo WILD, in partnership with the Sun Valley Film Festival and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), announce the first annual WILD to INSPIRE Short Film Competition – a short film competition that will give independent documentarians the chance to win an apprenticeship in wildlife filmmaking with an acclaimed National Geographic filmmaker in Africa. To capture the “WILD to INSPIRE” theme, each film should focus on nature, with the goal of inspiring people to let the wild into their lives every day through content that is awe-inspiring, real, unexpected and fearless.

WILD to INSPIRE - Short Film Competition from Nat Geo WILD.

Films should be no more than 5 minutes long, and will be judged on the following criteria:

• Connection to the theme of “WILD to INSPIRE”;
• Quality of the storyline and script;
• Creativity and/or content originality;
• Production quality; and
• Editing.

The top three finalists will be flown to the Sun Valley Film Festival in 2014, where they’ll screen their short films for festival attendees and a panel of judges. The grand prize winner will receive a trip to AWF’s Maasai Steppe Heartland in Tanzania, Africa, home to a host of wildlife, including African lions. There, he or she will receive a crash course in wildlife filmmaking through an apprenticeship with a National Geographic filmmaker. For full rules - see: media-channel.nationalgeographic.com

WFN 163 - March 2013

JHWFF 2013 Internship Program

The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival now seeking interns for its headquarters in Jackson, Wyoming for the 2013 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival... The ideal candidate has an interest or experience in one or more of the following: documentary filmmaking, environmental conservation, nonprofit organization operations, marketing/communications, event planning, administration assistance and graphic design. Self-motivated individuals that work well in chaotic environments with a Graphic Design, Communications, Journalism or Film background are strongly encouraged to apply. Application PDF

Application deadline will April 1, 2013.

More here: www.jhfestival.org/internship

WFN 162 - February 2013

Eco-Comedy Video Competition Spring 2013

$1000 prize! Sponsored by the Sierra Club and AU’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking

The contest is open to anyone who prepares a short, funny video for YouTube, which communicates a clear message about climate change. Submissions must: Be humorous! Address the issue of climate change. We are interpreting the topic very broadly, so it includes topics like disasters, fossil fuels, clean energy, wildlife (like polar bears), politics, deniers, and so on. Reach a broad audience. Be an original production. Be less than three minutes (including titles and credits). Posted to Eco-Comedy Video Competition 2013 YouTube Channel at: www.youtube.com/user/ecocomedy2013. Submitted by 11:59pm Eastern Time Zone on Friday, March 1, 2013.

There will be six judges representing the Center for Environmental Filmmaking, Sierra Club, the US Environmental Protection Agency, Mill Reef Productions, and EcoSense. The decision of the judges is final. Awards are based on overall merit of the entries. Judges reserve the right not to grant an award. The organizations listed above reserve the right to post submissions on their websites. Submissions that are not received by Friday, March 1, 2013 will not be accepted. The winner will be announced at American University on Tuesday, March 19 at the DC Environmental Film Festival at 7:00pm in the Wechsler Theater. For more information regarding submission guidelines and contest rules, visit: www.american.edu/soc/cef/eco-comedy-film-competition.cfm Questions may be addressed to Chris Palmer at palmer@american.edu.

WFN 162 - February 2013

VI Rental Give It Your Best Shot 2013 Contest

VI Rental is the new name for the Visual Impact Hire department. We would love you to celebrate with us so we've launched a photo contest on our Facebook page where you can submit pictures of yourself or your crew filming. The prize? £500 worth in credit with us to spend in 2013. You can submit as many entries as you want and get your friends and colleagues to vote. The entry with most votes will win. We are looking forward to your entries!

Please visit the contest here: http://www.facebook.com/virental/app_254553244581393 Many thanks and good luck!! All the best, The VI Rental team

WFN 162 - February 2013

Volunteer Editor Opportunity at vEco

An exciting opportunity has come up for a couple of volunteer editors to get involved with renowned primatologist and elephant expert Dr Ian Redmond's new project. It is an online virtual ecotourism concept that aims to launch in the summer at the same time as the 3D film 'Last of the Great Apes' with which Ian was heavily involved. The virtual ecotourism site takes you to the remotest ecosystem hotspots in the far flung corners of the globe to explore, discover and actually see all that the area has to offer. From 360 degree panoramic treetop views from gorilla and orangutan nests, geographic and wildlife facts and experts with information to share, to conservationists working in the field protecting the apes and highlighting their work on camera. Ian talks a lot to camera as he visits and shares the wonders of his natural exploits along the way. The footage clips are made up of Ian's catalogue of self-shot material archived over the years along with new stuff filmed on all trips from now on. The great apes are the main focal point of the project. It is a point and click experience with various tabs on screen to hit and open the information clip windows. See: www.vecotourism.org/news/ian-redmond-veco-ambassador

The need is for a couple of volunteers in the Bristol area to pull out and clean up the small clips from his rushes that will then be used on the site. Some VO may be added and the clips are under direction from Ian and a couple of editors already working with him and therefore very familiar with the project. It is unpaid and casual which is great for anyone looking for experience alongside their daily job, a credible entry for any CV and of course a credit in the finished project. More importantly the project is a fitting tribute to the Great Apes and their environment and all awareness and revenue generated will be put back into the conservation of the ecosystems and apes covered in the project.

Please register your interested by sending your CV and covering email to: news@wildlife-film.com

WFN 162 - February 2013

A Distributor Needed!!

A good distributor is needed for a new wildlife film about rare wildlife encounters in Africa above & underwater. See: vimeo.com/58694562

Please contact Gil Arbel at: gilarbel@hotmail.com.

WFN 161 - January 2013

IWFF Employment News

The International Wildlife Film Festival is currently seeking Festival Coordination Staff to be hired on a contract basis, January through May, 2013. Positions include Festival Coordinator to help coordinate and assist with management of the 36th IWFF, and its supporting programs including the WildWalk Parade, WildFest Family Day of Activities and matinee and film screening programs. Festival Coordinator and support staff will help to develop the festival seminars, workshops and related events. A festival assistant is already in place. Employment upon hire is guaranteed through the end of the 36th IWFF whose last date is May 4, 2013.

We seek individuals with a great team spirit and "can do" attitude, excellent organizational and communications skills; a background and/or experience in film, television and other media and a solid understanding of wildlife, environmental and cultural issues.

Please send one each of the following: Cover Letter - Resume - Three References to the attention of Janet Rose, Executive Director, by email: iwff@wildlifefilms.org or jr1@wildlifefilms.org. Confirmation of receipt of your email materials will be sent. No Phone Calls Please. Salary commensurate with experience.