 Wildlife Film News
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Welcome to our Newest Full Members! |
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Josh Dury – a 22-year old Photographer, Filmmaker, Presenter and Conservationist with predominant interests in Astrophotography, Landscapes and Wildlife. He has a future aspiration to be an Assistant, Camera Operator and Presenter in Science and Natural History Productions. He has previously worked for BBC’s The Sky at Night with X4 Production Runner Broadcast Credits. He gained work experience with production companies and festivals in Bristol, including Films @59 and The Wildscreen Festival. Josh is an advocate of the dark-sky movement to address night-sky conservation. His independant film, “Back to the Light” addresses the impacts of light pollution on the natural world. Josh has appeared on Television, including: BBC1, BBC2, BBC4, ITV and Radio, including: BBC Radio Bristol and Somerset. He has also been shortlisted for Insight Astrophotographer of the Year. Previous organisations and clients include: CfDS - Commission for Dark Skies, The Starlit Skies Alliance, CPRE - Campaign to Protect Rural England, IDA - International Dark Skies Association, English Heritage and Wildlife Conservationist, Mya-Rose Craig.
See:
Website: www.joshduryphoto-media.com |
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Henry Mitchell – a film student and science graduate with a 2.1 in Natural Sciences (Biology and Anthropology), currently completing an MA in Ethnographic and Documentary Film. Looking for work as a researcher for when he finishes, using both his analytical skills he has attained as well as a creative flair. Having been passionate about wildlife all his life he made it his aim to study animal behaviour, evolution and ecology to a high level at university. He also has always wanted to get into the documentary side of film-making which lead hm to study documentary production at uni. This involves the filming (using a Sony 4K camera), production and editing (Adobe Premiere Pro) of three documentary styles, observational, reportage and archive, plus a final graduation film. This has given him the ‘industry-ready’ skills needed to go into a full-time role. Henry has worked as a researcher for a couple of documentaries but would like to ideally go into a role where he can use his understanding for nature and the environment. See his CV:
Email: hwmitchell@aol.com |
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Join them, become our next newest Full Member! |
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As a full member of the site, you get a listing in all appropriate sections, a profile page and priority on your news across the site, this newsletter and our social media accounts. Membership fees help to keep the site going too ... Your support is much-needed! To become a full member ... email membership@wildlife-film.com for an application form. Visit: Wildlife-film.com/freelancers (currently just £30/year!) or Wildlife-film.com/companies (£100/year!) for further info. |
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Remembering Tony Morrison Tony Morrison, the naturalist, filmmaker and writer whose enthusiasm and talents over half a century were focused on Peru and the Amazon, has died at his home in Woodbridge, Suffolk after a short illness. He was 83. Tony, one of the pioneers, with David Attenborough of the BBC’s world-leading wildlife film tradition, was lucky to get to 2020 and he always blessed his good fortune during an enormously productive career and a happy home life with his wife Marion, who he met on the shores of Lake Titicaca in 1963. Marion was, and indeed still very much is, a Welsh girl, social investigator and writer. Much of Tony’s film and writing trips to the Andes and the jungle were made together. At an early stage, in the early 1960s, they became friends of C N (Griff) Griffis, editor and publisher of the Andean Air Mail & Peruvian Times. Dozens of Tony’s photos and stories on the coast, the highlands and jungle appeared first in the PT. In those days the Peruvian Times was famous for publishing every week firsthand accounts of travels in the often remote and little-travelled corners of the Andes and the Western Amazon. Looking back just a few years ago on what turned out to be the last of a lifetime of visits to Cusco and Urubamba, which he knew from the days half a century earlier before tourists, Tony reflected that he and a few others of his generation were the last to travel through the Amazon and the Andes “when the going was still good.” “When we started, they didn’t even give us plastic bags to keep our film or our matches dry. It was canoes, the back of a lorry, a clapped out World War II plane if you were lucky. The jungle really was awful, difficult, dangerous even. Keeping your notes and food from the ants and your precious film out of the river was a bugger. “Thank goodness we don’t have to do it again but I’m glad we did when you still could . Today it’s just hotels, box lunches, airports.” Read more: peruviantimes.com/18/remembering-tony-morrison/32318 |
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A NATURAL CODE – Alan Turing's Enigma Code of Nature - via Wilderland Festival This film explores how one of the most extraordinary breakthroughs in the history of mathematics gave us a new way of seeing the natural world and is now helping conservationists to help endangered species. A short wildlife documentary about patterns in nature and whale sharks - made by Cristina Ceuca, UWE MA Wildlife Filmmaking 2018/2019 Bristol, UK Directer/Producer/Camera Operator: Cristina Ceuca
Subscribe to WilderlandTV: youtube.com/channel/UCyKoalJu0SBDEwRpteoRf_A |
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Introducing the 2020 Jackson Wild™ Media Lab & Summit Fellows Jackson Wild, in collaboration with Day's Edge Productions and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, is proud to announce the distinguished Fellows of the 2020 Jackson Wild Media Lab, which will be held virtually this fall from September 21-25, just prior to the 2020 Jackson Wild Summit. The Jackson Wild Media Lab is an immersive, cross-disciplinary science film making workshop that brings scientists and media creators together to learn from leaders in the profession and work together to develop effective tools to communicate about science, nature and conservation with diverse audiences across the world’s evolving media platforms. Learn more. The selection committee was deeply impressed by the interest and passion this year’s applicants made clear in their applications. From over 220 global applicants, 12 Fellows were accepted into this rigorous filmmaking fellowship, which includes a modest stipend during the workshop and a full pass to the 2020 Jackson Wild Summit. Robert Boyd ... AND the 24 Jackson Wild Summit Fellows Jackson Wild is fully committed to elevating new global voices in storytelling as one of its four pillars of engagement. We are committed to bringing different viewpoints to the table in order to creatively engage new audiences to protect and restore our natural world. This program was created to provide passes, mentorship and unique networking opportunities for filmmakers who will help us diversify our community with regard to race, gender, culture, socioeconomics, geography, and domain knowledge. This scholarship will provide mentorship for emerging conservation media leaders in unique programs that directly connect them with the most influential content creators from around the globe. Recipients will attend the Jackson Wild Summit, September 28 - October 1, 2020. Tessa Barlin Read more about them in the full feature here ... Registration Open September 9: jacksonwild.org/2020-virtual-summit.html |
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Wildscreen appoints new interim CEO to oversee first ever virtual Wildscreen Festival Wildscreen, the UK-based not-for-profit conservation organisation behind the biennial Wildscreen Festival, has today announced the appointment of Sue Martineau to the role of interim CEO, covering the maternity leave of current CEO Lucie Muir. The appointment comes as the charity prepares to celebrate the 20th anniversary edition of Wildscreen Festival as a virtual event this October, helping to bring the natural world to the online world. Sue joins Wildscreen having held senior leadership roles at a range of charities over the past decade, including My Life Films, where she gained insight into the power of compelling story telling. Prior to this she founded and ran a successful event company organising global events with attendees of up to 10,000. Sue will bring highly valuable and pertinent experience to Wildscreen with her unique combination of charity management and corporate event design and delivery. Sue comments: “I feel honoured and privileged to have been given the opportunity to lead the Wildscreen team as interim CEO. Lucie Muir the current CEO has achieved so much with the charity and I am determined to ensure it continues to grow and develop. I hope that people will continue to support us as we transition our world renowned Wildscreen Festival into a virtual edition. It will be the most accessible event to date showcasing ground-breaking content and offering extensive, unrivalled networking” During a period of handover this month, Sue will work alongside current CEO Lucie Muir and the Wildscreen team and board of Trustees to continue to engage key stakeholders, sponsors and supporters of the Festival as well as finalising the event programme and preparing for the first ever virtual Wildscreen Panda Awards, one of the most coveted awards in the global wildlife film and TV industry. Laura Marshall, Chair of Wildscreen’s board of Trustees and CEO of Icon Films added “We are delighted to welcome Sue to the Wildscreen team and feel confident that her extensive experience in both charity management and events will enhance and strengthen the organisation. Sue is joining at a critical time for the charity, as we prepare for an exciting new era in the evolution of Wildscreen Festival. “I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank Lucie for all her incredible and hard work over her years to date at Wildscreen, but particularly in tackling the significant challenges we faced as a result of the coronavirus pandemic over the past months with her creativity, energy and endless enthusiasm. Thanks to her efforts we are now looking forward to supporting Sue and the rest of the team to make sure this years Wildscreen Festival is the best one yet!” Wildscreen Festival will take place from 19-23 October and tickets are currently on sale. Welcome Sue! Also see: Wildscreen Festival 2020 goes virtual, Wildscreen Festival Announces 2020 Panda Award Nominees & Wildscreen Festival Unveils First Ever Official Selection Programme Follow etc: facebook.com/wildscreenfest & twitter.com/WildscreenFest + instagram.com/wildscreenorg |
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Jackson Wild™ Media Awards 2020 Finalists Announced! World’s Top Nature Media Competition Announces Finalists for 2020 Jackson Wild™ is announcing the 2020 finalists for its prestigious film competition, the Jackson Wild Media Awards™, a media competition that is considered to be the highest bar of achievement in the natural history filmmaking industry. For the first time this year, the competition shifts from a biennial to an annual cycle, reflecting the growing importance of the role of media to combat the global issues that confront our planet. This year’s submissions include over 620 category entries from over 30 different countries competing for 30 awards, including the Best of Festival Grand Teton Award. Finalists were selected by more than 150 international judges who together screened over 1,200 hours of media. This year, Jackson Wild is committed to elevating short form entries across all content award categories, recognizing the growing impact of short form programming across digital and social media platforms. The “Impact Campaign” category is another new addition to the competition, highlighting projects that directly motivate people, organizations and policy makers to take tangible action for change. “The judges selected an incredible slate of inspiring finalists with powerful messaging and stunning imaging. These richly woven stories from around the planet are deeply personal and purpose-driven," said Lisa Samford, Executive Director of Jackson Wild. "But, more importantly, they reflect an inherent connection to the species, places and issues that are critical to our survival on this beautiful planet and amplify the importance of what we as individuals can do to make a difference - while the opportunity still exists." A distinguished panel of final judges from around the globe will select the 2020 Jackson Wild Media Award Winners over the coming weeks. Winners will be announced during the Jackson Wild Media Awards held virtually for the first time in its history on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020. The awards are just one element of the Jackson Wild Virtual Summit that will be hosted online from September 28-October 1. Event speakers and delegates will include innovative filmmakers, conservationists, photographers, scientists and thought-leaders from across the globe, all engaged in conservation, nature, wildlife and media. See below for a full list of finalists: CONTENT CATEGORIES Best Animal Behavior Film, Long Form
(Sponsored by Love Nature) Pumas - Legends of the Ice Mountains: Rebirth The Elephant Queen The Octopus in My House Best Animal Behavior Film, Short Form Kidnapper Ants Steal Other Ants' Babies - And Brainwash Them | Deep Look Super Sea Slugs The Honey Bee Brain This Killer Fungus Turns Flies into Zombies | Deep Look Best Ecosystem Film, Long Form
(Sponsored by Wanda Natura) Life and Death in Paradise - After the Flood My Octopus Teacher Okavango - River of Dreams: Divine Journey Santa’s Wild Home Best Ecosystem Film, Short Form Chasing Ghosts Last Wild Places: Iberá Last Wild Places: Majete Best Earth & Sky Film
(Sponsored by ARTE France) Black Hole Hunters The Edge of All We Know s Rise of the Mammals Best Conservation Film, Long Form
(Sponsored by Doclights) Corona - The Pandemic and the Pangolin Jane Goodall: The Hope The Story of Plastic Reef Rescue Best Conservation Film, Short Form
(Sponsored by Humane Society International) Akashinga: The Braves Ones Last Call for the Bayou: On a Wing and a Prayer Last Wild Places: Iberá Plastic Warriors Best People & Nature Film, Long Form
(Sponsored by: Vulcan Productions) Jane Goodall: The Hope My Octopus Teacher The Last Ice The Octopus in My House Best People & Nature Film, Short Form
(Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund) ADAPTATION: Kentucky Akashinga: The Brave Ones The Church Forests of Ethiopia The Hunt for Medals, Not Lions Best Changing Planet Film, Long Form
(Sponsored by PBS) Great Green Wall On Thin Ice The Story of Plastic Best Changing Planet Film, Short Form
(Sponsored by International Fund for Animal Welfare) ADAPTATION: Kentucky Last Call for the Bayou: On a Wing and a Prayer Mermaids Against Plastic: TAMARA Best Science in Nature Film, Long Form
(Sponsored by Marco Polo Film AG) My Octopus Teacher Reef Rescue The Age of AI: Saving the World One Algorithm at a Time The Deep Med Best Science in Nature Film, Short Form Chasing Ghosts Feathers In Flight: The Bird Genoscape Project Lens of Time: Jaw Jumpers The Honey Bee Brain PROGRAM CATEGORIES Best Impact Campaign
(Sponsored by HHMI Tangled Bank Studios) Peng Yu Sai Sea of Shadows The Elephant Queen Best Non-Broadcast
Film (Sponsored by Saint Thomas Productions) African Parks: Protected Area Management Entangled Tribes on the Edge Best Limited Series, Long Form H2O The Molecule That Made Us Pumas - Legends of the Ice Mountains The Hidden Kingdoms of China Best Limited Series, Short Form Last Call for the Bayou Last Wild Places Modern Explorer Wild_Life: The Big Freeze Best Engaging Youth & Family
Film (Sponsored by San Diego Zoo) Feathered Friends - The Secret Life Of Garden Birds Jane Goodall: The Hope The Elephant Queen Best Presenter-Led Film Peng Yu Sai Wild Cuba: A Caribbean Journey Wild_Life: The Big Freeze: Wolf vs. Bear Best Micro-Movie
(Sponsored by Seeker) African Parks: Protected Area Management Breathe - Save the Tongass #NatureNow The Genetics of Tusklessness in Elephants The Tawaki Project Women on a Mission, Poachers to Peacekeepers Best Feature Film
(Sponsored by Terra Mater Factual Studios) My Octopus Teacher The Elephant Queen The Tiger Mafia Best Emerging Filmmaker Hope For A Highland Sea Life on the Rocks Painted Ladies Wild Innsbruck Best 360° Storytelling ecosphere: Kenya Into the Himalayas The Amazing World of Bees: Inside and Outside the Hive Best Global Voices Film Bahari Yetu (Our Ocean) Flying Elephants - A Mother's Hope The Stork Saviours Yaktal CRAFT CATEGORIES Best Cinematography
(Sponsored by Fujifilm and Fujinon Lenses) H2O The Molecule That Made Us: Pulse My Octopus Teacher The Elephant Queen Best Editing H2O The Molecule That Made Us: Pulse My Octopus Teacher Pumas - Legends of the Ice Mountains: Birth Best Original Music Score A Song for Love - An Ape with an App Great Green Wall My Octopus Teacher Seven Worlds One Planet: Australia Best Writing The Octopus in My House Corona - The Pandemic and the Pangolin Wild Cuba: A Caribbean Journey Best Audioscape
(Sponsored by Television Academy Sound Peer Group) My Octopus Teacher Okavango - River of Dreams The Elephant Queen Honorable Mentions Acasa, My Home Bird Boy Cephalopods: Aliens of The Deep Cries of Our Ancestors DEHESA, Forest of the Iberian Lynx Felicia: The Life of an Octopus Fisherwoman Green Forests and Red Carpet Guardians of Ua Huka Kokoly Oil on Their Hands Run Wild About Jackson Wild: For almost 30 years, the Jackson Wild Summit has grown a reputation for hosting an extraordinary convening of scientists, conservationists, innovators and media. The Summit fosters an environment where collaboration and innovation thrive, ideas are launched, and strategic partnerships are forged as participants work together to address critical conservation and environmental challenges facing our planet. The 2020 Jackson Wild Summit will be hosted virtually, September 28 - October 1, 2020. Registration opens mid-August. The Jackson Wild Media Awards are slated to stream live on October 1. Jackson Wild’s international board members include: ARTE France, BBC Studios, Blue Ant Media / Love Nature, Bonne Pioche, Borealés, Discovery, Doclights, FujiFilm Optical Devices - Fujinon Lenses, Gorongosa Restoration Project, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, Humane Society International, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Media Alliance, National Geographic Partners, National Geographic Society, Nature/WNET, Netflix, Off the Fence Productions, PBS, Saint Thomas Productions, San Diego Zoo, Seeker, Smithsonian Channel, Sony Electronics, SVT - Swedish Television, The Nature Conservancy, Terra Mater Factual Studios, ORF Universum, Vulcan Productions, Wanda Films, WGBH, and World Wildlife Fund US. Visit/Like facebook.com/jacksonwildorg & follow twitter/jacksonwildorg & instagram.com/jacksonwildorg |
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8 Jackson Wild Nominations For South African Nature Film ‘My Octopus Teacher’ An unexpected film about a man’s bond with an octopus entitled My Octopus Teacher is captivating film festivals and competition judges worldwide. It racked up eight nominations, more than any other film in this year’s lineup, for the renowned Jackson Wild Media Award, one of the most important nature film competitions on the globe. It recently won Best Feature at Earth X and is in the running for another four conservation film awards this year, including two prestigious Panda awards at the Wildscreen Festival. ‘A real world “Charlotte’s Web” story that is filled with heart and drama and extraordinary beauty, My Octopus Teacher reminds us of the transformative power of love.’ said Lisa Samford, Executive Director of Jackson Wild. The feature documentary is a collaboration between the Sea Change Project, an NGO raising awareness of the beauty and ecological importance of South Africa’s kelp forest, Off the Fence Productions based in the Netherlands and Netflix. This is the first Netflix Original Documentary to come out of South Africa. Directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed and produced by Craig Foster, My Octopus Teacher is the culmination of a decade of hard work and dedication to showcasing The Great African Seaforest and the creatures that live in it. The story is about Craig Foster, who suffering from a loss of purpose, begins a daily diving regimen in the freezing kelp forests at the tip of Africa in order to re-energize himself. Foster is an award-winning filmmaker and co-founder of the Sea Change Project, and has dedicated the past nine years to diving every day in the Atlantic Ocean without a wetsuit, documenting the process of how the human body adapts to cold and studying the kelp forest ecosystem. What he discovers below the water’s surface is a totally alien motivation in the form of an unusually curious octopus. This beautiful record of an animal’s entire life—something seldom achieved in the wild, let alone underwater—was shot over a full year and explores the habits and personality of a strange, undulating creature that most of us have only ever eaten.
Read more: iafrica.com/8-jackson-wild-nominations-for-south-african-nature-film-my-octopus-teacher My Octopus Teacher will launch on Netflix on 7 September: netflix.com/title/81045007 |
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The Making of My Octopus Teacher By Swati Thiyagarajan, Sea Change Project My Octopus Teacher is a Netflix Original documentary about Craig Foster's journey into the Great African Seaforest and his experiences with the wild octopus that he visited everyday. This is the story of how the film was created. Finding the story The ocean looked especially lively. White horses rode hard towards rocks while the occasional spindrift lifted towards the sky. It was one of those days when the South Easter howled down False Bay and anyone with even a modicum of common sense would not attempt a swim. However, there I was on my deck at home, worrying about three people. Craig, Pippa and Roger, who were out there filming Craig in the water. They were not auditioning for a Survivors type show, but filming Craig who had made a promise to himself in 2010 that he would swim in the ocean every single day - no matter what. It was his way of dealing with a deep disconnect from nature and himself, and healing the physical and psychological pain that he was experiencing as a result. It was his happy place, even in moments like this, when the ocean looked like a washing machine. All three of them are experienced swimmers and divers. They were diving within 100m of the shore, inside the kelp forest that helped to dampen the oceans’ ferocity. They were shooting a film titled My Octopus Teacher. On this day in 2017, the project was just starting to shape into a film. Its true origin however, began in 2012 when Craig began documenting the wonders of the great underwater forests of Cape Town. A few years into this process he met a very special, wild octopus and started filming her. For years, Craig dived and filmed alone, but when he started having extraordinary experiences with the octopus, Roger Horrocks, an award-winning camera operator and old friend of Craig’s, recognised that there was something very special here. The duo spent hundreds of hours underwater and created a sequence for the BBC’s Blue Planet II. Craig had been mulling over ideas for a kelp forest film for year, and he suddenly realised that he had a story. Towards the end of the shoot, a young filmmaker called Pippa Ehrlich helped out for a couple of days underwater. Pippa was a specialised marine conservation journalist and storyteller who had been diving almost daily with Craig for 6 months. In early 2017 he invited her to help him craft all of his extraordinary underwater experiences into a feature documentary. Read more: stories.seachangeproject.com/the-making-of-my-octopus-teachernbsp
An interview with Pippa Ehrlich, the director of My Octopus Teacher! Learn about her connection the kelp forest, how she started working with Craig Foster to make My Octopus Teacher, what the process involved and some of the crazier stories along the way! To find out more about the film go here: stories.seachangeproject.com/my-octopus-teacher |
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Jackson Wild™ Announces New Initiative for 2020 Virtual Summit: Action Coalitions Jackson Wild™ is announcing its newest initiative: Jackson Wild Action Coalitions. These four coalitions will each be tasked with brainstorming tangible, solutions-based outcomes to be presented and discussed by delegates attending this year's Virtual Jackson Wild Summit™. Together, alongside a long list of influential global partners, Jackson Wild's goal is to reimagine how the industry and community can amplify conservation through strategic collaborations while making systemic changes to elevate inclusion, impact and green production principles demanded during a time of dramatic industry revision. Coalitions will meet in small groups over the coming weeks, generating new ideas and approaches to address core issues related to inclusion, diversity, impact and green production standards that will culminate in live Forum sessions to present proposed action(s) for radical positive change to delegates at the 2020 Jackson Wild Virtual Summit. "We have a unique opportunity to elevate understanding that humans are not an essential and inescapable part of nature," said Lisa Samford, Executive Director of Jackson Wild. "Embracing diversity and including all people — as part of the story, the crew, the agents and beneficiaries of local stewardship, will we amplify what we all truly care about: thriving people caring together for a thriving planet." The 2020 Jackson Wild Action Coalitions focus on:
Learn more at www.jacksonwild.org/action-coalitions |
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Jackson Wild™ Announces 2020 Legacy Awards and Rising Star Award Winners For almost 30 years, the Jackson Wild Summit™ has brought together filmmakers, scientists, conservationists, innovative media creators and thought leaders for a multi-day industry conference, during which the Jackson Wild Legacy Award™ Winners and the Rising Star Award Winner are honored. Jackson Wild is proud to announce this year’s winners of each of these prestigious awards. The Legacy Awards are Jackson Wild’s highest recognition, honoring visionary filmmakers, conservationists, scientists and innovators. This year, Jackson Wild has chosen to recognize two Legacy Award honorees. Enric Sala, Pristine Seas will receive the Jackson Wild Legacy Award in Science and Conservation in recognition of his lifetime in the research and protection of our planet’s oceans. Enric founded and leads National Geographic Pristine Seas, a project that is dedicated to protecting some of the most biologically important areas of the ocean. Pristine Seas has inspired the creation of protected areas where marine life can thrive while ensuring effective management for years to come. The project has helped protect nearly six million square kilometers across 22 protected areas to date and works in support of a global goal to protect at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. Pristine Seas partners with country leaders, businesses, NGOs, local governments, and communities, and through pioneering research and captivating storytelling has helped to establish some of the largest marine reserves in the world. Since its inception, the project has conducted more than 30 expeditions, published more than 170 scientific papers in peer-reviewed scientific literature, and produced 28 documentaries. Steve Burns will receive the Jackson Wild Legacy Award in Media. Steve’s career spans more than 25 years from National Geographic cinematographer/producer to EVP of Production and Chief Science Editor for Discovery Networks, including GM of Science Channel. He returned to National Geographic as EVP of Global Content for NGC worldwide. Burns was a freelance Executive Producer for WNET/ New York’s long-running series, Secrets of the Dead, for PBS before joining CuriosityStream as Chief Content Officer, programming the 5-year-old factual SVOD, pay and liner service, now available in 13-million homes worldwide. Burns recently retired from CuriosityStream rejoining Roller Coaster Road Productions as EP at the company he founded in 2011. He also continues as Special Advisor to CuriosityStream. He has won multiple industry awards, including two Emmys for 5 Years on Mars and Spirit of the Rainforest. His teams have been nominated for two Academy Awards, won two Peabody Awards and well over 200 Emmy nominations, including dozens of wins, most recently Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places in 2017 at CuriosityStream. This Jackson Wild Legacy Award in Media keynote is sponsored by Doclights. Extending beyond its tradition of honoring the outstanding innovators and leaders of our industry industry, Jackson Wild™ is committed to elevating emerging leaders in nature, conservation and science media. The Rising Star Award exemplifies outstanding achievement alongside extended impact, and this year, Gunjan Menon, an independent conservation filmmaker and writer from India will be recognized. An accomplished filmmaker, Gunjan is Founder and CEO of ‘Beyond Premieres’, an organization that supports filmmakers to create tangible impact through their art. She spends a great deal of time teaching and mentoring emerging storymakers in India and Africa to hone their craft. In addition, she is a volunteer bat rescuer and advocate, working within communities to change commonly vilified perceptions of the little-known species. This year’s Legacy Awards and Rising Star honorees will accept their awards during the first-ever Virtual Jackson Wild Media Awards™, slated for Oct 1 during the Virtual Jackson Wild Summit™ following keynote conversations presented earlier in the week. For more information, visit here for more about our Legacy Awards, and here for more about our Rising Star Award. |
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36th edition of Festival de Ménigoute: 36 films and 10 shorts in competition – An interview. Guilaine Bergeret, director, Patrick Luneau, director, and Philippe de Grissac, vice-president of the LPO, reveal to us the trends in the selection of films in competition for this 36th edition. Among the hundred or so documentaries viewed, 36 films and 10 short films will be screened during the festival, plus two films out of competition. Have the constraints of the Covid for the next edition of the festival changed your criteria for choosing the number of films to present, the preferred format? Not at all! The screenings will be organized differently, with more, but shorter screenings. To complete the offer, we are studying the possibility of decentralizing certain sessions to two or three neighboring municipalities. This project is under advanced discussion, we will seek production approval and then we will settle the logistical aspects. Which format dominates? The 52 minutes, due to television sales. This is why, for the selection of short (15 minutes maximum), the selectors of the short format2 do not content themselves with the films they receive, but apply for masters and seek nuggets on Vimeo or at other festivals. We have not yet received any animated films this year, although we are not closed to them. What proportion of French and foreign films this year? There is a great diversity of countries represented - 13 nationalities are represented - with a newcomer like Georgia and the return of Iran with a film on the Iranian cheetah. Striking views? Nuggets? Patrick Luneau: Generally speaking, this year I noticed more originality in the way of approaching the subjects, and I was seduced by a French film, Amnesia of nature, which explains how the memory of nature is lossed over generations. You end up being satisfied with what you have and this film invites us to fight against that. I was taken aback by a Hungarian film which approaches its subject through a ghost. At first, its slowness scared me, then I let myself go in contemplation, in wonder. I think you have to dare to be surprised, including by the slowness and humility, and am sensitive to the absence of imprinted animals. I am also campaigning to promote these films. Philippe de Grissac: I fell in love with the Georgian film, precisely, which deals with the place of nature in the city. I, who don't really like music in documentaries, loved the beginning: a long traveling in a car with a rock track, which takes us to a construction site. And there, an intriguing sound ... I'll let you discover the rest! I was won over again by "the" Jan Haft, German director who won several awards at Ménigoute. His film on a simple meadow threatened by modern agricultural practices is an ode to natural meadows. Another landmark film I liked: a journalist's investigation into the disappearance of common birds alongside a famous German ornithologist. It is a fluid and at the same time very well documented film that delivers a message of hope at the end, where the journalist disappears behind his words. Guilaine Bergeret: We are paying attention to a form of daring in the courts that we select, linked to the youth of this competition, which is only three years old. And we don't hesitate to choose films that will make your teeth cringe. Our selection is not yet final, but there is one movie we particularly like about wild horses that are captured in the United States and broken out by prisoners. The parallel questioning of the loss of freedom is startling. What topics are in the spotlight? Philippe de Grissac: The themes of climate change and the loss of biodiversity are asserting themselves. Even the monographs on bird species are part of an issue linked to ecosystems. Another theme emerges: the song of birds, with the technical means available today. A film is interested in it, a little anthropomorphic at first, but in the end very scientific and captivating. Patrick Luneau: I have an appetite for films that denounce something, especially that of former Ifffcam students on the capture of goldfinches in Algeria, which are then reared in cages. The problem is well posed, without aggressiveness, with a solution that works. Let it be said, I am campaigning for a Whistleblower Award! Even if the courage to alert is implicitly taken into account in our choice of films. Among the trendy subjects, I note that the snow leopard is back this year! Guilaine Bergeret: More than pure animal, our selection of shorts favors more open subjects, which take very different directions, even if the form can be classic. Which regions are highlighted? The Arctic, with the melting of permafrost; South America ; Taiwan, with a film about an endemic owl and a fascinating scene about the exploits of a veterinarian; the Portuguese coast; Africa, with a film about Okavango by a South African who has made four there. We thought we knew everything about this delta and we are still learning new things! Do you ever disagree? We generally have the same point of view, which respects a very qualitative editorial line and a demanding technical level. Bad framing, blurry images, can doom a good film. When one of us hesitates, the other watches the film and there is debate. Despite these safeguards, in the end, we are always criticized for certain selected films! Translated from: menigoute-festival.org/newsletters/2020-08
The 36th "International Festival of Ornithological Film" will take place from October 27th to November 1st 2020 in Ménigoute (Deux - Sèvres - FRANCE). Visit: menigoute-festival.org Follow: facebook.com/festivalmenigoute & twitter.com/FestivMenigoute |
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10 years of the the British Wildlife Photography Awards - Retrospective This year the British Wildlife Photography Awards celebrates its tenth anniversary with a special retrospective exhibition. It has been ten years since the very first British Wildlife Photography Awards and we are very grateful to all the photographers, judges, supporters and sponsors who have made it possible. The superb photography, memorable events, popular exhibitions and books – and of course some of the most outstanding wildlife photography in the world. This is a unique legacy captured by thousands of dedicated and talented photographers during the last decade, which has reached millions each year through exceptional media coverage. We are celebrating this anniversary with a Ten Years of British Wildlife retrospective exhibition. For the first time the touring show will include all the overall winners along with a selection of category winners and highly commended images. The exhibition begins its tour with a unique outdoor exhibition in the beautiful garden and park of Astley Hall in Lancashire from early September 2020 through to March 2021. Visitors can experience these images in a way which has not been done before and enjoy the original perspective of finding an underwater world in the woods and get up close and personal with all creatures great and small within the walled garden. The exhibition will also be on tour at indoor venues commencing with Nature in Art, Gloucestershire, from 10th November to 10th January. Further indoor venues will be added when confirmed. Tour schedule Early September 2020 through to March 2021: Astley Hall Park and Garden, Chorley, Lancashire. Dates and more details will be available nearer the time on the Astley Hall website and also here. This will be a unique outdoor exhibition situated amongst the beautiful garden and park. 10th November 2020 to 10th January 2020: Nature in Art, Twigworth ,Gloucester Visit: bwpawards.org/c/galleries/exhibitions Adjusting to Covid-19 We can now confirm there will not be a 2020 competition. We would like to thank our photographers, sponsors, friends and supporters for their patience and we realise what a disappointment this is. At the beginning of this year we announced the competition would start later in the year than usual. With very unfortunate timing, this meant we did not open before the start of the Covid-19 crisis, and so we made the difficult decision to defer the opening. Our own team would have had difficulty in managing the competition during lockdown. We also recognise the importance of our sponsors in supporting BWPA each year, and we appreciate that some of those businesses were facing their own challenges because of Covid-19. We have now chosen to defer the next competition to 2021, to ensure the best possible competition is run when it is safe and practical to do so. Meanwhile we are undertaking the retrospective show to mark ten years of the BWPA – and to look forward to many more. See: BWPA 2019 Winners Announced British Wildlife Photography Awards 10 British Wildlife Photography Awards 10, published by Ammonite Press showcases the very best entries from the British Wildlife Photography Awards in 2019. This stunning coffee table book is a celebration of British Wildlife as captured on camera by today’s best amateur and professional photographers. Order book 10 for £25, with free postage and packing. |
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Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital are now accepting submissions for 2021! The 29th Annual DCEFF will be held March 18-28, 2021. We look forward to offering a robust online festival, as in-person theatrical screenings will continue to be pending until safety permits. We welcome film submissions on all topics related to the natural and built environment. Submission Categories Short Films This category includes films with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including credits. Feature Films This category includes films with a running time greater than 40 minutes. Please carefully read the rules and guidelines for submissions posted on FilmFreeway. If you have specific questions about submitting a film to DCEFF, contact samantha@dceff.org. More here: dceff.org/submissions 2021 Festival Deadlines:
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The IVFF Goes Virtual for 2020 The International Vegan Film Festival is going virtual for its third annual event. The 2020 festival will take place online with digital screenings, panels, filmmaker Q&As and more from October 10th-17th. Founded in 2018, the International Vegan Film Festival is dedicated to celebrating the vegan ideal: a healthier, compassionate, environmentally-friendly lifestyle that can be achieved through the consumption of plants and animal-free alternatives. “Like many other live events around the world, we've had to adapt to prioritize the safety, comfort, and well-being of our community,” said festival executive director, Shawn Stratton. The full list of films playing in the festival will be available in late September, but a few of the films that will be included are Regan Russell - A Short Documentary, Butenland, and INVISIBLE. "One of the reasons I started the International Vegan Film Festival was to help people discover outstanding vegan-themed films they have not heard of before or may never [have] had an opportunity to see. I also wanted to give vegan themed filmmakers another platform to highlight their work to more audiences," Stratton said. The Festival judging panel includes Miyoko Schinner (founder of Miyoko’s Creamery), Dale Vince (CEO of Ecotricity), David Flynn (one of the twin brothers behind Ireland's vegan foodie empire, The Happy Pear), and Seth Tibbott (founder of Tofurky).
The event will take place on the Eventive platform with the full event schedule and ticket information being released in mid-September on the festival website: theivff.com |
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DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: A LIFE ON OUR PLANET - Premiering In Cinemas For One Night Only September 28 One man has seen more of the natural world than any other. This unique feature documentary is his witness statement. In his 94 years, David Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and documenting the living world in all its variety and wonder. Now, for the first time he reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime as a naturalist and the devastating changes he has seen. Honest, revealing and urgent, DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: A LIFE ON OUR PLANET is a powerful first-hand account of humanity’s impact on nature and a message of hope for future generations. Created by award-winning natural history filmmakers Silverback Films and global conservation organisation WWF, the film is Directed by Alastair Fothergill, Jonnie Hughes and Keith Scholey and Executive Produced by Colin Butfield. Celebrated British naturalist Sir David Attenborough has a broadcasting career spanning over six decades. He has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and bringing the wonders of the living world to audiences worldwide through groundbreaking natural history series. His work includes: Life on Earth, Planet Earth and more recently the Netflix original documentary series Our Planet. After the film, audiences will have the unique chance to watch a very special, exclusive conversation between Sir David Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin. This will only be available in cinemas.
Get tickets: attenborough.film Follow: facebook.com/DavidALifeFilm & twitter.com/DavidALifeFilm |
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Silverback Films response to Daily Mail What Planet are they on? article ... On the 16th of August, the Daily Mail publiahed an article entitled What Planet are they on? Blue Planet's creators 'made millions from adverts for plastic bottles that clog up oceans' It stated "The creators of BBC’s Blue Planet series made a fortune promoting one of the world’s largest producers of disposable plastic bottles. Alastair Fothergill’s firm is believed to have received millions of pounds after it produced adverts for Chinese company Nongfu Spring – which sells 15billion bottles of water a year. Silverback Films – founded by Mr Fothergill and fellow filmmaker Keith Scholey – made the commercials in the style of natural history documentaries, with birds flying above snow-capped mountains and tigers drinking from crystal clear streams. Meanwhile discarded bottles of Nongfu Spring, the biggest water bottle manufacturer in China, are routinely found polluting oceans and shores around the globe." The rest of the article can be read here: dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8633499/Blue-Planets-creators-millions-adverts-plastic-bottles-clog-oceans.html Here's one of the beautifully done promos:
Following several comments and enquiries from members and subscribers, I asked Silverback Films for a response to the article today. Keith Scholey responded swiftly with the following: "Below is what we told the Daily Mail before the article was written. Sadly none of this was reflected in the eventual article. Here it is: We were approached by Nongfu Spring in 2016 to make a 20-minute conservation wildlife film and a number of short promotional films about the Changbaishan National Nature Reserve, explaining the vital role this pristine area plays in providing clean, drinkable water without the need for treatment, and the importance of protecting it. We discovered that this 2,000 square kilometre reserve is one of the most important conservation areas in China as well as an essential source of natural drinking water. At the time, very few wildlife films were being shown widely to Chinese audiences and the crucial link between the protection of the natural world and clean water was not well understood. Conservation in China is of global importance and in our judgement, this was an important opportunity to highlight this link. Silverback Films understands the issues around plastic and that we all need to end single use plastics except where there is no safe alternative. It is important for your readers to understand that much of the tap water in China is of too poor quality to drink and this is the primary reason for the high consumption of bottled water. In our work telling conservation stories, we often have to balance competing environmental issues. In this case, we believed assisting in the conservation of one of China’s largest wild forests was important which is why we chose to make these films." Visit: silverbackfilms.tv/shows |
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Corina Newsome, co-organiser of #BlackBirdersWeek, speaks with Chris Packham Corina Newsome is an American biologist and naturalist who co-organised the inaugural #BlackBirdersWeek in early 2020. Here she joins UK naturalist and TV presenter Chris Packham for a chat about her work and how she got involved in nature conservation...
Follow Corina online: This is an excerpt from The Self-Isolating Bird Club, presented by Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin. Watch the full episode here: youtu.be/LS-9U79YXyk |
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The Story of Tom the Golden Eagle — Chris Packham The Story of Tom the Golden Eagle who disappeared in suspicious circumstances on a Scottish grouse moor.
For further details about Tom's disappearance visit:raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2020/08/10/golden-eagle-tom-disappears-in-suspicious-circumstances-on-scottish-grouse-moor Take action to call for urgent reform of our uplands and lobby your local politician now at wildjustice.org.uk/sos |
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Akashinga: The Brave Ones | National Geographic With many of Africa’s key species, including elephants, heading toward extinction, Akashinga is a radical, new and highly effective weapon against poaching. Founded in Zimbabwe by former Australian special forces soldier and anti-poaching leader Damien Mander, the women-only team of rangers is revolutionizing the way animals are protected, communities are empowered — and its members’ own lives are being transformed. Mander’s innovative approach to conservation calls for community buy-in rather than full-on armed assault against poachers: If a community understands the economic benefits of preserving animals, then it will eliminate poaching without an armed struggle. Executive produced by three-time Academy Award winner James Cameron and directed by Maria Wilhelm, AKASHINGA: THE BRAVE ONES is a celebration of the courage, conservation and unorthodox thinking that’s leading to massive positive change. |
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Release of 'Montom', the Rehabilitated Sun Bear ... from SZtv On 10th July 2020, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) team reintroduced their eighth release candidate Montom (an six years old adult male sun bear) into the wild. Rescued from Kampung Melangkap, Kota Marudu on 18 January 2015, Montom was originally taken as a cub after a dog chased away his mother. After five years of rehabilitation, Montom had developed excellent forest survival skills and was therefore ready to be reintroduced into the wild! Simon and Jason headed over to BSBCC on the 9 July to document the preparation and then at 5 pm, the bear release team and Montom departed, where they were on the road for an eight-hour journey to the northern part of Sabah and four-hour off-road journey to release site. The journey to the release site was challenging but once in place, the door was opened at 6.18 am and Montom ran straight into the forest and finally disappeared in the woods. It was a huge privilege for Scubazoo to be a part of this process and document the release of Montom into the wild.
To see more pictures of the preparation to release Montom back into the wild, visit: scubazoo.tv/2020/08/03/release-of-montom-the-rehabilitated-sun-bear |
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Mythbusting Opossum Facts with Alex Goetz What's the difference between an opossum and a possum? Are opossums really disease-driven? Explore the myths and misconceptions about the misunderstood opossum with wildlife filmmaker Alex Goetz.
See Alex's website: agoetzfilm.com For full NATURE episodes, check out pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes Listen to Alex talking to Marlina Moreno about Breaking into Wildlife Film-making on her Gone Wild Show ... "a new, wildlife-inspired podcast series for people that give a damn about the planet". Go here: gonewildshow.com/episode5 Also see this Hakai Magazine Feature: Keepers of the Deep |
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Lundy Island - Manx Shearwaters & Storm Petrels from Joshua Harris On Lundy island, the seabird action doesn't stop after dark! In this video Josh checks out the manx shearwaters, which breed in their thousands on Lundy, and the even more exciting, super elusive, super rare storm petrels!
Website: joshuaharriswildlife.co.uk Follow: instagram.com/joshharriswild, twitter.com/joshharriswild & www.facebook.com/joshharriswild |
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VENOMOUS SNAKES In The UK?! Finding and Filming The British ADDER from Ewan Wilson He says: "When you think of venomous snakes you tend to think of countries with hot climates and palm trees, but in this episode I found and filmed a population of venomous snakes which call South Wales (United Kingdom) home! The animal we are filming today is the British/European Adder, one of the most unique snake species on the planet. Not only is the Adder incredibly beautiful, if is very much at home in the soggy cold climates of the UK! "
Instagram - www.instagram.com/true_naturetv |
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South Georgia announces the launching of a 'Visitor's Guide' film narrated by Sir David Attenborough The Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) is excited to announce the launch of its new film ‘South Georgia – A Visitor’s Guide’, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. The film (*) has two key messages; firstly, it encourages visitors to respect and protect the island so their visit can be truly sustainable, but there is another message which is relevant to us all; proof that nature can recover, if we give it the chance. The film tells the story of how with careful management, ambitious hecabitat restoration projects, dedication and the passing of time, an ecosystem was saved from disaster. Past human activities on South Georgia harmed the environment through sealing, industrial whaling and unregulated fishing. The introduction of rats, reindeers and invasive plants upset the delicate ecological balance on land, pushing some species to the brink of extinction. Today, through hard work and commitment, South Georgia is a global rarity; an ecosystem in recovery. Fur seals now number around 5 million, that’s 95% of the global population. 400,000 nesting pairs of king penguins and their chicks jostle for space with nearly half a million southern elephant seals; South Georgia is home to the greatest concentration of seabirds and marine mammals on the planet. Professor Dame Jane Francis DCMG, Director of the British Antarctic Survey said: “South Georgia is a real gem in the Southern Ocean. The breath-taking scenery and stunning wildlife will fill you with awe and make you wonder at the incredible beauty of the island in its natural state. South Georgia shows us how much better our planet can be if we learn to live in balance with nature.” Sir David Attenborough introduced the world to this remarkable place almost thirty years ago in the ground-breaking BBC series Life in Freezer. His association with the island has continued over the years with subsequent wildlife documentaries including Blue Planet and Frozen Planet. Passionate about the ongoing need to protect the ecology of South Georgia, Sir David has generously lent his voice and provided the narration for this new visitor film, in which he says “I’d like to invite you to… share the wonderful story of how an ecosystem can be saved from disaster. Let [South Georgia] it be your inspiration to seek out nature, and play your part in protecting and restoring our planet, whenever and however you can.” Watch the film here: gov.gs/south-georgia-a-visitors-guide |
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War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita ... The Fight Goes On! It is over a year since Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Anita Rani launched their war on plastic, revealing the enormity of the problem of single-use plastics. In this follow-up episode, Hugh and Anita ratchet up their efforts a gear as they take on the companies that make tea bags and sandwiches, continue the battle with fast-food companies and their plastic toy giveaways and challenge a British family to go plastic free on a budget. We eat around six million prepacked sandwiches every day. Hugh wants to know what happens to all the plastic-lined packaging. Are they as widely recycled as the labelling suggests? He is horrified to discover that the industry is not as transparent as it seems. We also drink around 100 million cups of tea every day. Anita has heard that tea bags may hide a dirty plastic secret. Experiments in a lab confirm her fears and give her the information she needs to confront the brands responsible. And we all know that doing a weekly shop without accumulating bin-loads of plastic can be expensive. Like most of us, the Oliver family from Berwick shop on a budget, but they also want to go plastic free. They challenge Anita to show them how making innovative switches can really help with the plastic problem, without costing the earth. But then coronavirus hits, and the take-up of single-use plastic around the world increases dramatically. In hospitals and care homes this makes complete sense, but what about the rest of us? Anita and Hugh investigate whether it is any safer to buy fruit and veg wrapped in plastic and discover the problem with single-use disposable plastic masks.
Visit: bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000m82c |
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National Geographic Documentary Films Announces The Last Ice From National Geographic Pristine Seas Premiering on National Geographic this October, the Feature Doc Chronicles the Inuit Communities Fighting to Protect a Rapidly Changing Arctic and Keep their Culture Alive Feature Doc Part of Global Cross-Platform Celebration of the National Geographic Pristine Seas Project:
“Our human rights as a people and the protection of our wildlife go hand in hand.” — Maatalii Okalik, Inuit Youth Activist Scientific projections forecast the total disappearance of summer sea ice in the Arctic — the critical cooling system of our planet — by as early as 2040. THE LAST ICE tells the story of the Inuit communities fighting to protect the rapidly disappearing Arctic that has been their home for centuries. Filmed over four years and featuring interviews with Inuit community leaders, traditional hunters, activists and youth, THE LAST ICE has screened at film festivals around the world, including Movies that Matter and Mountainfilm. Directed by Scott Ressler and executive produced by Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas, the feature doc will premiere on National Geographic Channel this October in 172 countries and 43 languages. |
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Tiny Creatures: How one film-maker completed a wildlife series in a Norfolk studio during lockdown Jonathan Jones produced Tiny Creatures, which has been released on Netflix, within the confines of a studio in Norfolk The award-winning wildlife film-maker Jonathan Jones has, throughout his 20-year career, circled the globe many times. He has been to the Namibian desert, Hong Kong and the Seychelles. On another occasion, while making BBC1’s epic series Planet Earth II, Jones trekked up the Himalayas for six days to spend three weeks at an altitude of 6,000 metres filming the jumping spider, the Himalayan tahr and the monal pheasant. However, Jones had to travel rather less far for his latest series. He filmed the bulk of Tiny Creatures, which has been released on Netflix, entirely within the confines of a studio in Norfolk. While abiding by social distancing rules, Jones managed the remarkable feat of delivering an eight-part wildlife docu-drama series during lockdown. If the restrictions dictated by the global pandemic continue, Tiny Creatures could well be the future of natural history film-making. Scripted, storyboarded and shot like a movie, Tiny Creatures is a technical marvel. It was also made in record-breaking time. Each episode of a traditional, blue-chip wildlife series takes more than a year to film, whereas each episode of Tiny Creatures was shot across just 27 days.
Read more: inews.co.uk/culture/television/jonathan-jones-planet-earth-tiny-creatures-netflix-572136 Ember Films says: Excited to share the technical approach Ember created for ‘Tiny Creatures’ a unique animal drama designed to engage families and a younger audience. Captured in a completely safe and controlled environment the animals were filmed separately then overlayed with each other in postproduction to portray the epic drama that exists between predator and prey. ‘Tiny Creatures’ tells the story of the lives and journeys incredible animals make as they fight to survive in the harsh environment they call home. Watch: TINY CREATURES - Creating the Drama Watch the eight-part series: netflix.com/title/81004151 |
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James Dunbar's DIRECTORS COMMENTARY - Hoverflies Janes says: "This is something new for you all. It is a directors commentary film where I explain a bit about how I shot the sequence and what some of the motivations and challenges that I experienced were. Please let us know what you think! If you like this sort of thing and want to see more."
Websites: www.jamesdunbarphotography.com & www.teamcandiru.co.uk |
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Dr. Jane Goodall shows her support for ECOSTREAMZ Listen to why Jane Goodall thinks that Ecostreamz is an important platform for making sure films that have the potential to make a difference are able to reach audiences, helping viewers to understand the important issues of our day and ultimately affect change. Become a changemaker today: ecostreamz.com |
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Ewan McGregor Voices Natural History Series ‘Stormborn’ for Love Nature Ewan McGregor, former “Star Wars” lead actor and a Golden Globe winner for series “Fargo,” will narrate “Stormborn,” an upcoming natural history series filmed in the actor’s native Scotland as well as Norway and Iceland. A trailer for the show has just been released. The series, comprising three 50-minute episodes, features a cast of charismatic, tenacious animals trying to survive climate change and thriving in the remote, northern edges of the Atlantic Ocean over a year. It was commissioned by speciality channel Love Nature, and will have its world broadcast premiere on the service in November, after a theatrical screening at the Jackson Wild festival in the fall. “Stormborn” is produced by Scotland-based Maramedia, in association with Smithsonian Channel, ARTE France, BBC Scotland and Screen Scotland. Blue Ant International is overseeing licensing for the series, which will be available at Mipcom. Music composed by Fraser Purdie! Read more: variety.com/2020/tv/global/stormborn-series-ewan-mcgregor-love-nature-1234735228 |
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Why we don't act: Climate Change Psychology – Climate Adam Little kids are bad at delayed gratification. But unfortunately so are adults. I take a look at why weighing future benefits against present costs makes climate change such a challenging conundrum..
Visit: climateadam.co.uk |
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Insight TV, Off the Fence launch natural history channel InWild Global content creator and platform Insight TV has partnered with non-fiction content producer and distributor Off the Fence to launch InWild, a new channel dedicated to nature and wildlife content. Rolling out in September, InWild will launch across Insight TV’s infrastructure of linear and digital channel platforms with 1,000 hours of natural history and wildlife programming from across the globe, including Wildest India, Wildest Latin America and Monkey Thieves. one of the youngest and most accomplished wildlife cinematographers on the planet, Bertie Gregory, gives Spectrum News' Burton Fitzsimmons some tips, and talks about his trips around the globe to capture animals in their element. The two Netherlands-based companies said the InWild channel will employ a 20% refresh rate per month. “Nature and wildlife content has always been a binge-able, highly valued genre in television,” said Stefanie Fischer, managing director of sales at Off the Fence, in a statement. “By joining forces with Insight TV, we are combining the breadth and depth of our content catalog with their expertise in creating, distributing and marketing successful global channels to bring InWild to life.” More here: realscreen.com/2020/08/12/insight-tv-off-the-fence-launch-natural-history-channel-inwild |
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WaterBear Network sets senior leadership team ahead of fall launch WaterBear Network, a joint venture from ZDF Enterprises and Off the Fence, has cemented its top line structure for the interactive VOD platform with a team of international industry executives. As previously announced, the digital platform and mobile app – slated to launch this fall – will showcase documentaries, original content and live streaming “dedicated to bringing together a global community” passionate about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “I am excited to have such a talented team ready to go the distance together – each brings a wealth of experience, innovation and a passion for WaterBear’s mission of impact storytelling,” said WaterBear Network CEO Ellen Windemuth (pictured) in a statement. “As we prepare for launch, we are creating an inspirational showcase of purpose-focused content paired with unique technology for our global audience to interact with the causes they care about.” Read more: realscreen.com/2020/08/12/waterbear-network-sets-senior-leadership-team-ahead-of-fall-launch |
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#GlobalGoals – Life Below Water ... Narrated by Morgan Freeman YouTube, Tribeca Enterprises and the United Nations present "Change the Sequence" Healthy oceans and seas are essential to our existence. They cover 70 percent of our planet and we rely on them for food, energy and water. Yet, we have managed to do tremendous damage to these precious resources. A documentary-style film about the most formidable species in our oceans: plastic. Using cinematic footage, alluring descriptions, powerful music and a well-known voiceover, this sequence illuminates the frightening truth about today’s oceans using a proven tease, amplify and echo sequence. Teasers create interest in the full film that follows, while key messages are echoed to those who skip the full feature.
About the Global Goals: www.globalgoals.org |
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CuriosityStream reveals plans to float, valued at $330m Factual streamer CuriosityStream – launched by Discovery founder John Hendricks in 2015 – is to float on the US stock exchange. The SVOD, which claims over 13 million paying subscribers in over 175 countries, has announced a merger with special purpose acquisition company Software Acquisition Group, which will see the streamer become a public company on the NASDAQ exchange. Its library of on demand content currently contains over 3,100 titles, including more than 900 exclusive originals such as Light On Earth hosted by David Attenborough. The streamer is available from $2.99 per month and has bundled distribution deals with pay TV operators such as Altice USA, Sky New Zealand, Liberty Global’s Flow TV in the Caribbean, and Com Hem in Sweden. Hendricks will remain chairman and the company’s largest shareholder, with president and CEO Clint Stinchcomb leading an unchanged executive board. The deal will leave the combined company well capitalised, with zero debt and an estimated $180m of cash on the balance sheet. More here: tbivision.com/2020/08/12/curiositystream-reveals-plans-to-float-valued-at-330m |
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Planet Earth: A Celebration The journey is accompanied by a thrilling new musical score, created by renowned composers Hans Zimmer and Jacob Shea, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and featuring Mercury Prize winner Dave on the piano.
Visit: bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000m7wj Producing Planet Earth: A Celebration, in Covid conditions, proved less than straightforward: A music record for a 60 minute BBC natural history programme, with an entire orchestra, would take around nine hours. However, social distancing meant that all the different sections of an entire orchestra could no longer be recorded together. There is simply no studio large enough. social distancing meant that the different sections of the orchestra could no longer be recorded together. However, it was possible to invite 21 string musicians, from the BBC Concert Orchestra, to join Brit Award and Mercury Prize winner Dave on the grand piano and Hans Zimmer, via a screen, in the Great Hall, at Air Studios, London. Before anyone could even enter the studio, sound engineers spent hours re-designing the layout to facilitate recording, re-laying cabling and re-positioning microphones to allow everyone a safe 2.5 metre distance. Dave on working with David Attenborough: “He has shown what it means to care for something and have a passion” ... See: djmag.com/news/dave-working-david-attenborough-he-has-shown-what-it-means-care-something-and-have-passion |
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Entanglements are killing marine animals, but we can stop it – IFAW Commercial fishing catches 200 billion pounds of food each year. Hundreds of thousands of miles of fishing line and millions of tons of fishing gear are unleashed into our oceans indiscriminately catching anything in their way, trapping animals that are not always the intended target. As a result, hundreds of thousands of marine animals are killed every year from entanglements in fishing gear. IFAW is employing a two-pronged approach to protect these animals from the threat of entanglements through two programs - Marine Mammal Rescue & Research and Marine Conservation.
To learn more, visit: ifaw.org/projects/entangled-seal-rescue-north-america |
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Sea Shepherd's Shark Awareness Week Sharks are apex predators that play an essential role in maintaining balanced oceanic ecosystems. From the tiniest of plankton to the most majestic of whales, all forms of life depend on this balance to survive. Yet all around the world, sharks are disappearing. When the sharks are gone, the oceans will die. And when the oceans die, we die.
Support Sea Shepherd's international efforts to protect sharks and stop the slaughter by donating at www.seashepherd.org |
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Confessions of a wildlife film-maker: ‘I thought I killed David Attenborough!’ Author and Emmy award-winning cameraman Gavin Thurston tells Anand Raj OK about the time he thought he had killed David Attenborough, his close brushes with death in the wild and why he thinks the pandemic might benefit nature. Award-winning cameraman, bestselling author and wildlife specialist Gavin Thurston may have won five Emmys, a couple of Baftas, captured footage of the extremely rare Sumatran tiger in the wild and eyeballed mountain gorillas, grey wolves and brown bears from as close as four metres. But ask him to recount (and believe me, he’s a brilliant raconteur) a memorable moment of his life, and he will tell you it’s the time he was convinced he killed Sir David Attenborough. The Briton who has worked on 18 of Sir David’s wildlife series and who considers the legend one of his mentors, recalls the time he was “serving” on an Attenborough series called The Life of Birds. “We were in the Galapagos,” he tells me, in an exclusive telephone interview from his home in London. “We’d film early in the morning, late in the afternoon and late in the night when bird activity was good,” he says. “During mid-day, we’d go ashore and stay out of the heat.” One afternoon while in their little cabin during a break in filming, David was busy on his computer working on his book while Gavin, seated a little away, a set of headphones plugged into a Walkman, was listening to a compilation of Monty Python songs. Taking a break from writing, David asked Gavin if he could listen to the songs for a while. “I passed the headphones to him and after 10 or 15 seconds, David started chuckling, then laughing uncontrollably before he keeled over sideways and disappeared under the table near the bench he was sitting on. For a moment, Gavin was terrified. “I remember saying to myself, ‘Oh my gosh, I think I killed David Attenborough!’’’ he says. Convinced David had had a heart attack, Gavin rushed over to the side of the table only to see the legendary wildlife film producer lying on his side roaring with laughter over the songs’ lyrics. What did you do? I ask him. “Nothing,” says Gavin. “I was just so glad that I hadn’t killed him.” Read more from Anand Raj: fridaymagazine.ae/life-culture/people-profiles/confessions-of-a-wildlife-film-maker-i-thought-i-killed-david-attenboroug-1.2309038! |
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Life in the Buffer Zone from Constantinos Christou Deneia is one of the 4 villages of Cyprus that are completely in the dead zone after the Turkish invasion in Cyprus in 1974. At a short distance from the village there is the prehistoric settlement of Deneia, where the carved tombs of the cemetery contributed to the rapid growth rodent population. These rodents afflicted the community in agricultural and livestock work as well as being a source of infection and disease. Now the community is using a biological way to fight rodents. Using Barn Owls it replaced the use of harmful rodenticides.
Website: www.constantinoschristou.com Follow: facebook.com/ConstantinosFilms & instagram.com/constantinos_christou_films |
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PBS, BBC to explore exotic wildlife in “Islands of Wonder” American and British public broadcasters PBS and the BBC are gearing up to uncover some of the most exotic creatures and cultures found on some of Earth’s most remote islands. Produced by BBC Studios, Islands of Wonder will seek to reveal how isolated and tropical environments provide shelter for some of the most unique wildlife and human cultures found nowhere else on the planet. The three-part series will venture to the world’s oldest island in Madagascar, the third largest island in Borneo, and the most remote island chain on Earth in Hawaii to discover how these animals have developed and adapted to survive in their surroundings. Islands of Wonder premieres Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on PBS. Read more: realscreen.com/2020/08/14/pbs-bbc-to-explore-exotic-wildlife-in-islands-of-wonder |
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Film review: Kingdoms Of Fire, Ice and Fairy Tales by Susan Scott and Bonné de Bod The makers of the multi-award winning documentary STROOP – JOURNEY INTO THE RHINO WARS have followed up with another groundbreaking film. Susan Scott and Bonne de Bod conceived KINGDOMS OF FIRE ICE & FAIRY TALES while they were on the film festival circuit for STROOP in California. ‘We both decided to go to Yosemite to get a break from the circuit, and it was a revelation. The idea was born there,’ says de Bod. KINGDOMS is a departure from their hard hitting, gritty rhino poaching documentary. Their new film is a beautifully crafted celebration of nature, but any similarity to classic wildlife documentaries end there. No Jeremy Irons or David Attenborough narrator. De Bod is the protagonist, an authentic, assured voice who’s screen presence reflects the beauty of the environment she is exploring. Where many documentaries highlight singular species, KINGDOMS tells a story of the interconnectedness of nature, from Yellowstone National Park in America to the Black Forest in Germany and the Arctic Circle in Swedish Lapland; from trees that sustain entire worlds of insects to mammals that change the course of rivers. There are revelations in this film that would be folly to reveal here for you need to watch it to appreciate the way the story is weaved with fantasy and myth made manifest by nature, so beautifully written by Scott. Ultimately there is an important message in this film. ‘It’s a reminder that the season of pandemic will pass. That there’s a planet waiting,’ says Scott. KINGDOMS OF FIRE AND ICE will air on South African screens towards the end of 2020. Watch the trailer:
From: getaway.co.za/travel-news/film-review-kingdoms-of-fire-ice-and-fairy-tales |
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BBC's NHU makes mindfulness series for BBC4 BBC Studios Natural History Unit is to make a four part series Mindful Escapes: Breathe, Release, Restore in collaboration with Headspace Studios, a multi-platform content studio that focusses on meditation and mindfulness. The series will premiere on BBC Four from September 7, 2020, and will also be re-versioned into 10 x 10-minute episodes, Mindful Escapes: Breathe, Release, Restore , for the Headspace app later this year. BBC Studios will handle international distribution. Mindful Escapes: Breathe, Release, Restore will offer the viewer “immersive mindful experiences within the natural world” and will be narrated by Headspace co-founder and former Buddhist monk, Andy Puddicombe (pictured).
From episode one: The hypnotic nature of huge shoals of fish can help us focus on our breathing, and enable us to be more mindful and in the moment, which reduces stress and anxiety. Read more: televisual.com/news/bbcs-nhu-makes-mindfulness-series-for-bbc4 Watch via: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mf8k |
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BBC Studios strikes 4K Ultra-HD documentary deal with Russia’s Tricolor 4K Ultra-HD versions of some of the BBC’s biggest natural history hits are heading to Russia after the broadcaster’s commercial arm struck a deal with pay-TV operator Tricolor. The deal includes a raft of shows from BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit and independent production companies, including Planet Earth II, Blue Planet II, The Hunt, Shark and Spy in the Wild. Read more: seenit.co.uk/bbc-studios-strikes-4k-ultra-hd-documentary-deal-with-russias-tricolor |
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Sky boss pledges to harness 'power of storytelling' to help drive climate action Sky CEO Jeremy Darroch will tell Edinburgh TV Festival that broadcasters should work together to better communicate environmental issues through the critical decade ahead Broadcasters should be more willing to use their voice and creative abilities to raise awareness of the climate crisis and tackle the environmental challenges that will "define our generation". That is the stark message that was delivered by Sky CEO Jeremy Darroch at the influential Edinburgh TV Festival. Read more: businessgreen.com/news/4019435/sky-boss-pledges-harness-power-storytelling-help-drive-climate-action |
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Behind the scenes of natural scenes – ABCPodcast Ever wondered how they get those gorgeous shots of nocturnal animals on the TV? Take a tiny glimpse of some behind the scenes action from the ground-breaking ABC Natural History Unit series the Nature of Australia from 1988. Starting this Sunday August 30 on ABC TV, Australia Remastered will bring 15 weeks of Natural History to your television. They have re-edited archival footage from the heyday of ABC Natural History. You'll also be able to binge-watch all the episodes on ABC iView from Sunday night. GUESTS: Dione Gilmour, Co-producer of Nature of Australia and Doyenne of Natural History television in Australia.
Listen here: abc.net.au/radionational/programs/offtrack/behind-the-natural-scenes/12596512 |
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Australia Remastered restores ABC Natural History Unit films, not seen for decades, to share with a new audience Forget movies, soapies or reality TV shows. For wildlife documentary maker Jeremy Hogarth, there's nothing more compelling than watching life unfold in the natural world. "It's the drama. Within nature there are all the elements of drama that make a great story," says Hogarth. "There's competition, there's aggression, there's submission, individual animals are doing what they do because that's what they're basically hardwired to do. "For example, in a mob of kangaroos, a male kangaroo must become dominant and within that fight for dominance there's drama, which, in a way, makes you think about the way we live our lives." |
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Climate Crisis, and Why We Should Panic voiced by Keira Knightley – Extinction Rebellion Extinction Rebellion has relaunched a short animated film entitled Climate Crisis, and Why We Should Panic. Written, directed and animated by Miritte Ben Yitzchak and voiced by British actress Keira Knightley, it urges us all to Act Now before it is too late. The animated short Climate Crisis, and Why We Should Panic, is the second of a two-part explainer video series for Extinction Rebellion, focusing on the climate and ecological crisis. Voiced by Keira Knightley, it explains what’s causing climate change, why governments must enter crisis mode to tackle this issue, and what will happen if we don’t do something about it now. It follows the first part - Extinction Emergency, and Why We Must Act Now - which focuses on the ecological crisis. Voiced by Naomie Harris and scored by Brian Eno, it summarises the planet’s biodiversity loss, runaway consumerism and the ecological crisis that now faces us, and how the consequences will affect millions of lives around the world.
Help XR mobilise and donate: rebellion.earth/donate |
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