Carole Baskin, an activist for big cats, sat down and binge-watched “Tiger King” on Netflix just like everybody else. The end product, which she believed would resemble a “Blackfish” for tigers, had almost nothing to do with saving big cats, she said — a real “missed opportunity” for the film that made her famous.
Roughly 34 million people watched “Tiger King” in the first 10 days it was available, according to Nielsen. Many more watched after that.
But if “Tiger King” viewers instead focused their attention on “The Hidden Tiger,” an upcoming documentary from Knoxville director Michael Samtesto, the impact would be “Earth changing,” she told Knox News.
Samtesto called upon Baskin to share her expertise for the film, which explores the impact tiger captivity has on cats in cages and wild tiger populations.
“The Hidden Tiger,” which is scheduled to come out Dec. 26, has been in the works for more than five years. And it all started just up the road from Knoxville at Roane County’s Tiger Haven.
“The story just kind of continued to expand and unfold for us,” Samtesto told Knox News — all the way to India and Nepal.
"The Hidden Tiger" from member Rescue Doc Films premieres on December 26.
The Hidden Tiger exposes the truth about the captive tiger population in the United States and its adverse affect on wild tiger conservation. Five years in the making, The Hidden Tiger traveled the globe, meeting with NGOs and top tiger conservation experts. The documentary exposes the exploiters and celebrates the conservationists, while presenting a clear path for us all. Together, we can save the tiger.
We are proud to be releasing The Hidden Tiger as a screening sponsor. To watch the film, simply rent/buy and watch on Vimeo here (above) and 25% of ticket proceeds after platform fees will be donated to Wildlife-film.com. Once you’ve watched the film, please go and check out the TAKE ACTION page to see what further steps you can take to help save the tiger.
Richard Brock's much-anticipated book Planet Crunch - the Life (or Death) of Planet Earth is coming soon!
Richard Brock has been very busy writing his book, Planet Crunch, all of last year ... An excellent use of lockdown time we say.
He want's to make our readers an interesting and useful offer. Briefly it's this:
"I was a producer in the BBC Natural History Unit for 35 years and I'm just finishing a book called “Planet Crunch - the Life (or Death) of Planet Earth". It's very visual, refreshing, personal, original and concentrates on wildlife and the natural world - who's winning or losing? Perhaps an antidote to “conservation fatigue". There are also three films (25 minutes each) for YouTube and Vimeo. Both the book and the films include: Sir David Attenborough; Greta Thunberg; biodiversity; shopping; forests; farming; fishing; food; consumption; waste/plastic/recycling; energy/oil; climate change; Covid-19; water; the media; money/fashion; Trump; aviation/travel/tourism; human population; China; nature and us. The white stork is the theme ending with some really good news. The book contains some 150 pages. There's also reference to about 100 films on similar subjects I've made over the last four years called “Wildlife Winners and Losers - How to turn losers into winners" , available, for free on YouTube and Vimeo. Please see my website (www.brockinitiative.org) for more information. At this time much attention has been drawn to the future of the planet, and my previous colleague, Sir David Attenborough has been both insistent and persistent in trying to get the message across. It's difficult these days, with the pandemic, to get attention, let alone action. The book and films are my attempt to help. There's also an extra bonus - a cheer - you - upplement! We need it. The non-profit offer I'm suggesting means the book is FREE unless you'd like to contribute something to a worthy and perhaps related cause ... I have done all this as a legacy to my sister, and mother who died aged 102. She seemed to have approved of what I was trying to do. IMPORTANT: I don't, personally, expect any income from this project. If you would like to contribute something - say £10 - to a charity of your, or my choice, please do so suggesting any preference in the way it's done. These days many charities need income to help continue projects around the world. And to extend the project, do please pass on this offer to friends and contacts, those who are concerned about the future at this time of "Planet Crunch". This isn't a con or scam. It's true! The book will come in the New Year. Please let me know if you (and others) would like to receive it." Richard Brock – Email: richard@brockinitiative.org
Sneak peek at the cover:
ANIMOSITY: Snapshots from the Frontline of Conservation – Will COVID-19 Finally bring an End to Wildlife Tourism? by Izzy Sasada
Pictures: Aaron Gekoski
21 December 2020
The abrupt halt we have all experienced at the hand of Covid19 serves as a stark reminder that humans are not separate from the animal world, but inextricably linked. ANIMOSITY, by award-winning environmental photojournalist, Aaron Gekoski, offers a snapshot of the main issues facing wildlife today, showcasing a collection of powerful photographs and absorbing tales from the frontlines of conservation- from wildlife tourism and the exotic pet trade, to the illegal wildlife trade and marine conservation.
Aaron Gekoski has spent the last decade as an environmental photojournalist, and since 2017 he has turned his camera on wildlife tourism, exposing the dire underworld of the animal entertainment industry.
From travelling circuses and elephant rides, to orangutan boxing venues and otter pet cafes, his journey documenting wildlife entertainment has taken him across four continents and to more than a dozen countries.
But by April 2020, Covid19 had spread across the planet, and the tourism and travel industries of which we knew had collapsed. With countries closing boarders and venues shutting their doors, one can only imagine the conditions in which imprisoned animals are kept. There have been reports of lions left to starve at Gamji Gate Zoo in Kaduna, Nigeria, and accounts of starvation and lack of veterinary healthcare within Thailand’s captive elephant population, as the pandemic forced at least 85 camps to close.
It is difficult to predict how wildlife tourism will survive in the post-Covid19 era. The pandemic is certainly thought to be somewhat of a watershed moment regarding our understanding of our relationship with the natural world and the illicit trade of endangered creatures. An optimistic perspective is that this newfound understanding of our relationship with the natural world will lead to a reconsideration of the existence of these venues.
Whatever the future holds for the wildlife tourism, for many of the animals photographed in ANIMOSITY, it is too late. The book showcases today’s issues of conflict, conservation and mankind’s complicated relationship with the natural world. So, sit back, enjoy, shed a tear, and be repulsed or inspired by some of the stories contained within ANIMOSITY.
ANIMOSITY can currently be purchased at 25% off ... from The Book Depository with FREE DELIVERY WORLDWIDE
The Hidden Tiger Documentary From Rescue Doc Films Spotlights America’s Unique Tiger Tragedy by Jason Peters
20 December 2020
A new documentary "The Hidden Tiger" will be released this month, on the 26th of December, featuring Carole and Howard Baskin of "Tiger King" fame.
There are now more tigers living in the backyards, roadside attractions, theme parks, zoos, and sanctuaries in the United States than there are in the wild globally. A new documentary from Rescue Doc Films, The Hidden Tiger – with help from Carole and Howard Baskin of Tiger King fame – shows what abusers like Joe Exotic and Doc Antle want to keep hidden: the truth about American tigers.
In early 2020, The Netflix documentary Tiger King was viewed more than 34 million times in the first ten days of release. The Hidden Tiger focuses on the uniquely American problem captive tigers present and how people like the Baskins and other organizations are combating it. Under-regulated, over-bred and often mistreated, these apex predators are born into a lifetime of captivity with a surprising and unintended consequence – their caged existence helps undermine the already difficult task of saving their wild counterparts.
The Hidden Tiger is a global exposé revealing the links between captive tigers and the wild tigers’ possible extinction. Traveling around the world, Rescue Doc Films has uncovered alarming realities:
In the U.S., there are an estimated 10,000 tigers being exploited and abused as entertainment for humans, yet fewer than 4,000 tigers remain in the wild.
In the U.S., a tiger can be legally purchased in some states for less than a purebred dog.
First responders are at risk and ill prepared to handle attacks, escapes, and abuses involving tigers here in the U.S., such as the Zanesville massacre.
Global efforts to save the tiger from extinction are being held back by U.S. failures and fake conservation pleas by exploiters that simply want profit rather than protection.
With the December release of The Hidden Tiger, Rescue Doc Films explores promising solutions including the current conservation efforts being made in Asia and the ongoing push to enact the Big Cat Public Safety Act in The United States. With work in India, Nepal, the UK, and across the United States, Rescue Doc Films has connected top experts in the world of tiger conservation to help give tigers a voice.
Vegan 2020 is the latest installment in PBN's annual series of films.
Every year since 2015, PBN has released a documentary showcasing the growth of veganism over the last 12 months.
Since 2015, the annual documentary has grown bigger, attracting millions of views each year. Vegan 2018 and 2019 peaked, premiering in cities around the world, including London, Los Angeles, and Beijing.
Vegan 2020 charts the victories and challenges of the movement over a year which has seen the world in general change beyond recognition.
Vegan 2020 is sponsored by abillion - an awesome app that helps you find the best vegan food and products near you!
This film is free to watch, however if you wish to make a small donation to help it reach more people, please consider supporting PBN here: plantbasednews.org/supportus
Rewildling Stories: Reuniting Fish and Forest ... Re-Naturalising The Calder – SCOTLAND - The Big Picture
“Trees don’t just provide shade and shelter for the fish; they actually help shape the river and the processes that govern it.”
Penny Lawson, Spey Catchment Initiative Project Officer
In many river catchments, Scotland’s wild salmon are in freefall. While scientists frantically search for answers to a complex issue, restoring native woodland and reigniting natural processes in upland rivers, could deliver benefits for both fish and people – the very aims of an ambitious river restoration project in Glen Banchor.
Virtual Eco-Comedy Awards Night A Success! By Maggie Stogner
7 December 2020
On Tuesday, Nov. 17, the Center for Environmental Filmmaking was delighted to be able to host the annual Eco-Comedy Awards ceremony and finally acknowledge the finalists and winners with a virtual ceremony, bringing filmmakers, families, and friends together from around the world (the CEF Awards Ceremony was originally scheduled in March during the DC Environmental Film Festival but postponed due to the pandemic).
This year’s competition had over 175 submissions from over 30 countries, amplifying diverse voices with short videos, animation, and innovative storytelling.
The theme was Clean Water and Clean Air. Five categories included Worldwide Grades K-8, High School, College/University, and Nonstudent, and, for the first time, a local DC/Maryland/Virginia category for grades K-8.
CEF partnered with The Nature Conservancy, the American University Center for Media and Social Impact, American University’s School of Communication, American University’s Office of Sustainability. Clean Air Partners partnered with us for the local competition.
A recording of the event, including the finalists and winning videos, can be found here (or watch below).
Keep a lookout! Our 2021 Eco-Comedy Video Competition Open Call will be launching soon on www.filmfreeway.com. The theme for 2021 is “Your Favorite Wild Animal."
Support mounts for a global treaty to combat plastic pollution– but much work remains to secure it
Last week (13 Nov '20), the ‘ad hoc expert group’ (AHEG) tasked by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) to explore global options to combat plastic waste was concluded.
The fulfilment of the its mandate marks two years of consultations between countries and observers to take stock of existing activities, identify potential global actions and analyse their potential effectiveness in tackling plastic pollution.
Despite a transition to an online virtual platform, the meeting yielded fervent discussions and deliberations on the best route forwards.
Over the lifetime of the AHEG, appetite for a new binding global treaty has become increasingly apparent – not just from countries, regions and civil society organisations, but also the business community which now see the added value in a global agreement. Nowhere has this support been more apparent than at last week’s fourth and final AHEG meeting.
WaterBear Network, a new free, interactive
video-on-demand platform dedicated to supporting life on earth, has today launched to a
global audience of viewers who want to turn intention into action.
Prince Harry, The Duke of
Sussex was joined by WaterBear leaders Actress/Activist Lily Cole, Actress and
environmental activist Maisie Williams and Mya-Rose Craig (Birdgirl) in celebrating the
launch of the platform.
WaterBear’s brand ambassadors have a combined reach of 25 million and will take an active
role in creating content with the production team and be interviewed on WaterBear’s
original interview series: The Bear Hug in 2021.
Now live in eight countries around the world; the Netherlands, US, Canada, UK, Ireland,
South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand; WaterBear is an innovative digital platform and
mobile app with the goal of fundamentally changing the way people look at our world, love,
care and engage with it. Encouraging its audience to engage with a world of constructive
change based on three pillars: watch, join, take action.
Showcasing award-winning documentaries, inspirational original content and live streaming,
WaterBear collectively facilitates awareness, education and action. With original content and
curated documentaries inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), WaterBear members will now be able to stream hours of video at any time, and on
any device - all for free.
The network democratises the journey from inspiration to education, connection and
participation in making a difference. Its pioneering interactive technology enables viewers to
watch content, while donating to WaterBear NGO partners, getting involved with the
projects behind the featured films through advocacy or volunteering, or by booking
sustainable travel. Throughout 2021 TVOD, PPV, Live, sustainable e-commerce and more Take
Action features will be rolled out.
WaterBear is working with incredible storytellers including filmmaker, activist and influencer Jack Harries ; producer, director and writer Tom Mustill; environmental journalist and The
One Show’s Lucy Siegel and Emmy Award winner Nicolas Brown among many others.
Addressing issues such as biodiversity, climate action, circularity and community.
The interactive network aims to re-imagine corporate responsibility - creating a unique
ecosystem for impact. From storytelling to innovative technology, content creation and
global partnerships it will help brands to fulfil their own SDG objectives and ultimately
contribute to a brighter future for all.
Entirely independent, Resilient Foundation works in partnership with WaterBear to help
fund, produce and distribute high quality, data-driven and inspirational content in
partnership with its growing network of NGOs. WaterBear and Resilient’s unique vision -
backed by the might and experience of Off the Fence, ZDF-E and more - is to bring together
three things: great storytelling; a global network of purpose-driven organisations; and
technology that facilitates impact and action.
WaterBear has acquired and produced a vast collection of high calibre content, setting the
bar for how innovative storytelling can create awareness, motivate people and inspire action.
The first WaterBear Original -Africa’s Hidden Seaforest(Swati Thiyagarajan) - a short film about facing our fears,
mental health and natures’ healing powers, as well as carbon sequestration below the
ocean is amongst a selection of original productions that will be available for global viewing
after today’s launch. Anthropocene is a cinematic meditation on humanity’s massive
reengineering of the planet, licensed to WaterBear by their partners ZDF Enterprises. With
The Bear Hug, WaterBear will dip into interviews with impact, hosted by WaterBear’s Head of
Strategy, Sam Sutaria.
The launch of this platform is now even more relevant as the world deals with the impacts of
the coronavirus, which continues to set back many environmental and human rights
initiatives. In these unprecedented times, people around the world are increasingly
demanding change and the crisis presents an opportunity to build back a better world.
Lily Cole, WaterBear Leader said: “Story-telling has an absolutely critical role to play in
helping guide and inspire us to address our collective environmental crises - so I was
delighted to learn about WaterBear, and their dedication to creating and sharing powerful
stories that will inspire, educate and connect us to the threats and opportunities facing our
natural world. We need stories like this now more than ever.”
Maisie Williams, WaterBear Leader said: "I’m so excited to be a WaterBear Leader. This
truly groundbreaking platform gives us the opportunity to familiarise ourselves with
important, educational content focusing on the sustainability of our planet, empowering us
to question the status quo and consider how we can contribute to permanent, effective
change.The power to save our planet is in all of our hands, and WaterBear is handing us the
tools. I am excited to be joining them on this journey to make further change by raising
awareness for issues us and future generations face.”
Dr Mya-Rose Craig said, “ I' m very excited to join WaterBear as an ambassador. Being able
to take immediate action after watching and engaging with content is exactly what the
world needs right now and I couldn't be more excited to join a team striving to make a real
difference.”
Jack Harries, environmentalist and activist said, “ Storytelling is the most powerful tool we
have in our fight to tackle climate change and create a fairer, greener planet for all. As a
filmmaker I have always looked for a platform that is dedicated solely to telling these stories.
WaterBear represents a new type of media company, one that is dedicated to inspiring the
next generation to find tangible sol utions to some of the most pressing issues of our time.”
Ellen Windemuth, CEO, WaterBear Network said : “Nothing matters more to me than
training a young generation of talented storytellers to create more inspiration and
excitement around those values that will give our children a better future. The best way to
focus this network is on the UN SDGs – seventeen key values which already more than 193
countries have committed to together.
Victor Eckard, Managing Director, WaterBear Network said: “WaterBear represents the
collective vision of millions of people around the world that believe there is hope and that
the future is full of opportunities to make the world a better place. At WaterBear we believe
in collaboration, local and global partnerships, and using the power of inspirational
storytelling, networking and technology to reach and inspire as many people around the
world as possible to act (in a small or big way) to make a positive difference to the world we
live in.”
The WaterBear Network is designed to galvanize the hard and dedicated work being done
in the field by our world’s most effective NGOs - with top quality storytelling expertise from
the documentary world. With this, we can share our impact universe with a global audience
and engage each viewer with the cause they feel most passionately about.”
Sam Sutaria, Head of Strategy, WaterBear Network said : “This is the start of decades of
action, and we firmly believe WaterBear can play a central role in the global fight for a
sustainable future. We also believe in the power of good business, and its role to play as we
face the challenges ahead. WaterBear is no exception. We are busy building and driving a
sustainable business model that is uniquely designed to support a growing network of
frontline champions and organizations.”
Andrea Walji, Head of Content and Production said “At WaterBear, we will always keep
impactful storytelling at the heart of all we do. We are delighted to welcome on board such
high quality content creators: talented directors, producers, personalities, celebrities,
influencers, scientists, journalists, and of course our valued NGO partners. And we are always
looking to expand and build on our network of global filmmakers to keep adding content to
the slate.”
Lisa Rose, Head of Impact, WaterBear Network said : “We are stubborn optimists at
WaterBear - we’re focused on solutions and the simple, positive steps everyone can take to
support them. We believe both systemic change and behaviour change are possible and
essential on a massive scale and we are facilitating both types of change on WaterBear.”
Download WaterBear from the app store or head to: waterbear.com
Jackson Wild World Wildlife Day Film Showcase 2020 Call for Entry from Jackson Wild
24 November 2020
'Forests and livelihoods: sustaining people and planet' announced as the theme of World Wildlife Day 2021
World Wildlife Day 2021 Film Showcase announced
The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Jackson Wild, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced today that they will team up to organize an international film showcase focusing on our planet’s valuable forests, their extensive ecosystems services, and millions of livelihoods that the forests help to sustain.
The Film Showcase will be one of the featured global events at the 2021 UN World Wildlife Day (3rd March) celebrations on the theme of Forests and livelihoods: sustaining people and planet..
The winners, including the films selected for the final round of the competition will be shown throughout 2021, highlighting the key message that forests are pillars of humanity’s social and economic well-being, as well as vital element for planet’s environmental health and biological diversity.
CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero said, “The World Wildlife Day 2021 Film Showcase offers a powerful platform to discuss the experiences of communities whose livelihoods are built on their historic relationship with forests and its wildlife. It is also an opportunity to discuss the immense value of the ecosystem services forests provide to people everywhere and to the global economy. As we seek to respond to multiple planetary crises, from climate change to biodiversity loss and the effects of a global pandemic, the film showcase will highlight the experiences of groups and communities who have established a safe and sustainable relationship with some of the planet’s most important natural systems.”
In 2013, the CITES Secretariat was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the global facilitator for the celebration of World Wildlife Day each year in collaboration with organizations in the United Nations system.
“We believe in the power of story to inspire awe at the wonders of our natural world and ignite the critical changes that will be required to restore and protect it,” agreed Lisa Samford, Executive Director of Jackson Wild. “Covering over a third of the Earth’s surface, forests are a home to 80% of all terrestrial animals, plants and insects and sustain the livelihoods of millions of people, providing ecosystems services and resources that are essential to the global economy. Rich biodiversity is essential to the health of our planet. With the impact of climate change escalating every day as growing numbers of species edge toward extinction we must act quickly and decisively our own survival.”it.”
“By protecting animals and plants, we protect the ecosystems that underlie our economies, our social and cultural traditions and human well-being,” said Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Officer in Charge of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). “Wildlife is instrumental to global forestry, fishery and tourism livelihoods. Biodiversity in turn keeps ecosystems functional, providing the ecosystem services that allow us to survive. The conservation and sustainable use of wildlife is therefore a critical component of sustainable development, and part of a comprehensive approach to achieving poverty eradication, food security and sustainable livelihoods.”
The call for entry will close on 4, January 2021 and finalists will be announced in mid-February 2021. Winners will be presented at a high-level, virtual event to coincide with the global celebration of UN World Wildlife Day on 3 March 2021.
2020 World Wildlife Day Film Showcase: Forest films will then be made available for free, educational online streaming throughout the world.
Award categories include:
People & Forests
Awarded to the film that best communicates humanity’s social, cultural, economic, or spiritual interconnectivity to forests.
My Forest
Awarded to the best forest-related film created by people living in the forest region featured in the film, including films presented by indigenous community members and independent filmmakers and production teams focusing on their local forests.
Future of Forests
Awarded to the film that most effectively explores the initiatives of individuals or organizations working to protect and preserve forest ecosystems and those that rely on them and/or scientific forest research, forest sustainability, forest-related conservation issues & solutions. Issues addressed may include traditional knowledge, forest-dependent livelihoods, climate change, biodiversity loss, zoonotic diseases related to deforestation, and the loss of forest resources.
Living Forests
Awarded to the film that most effectively showcases the rich diversity and complexity of forest ecosystems and the species that inhabit them.
Forest Micro Movie
Awarded to the best forest-related film 5 minutes in run time or less.
Additional Award Categories may be added prior to the announcement of the finalists to honor as many worthy films as possible.
Submission Guidelines
There is no entry fee for submission, Any film completed after January 1st, 2016 related to terrestrial forests is eligible to enter, provided a streaming link to the full film is made available for free, educational, online streaming either freely or by request as part of the 2021 World Wildlife Day Film Showcase: Forests hosted by Jackson Wild on the Eventive Platform. Submissions in all languages are welcomed. Programs in a language other than English must be subtitled in English for presentation to the judges and for streaming as part of the World Wildlife Day Film Showcase: Forests.
Eligible entries must complete an online submission form via www.jacksonwild.org.
Important Dates for the WWD 2021 Film Showcase
January 4, 2021: Call for Entry Closes
Mid-February, 2021: Finalists Announced
March 3, 2021: Winners Announced
Throughout 2021: Specific film finalists, winners, and entries will be available for screening requests
Call for Judges
Interested in being a preliminary judge for the World Wildlife Day Film Showcase? The commitment is approximately 10-20 hours. Judging will run from late December through early February. Click here to apply!
About CITES
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed on 3 March 1973 and entered into force on 1 July 1975. With 183 Parties (182 countries + the European Union), it remains one of the world's most powerful tools for wildlife conservation through the regulation of international trade in over 38,000 species of wild animals and plants. CITES-listed species are used by people around the world in their daily lives for food, health care, furniture, housing, tourist souvenirs, cosmetics or fashion. CITES seeks to ensure that international trade in such species is sustainable, legal and traceable and contributes to both the livelihoods of the communities that live closest to them and to national economies for a healthy planet and the prosperity of the people in support of UN Sustainable Development Goals.
About UNDP
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.
About Jackson Wild
For almost 30 years, the Jackson Wild Summit has grown a reputation for hosting extraordinary convenings science, nature and conservation media stakeholders. The World Wildlife Day Film Showcase brings together stakeholders from all over the world to focus on a single global theme. Jackson Wild’s international board members include: ARTE France, BBC Studios, Blue Ant Media / Love Nature, Borealés, Conservation International, Discovery, Doclights, FujiFilm Optical Devices - Fujinon Lenses, Gorongosa Restoration Project, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, Humane Society International, International Fund for Animal Welfare, National Geographic Partners, National Geographic Society, Nature/WNET, Netflix, Off the Fence Productions, ORF/Universum, PBS, Saint Thomas Productions, San Diego Zoo, Seeker, Smithsonian Channel, Sony Electronics, SVT - Swedish Television, The Nature Conservancy, Terra Mater Factual Studios, Vulcan Productions, Wanda Films, WGBH, and World Wildlife Fund US.
About the United Nations World Wildlife Day
On 20 December 2013, the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 3 March as World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora. The date is the day of the signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973. World Wildlife Day has quickly become the most prominent global annual event dedicated to wildlife. It is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the various challenges faced by these species. The day also reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime, which has wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts.
Back to Nature: How to Love Life - and Save It by Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin
One thing has become clear this year - we need nature more than ever. And it needs us too.
From our balconies and gardens to our woodlands, national parks and beyond, Back to Nature captures the essence of how we feel about the wildlife outside our windows. Through personal stories, conservation breakthroughs and scientific discoveries, it explores the wonder and the solace of nature, and the ways in which we can connect with it - and protect it.
‘Rousing, polemical and heartfelt’ – Gardens Illustrated
‘An invitation to take action’ – The Observer
Back to Nature celebrates the bond with wildlife that many formed for the first time while confined at home this spring, but also explains the biodiversity crisis and examines contributors to this great wave of extinctions – from salmon farming and pesticides to the persecution of hen harriers. It is well-researched – with McCubbin providing short scientific interludes – and more nuanced than you might expect from Packham’s many Twitter rants. Is he becoming more diplomatic in old age?
“No, I’m getting more strategic,” he says. “I got very angry this afternoon about the Japanese restarting whaling. I don’t blame the Japanese, I blame the world’s conservationists for letting them do it. They just said, ‘Er, that’s not a very good idea at all.’ And then nothing happened. It’s our fault. I still get very angry. There’s no dulling of the blade. The blade if anything is getting sharper and more useful because I’m running out of time. There’s less time in my lifetime to make a difference.” Patrick Barkham
Hope in Hell : A decade to confront the climate emergency by Jonathon Porritt
Climate change is the defining issue of our time - we know, beyond reasonable doubt, what that science now tells us. Just as climate change is accelerating, so too must we - summoning up a greater sense of urgency, courage and shared endeavour than humankind has ever seen before.
The Age of Climate Change is an age of superlatives: most extreme this, biggest that, most costly ever. The impacts worsen every year, played out in people's backyards and communities, and more and more people around the world now realise this is going to be a massive challenge for the rest of their lives. In Hope in Hell, Porritt confronts that dilemma head on. He believes we have time to do what needs to be done, but only if we move now - and move together. In this ultimately optimistic book, he explores all these reasons to be hopeful: new technology; the power of innovation; the mobilisation of young people - and a sense of intergenerational solidarity as older generations come to understand their own obligation to secure a safer world for their children and grandchildren.
'Brave and unflinching in setting out the reality of the hell towards which we're headed, but even more urgent, passionate and compelling about the grounds for hope if we change course fast enough, Hope in Hell is a powerful call to arms from one of Britain's most eloquent and trusted campaigners.' Caroline Lucas, MP
'Extraordinarily powerful, deeply troubling, scathing but ultimately purposeful and hopeful. This book is a clarion call to action, and action now. After reading this, we know for sure that nothing, not even a pandemic, must divert us from the most serious problem facing every living creature on the planet. In plain language, Jonathon Porritt is spelling it out. This is our last chance. Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest. Then act.' Michael Morpurgo
Rebirding - Restoring Britain's Wildlife by Benedict Macdonald
Foreword by Stephen Moss
Winner of the Wainwright Prize for Writing on Global Conservation
Winner of the Richard Jefferies Society and White Horse Book Shop Literary Prize 2019
An economic solution to rewilding our landscapes, creating a future where large, wild areas maintain wildlife.
Britain has all the space it needs for an epic return of its wildlife. Only six percent of our country is built upon. Contrary to popular myth, large areas of our countryside are not productively farmed but remain deserts of opportunity for both wildlife and jobs. It is time to turn things around. Praised as ‘visionary' by conservationists and landowners alike, Rebirding sets out a compelling manifesto for restoring Britain's wildlife, rewilding its species and restoring rural jobs – to the benefit of all.
'A wonderful book, visionary, illuminating and fascinating. – George Monbiot
The book is available at Bookdepository.com with FREE delivery worldwide.
Living Without Plastic: More Than 100 Easy Swaps for Home, Travel, Dining, Holidays, and Beyond by Brigette Allen
A New Book Offering Over 100 Ways You Can Replace Plastic In Your Life
Plastic Oceans International, a global nonprofit working to end plastic pollution, joins Artisan Books in announcing today (Nov 10th 2020) the publication of Living Without Plastic, from authors Christine Wong and Brigette Allen.
This new book serves as a concise guide on how to easily embrace a plastic-free or plastic-reduced lifestyle. It offers over 100 simple, sustainable, and stylish swaps throughout our households, providing readers with plastic alternatives for everything from kitchen and dining, to health, beauty, travel, and beyond.
“Brigette and I wanted to share how to break up with plastic in fun, accessible ways,” said Wong, a renowned Instagram foodie who advocates for zero-waste consumption and eco-friendly choices within the kitchen and home. “Every piece of plastic not used is a step in the right direction, and through our collective action, together we can make a difference!”
Plastic is an invention created to improve our lives, from innovations in food safety and product transit to medical sanitation and convenience in our homes. Unfortunately, our dependence on plastic is now wreaking havoc on our environment, and a growing body of science is showing that it is also invading our human bodies through the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink and the soil we cultivate.
“It’s an issue that we can no longer ignore. As easy as we have each contributed to the plastic pollution problem, we can now contribute to solving it by implementing alternatives to the everyday plastics we use,” said Julie Andersen, CEO of Plastic Oceans International and author of the book’s foreword. “This is the perfect guide for doing exactly that.”
In addition to presenting real-life solutions, Living Without Plastic also provides accessible information in understanding the history and implications of our plastic use.
The book is available at Bookdepository.com with FREE delivery worldwide.
WaterBear Network announces content slate and partnerships with Jack Harries, Lucy Siegle, Tom Mustill and Nicholas Brown as it prepares for December 1 Launch By WaterBear Network
11 November 2020
Pioneering streaming platform uniquely empowers members to take direct, immediate action to shape a better future for our planet - revealing content deals with Participant Media, Vulcan Productions and Off the Fence
WATERBEAR ORIGINALS INCLUDE AFRICA’S HIDDEN SEAFOREST FEATURING UNSEEN FOOTAGE FROM MY OCTOPUS TEACHER AND THE TEAM FROM THE RENOWNED PODCAST SO HOT RIGHT NOW.
ACQUISITIONS INCLUDE CHASING ICE AND END OF THE LINE
WaterBear Network, the new, free interactive streaming
platform dedicated to life on our planet, today revealed its exciting content slate, acquisitions
and productions as it readies for December 1 launch.
An innovative digital platform and mobile app, WaterBear empowers its audience to turn intention
into action. Featuring original content and curated documentaries inspired by the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), WaterBear content will encourage members to dive
deeper, learn more and take action, while watching.
Sea Change project’s Africa’s Hidden Seaforest leads the phenomenal line-up of original content
sitting on the platform for launch. Three Bulgarian Lions, a documentary by NGO FOUR PAWS
Bulgaria and produced by Clawed Hat Films will be premiering on the platform and will be joined
by documentary acquisitions such as Chasing Ice, End of the Line, The Last Honey Hunter and
Jackson Wild Winner, The Hunt for Medals Not Lions, as well as content from spoken word artist
Prince EA.
WaterBear is working with incredible storytellers, addressing issues that include biodiversity,
climate action, circularity and community. Creators include filmmaker, activist and influencer
Jack Harries; producer, director and writer Tom Mustill; environmental journalist and The One
Show’s Lucy Siegel and Emmy Award winner Nicolas Brown among many others. The stories on
the platform will play a vital role in bringing attention to the most critical issues of our time in a
way no other platform can.
Stunning film shorts and award-winning wildlife documentary series are being sourced from Vulcan
Productions, Participant Media, Off the Fence, Black Bean Productions, Go Project Films, Beautiful
News, Cineflix, DogWoof, Magnolia Films, Giant and 1091. WaterBear has also licensed films from
producer Rob Sorrenti, award-winning photographer, writer and filmmaker Pete McBride and
director Ben Masters.
WaterBear will be a powerful showcase for the world’s best short- and long-form impact
entertainment. Premiering new content from world-leading directors to facilitate awareness,
education and action.
Ellen Windemuth, CEO WaterBear said: “We are proud to be collaborating with such a
wonderful group of impact filmmaking producers. It will take a lot of us to tell the stories that
bring awareness to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals home to our global audience.”
Andrea Walji, Head of Content and Production WaterBear said: “It’s hugely exciting and
inspiring to be working with so many talented filmmakers from around the world. We are
bringing impact storytelling of the most critical issues of our time all to one platform.”
Swati Foster, SeaChange Project said: “I am looking forward to sharing my story with you in
the WaterBear original, Africa's Hidden Seaforest, coming soon to the WaterBear Network.
WaterBear is soon to be a leading platform for content about the living planet and it's a real
pleasure to be able to use storytelling to drive awareness for the healing power of nature and
to inspire action for the SeaChange Project.”
Lucy Siegle, Broadcaster and Journalist said: “To bring So Hot Right Now, our podcast on
climate and nature communications, to the WaterBear platform is one of the most exciting
things I've ever been involved with. We've assembled a team of creative stars to turn wisdom
from our climate and nature heroes into short films that we intend to be like capsules of action.
For me, it's a reversal of the old and thankless idea of preaching nature and climate action to
an audience assumed to be passive. Instead we get the chance to make precise but creative
content for our fellow active global citizens and share the workings of change. Basically, it's my
dream.”
About WaterBear
WaterBear is the first network of its kind: a free interactive video and digital platform dedicated to
supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It does this through inspirational content,
cutting-edge technology that facilitates action, and through its global network of partners. It
uniquely empowers the viewer to take direct instant action to support NGOs around the world
and shape a better future for our fragile planet.
To be kept updated or receive early access visit waterbear.com
This Is Our World
No action is too small to power the wheels of change. Let’s make this life the best it can be. Because there's no alternative.
Introducing WaterBear...
Here to simplify the world's complexities by providing you with the tools to help support life on our fragile planet.
Watch. Connect. Take Action.
Sign up now for early access: waterbear.com
PBN founder Klaus Mitchell – director of Vegan 2020 – says this year’s annual documentary will be the ‘most exciting’ yet in the series.
He said: “Due to COVID-19, we feel that this year’s documentary would be unique – and considerably more exciting than previous years.
“Vegan 2020 aims to weave together the biggest events of the year in a powerful way that places the spotlight on topics not covered significantly in the past, such as pandemic risk and antibiotic resistance.”
Submissions are open for the 44th International Wildlife Film Festival! We look forward to seeing stunning work by old friends but we hope to hear from new voices whose view needs more representation in this industry. Thank you for sharing your unique view on our natural world with our 2021 judging panel - we are honored.
In addition to a 2021 virtual festival, we hope to include hybrid screening opportunities; outdoor installations, IWFF at The Roxy's Centerfield Cinema (the ballfield), intimate screenings in The Roxy's Movie Garden, and maybe something else? Never fear - our team is creative and fearless and this festival will be unique and inspiring for all.
Our 2020 festival pivoted in 3 weeks to execute one of the first virtual film festivals in the industry this past April. We sold passes in 47 states and 27 other countries. The festival was met with joy and gratitude across the globe. 2020 filmmakers connected with our audiences at a time where connections were rare and the unknown loomed large. Since then, our staff has executed multiple other virtual festivals so please be assured - your work is in good hands.
2021 Theme: Rising From the Depths
Each year, we create one thematic submission category that will also serve as the thematic focus for our 44th IWFF this Spring. We are eager to see the creative, other-worldly, urgent, and unexpected cinematic responses to this special focus.
Whales are the guardians of the oceans and, as they navigate the tumultuous currents, they serve as a steadfast symbol for all of us as we navigate the currents of life and the climate crisis. This year, IWFF celebrates the voices, stories, and work that penetrate the depths of these unprecedented times. This 2021 thematic category seeks films that investigate the countless creatures that dwell far from the surface and encourages responses that vary in their interpretation of the theme "rising from the depths", whether that be environmental, socio-political, species-specific, or metaphorically-focused.
2021 Submission Details
The 2021 IWFF Submission Categories are:
Short Short, Short, Feature, Series, Student, Children’s, New Vision, Living with Wildlife, Animal Behavior, Wildlife Conservation, Sustainable Planet, and
2021 thematic category: Rising From The Depths
Semifinalists will be announced for each category when the festival lineup is announced.
This year, we have lowered festival fees in recognition of the reality of screening online and the unique challenges filmmakers face. We see you!
Our 2021 festival strategy is to accept fewer selections than usual in an effort to represent the films with a large amount of positive support, grassroots community involvement, and attention to detail. That means - the competition is heating up and our 2021 selections will truly feel the love!
IWFF Submission Deadlines
Opening Date: November 1
Regular Deadline: December 14
Late Deadline: January 11
Final Deadline: February 1
Notifications: February 26
Wildlife TV & filmmakers everywhere - we need your help!
We’re in the middle of a climate and biodiversity crisis but our business is also booming.
Please vote in FF:W’s Big Discussion to help build a picture of what we as an industry want our wildlife tv programmes to achieve and how we go about making them at this critical time.
Currently around 100 people have voted -THANK YOU if that includes you -but we need at least over 200 to build a more meaningful picture. It's a quick yes/no/pass on existing statements and we encourage you to add your own for others to vote on.
We’re using a system called Pol.is - a ‘real-time system for gathering, analysing and understanding what large groups of people think in their own words, enabled by advanced statistics and machine learning.’
The more voters we get the more accurate the picture we'll build of current attitudes within the industry and you can see some of the interesting results developing already.
Example yes/no/pass statements you can vote on currently include:
‘I am frustrated by the inefficiency of multiple productions filming the same sequence’
‘
I know where to learn about best practice on how to communicate effectively about the climate and ecological crisis’
‘Programs are getting harder and more expensive to make as the climate crisis makes wildlife behaviour less predictable’
Once we’re over the threshold we’ll be generating a report to share and help inform how we might tackle these issues going forward, encouraging collaboration across production companies.
We’d love your input, whatever department, level or location, we need all perspectives. Please share widely with your wildlife tv/film friends and networks. Thank you.
Filmmakers for Future: Wildlife is a grassroots community of Bristol based wildlife filmmakers with two main aims:
1 – to collaborate on ways of reducing the environmental impact of wildlife filmmaking
2 – to encourage content that raises awareness of the climate and biodiversity crisis, and which inspires real change
If you’d like to know more or are interested in joining please check out our website, thank you.
A brilliant socially-distanced BBC Autumnwatch has just come and gone on BBC Two ...
The past two weeks (27th Oct-6th Nov) saw Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan, Iolo Williams and Gillian Burke present eight episodes of Autumnwatch 2020, accompanied by Megan McCubbin and Hannah Stitfall, in different parts of the UK.
Chris was live from where he lives in the New Forest, with Megan, extolling the virtues of oak hazel beach woodland and badgers. Michaela was up in the Tentsmuir Forest, Fife, during the fascinating grey seal pupping season. Iolo was at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales, Gillian was live from RSPB Old Moor in South Yorkshire, Hannah in Cornwall.
The film below was filmed by brilliant underwater cameraman, late member Andy Jackson. Loch Carron provides a unique refuge for a deep-sea beast - a master of disguise, voracious predator, prospective parent and possibly the cutest creature in the sea.... The stout bobtail squid!.
Hedgehogs are one of our most loved mammals. However, our prickly friends are in a lot of trouble and have recently been classed as ‘vulnerable to extinction’. Our very own Hannah Stitfall has been to her local hedgehog centre; Prickles and Paws Hedgehog Rescue, to find out what’s led to their catastrophic decline ...
WFFR is delighted to announce the winners of the WFFR 2020 Flamingo Awards. All winners were announced during the online Flamingo Award Ceremony on Saturday the 31st of October 2020.
The Flamingo Award Ceremony was recorded at WFFR 2020. The ceremony was in the hands of Jannah Boerakker. Due to the corona rules, the prizes were not awarded in the auditorium but in a very special way; Live from the Rotterdam Zoo! Watch it here:
The Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam (WFFR) is the only film festival for nature documentaries in the Netherlands and shows the most recent films from home and abroad. Since its first edition in 2015, WFFR has been taking place in the Rotterdam film theatre Cinerama, which was also the vibrant heart of the festival this year. The programme consists of beautiful documentaries showing the beauty of nature, as well as films showing the relationship between man and nature. This year, due to COVID-19, the festival was held virtually. See all the winners below:
On Thin Ice
Henry M. Mix & Boas Schwarz
(Altayfilm GmbH)
Germany
Northern Russia is in trouble. Enormous layers of permafrost are thawing out and revealing remains of the ancient Siberian megafauna. Hundreds of scary looking holes are blasting off from the deep exhaling methane, which has 80 times stronger greenhouse effects than carbon dioxide.The life of arctic reindeer herders, barely changed for thousands of years, is under pressure. Their livelihoods are virtually melting away. In the Russian Arctic, climate change is not a question anymore. Scientists say that the tipping point was reached already years ago. Now, Pandora’s box has been opened. The fate of people and wildlife is at stake as is the entire Arctic.
Pangolins are believed to be the most trafficked mammals in the world. As the four Asian species of pangolins have dwindled, poachers are increasingly turning to the African species to supply the trade. In this short film, meet the bold Nigerians who are fighting to protect this gentle and vulnerable creature.
How do we create a future in which both people and nature can thrive? This is the biggest question of our times. In the next few decades, we need to do something unprecedented: achieve a sustainable existence on Earth. But how do we do it? We can start by understanding how we got to this point… In this film, Sir David Attenborough explains how we humans can take charge of our future and save our planet, in only 8.5 minutes!
My Octopus Teacher
Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed & Craig Foster
South Africa
After years of swimming every day in the freezing ocean of South-Africa, Craig Foster meets an unlikely teacher: a young octopus who displays remarkable curiosity. Visiting her and tracking her movements for months he eventually wins the animal’s trust and they develop a never-before-seen bond between human and wild animal. As the little octopus shares the secrets of her world, Craig also undertakes an incredible transformation: his body becomes immune to the cold and every breath can last minutes. The octopus shows him things that have never been recorded on film and ultimately redefines Craig’s understanding of the creatures we share our world with.
On Thin Ice
Henry M. Mix & Boas Schwarz
(Altayfilm GmbH)
Germany
Sockeye Salmon Red Fish
Dmitriy Shpilenok, Vladislav Grishin,
Petr Shpilenok & Anna Sukhova
Russia
The sockeye, a species of wild salmon, is born in Kamchatkan waters and spends its entire life in the Pacific Ocean. Only once does it return to fresh waters – to give offspring, start the circle of life, and die. These salmons form an inexhaustible resource that feeds billions of people on the planet, a resource that is restored every single year. But soon, we may find ourselves facing the unimaginable: humans will exhaust the inexhaustible…
An elusive species of gorilla roams the deep forests of Gabon, West Africa. Their leader is a silverback called “Musiru”, distinguished by his rusty red forehead. These aren’t the famous mountain gorillas of East Africa made famous by Dian Fossey – they’re the western lowland variety seldom seen by humans. Gabon’s gorillas have survived logging, poaching and even the Ebola virus, and now the future of the region’s wildlife conservation could be resting on their shoulders. This film reveals the work of Smithsonian scientists as they attempt to habituate these rarely seen primates and increase ecotourism in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park.
Inspired by real events, the story of a Borneo pygmy elephant calf in a land ruled by palm oil comes to life in a stop motion world made out of recycled paper. We see an elephant family fleeing time and again from palm oil farmers. During one of their escape attempts, the elephant calf is separated from its parents. He is left sad and alone until help suddenly appears …
Wild Karnataka is a factual entertainment film, made to showcase the fabulous flora and fauna of Indian southern state Karnataka. The film is India’s first blue-chip natural history movie and is narrated by David Attenborough. Karnataka is the state with the highest number of tigers and elephants in India. The film covers every single habitat across four years to document and celebrate the spectacular diversity of a single Indian state. Using not just aerial, but also hidden cameras, Wild Karnataka reveals some of the most intimate moments of natural history.
AWF Urges African Filmmakers To Amplify African Conservation
African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) participated in the fourth edition of the Nature Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) Congress themed 'Stories of Hope – inspiring a call to action.' Established in 2017 as a response to Black African documentary filmmakers in the nature, wildlife, and conservation space being rarer than some of the endangered species on our continent, one of the congress’ key objectives is the transformation of nature, environment and wildlife, film and television industry, uncovering and supporting Africa’s next generation of storytellers, impacting conservation.
The Congress is usually held in Durban, South Africa, but due to COVID-19 the organizers were forced to re-imagine the setup of the congress, whilst trying to maintain the impact and sense of community amongst Africa’s next generation of storytellers. In response, they decided to host NEWF Congress 2020 in a virtual venue, created in a VR headset and on computer desktops, coming together as a community re-imagined to celebrate “stories of hope” that inspire a call to action.
Delivering the State of the Continent address last night at the opening ceremony, AWF CEO Kaddu Sebunya urged the filmmakers to reimagine their storytelling skills through shifting the narrative of African conservation. “For so long, the conservation story has been told, but not within an African perspective. But even then, mostly through the lens of science and animals. With less of the African people, cultures, heritage, use, knowledge, aspirations – all as part of conservation. And this is a role we need to reclaim. You, my friends, wield the power to shift the narrative for ensuring wildlife thrives in modern Africa. Through your cameras, lenses, and GoPros, you set the agenda. If Africans begin to see more content on nature and wildlife, the conversation will definitely begin to change immensely. Especially if they see Africans telling Africans why conservation is important,” Sebunya said.
“The world consumes so much of Africa’s nature and wildlife, yet for so long, the nature and wildlife filmmaking genre has literally been an extractive industry with the majority of Africans unable to see the content that is produced on this continent,” says Noel Kok, Founder and Programme Director of NEWF. “We cannot save what we cannot see, and therefore it is critically important that catalytic partnerships like these create additional platforms for the next generation of African nature, environment, and wildlife storytellers to impact conservation through their films.”
The week-long congress will bring together nature, environment, and wildlife filmmakers, scientists, conservationists, and broadcast media to connect in a series of seminars and discussions and networking sessions as well as to enjoy the screening of topical and relevant films from African filmmakers.
AWF’s participation at the congress this year aims to set the stage for a longer sustainable partnership to cultivate our vision of nurturing the youthful talent into conservation leaders of tomorrow.
About African Wildlife Foundation
The African Wildlife Foundation is the primary advocate for the protection of wildlife and wildlands as an essential part of a modern and prosperous Africa. Founded in 1961 to focus on Africa’s conservation needs, we articulate a uniquely African vision, bridge science and public policy, and demonstrate the benefits of conservation to ensure the survival of the continent’s wildlife and wildlands.
The film’s heartwarming display of compassion for dairy and beef cattle warmed judge’s hearts, winning Best Overall Film and Best Animal Advocacy Film.
The third annual International Vegan Film Festival, which this year went virtual, allowing viewers from around the world to participate, came to a close this past Saturday, October 17. Following the festival completion, the full list of festival award winners were announced in both the film and photo essay categories.
The German film Butenland, directed by Marc Piershel, won Best Overall Film and Best Animal Advocacy Film at this year’s festival. Out of all 42 films submitted, Butenland was the only one to win in two categories.
The feature-length film tells the story of the German farm, Hof Butenland, run by former dairy farmer Jan Gerdes and animal rights activist Karin Mück. There is no livestock at Hof Butenland, just rescued farmed animals who now enjoy a peaceful coexistence that seems almost utopian. Filmmaker Pierschel followed the farm’s founders for more than two years with his camera. The intimate portrait captures moments of happiness and sadness, questions the current status of farm animals in our society, and leaves the viewer deeply touched.
Commenting on the film’s emotional power and storytelling, Festival judge Miyoko Schinner explains, “Butenland is a rare film that displays through stunning cinematography and storytelling the journey of two individuals, a dairy farmer and an animal rights activist, who form a deep connection through their individual relationship with animals. The love between this unlikely pair merges into an increasing love and understanding of the animals in their lives, leading them to found the first farm sanctuary in Germany. Their compelling journey becomes the journey of the viewer, who by the end, will no doubt embrace the same conclusion: that even cows deserve life, love, and happiness.”
Join the IVFF judges and director presenting this year's International Vegan Film Festival awards.
Five film awards and three photo essay awards are presented. See winning film clips and winning photos included with acceptance speeches from the filmmakers and photographers.
Congratulation to this year's winners!
Excitement in the UK as a Bearded Vulture visits the country for only the second time ...
A bearded vulture, named Vigo, was spotted recently in the skies above Lincolnshire and Norfolk.
With a wing span of 2.5m (8.2ft), the bird is rarely seen in the UK and is normally found in Alpine regions.
Genetic tests on feathers discovered by a Yorkshire birder show that Vigo is a female which hatched last year in the French Alps.
Vigo's appearance in Lincolnshire earlier this month attracted hundreds of bird watchers who gathered at Moulton West Fen near Spalding.
The bird was first captured on film earlier this year in the Peak District and was believed to have spent the summer in the area.
Previously, the only other reported sighting of a bearded vulture in the UK was in 2016, around Dartmoor and Monmouthshire. Find out more: bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-54525499
Are these birds Winners or Losers ... Watch Richard Brock's film,The Bearded Vulture – the bone-breaker, to find out.
The Bearded Vulture - the bone-breaker - Over the wildest highest mountains of Europe soars a massive bird that drops bones for a living. Once reduced to a few pairs in the Pyrenees its now been saved and spread with much success.
Richard Brock's book and film Planet Crunch is coming soon too, so watch out for that!
Wildscreen Festival Virtual Panda Awards 2020 Winners Announced! By Jason Peters
22nd October 2020
Bristol does well at the 2020 Wildscreen Panda Awards with most Panda Awards staying in the city but only Terra Mater's Sea of Shadows picks up more than one award this year and the Golden Panda gets away.
My Octopus Teacher, the Netflix smash hit featuring Craig Foster,wins the coveted WWF Golden Panda Award.
As production companies go, Silverback Films won the most awards.
Tonight’s Panda Awards was an exceptional evening celebrating the best of wildlife film making and photography talent in the world.
The recipient of the Golden Panda award, the most coveted international prize in the international wildlife film and TV genre, was My Octopus Teacher, produced by Sea Change Project and Off the Fence; A Netflix Original Production – a moving account of wildlife cameraman Craig Foster’s journey to improved mental health. He began free diving in a cold underwater kelp forest off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa. It was here he befriended a common octopus, hiding in plain sight within a jumble of shells on the sea floor, and the film outlines the blossoming of their relationship.
Sea of Shadows, produced by Terra Mater Factual Studios in association with Appian Way, Malaika Pictures, The Wild Lens Collective for National Geographic Documentary Films, was the winner of two awards. The Audio Network Music Award and the Doclights/NDR Naturfilm, Producer/Director Award. The film followed a multinational team of scientists, activists, journalists and undercover agents who go up against drug cartels and illegal traffickers to save the Vaquita, the most endangered whale on earth.
An additional award, the Panda in the Pocket was given to Dynasties: Chimpanzee the first episode in the series produced by BBC Studio’s Natural History Unit.
The judges decided that there had to be two winners of the Nat Geo WILD Series Award. H20: The Molecule that Made Us, produced by Passion Planet Ltd and WGBH Boston for PBS - a landmark series that tells the human story through our relationship to water. The second recipient was Seven Worlds One Planet, produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit, BBC America, France Télévisions, ZDF, Tencent Penguin Pictures and China Media Group CCTV9, in which David Attenborough reveals the mind-blowing marvels of our seven continents.
The ORF Production Team Award, recognising the art of collaborative working by the teams behind the best of natural history films, was given to the Plimsoll Production Team for Night on Earth: Dusk Till Dawn, a series focusing on the how the night unfolds to reveal the magic in the air, drama in the deep and danger on the ground as animals around the globe arise with the sunset.
David Attenborough: A Life on our Planet, produced by Silverback Films and WWF for Netflix, is a film that outlines Attenborough’s witness statement, vision for the future and how we can work with nature to overturn the climate emergency, walked away with the NHK Scripted Narrative Award.
Sue Martineau, Interim Wildscreen CEO said: “This year’s awards highlight the importance of capturing diminishing biodiversity and the urgency of tackling climate change on film. Optimism and providing solutions around conservation stories were also a running theme throughout the entries, finalists and winners of the 2020 Panda Awards competition. We were thrilled with the exceptionally high calibre of entries this year. The importance of these films and photos are as crucial as ever to share extraordinary and impactful stories.”
The Wildscreen Panda Awards ceremony 2020 was hosted by television presenters Lizzie Daly and Patrick Ayree on a boat in Bristol.
Patrick Ayree and Lizzie Daly Presenter the Virtual Panda Awards
The full roll of Wildscreen Panda Award winners is:
Seven Worlds, One Planet
BBC Studios Natural History Unit, BBC America, France Televisions, ZDF, Tencent Penguin Pictures and China Media Group CCTV9
United Kingdom
Our Planet: One Planet Silverback Films with WWF for Netflix
Photography by Jamie McPherson, Roger Horrocks, John Aitchison, Paul Stewart, Gavin Thurston, Warwick Sloss, Mateo Willis, Sophie Darlington, Matt Aeberhard
United Kingdom
The Wildscreen Sustainability Award was cancelled this year due to there not being a suitable production. Laura Marshall announced this and said focus must be on the importance of striving to reduce our impact on the natural world.
Sea of Shadows
Terra Mater Factual Studios in association with Appian Way, Malaika Pictures, The Wild Lens Collective for National Geographic Documentary Films
Music by: H. Scott Salinas
Austria
Richard Ladkani, Walter Köhler and Wolfgang Knöpfler
For the film Sea of Shadows
Terra Mater Factual Studios in association with Appian Way, Malaika Pictures, The Wild Lens Collective for National Geographic Documentary Films
Austria
My Octopus Teacher Sea Change Project and Off the Fence; A Netflix Original Production
Directed by: Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed
Producer: Craig Foster
Underwater photography by: Roger Horrocks, Craig Foster
Aerials: Tom Foster
Topside photography: Warren Smart
Additional photography: Pippa Ehrlich, Dave Aenmae
Editors: Pippa Ehrlich and Dan Schwalm
Music:
Kevin Smuts
Production Manager/Associate Producer: Swati Thiyagarajan
Associate Producers: Carina Frankal and Ross Frylinck
Executive Producer: Ellen Windemuth
South Africa
A Life on Our Planet : My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future by David Attenborough
"The Earth's life-support machine, the thing we humans rely upon for everything we need, runs on its biodiversity. Yet the way we live on Earth now is sending it into a decline. I have been a witness to this decline. This book contains my witness statement, and my vision for the future the story of how we came to make this, our greatest mistake, and how, if we act now, we can yet put it right." David Attenborough
A Life On Our Planet: My Witness Statement and Vision for the Future reflects on David's remarkable career exploring and documenting the natural world, and the decline of the planet's environment and biodiversity he has observed first-hand in that time. This is an intimate, urgent and impassioned book borne out of a lifetime's experience and knowledge, presenting David's view on the future that lies ahead if we continue as we are, and a plan for how to avoid that future.
As a young man David went out into the wild and experienced the untouched natural world but even then it was an illusion, already day to day we were losing the planet's wild places, its biodiversity.
"This book records some of the dreadful damage mankind has already wrought upon the natural world and the real and imminent danger that things could get much, much worse if we do not act now. But it is also a hopeful book: it offers a different future. It describes some of the ways in which we can begin to turn things around if only we all have the will to do so. Surely together we must now find that determination, and begin to make that change, for the sake of all the inhabitants of our planet.
Sir David Attenborough is Britain's best-known natural history film-maker. His career as a naturalist and
broadcaster has spanned nearly seven decades.
His first job - after Cambridge University and two years in the Royal Navy - was at a London publishing house. Then in 1952 he joined the BBC as a trainee producer, and it was while working on the Zoo Quest series (1954-64) that he had his first opportunity to undertake expeditions to remote parts of the globe, to capture intimate footage of rare wildlife in its natural habitat.
He was Controller of BBC 2 (1965-68), during which time he introduced colour television to Britain, then Director of Programmes for BBC Television (1969-1972). In 1973 he abandoned administration altogether to return to documentary-making and writing, and has established himself as the world's leading Natural History programme maker with several landmark BBC series, including Life on Earth (1979), The Living Planet (1984), The Trials of Life (1990), The Private Life of Plants (1995), Life of Birds (1998), The Blue Planet (2001), Life of Mammals (2002), Planet Earth (2006) and Life in Cold Blood (2008).
Sir David was knighted in 1985, is a Fellow of the Royal Society, and stands at the forefront of issues
concerning the planet's declining species and conservation.
See the world. Then make it better.
'I am 94. I've had an extraordinary life. It's only now that I appreciate how extraordinary.
As a young man, I felt I was out there in the wild, experiencing the untouched natural world - but it was an illusion. The tragedy of our time has been happening all around us, barely noticeable from day to day - the loss of our planet's wild places, its biodiversity.
I have been witness to this decline. A Life on Our Planet is my witness statement, and my vision for the future. It is the story of how we came to make this, our greatest mistake - and how, if we act now, we can yet put it right.
We have one final chance to create the perfect home for ourselves and restore the wonderful world we inherited.'
All we need is the will to do so.'
The book has been released to coincide with the global release of a Netflix film of the same title, directed by Jonnie Hughes for Silverback Films and commissioned by WWF. See the trailer (below).
David and Greta In Conversation: The Planetary Crisis available to watch now on YouTube
By Wildscreen
21 October 2020
Wildscreen Festival 2020 streamed this fascinating conversation between two of the most influential figures of our time - Sir David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg - on the evening of Tuesday 20th October.
Following this, Wildscreen is tremendously proud to share this momentous occasion with the wider public and reach a global audience. It is available to view now on the Wildscreen Festival YouTube Channel.
As a charity Wildscreen Festival’s goal is to convene the best photographers, filmmakers and creative professionals with the most committed conservationists to create compelling stories about the natural world that the inspire the wider public to experience it, feel part of it and protect it. Sharing this very special conversation with the general public is incredibly important.
Sir David and Greta discussed the most pressing issue of our age - the climate emergency. There was a very special warmth between the two of them as they honestly discussed their opinions of where are now and where we need to be. They asked each other questions about what we can do to empower ourselves to look after our planet and their experiences of communicating the impacts humans have and are continuing to make on the environment.
David and Greta also gave a nod to the wildlife filmmaking community, commending their vital work and the importance of the conservation stories told through their films. They also discussed the significance of Wildscreen as a festival as Greta reflected that it was watching natural history films that introduced her to the climate emergency where she stated: “Films and movies have the power to open our eyes.”
One of the attendees of the festival, which went virtual this year, commented: “It was an absolute honour to have been able to hear two of our biggest inspirations as a society, in conversation about the climate crisis, activism, and conservation. Wildscreen doing an outstanding job of bringing the natural world and important environmental issues to our homes during the pandemic.”
Alastair Fothergill, Co-director, “David Attenborough A Life On Our Planet” said: “This is the very first time that Sir David and Greta have had the chance for a detailed conversation and it certainly does not disappoint.”
Sue Martineau, interim Wildscreen CEO said: “We are so proud that two of the most famous figures in the fight against climate change have agreed to take time out of their exceptionally busy schedules to appear at Wildscreen Festival 2020. The brave and powerful voices of the iconic naturalist Sir David Attenborough and the climate and environmental activist Greta Thunberg is a compelling gift and couldn’t be more pertinent in our current global crisis.”
Our key take aways were, we need to always be open to new ideas, stop wasting stuff (in all ways), go vegan and we need to elect peope that will do the right thing by the planet.
Natural History in Present Tense – Mammalz IRL Live Streaming Platform Seeks Content Creator Partners Ready to Share Nature in Real Time by Pam Voth
14 October 2020
Application process will open soon - Sign up now to be notified
The opportunity to make a living being a Mammalz IRL (in real life) live streamer is just around the corner. The application process to join the Creator Partnership Program will open in late October. Anyone interested in being notified when applications are open can follow this link.
What on earth will you live stream?
Mammalz is the first interactive IRL (in real life) live streaming platform dedicated to nature storytelling, presenter-led shows, and IRL experiences that gives partnered content creators the opportunity to make a living doing what they love. With a community intentionally designed for active participation and engagement, each content experience is a social event between you, the creator, and their other fans. Every visit to the Mammalz web platform or iOS app offers the opportunity to encounter nature in a totally new way through live streamers who may be filmmakers, naturalists, adventurers, guides, scientists, birdwatchers, travelers, NGOs, educators, or any of the millions of people worldwide who love nature.
Fans will be able to support their favorite partnered creators and organizations by giving them “Seeds,” the first monetization tool on Mammalz.
Experience nature with other people – LIVE
Using innovative live streaming technology and a niche community approach, the Mammalz platform has become the go-to choice of nature lovers from around the world to enjoy a dose of live nature content any time of the day. Mammalz brings a new possibility to encounter nature like you’ve never seen before and meet a community of people who love sharing their own unique perspectives on the natural world.
“More than ever, we need a safe place where we can be inspired by nature, a trusted place to communicate and interact with one another while sharing truthful, scientifically accurate information,” says Rob Whitehair, Mammalz Co-founder and CEO. “We need to hear from multiple, diverse perspectives around the globe to widen the understanding of what nature means to the global community. This will help us gain not only more knowledge and understanding of life on Earth, but more compassion and empathy for our fellow humans. Welcome to Mammalz.”
Live storytelling is where it all begins
Live streaming is an incredibly diverse format for storytelling that continues to evolve each year. Not only are there countless creative styles for live streams, there are also hundreds of potential hardware and software solutions for live streaming. Knowing this, Mammalz has created a “Live Streaming Best Practices” blog post to help content creators get started on the path to success.
Join the Mammalz community - It’s Free!
To sign up, visit the web platform at Mammalz.com or download the iOS app.
Join the Mammalz Community - It’s Free!
To download Mammalz, visit the App Store. Or visit the web platform at Mammalz.com.
The Mammalz Android app is in development. To learn more about Mammalz, visit community.mammalz.com.
Founded by biologists-turned-wildlife filmmakers, Rob Whitehair, CEO, and Alexander Finden, COO, Mammalz is the “Twitch for Nature.” It is the first interactive IRL live streaming platform dedicated to nature storytelling, presenter-led shows, and IRL experiences that gives content creators the opportunity to make a living doing what they love. With a community intentionally designed for active participation and engagement, each content experience is a social event between you, the creator, and their other fans. Every visit to the Mammalz iOS app or web platform offers the opportunity to encounter nature in a totally new way through live streamers who may be naturalists, adventurers, guides, scientists, birdwatchers, travelers, NGOs, educators, or any of the millions of people worldwide who love nature.
Mammalz, PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation founded in May 2018 and headquartered in San Diego, CA.
The Mammalz mission is to promote a greater global public understanding of nature and the environment while acting as a bridge between science, media makers, and the public.
Unfair Game: An Exposé of South Africa's Captive-bred Lion Industry by Michael Ashcroft
In April 2019, Lord Ashcroft published the results of his year-long investigation into South Africa's captive-bred lion industry. Over eleven pages of a single edition of the Mail on Sunday, he showed why this sickening trade, which involves appalling cruelty to the 'King of the Savannah' from birth to death, has become a stain on the country.
Unfair Game features the shocking results of a new inquiry Lord Ashcroft has conducted into South Africa's lion business. In the book, he shows how tourists are unwittingly being used to support the abuse of lions; he details how lions are being tranquillised and then hunted in enclosed spaces; he urges the British government to ban the import of captive-bred lion trophies; and he demonstrates why Asia's insatiable appetite for lion bones has become a multi-million-dollar business linked to criminality and corruption, which now underpins South Africa's captive lion industry
The film below, presented by Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC, was made to accompany this new book. The film discloses details of a second major investigation into captive-lion breeding, whereby thousands of Africa's most iconic animals are killed either for the bone trade or as hunting trophies.
David and Greta In Conversation: The Climate Crisis
By Wildscreen
12 October 2020
Wildscreen Festival 2020 is hugely excited to announce that Sir David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg will be brought together in conversation from their respective homes in the UK and Sweden. They are separated by 77 years in age but are united by a shared passion to protect the natural world.
They’ll discuss the most pressing issue of our age - the climate emergency. This is a unique chance to hear two of the most influential figures of our time honestly discussing their opinions of where are now and where we need to be. They will ask each other questions about what we can do to empower ourselves to look after our planet and their experiences of communicating the impacts humans have and are continuing to make on the environment.
David and Greta will give a nod to the wildlife filmmaking community, commending their vital work and the importance of the conservation stories told through their films. They will also discuss the significance of Wildscreen as a festival as Greta reflects that it was watching natural history films that introduced her to the climate emergency: “Films and movies have the power to open our eyes.”
“David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet,” a film by Sir David, now streaming globally on Netflix, outlines his witness statement, vision for the future and how we can work with nature to overturn the climate emergency. Greta has continued with her environmental activism during the pandemic via a digital strike and has made a return to school. Her film, “I Am Greta,” which makes an appeal to act now to stop climate change before it’s too late, is due to be released on Hulu in the UK on 16 October and in the USA on 13 November.
Alastair Fothergill, Co-director, “David Attenborough A Life On Our Planet” said: “This is the very first time that Sir David and Greta have had the chance for a detailed conversation and it certainly does not disappoint.”
Sue Martineau, interim Wildscreen CEO said: “We are so proud that two of the most famous figures in the fight against climate change have agreed to take time out of their exceptionally busy schedules to appear at Wildscreen Festival 2020. The brave and powerful voices of the iconic naturalist Sir David Attenborough and the climate and environmental activist Greta Thunberg is a compelling gift and couldn’t be more pertinent in our current global crisis.”
Silverback to make BBC five-parter for Earthshot Prize
The BBC is to be the broadcast partner for The Earthshot Prize, a global environmental prize launched by Prince William. Our Planet (pictured) maker Silverback Films is onboard to make a five part series in support.
The Earthshot Prize aims to incentivise change and help repair the planet by identifying evidence-based solutions to the world’s biggest environmental problems. Every year for the next ten years, five one million-pound prizes will be awarded to those who make the most progress towards achieving the five ‘Earthshots’.
The BBC will air a major five-part series – Earthshot: How To Save Our Planet (w/t) – ahead of the first awards ceremony in London in Autumn 2021. The series will feature Prince William and eminent scientists, foremost wildlife experts and environmentalists. It will focus on the five ‘Earthshots’ – simple but ambitious goals to repair the planet: Protect and restore nature, Clean the air, Revive the oceans, Build a waste free world, Fix our climate.
In addition, the BBC will broadcast the inaugural Earthshot Prize awards ceremony which will take place in London in Autumn 2021.
Prince William and Sir David Attenborough join forces on 'Earthshot' prize
Prince William and Sir David Attenborough have joined forces to launch what they hope will become the "Nobel Prize for environmentalism".
They say the search is on for 50 solutions to the world's gravest environmental problems by 2030.
With Ł50m to be awarded over a decade, the "Earthshot Prize" is the biggest environmental prize ever.
The Prince said "positivity" had been missing from the climate debate - something the award could supply.
"The Earthshot prize is really about harnessing that optimism and that urgency to find some of the world's solutions to some of the greatest environmental problems," he told the BBC.
Anyone could win,he explained, as he called for "amazing people" to create "brilliant innovative projects".
These, he said, could help save the planet.
A global team of high-profile leaders from the environmental, philanthropic, business, sporting and entertainment worlds have joined Prince William as members of The Earthshot Prize Council.
The Earthshot Prize, which launched today (6th October 2020), is the most prestigious global environment prize in history and aims to incentivise change and help to repair our planet over the next 10 years. The £50 million prize will provide at least 50 solutions to the world’s greatest environmental problems by 2030. Taking inspiration from President John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot which united millions of people around an organising goal to put man on the moon and catalysed the development of new technology in the 1960s, The Earthshot Prize is centred around five ‘Earthshots’ – simple but ambitious goals for our planet which if achieved by 2030 will improve life for us all, for generations to come.
The Earthshot Prize Council is a truly global list of influential individuals from a wide range of different sectors, all of whom are committed to championing positive action in the environmental space. Joining Prince William as members of The Earthshot Prize Council today are:
Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah (Jordan);
Cate Blanchett – actor, producer and humanitarian (Australia);
Christiana Figueres – Former UN climate chief, responsible for the landmark Paris Agreement on Climate Change (Costa Rica);
Dani Alves – professional footballer (Brazil);
Sir David Attenborough – broadcaster and natural historian (UK);
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim – environmental activist (Chad);
Indra Nooyi – business executive and former Chairman & CEO of PepsiCo (US & India);
Jack Ma – philanthropist, entrepreneur and UNSDG Advocate (China);
Naoko Yamazaki – former astronaut onboard the International Space Station (Japan);
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala – economist and international development expert (Nigeria);
Shakira – singer and philanthropist (Colombia);
Yao Ming – Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer and environmentalist (China).
In the coming months, further members of The Earthshot Prize Council will be announced as the global coalition supporting the Prize expands.
Every year from 2021 until 2030, The Earthshot Prize Council will award The Earthshot Prize to five winners, one per Earthshot, whose evidence-based solutions make the most progress towards the five Earthshots:
Protect and restore nature
Clean our air
Revive our oceans
Build a waste-free world
Fix our climate
A distinguished panel of experts will support the judging process, making recommendations to the Prize Council who will select the final winners. The Prize could be awarded to a wide range of individuals, teams or collaborations – scientists, activists, economists, leaders, governments, banks, businesses, cities, and countries – anyone who is making a substantial development or outstanding contribution to solving these environmental challenges. Each winner will receive a one million-pound reward that will be used to support agreed environmental and conservation projects as well as large-scale public recognition and significant support to scale their solution.
To mark the launch of the Prize, a short film has been released which sees Prince William and Sir David Attenborough together at Kensington Palace, speaking about their passion for the environment and the critical role that The Earthshot Prize can play in repairing our planet over the next ten years. The film also features each of the 11 other announced members of The Earthshot Prize Council, who explain their motivations for becoming involved in The Earthshot Prize and the differing environmental challenges faced globally.
In the midst of these chaotic, uncertain times, there is one clear path forward: creating caring communities, building resilience and hope together, and embracing solutions that work for everyone in order to forge a path for a better future.
At the virtual 2020 Jackson Wild Summit this past week, filmmakers, conservationists, impact strategists, and distributors from around the world converged to set a course for equitable, high impact media production and distribution.
Our film “Unbreathable - The Fight For Healthy Air” continues to be a catalyst for environmental justice and community engagement. We can make a significant difference if we pull together and work toward a great good. Sadly, we can no longer take for granted environmental protections, the sanctity of our National Parks, and the logical move to clean energy. Please join us in being sure to exercise your right to vote and encourage others to do the same. So much is at stake.
Upcoming Events
Election Day - Plan Your Vote
Eligible voters are more likely to cast a ballot if they make a plan to vote. What’s your plan? Our nation faces unprecedented times in the midst of a global pandemic, a battle for human rights, environmental conservation, and social justice. This New York Times resource page provides resources for teaching and learning about the upcoming 2020 election. The recently released environmental film, “Purple Mountains,” follows professional snowboarder and mountaineer Jeremy Jones, as he searches for common ground amongst voters. This film is a great resource for how to have a bipartisan conversation.
EcoComedy Awards
Mark your calendars! The EcoComedy video competition is an annual event hosted by CEF in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Clean Air Partners, and is a signature event with the DC Environmental Film Festival. Due to Covid-19, DC-EFF was moved online and the EcoComedy night was postponed. CEF will host the awards ceremony for these comedic environmental short films on November 17, time to be determined. The theme for this year’s competition was “Clean Air and Clean Water.” Previous winners can be seen here.
Jackson Wild Virtual Summit 2020 Highlights
CEF faculty, students, and alum had a strong presence at the 2020 Jackson Wild Summit this year. Two alum were fellows in the highly competitive Jackson Wild Media Lab. AU/CEF graduate Robert Boyd is currently a post-grad fellow with AU’s Investigative Reporting Workshop and hopes to use his skills in filmmaking to create documentaries that highlight the intersection between human society and microscopic life, ranging from insects to viruses.
AU alumna Katie Bryden is the senior digital producer at Conservation International and focuses on a variety of conservation impact projects, spanning work across governments and public audiences. Her participatory filmmaking approach is breaking new ground.
Alum Sylvia Johnson’s film, “Mermaids Against Plastic,” won the Best Changing Planet Film - Short Form category at the awards summit. This short film follows an incredible woman in her quest to protect the ocean she loves from marine plastic pollution.
CEF Executive Director Maggie Burnette Stogner interviewed the finalists for the Impact Campaign Award for three outstanding films: “The Elephant Queen,” “Sea of Shadows,” and “Peng Yu Sai” for the Impact Campaign Case Studies program. She was a panelist for the live program: “Action Coalition Forum: Impact Campaign Development,” a lively discussion on the challenges and opportunities to achieving media impact.
Maggie rolled out her latest research project, an extensive look at how we can change hearts, minds, behaviors, and create visionary change through media: “Impact Media Report: Creative, Collaborative, and Outreach Strategies for Nature, Environmental, and Science Films” Funded by HHMI/Tangled Bank Studios, this research launches a conversation for innovative, holistic, and equitable media models. Special thanks to Marjee Chmiel at HHMI and to CEF graduate assistant researchers and co-authors Nicole Wackerly and Carlos Macher, as well as to report designer Kylos Brannon. We encourage you to contact us with your feedback.
CEF Associate Director Larry Engel was a panelist for the live program “Action Coalition Forum: Stay Healthy, Be Green.” The forum highlighted existing industry trends and a variety of international practices for greening production to create shared standards specific to documentary and nature filmmaking with opportunities for incentivized collaboration with institutions and associations affiliated with media production and distribution. Larry is a leading instructor for the CEF program Classroom in the Wild and authored the “Code of Best Practices in Sustainable Filmmaking,” a guide written to ensure filmmakers are adopting pro-environmental practices throughout their production process.
“Unbreathable: The Fight for Healthy Air” won Best Environmental Feature in the Chesapeake Film Festival. The virtual festival took place virtually from October 1 - 4.
This film, directed by CEF director Maggie Stogner, addresses access to clean air for everyone in partnership with the American Lung Association and AU’s Center for Environmental Policy. The Clean Air for All symposium was held on September 29, recognizing the accomplishments of the Clean Air Act. Keep up to date with upcoming screenings and events at www.unbreathable.org.
Experiential Learning through CEF
All Year, All Weather
The early years of a child’s life are formative and impactful. The Dunn sisters in Brevard, NC know this and have combined their backgrounds in experiential education to provide an early education collective near Pisgah National Forest. CEF graduate student Jess Wiegandt spent time with the program filming the unique learning atmosphere and has released her short film, “All Year, All Weather: Early Outdoor Education,” on Vimeo.
Classroom in the Wild 2021
Classroom in the Wild (CITW) is a week-long intensive film program hosted through CEF which takes place over spring break. CITW 2021 will take place March 6-13 and will be based on the Chesapeake Bay. This program is open to beginners and experienced filmmakers who are passionate about the outdoors and communicating environmental, natural history, and conservation subjects. Applications are due by November 1 and can be found here.
Palmer Scholarship Recipients 2020
Each year, students in the environmental filmmaking program are awarded the opportunity to apply for the Palmer Scholarship, a fund established by CEF founder Chris Palmer and his wife Gail Shearer. The scholarship honors Palmer’s parents. The 2020 scholarship recipients are graduate students Jess Wiegandt, Marissa Woods, and Jessica Marcy. All three women are pursuing their MFA in Film and Media Arts. Each student offers a wide variety of experience, from expedition leadership to specializing in motion graphics. Funding for students is an essential part of the Center, and allows for students to continue projects that elevate environmental stories of impact. Learn more about donating to support CEF here.
CEF Welcomes New Associate Director
Dr. Krzysztof Piertroszek has joined the CEF team as an associate director. CEF has been collaborating with Krzysztof on a variety of projects. Krzysztof is the founding director of Immersive Designs, Experiences, Applications, and Stories Lab (IDEAS Lab) and teaches immersive filmmaking and game development courses in AU’s Game Lab. Krzysztof is an award-winning filmmaker, has developed several VR video games, and has published over 40 peer-reviewed research papers. CEF is excited to have him join the team and looks forward to the collaborative projects to come!
The Wild Connection – A Review By Jason Peters
7 October 2020
The Wild Connection, by husband and wife team Carter McCormick and Paula Sprenger, is a documentary that examines our relationship with wildlife. This artful exploration of some of America’s most incredible species promotes a deeper understanding of our link to the wild at a time when its future is uncertain.
Although they can seem far removed from our lives we have an innate connection to the animals we share the Earth with. The relationship between us is complex, ever changing, and unique to each species. The Wild Connection seeks to understand the link between us at a time when the future is uncertain.
It is an oft-said thing by those that are engaged with wildlife, in natural history or ecological circles, be they biologists, birders, conservationists or even mere film-makers, that we’ve lost our connection to the natural world. By “we”, we mean everyone else. Those city types, kids of today and the like ... Increasingly losing touch with nature. So, I was immediately invested in the idea behind this film. Can “we” reconnect?
This documentary aims to show us inadvertent connections at various sites across the USA ... Antelope Island, Utah, where herds of large mammals roam the mountainsides and grasslands and its shores are home to millions of animals but where the early impact of people on American wildlife is illustrated; Crystal River, on the Nature Coast of Florida, where species collide as the large populations of both humans and animals intersect, often with deadly but unintended consequences. There are great success stories but protected species are still under serious pressure, and not just from people, there are invasive species adding to that pressure exacerbated by climate change too; Palo Duro Canyon, located in the Texas Panhandle, is the second largest canyon in the United States. Its’ unique topography creates a climate that offers shelter to wildlife year round. Human-introduced invasive species are also a problem here and massive persecutions of rattlesnakes are unethical, whilst upsetting the balance too. The plight of turkeys and that of cattle, including their impact on the environment are shown ... One billion cows, in the US alone, are seriously contributing to global warming; Baxter, Maine, a testament to conservation that remains largely untouched, despite being a pristine wilderness the animals here are still affected by human activity miles away. An aquatic animal, a conservation success story, that shows the ecosystem is healthy and the surprisingly aquatic moose that is plagued by insects that are exploding in numbers further North due to climate change; Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia, which may seem like a foreboding place, but is full of life. In the black waters of the Okefenokee nature is on full display. Charismatic keystone species are suffering due to hunting, loss of habitat and human development and alligators are impacted by climate change in surprising ways. Even more surprising interconnections link a woodpecker, pine trees and fire, or lack of it.
The cinematography is exceptional in this film, well edited and good flow with appealing graphics used to illustrate historical points and data. An appropriate use of music nicely balanced with natural sounds with a well-paced narration that helped to keep the attention, even though the film could’ve been shorter.
I found the film incredibly informative, with lots of things learnt about the animals and environments studied, not least the interconnectedness of threats to wildlife in the US and climate change. It felt like a well-researched film but the imparted knowledge was easily digested. I loved the inclusion of the segment on cattle, the cruelty injustices, exploited for meat and dairy products, but also their very significant negative impact on the environment. Not preachy, but part of a wider story including their auroch ancestors. Well done and I would very much like to see more of this kind of truth-telling in wildlife film-making.
The points made about the “wild connection” were immersed in the wider biology of the animals and ecosystems helping the viewer to understand the fuller context with ease. There’s still a chance for all of these animals and their ecosystems ... Our connection to the wild.
“We” need to remember our shared history, remember our relationship to the land and animals ... realize past mistakes and recognize what we are doing now. We have a chance to modify and reduce our impact as humans on the natural world ... i.e. live in a way mindful of our wild connection. I recommend that you watch this film, immerse yourself in the stories, understand the connections and then find your wild connection, not just to these stories, but in your local patch too. By “we”, I mean all of us.
Carter McCormick is from Rising Fawn, Georgia where he gained a deep love for wildlife. He began his filmmaking career in 2008 and his passion for film and conservation have taken him to wildernesses around the globe. Carter has collaborated with many prestigious research organizations, conservation groups, universities, and NGOs.
Paula Sprenger was born in Santiago, Chile and worked to achieve her dream of being a filmmaker since she was a child. Throughout her childhood Paula always had a camera in hand, and her career took a turn when she became successful in fashion photography and portraiture.
Eventually, when Carter and Paula met in college in 2015 they began working in film together. Two years after meeting the couple got married, and they set off in their RV to travel across the USA to film 'The Wild Connection'.
Today they live in Ireland where they continue to document wildlife. The two maintain their company Habitat Productions while Carter researches creating more impactful wildlife films for his PhD.
Statement from the Filmmakers:
Many wildlife films, though captivating, seldom impart knowledge in a way that can change how a viewer engages with the world around them. With The Wild Connection, we set out to create a film that was artful and entertaining but that also examined our relationship with wildlife in a way that promoted deeper understanding and empathy. Making this film we navigated sweltering heat waves off-grid in our RV, filled our wetsuits with hot water on cold winter mornings, walked rough terrain with heavy gear in search of wildlife, and faced a multitude of other obstacles. Despite all of the challenges of making a documentary (especially with only two people) every day in the field or working from home was a labor of love. Making this film only furthered our love for the land, plants, and animals we share this planet with and we hope that you share that love when watching our film.
WFFR is delighted to announce the complete list of nominees selected for the WFFR 2020 Flamingo Awards. All winners will be announced during the online Flamingo Award Ceremony on Saturday the 31st of October 2020.
The Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam (WFFR) is the only film festival for nature documentaries in the Netherlands and shows the most recent films from home and abroad. Since its first edition in 2015, WFFR has been taking place in the Rotterdam film theatre Cinerama, which was also the vibrant heart of the festival this year. The programme consists of beautiful documentaries showing the beauty of nature, as well as films showing the relationship between man and nature. This year, due to COVID-19, the festival will be held virtually.
In the area surrounding the massive Okavango river in Botswana live all kinds of wild animals: elephants, birds, hippos, crocodiles and… lions! This film features the amazing story of Fekeetsa, a lioness that was severly injured by a buffalo and left badly handicapped. After her pride has left her for dead, she has to survive in the swamp alone – and to hunt, to feed her little cubs. The film ends with the spectacular wildfires that ignite the peat bog deep underground and burn for decades, making the landscape disappear under thick blankets of smoke.
On Thin Ice
Henry M. Mix & Boas Schwarz
(Altayfilm GmbH)
Germany
Northern Russia is in trouble. Enormous layers of permafrost are thawing out and revealing remains of the ancient Siberian megafauna. Hundreds of scary looking holes are blasting off from the deep exhaling methane, which has 80 times stronger greenhouse effects than carbon dioxide.The life of arctic reindeer herders, barely changed for thousands of years, is under pressure. Their livelihoods are virtually melting away. In the Russian Arctic, climate change is not a question anymore. Scientists say that the tipping point was reached already years ago. Now, Pandora’s box has been opened. The fate of people and wildlife is at stake as is the entire Arctic.
South America – the most species rich continent on Earth. From the volcanoes of the Andes to the world’s largest rainforest the Amazon: animals here must specialise to carve out a niche. In Patagonia, a puma mother draws on a lifetime’s experience to catch prey three times her weight. In the cloud forest, rarely seen Andean bears clamber thirty metres into the canopy to find elusive fruit. Poison dart frogs use ingenious methods to keep their tadpoles safe, whilst anacondas stalk capuchin monkeys. At Igauzu, swifts make death-defying flights through one of the biggest waterfalls on Earth.
Sockeye Salmon Red Fish
Dmitriy Shpilenok, Vladislav Grishin,
Petr Shpilenok & Anna Sukhova
Russia
The sockeye, a species of wild salmon, is born in Kamchatkan waters and spends its entire life in the Pacific Ocean. Only once does it return to fresh waters – to give offspring, start the circle of life, and die. These salmons form an inexhaustible resource that feeds billions of people on the planet, a resource that is restored every single year. But soon, we may find ourselves facing the unimaginable: humans will exhaust the inexhaustible…
How do we create a future in which both people and nature can thrive? This is the biggest question of our times. In the next few decades, we need to do something unprecedented: achieve a sustainable existence on Earth. But how do we do it? We can start by understanding how we got to this point… In this film, Sir David Attenborough explains how we humans can take charge of our future and save our planet, in only 8.5 minutes!
Pangolins are believed to be the most trafficked mammals in the world. As the four Asian species of pangolins have dwindled, poachers are increasingly turning to the African species to supply the trade. In this short film, meet the bold Nigerians who are fighting to protect this gentle and vulnerable creature.
Winter Lake
John Clay, Colin Butfield & Keith Scholey
UK
“My friends can’t believe I go camping in winter. They think it’s crazy!” But 13yearold Emika loves it. It’s just as beautiful as in summertime, she thinks. “You just need a good tent and sleeping bag, and warm clothes.” Every school vacation she and her cousin Antti, who is kind of like a big brother to Emika, go to the vast Saimaa Lake, an amazing nature reserve in Finland with thousands of islands.
‘The Hole: Apocalypse Avoided’ tells the remarkable story of the hole in the ozone layer – and how the world managed to fix it. The film reveals how scientists spotted the giant hole in the stratosphere and persuaded Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher – two of the most unlikely eco-warriors in history – to take action. Had they not acted, humans would’ve been forced to hide from daylight and become a nocturnal species. Human actions solved the first great man-made threat to the planet’s environment. As climate change begins to feel like an impossible challenge, the forgotten tale of the hole in the ozone layer offers a timely message of hope.
Fifty years ago, a unique afforestation project took root on an eroded desert plateau in Tamil Nadu, South India, when people from diverse countries came together to establish the international experimental township of Auroville. Today, the lush Auroville forest is an outstanding example of eco-restoration that recreates and preserves a type of tropical forest that is on the verge of extinction. Ever Slow Green tells the story of Auroville’s 50-years-young forest through some of the diverse characters who have dedicated their lives to bringing it to fruition.
Dive into a feeding frenzy of 700 sharks in Polynesia, the largest concentration of sharks in the world. Filmed with very ambitious camera gear, this documentary reveals unprecedented social behavior of sharks. The film demonstrates that, contrary to what science said up to now, sharks do not hunt alone. They are actually organized animals with a leader, have strategies and collaborate among one another: an organization that resembles a pack of wolves or lions. Discover incredible scenes of hunting, in which fifty sharks team up to capture one fish, and in which prey sometimes manages to outsmart sharks.
We know pandas almost entirely from zoos, and little about their behaviour in the wild. Yet, if they are to survive, it’s important to learn. For three years, award-winning cameraman Jacky Poon and his team have had unprecedented access to the Qin Mountains and the Woolong Panda breeding centre. In the centre, we follow a young panda from birth, that is later selected to return to the wild. The keepers have to teach him how to cope: dressing up as pandas and training him to fear leopards, bears and people. In a final climax, the team journeys deep into the snowy forest to find the panda, six months after his release.
My Octopus Teacher
Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed & Craig Foster
South Africa
After years of swimming every day in the freezing ocean of South-Africa, Craig Foster meets an unlikely teacher: a young octopus who displays remarkable curiosity. Visiting her and tracking her movements for months he eventually wins the animal’s trust and they develop a never-before-seen bond between human and wild animal. As the little octopus shares the secrets of her world, Craig also undertakes an incredible transformation: his body becomes immune to the cold and every breath can last minutes. The octopus shows him things that have never been recorded on film and ultimately redefines Craig’s understanding of the creatures we share our world with.
The Pollinators is a cinematic journey around the United States following migratory beekeepers and their truckloads of honey bees as they pollinate the flowers that become the fruits, nuts and vegetables we all eat. The many challenges the beekeepers and their bees face en route reveal flaws to our simplified chemically dependent agriculture system. We talk to farmers, scientists, chefs and academics along the way to give a broad perspective about the threats to honey bees, what it means to our food security and how we can improve it.
On Thin Ice
Henry M. Mix & Boas Schwarz
(Altayfilm GmbH)
Germany
Since the dawn of life, fungi have driven evolution and ruled all life on land, making them both powerful allies and, given the chance, formidable foes. The Kingdom of Fungi is an alien world with the largest and oldest organisms alive. Fungi made life possible on a barren planet and brought life back to Earth after the last mass extinction. By looking at fungi in the context of evolution and natural history, scientists are making discoveries that will change our lives. Some fungi will save us, others will threaten us and we are just beginning to understand which is which.
Van Lawick Conservation:
Sockeye Salmon Red Fish
Dmitriy Shpilenok, Vladislav Grishin,
Petr Shpilenok & Anna Sukhova
Russia
The magnificent tiger is one of the world’s most beloved, and threatened creatures. Filmmaker Karl Ammann uncovers the illegal breeding in secret South East Asian tiger farms. His nine-year investigation exposes how body parts are harvested from both alive and butchered tigers, and then traded for sale in China’s underground pharmaceutical and jewelry industries.
Our Gorongosa
Jared Lipworth, James Byrne, Gráinne Keegan, Carla Rebai
US
Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique has become one of Africa’s most celebrated wildlife restoration stories. After a decade of renewed protection, Gorongosa’s large mammal population has increased tenfold to over 100,000 animals. But the Park must also find a way to co-exist with the 200,000 people living in surrounding communities. Dominique Gonçalves, a young African elephant ecologist shares the inspiring story of how Gorongosa is becoming a new model for wildlife conservation and community development.
An elusive species of gorilla roams the deep forests of Gabon, West Africa. Their leader is a silverback called “Musiru”, distinguished by his rusty red forehead. These aren’t the famous mountain gorillas of East Africa made famous by Dian Fossey – they’re the western lowland variety seldom seen by humans. Gabon’s gorillas have survived logging, poaching and even the Ebola virus, and now the future of the region’s wildlife conservation could be resting on their shoulders. This film reveals the work of Smithsonian scientists as they attempt to habituate these rarely seen primates and increase ecotourism in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park.
Childrens:
Winter Lake
John Clay, Colin Butfield & Keith Scholey
UK
Inspired by real events, the story of a Borneo pygmy elephant calf in a land ruled by palm oil comes to life in a stop motion world made out of recycled paper. We see an elephant family fleeing time and again from palm oil farmers. During one of their escape attempts, the elephant calf is separated from its parents. He is left sad and alone until help suddenly appears …
Special Spy Creatures investigate the extraordinary wildlife that thrives in the tropics and the events and gatherings that happen across the year. This team of hyper-real Spy Creatures not only look like the animals they film, they behave like them too. Accepted by the families, these robotic look-alikes can not only film from an intimate perspective, they also interact with the animals and so gain revelatory insights into their worlds. See the world through the eyes of Spy Dolphin, Spy Monkey and Spy Jaguar Cub and experience wildlife like you never have before.
Wild Karnataka is a factual entertainment film, made to showcase the fabulous flora and fauna of Indian southern state Karnataka. The film is India’s first blue-chip natural history movie and is narrated by David Attenborough. Karnataka is the state with the highest number of tigers and elephants in India. The film covers every single habitat across four years to document and celebrate the spectacular diversity of a single Indian state. Using not just aerial, but also hidden cameras, Wild Karnataka reveals some of the most intimate moments of natural history.
One of nature’s most extraordinary journeys begins with a tiny blue egg. This film will take you on a journey with the creature inside this blue egg as it undergoes the most mysterious transformation found in nature; metamorphosis. Extraordinary timelapses show the forming of the wings inside the chrysalice, along with the development of the colours. What was once a caterpillar now emerges as a new creature: the beautiful painted lady butterfly.
Beyond The Fence is a short documentary that explores a positive solution to the conservation crisis that South Africa faces. It looks at the power of photography in engaging young people from rural communities in wildlife conservation. Set in rural South Africa, where most people have never had the opportunity to experience wildlife, Queen, Rifumo and Wisani emerge as three young eco-warriors. Armed with a camera, the trio aim to rise above their difficult pasts and “reframe” the narrative of wildlife conservation, which has long since had a reputation for being white dominated. The three have one goal – to inspire the youth from their community to protect our natural heritage.
So much Wildscreen Festival 2020 news ... So many reasons to attend! By Jason Peters
6 October 2020
Countdown to the Wildscreen Festival ... Happening virtually from 19 - 23 October, 2020
Wildscreen Festival Programme Announced!
Transforming this year’s festival into a virtual experience meant Wildscreen could include even more ground breaking content into their week-long celebration of the very best in wildlife film, conservation and photography. They’ve also drawn upon their expansive network to bring you an unmissable programme of award winning, world famous thought leaders of the industry.
These include heavyweight keynote and headline speakers from TV, film and photography, commissioners from channels such as Smithsonian, ORF & Nat Geo plus masterclasses developed just for our audience by world leading providers to the industry.
They didn’t want to stop there! In addition to their already jam-packed programme they have some yet to be announced sessions with globally revered household names, see announcements below and watch out for more on Wildscreen and our social channels over the next couple of weeks!
The live streamed programme will be available from 09:00 on Monday 19 October but if you can’t wait until then, buy your pass now to access their film library of over 200 tremendous pieces of work.
Reserve your place now to be amongst the enviable delegate list including notable and influential figures in the wildlife and conservation filmmaking genre, including ...
Vice President of Production and Development, Love Nature
Director of Creative Media, University of the West of England
Head of and Head of Development, BBC Studios Natural History Unit
SVP, Development & Production, Nat Geo WILD
Executive Producer, Natural History & Science, NHK Enterprises
Charitable foundation Synchronicity Earth
Award winning and Panda Award nominee representatives from production companies including Boothfilms (Violent Planet), Humblebee Films (Attenborough and the Giant Elephant), KEO West (War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita), Silverback Films (Our Planet), Plimsoll Productions, (Night on Earth), Felis Creations (Planet Earth II), Icon Films (Mysteries of the Deep), NDR Doclights (Serengeti) & Gripping Films (Nature Now).
CLICK HERE to buy your Full Industry Pass now! Or head to the Programme Page for more information.
More news below too!
Steve Backshall in conversation with Jeremy Darroch, Sky Group Chief Executive
Wildscreen festival 2020 is pleased to announce its first keynote: Jeremy Darroch, Sky’s Group Chief Executive will be in conversation with TV presenter, adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall.
Under Jeremy’s leadership Sky has saved over a billion trees in the Amazon through its Rainforest Rescue Campaign, partnered with WWF to fight for healthy oceans, and has now set the ambitious target for its business to become net zero carbon by 2030 - two decades ahead of government targets.
BAFTA award-winning wildlife expert Steve Backshall has been passionate about the wild world ever since he could crawl. A veteran of the CBBC Deadly series and his global hit Expedition, Steve is currently in production with SHARK which is Sky Nature’s first premier natural history commission. SHARK with Steve Backshall is a three-part series from True to Nature for Sky Nature, with a companion series for Sky Kids.
The two will discuss their shared love of the natural world, the climate crisis and the role of nature programming, and what broadcasters can do to accelerate their own progress towards net zero carbon.
Jeremy Darroch said:
“Every company depends on and is fundamentally connected to the environment and we all have a responsibility to protect it. That’s what inspires Sky’s ambition to become net zero carbon by 2030 – two decades ahead of government targets. We are committed to using our voice through world-class nature programming, documentaries, and news reporting, to highlight the issues affecting our natural world and the threats that it is facing.”
Steve Backshall said:
“The power of nature programming and reporting to change viewers’ hearts and minds about the survival of our natural habitat never ceases to amaze me. We face a huge challenge in changing the way we work in order to reduce our impact on the natural world. We should all be nature and climate campaigners. I hope this interview inspires more ground-breaking nature programming and commissioning from broadcasters.”
Sky Nature is the home to breath-taking natural history programming, dedicated to exploring the beauty and wonder of the natural world and inspiring us all to do more to look after it. The channel features landmark Sky original series, including Sky’s existing David Attenborough collection, and is the home of Love Nature programming in the UK.
Sky’s sustainability journey – the story so far:
2006 – Sky becomes the world’s first carbon neutral media company
2015 – Sky protects 1 billion trees in the Amazon through Sky Rainforest Rescue
2017 – Sky put ocean health on the global agenda inspiring millions to take action with Sky Ocean Rescue
2018 – Sky commits £25million to fund alternatives to plastic through Sky Ocean Ventures
2019 – Sky partners with WWF to restore 20,000 sq km of seagrass
2019 – Sky made all its products single-use plastic free
February 2020 – Sky announces commitment to become net zero carbon by 2030
June 2020 – All Sky Originals from 2019 onward now certified CarbonNeutral® in the UK
July 2020 – Sky Sports become first broadcaster to sign up to UNFCCC’s Sports for Action Framework and a founding member of BAFTA albert Sports Consortium
July 2020 – Work begins on Sky Studios Elstree which will become the most sustainable film and TV production site in the world
September 2020 – Sky Sports announces all Premier League, EFL and Transfer Deadline Day live broadcasts will be BAFTA albert certified
Conservation icon to speak at Bristol’s Wildscreen Festival
Wildscreen Festival 2020 is thrilled to announce that pioneering Ethologist, Founder of The Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, Dr. Jane Goodall, will be appearing at this year’s event in conversation with conservation photographer Tom Mangelsen and wildlife filmmaker Sandesh Kadur.
At the world's leading international nature film festival’s biannual event from
19th-23rd October, Goodall and Mangelsen – longtime friends as well as legends in the conservation field - will discuss the impact of photography and film in bringing conservation issues to a wider audience, the changes in storytelling techniques over the years and how environmental threats and issues are fast evolving.
"Photography can play such a strong role in bringing the natural world into our lives and homes and introduces us to new species in wild places that most of us will never have the chance to witness. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to talk with Tom and Sandsesh on these issues - thank you iLCP and Wildscreen."
Jane Goodall
“We are proud and excited that Jane Goodall has joined our impressive Wildscreen 2020 speaker line-up. The world-renowned ethologist and conservationist who redefined 'what it means to be human' is relaxed and engaged but, as always, her message is clear: “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Sue Martineau, interim CEO Wildscreen
“iLCP is delighted to bring together two of our Senior Fellows in a conservation conversation with their friend Jane Goodall; conservation work can so often be solitary, so we are delighted that they can share this time to discuss the importance of conservation and photography.”
Susan Norton, Executive Director, International League of Conservation Photographers
Wildscreen Festival will take place from 19-23 October and tickets are currently on sale.
Oscar-Winning James Cameron announced to Headline at the Wildscreen Festival 2020
Wildscreen Festival 2020 is thrilled to announce that ground-breaking filmmaker and explorer James Cameron will be appearing at this year’s event in conversation with BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit producer Orla Doherty.
The acclaimed writer/director/producer of blockbuster hits such as Avatar, Titanic and The Abyss, Cameron is currently executive producing two National Geographic series - OceanXplorers and Secrets of the Whales. OceanXplorers, produced by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit with OceanX Media, is a global cross-platform television event that will bring to life the magical worlds of our oceans across six ambitious episodes. Secrets of the Whales is a four-part natural history series for National Geographic from Red Rock Films. Filmed across three years in 24 locations, the series ventures deep into the world of whales to reveal life and love from their perspective.
At the world's leading international nature film festival’s biannual event in October, Cameron will reveal why he’s so passionate about our oceans and what drives him to explore them. Doherty will also quiz the moviemaking maestro about his love of adventure, science and technology, about the evolution of natural history documentary filmmaking and about the environmental themes that lie behind much of his storytelling.
Cameron has a longstanding relationship with National Geographic. As part of the Deepsea Challenge expedition, and in partnership with National Geographic, he famously made a record-breaking solo dive to the Mariana Trench’s Challenger Deep in a custom-built submersible that he co-designed.
He’s been a National Geographic ‘Explorer at Large’ for nine years and has also executive produced Akashinga: The Brave Ones, the story of a team of women-only rangers and their fight to protect some of Africa’s key species from poaching in Zimbabwe. The short film, winner of two Jackson Wild awards among others, will receive a special screening at Wildscreen.
James Cameron said: “I feel very much at home in the natural history film-making community, so I’m pleased to be joining everyone at Wildscreen to share some of my personal experiences working in the field. The oceans-related projects I’m producing all share elements I love – new tech used for scientific inquiry wrapped in great storytelling that visually excites and emotionally resonates. I’m proud to work with my longtime partner, National Geographic, as well as BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, to bring viewers incredible and surprising new insights into our oceans and the rich and abundant life we need to protect and preserve.”
BBC Studios Natural History Unit producer Orla Doherty commented: “This is a rare and exciting opportunity to hear from one of the world’s best storytellers and film-making visionaries on his feature films and documentaries about our natural world. I’m eager to hear about what motivates him as a natural history filmmaker and where he sees tech and innovation taking us both as messengers and as residents of a fast-changing planet.”
Sue Martineau, interim CEO Wildscreen added: "We are honoured and delighted to have James Cameron the 'world's most successful director' appearing at Wildscreen Festival 2020. We know that he will appeal to an extremely diverse and varied audience. We can't thank him enough for taking time out of his very busy schedule to support Wildscreen."
Webcast makes the connections between wildlife trade and the coronavirus pandemic - EIA
Do you know how the illegal wildlife trade and the coronavirus pandemic are connected?
You can find out more about the global picture and China’s role in it for yourself in this new webcast co-hosted by EIA and Asia Society.
Illegal wildlife trade is worth an estimated $20 billion a year but until recently it’s largely been treated as a low-priority issue.
However, initial speculation that COVID-19 may have been linked to wildlife trade and mounting concerns over future pandemic risk have spurred a renewed focus on wildlife trade in China and other countries around the world.
In this special webcast, EIA campaigner Aron White discussed the key issues with Nadya Hutagalung, UN Environment Ambassador, Lixin Huang, former president of the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Sarah H Olson, Associate Director for Epidemiology for the Wildlife Conservation Society Health Programme.
Jackson Wild™ has announced the 2020 winners ofits prestigious film competition, the Jackson Wild Media Awards™.
Known as Nature film’s equivalent to the Oscars®, the Jackson Wild Media Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in nature, science and conservation storytelling. Winners were announced during the livestreamed Awards Ceremony as a finale to the first-ever Jackson Wild Virtual Summit. More than 700 innovative filmmakers, conservationists, photographers, scientists, journalists and visionaries convened from across the globe to engage in important conversations about the future of nature, science, and conservation media, impact, and filmmaking.
“As an industry, we are re-imagining the role media plays in our shared world, inspiring engagement and igniting the changes that will allow us to survive and thrive on our planet,” said Lisa Samford, Executive Director of Jackson Wild.
For the first time, the competition shifted from a biennial to an annual cycle, reflecting the growing importance of media to accelerate change as we address the global issues that confront our planet. This year’s submissions included over 620 category entries from over 30 different countries competing for 30 awards, including the Best of Festival Grand Teton Award.
Okavango - River of Dreams: Divine Journey
A Terra Mater Factual Studios/Wildlife Films production in co-production with THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, Doclights/NDR Naturfilm, in association with PBS, CPB, ARTE France, National Geographic and SVT
Ecosystem, Short Form
(Sponsored by The Nature Conservancy)
Reef Rescue
Merit Motion Pictures, Capa Presse/Films à Cinq, ARTE France and in association with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Vulcan Productions
Conservation, Short Form
(Sponsored by Humane Society International)
Sea of Shadows
Terra Mater Factual Studios in association with Appian Way, Malaika Pictures, The Wild Lens Collective for National Geographic Documentary Films
Non-Broadcast
(Sponsored by Saint Thomas Productions)
H2O The Molecule That Made Us
A WGBH and Passion Pictures production, in association with ARTE France, with funding from Draper, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Lynn Bay Dayton and Bruce C. Dayton, Anne Ray Foundation, and PBS
Limited Series, Short Form
(Sponsored by Off the Fence Productions)
Wild Cuba: A Caribbean Journey Crossing the Line Productions for ORF, BBC, RTÉ, France Télévisions, THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, PBS, ORF
Enterprises
Presenter: Colin Stafford-Johnson
#NatureNow A @tommustill Film for Gripping Films, Greta Thunberg and writer/climate activist George Monbiot with support from Conservation International, Nature4Climate, The Food and Land Use Coalition and Gower Street
Feature
(Sponsored by Terra Mater Factual Studios)
My Octopus Teacher Sea Change Project & Off the Fence - A ZDFE company, A Netflix Original Production
Editors: Pippa Ehrlich, Dan Schwalm, Edit Consultant: Jinx Godfrey
Seven Worlds One Planet: Australia
Natural History & Factual Productions Ltd o/b/o BBC Studios Production Ltd and BBC Studios Distribution Ltd, British Broadcasting Corporation
Theme Music: Hans Zimmer and Jacob Shea for Bleeding Fingers Music, Original Music: Jacob Shea for Bleeding Fingers Music, Score Producers: Hans Zimmer & Russell Emanuel, Score Recording Engineer: John W. Chapman
The Octopus in My House
A Passion Planet Ltd. production for THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC and BBC in association with WNET
Writers: David Allen, Anna Fitch
Audioscape
(Sponsored by Television Academy Sound Peer Group)
The Elephant Queen
A Deeble, Stone & Oliff Production. Apple Original
Supervisor and Sound Editor: Tim Owens, Wounded Buffalo, Sound Editor: Kate Hopkins, Wounded Buffalo, Field Sound Recordists: Norbert Rottcher, Pete Cayless, Re-recording Mixer: Ben Peace, Wounded Buffalo
Pumas - Legends of the Ice Mountains
A Terra Mater Factual Studios/Wildlife Films production in co-production with THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, Doclights/NDR Naturfilm, in association with PBS, CPB, Vision Hawk Films, National Geographic
Wildlife-film.com congratulates all of the finalsists and winners.
My husband fell in love with an Octopus. Sure, I was jealous. Who wouldn’t be? I mean, after all octopuses have three hearts, blue blood and a brain that is pretty much distributed through the body. These are shape-changing, colour-changing, liquid magicians. Who can compete? So, yes I was jealous, but of him. I wanted an octopus friend too, or any ocean animal friend really. I am easy like that.
When I first met Craig, there he was, free diving and ocean-loving, a little more graceful and adept in the water than on land and there I was, scared of water, absolutely no oceanic skills like swimming and firmly rooted on land.
Suddenly I found myself living on the shores of a massive wilderness, the Atlantic Ocean and surrounded by people who were in the water everyday. An amphibious tribe. Not only were they swimming and diving every day, but they were skin diving. Let me tell you, for a girl who grew up in the tropics, this water is COLD.
As a conservation and wildlife journalist, I had, by the time I met Craig, spent over 12 years traveling and reporting on wildlife and conservation issues around India. I had my own television show BORN WILD, and I absolutely understood the mystique, the lure, the yen to be in nature. Even though I grew up in a coastal city in India, a near drowning incident as a child kept me afraid and out of the water. Plus at the time I was a kid in India, we didn’t have much of a culture of swimming in the ocean or diving or any water sports for that matter.
My first few years in Cape Town was pretty much spent dangling my feet into the water or sitting on the shore watching and waiting for Craig. I was irritated with myself for my reticence and fear. My first day in Cape Town, when I arrived in 2007, Craig drove me straight from the airport to a small cottage by the ocean. It was completely dark when we arrived. The next morning I woke up early and stood at the window admiring the view which included four African penguins waddling across the lawn. Now, I vaguely had an idea that penguins, being Southern Hemisphere birds, were found in South Africa, but I hardly expected to see them on a lawn sloping down to the ocean. If that wasn’t astonishing enough, two cape clawless otters appeared and seemed to be either herding them or chasing them around a boulder. All of them vanished into the water while I stood there gaping. It was a wonderful ‘Welcome to Africa, have a nice day.’ The ocean had already started calling then, it just took me a while to hear.
The second Ireland Wildlife Film Festival was held virtually, due to COVID-19, from the 10-24th of September 2020. Sixty two submissions came in from all around the globe, resulting in a great collection of films in three categories, Feature Film, Short Film and Student Short Film, and I was asked to be a judge for a second year running!
The Ireland Wildlife Film Festival was the first of its kind in Ireland and seeks to bring stories of conservation and species preservation to the big screen while also striving to create a community of filmmakers and audience members who care deeply about environmental issues.
The best Feature Film will receive 500 Euro and laurels.
The best Short Film will receive 300 Euro and Laurels.
The best Student Film will receive 200 Euro and laurels.
Winner: Sockeye Salmon Red Fish SHPILENOK FILM, Russian Federation
Directed by
Dmitriy Shpilenok, Vladislav Grishin
Sockeye, a species of wild salmon, is born in Kamchatkan waters and spends its entire life in the Pacific Ocean. Only once does it return to fresh waters - to give offspring, start the circle of life, and die. It is an inexhaustible resource that feeds billions of people on the planet, restored every year! But soon, we may find ourselves facing the unimaginable: humans will exhaust the inexhaustible!
"Sockeye Salmon. Red Fish” is finished thirteen years after I first had the idea to tell the story of Kamchatka’s wild salmon. Wild salmon are a perpetual engine, feeding billions of people on this planet.
In 2007, I arrived in the Kamchatkan wildlife sanctuary, with plans to shoot the film. I soon learned that shooting in those conditions was impossible. The scale of the poaching on Kurile Lake shocked me. Every night, poaching groups poached over 700 kilos of sockeye caviar! It was dangerous to be near the significant areas. With this new knowledge, the idea to film a movie about salmon, right next to those who were illegally eradicating seemed overly bold. I had to put away the camera for a couple of years, and join the task force that fought poaching.
But poaching is not the only thing that threatens the consistent return of wild salmon. The fish are threatened by construction of gas pipelines, dams, and mines, as well as biased overestimation of the region’s safe fishing capacity. In Kamchatka and other regions relying on fish, fish is the basis of all commerce, an inexhaustible source of income and great temptation! These sorts of places attract people and fuel their greed. The great risk is that in their pursuit of profit everything will be irrevocably lost: fish and hundreds of other animals, in addition to the utopian corners of our planet that they live in. The film “Sockeye Salmon. Red Fish” is about the wild salmon of Kamchatka - but it’s only one illustration of a worldwide problem. In the USA and Japan, schools of wild salmon are also under threat. Experience of restoring wild salmon in American, Japanese and Canadian rivers, has shown that expenses greatly outreach their results. The only way to save wild salmon is to stop it’s natural numbers from dwindling.
It is imperative that the movie “Sockeye Salmon. Red fish” is seen by as many people as possible, especially those that are able to influence the decisions made about the extraction of natural resources. This movie has the ability to attract the attention of the public to places that are too tempting for industry, businesses, and poaching. We need to speak about these places as much as possible, spread their beauty, so that society itself stands as defense against businessmen who aren’t interested in our future, only profit." Dmitriy Shpilenok, the director and main camera operator
Edge of Existence
Black Bean, South Africa
Directed by James Suter, Charlie Luckock
The Edge of Existence is a long-format documentary, set in the Western Corridor of the Serengeti, that sets out to uncover and document the untold story of human-wildlife conflict in Africa. Human-wildlife conflict is a global issue that has reached crisis levels, threatening the survival of both humans and wild animals. There are communities living alongside wildlife in some of the last remaining wilderness areas on earth. These wilderness areas have started disappearing because of expanding human development, deforestation, and depletion of natural resources, which has left humans and wildlife living in closer proximity than ever before. The conflict arises as a result of the competition for limited space and resources between communities and wildlife. The situation is dire, and if it is not addressed urgently, it will have a catastrophic effect on the environment and on communities that live alongside wild animals daily.
Off the coast of Central Africa lies an isolated island, covered by primeval rainforest and surrounded by dark ocean waters, inhabited by a greater variety of species than nearly any other place on Earth this terra incognita is called BIOKO. The ruler of this realm is one of the world's least known primate species, the drill. Historically revered, indigenous folklore tells us of a drill king who ruled the island’s forests, a place where drills still play a critical role in the health of an ecosystem known to scientists as a biodiversity hotspot. Bordering this kingdom is the black sand coastline, an ancient nesting ground for giant sea turtles and home to natural wonders. This film explores the secret lives of drills and their mysterious island home as we follow a family group and a newborn who discovers this tropical paradise with all its challenges for the first time.
Growing up in rural South Africa means being born in a country so rich in wildlife that foreigners can only dream of, and yet never being given the chance to fully experience the beauty of it for yourself. But Queen, Rifumo and Wisani have set out the change this. Armed with a camera, the trio aim to rise above their difficult pasts and “reframe” the narrative of wildlife conservation, which has long since had a reputation for being white dominated. Queen becomes one of the only black female field guides in South Africa while Rifumo and Wisani start a business together. The trio have one goal - to inspire the youth from their community to become the next generation of eco-warriors.
Queen, Rifumo and Wisani are all graduates of the Wild Shots Outreach program - an organisation founded by British conservationist, Mike Kendrick. Mike believes that exposure to wildlife is the key to inspiring children from disadvantaged communities to become involved in conservation, and that this exposure needs to be paired with opportunity. The trio have each embraced this movement with overwhelming dedication, and are taking wildlife conservation to new heights. Beyond The Fence looks at the inspiring stories of each of our characters, from their challenging pasts to their inspiring outlooks on life and how photography has changed their lives.
With an aim to shift perspectives, the audience is probed to revisit their own ideas of what it means to do conservation in this day and age. The real question is, how can people care for nature when they don’t even have access to it? And how can they not have access to it when they live right on the park’s doorstep? This is the story of what happens when you give someone a chance.
"Having my directing debut on a film so close to my heart has truly been a dream come true.
It was at a highly prestigious Natural History Awards Night in the UK last year where a friend of mine said to me, "So I take it you're more into conservation than Blue Chip?" And it was at that moment when it all made sense to me - the answer had always been clear in my mind. That there is in fact a difference between the two, and if we continue to show Blue Chip series on television while ignoring human-interest stories of conservation, then we stand at risk of losing all our wild spaces altogether. If we don't tell stories that make an impact, then soon we will no longer have a subject to film for our Blue Chip series.
I grew up watching the likes National Geographic and Discovery Channel at home. I have always had an ineffable passion for nature and wildlife. I have always had the privilege of visiting the Kruger National Park and other private game reserves with my family. When I realised that it was my privilege that afforded me these opportunities, and that the majority of South Africans may live their entire lives without ever getting to see even a zebra, I knew something had to change, and that I had to be the one to help drive this change.
My hope for Beyond The Fence is to touch audiences on a deeply emotive level, of course. But more than that, I'd like to help start conversations. We are at an absolutely critical point in history. We are the only generation to have so much scientific knowledge about our natural world, and we are the last generation to be able to save it from a total, irreversible collapse. Our conservation methods are exclusive and outdated, and if we are to turn this ship around, we need all hands on board. I think it's clear that what we need now more than ever is to reconnect to our natural heritage and to the one and only planet we call home." Tessa Barlin, Director
Those In Grass Houses
Student film-maker, United Kingdom
Directed by Christian Lawes
Sociable Weavers engineer the biggest nest built by any bird. Within these enormous structures they live a fascinating social life, but can their family bonds protect them from the dangers of life in the savannah..
Swords & Fangs Fathom Pictures, France
Directed by Rémi Demarthon
Every year off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, a spectacular event brings together two of the pacific's most tenacious predators. Powerful and agile, Striped Marlins and Californian Sea Lions take advantage of the sardine and mackerel migratory passage to gorge themselves on this abundant prey. Their quarry's only chance of survival: to stick together.
Filmed on a single breathold.
The Manta Listener Waterproof Video, Mexico
Directed by Adil Schindler
Disconnect to reconnect! Our world is dominated by technology and noise. It's easy to get lost sometimes and people struggle more and more to find true happieness. Thiago Mendonca, a passionate diver and divemaster has one very simple advice to find meaning in life. Follow him on his unique journey and let him tell you what it takes to really re-connect with nature.
Winner: A Walk Through The Land of A Thousand Hills Student film-maker, USA
Directed by Chema Domenech
Claver Ntoyinkima, a native park ranger, shares the secrets of Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda as he guides us through the forest. With almost 300 bird species, over 1,000 plant species, and dozens of large and small mammals, Nyungwe is one of the most biodiverse places in the world. Twenty-five years after the devastation of the Rwandan Civil War, the park is now one of the best-conserved montane rainforests in Central Africa. As Claver walks through the forest we uncover the origins of his conservation values and the history of an ecosystem that survived one of Rwanda's darkest periods.
"I am an MFA student at Montana State University. I specialize in wildlife and nature cinematography but enjoy working on a variety of projects and in different capacities. The collaborative nature of filmmaking is what drew me to the medium and I have developed collaborative skills with all facets of production, pre to post. I have been fortunate to work on some cool projects while in school, my credits include work for BBC, CBC, National Geographic, Smithsonian Channel, PBS, and Rwanda Development Board.
I live in Bozeman, Montana where I am finishing my MFA but work all over the world. My mission is to convey the transformative power of the wilderness to create emotional connections between people and the natural world.
Despite the globalized nature of society today, many people do not have the opportunity to personally experience the transformative power of the wilderness they impact. Visual storytelling is a powerful tool that creates emotional connections between people and the natural world and thus facilitates the protection of our planet’s wild places. My goal is to tell these stories." Chema Domenech, director, producer
Capuchin Culture
Student film-maker, United Kingdom
Directed by Luca Antonio Marino
An intimate portrait of a family of capuchin monkeys living in the semi-arid forest of north-eastern Brazil. This film tells the story of mothers and babies, showing how they learn to survive in this harsh environment. Sandstone ridges and pinnacles shape the habitat which is characterised by a dry season with temperatures higher than forty degrees and almost no rain. It is not easy to find water and fresh fruit and these monkeys must rely on all their ingenuity and remarkable skills to survive here. If they want to become independent, youngsters must learn the strategies of their group: hunting, finding water, digging the ground to extract roots and eventually using stone tools to crack open the palm nuts, their favourite food. Capuchins' success is the result of their intelligence, high adaptability and their effective survival strategies. These techniques and behaviours are transmitted to the offspring and represent their own culture, traditions passed across the generations to face the challenges of the Brazilian wilderness.
"“Capuchin Culture” is a student film based on the latest discoveries on capuchin monkeys’ behavioural traditions and it tackles the emerging debate of preserving animal culture. Traditions can have important consequences for the survival of animal populations and this has implications for global conservation.
I made this production as a filmmaker and as a biologist with expertise on the behaviour of capuchin monkeys. In 2014, for my Master's thesis in biology, I spent three months in the field site of Fazenda Boa Vista (Piauí, Brazil) to investigate the foraging strategies of a population of wild capuchins. These monkeys learn to crack open very hard palm nuts using stone tools and this strategy is one of the most complex forms of tool use in nature, putting capuchins on a par with chimpanzees and humans.
Fazenda Boa Vista is one of the few locations in which capuchin monkeys use tools to crack palm nuts. This behaviour is passed across the generations and it is one of the cultural traits of this population. The researchers of the EthoCebus Project have investigated the social influences on the acquisition of stone tool use and the threat to capuchins’ culture due to human impact. Recently, it has been argued that the presence of humans has eroded the diversity of chimpanzee culture and that conservation needs to preserve animal traditions as well as bodies and genes. Other species, such as capuchins, are also likely losing their ancestral knowledge at our hands.
Therefore, in 2019, I decided to come back to Brazil to film capuchins’ most intimate and outstanding behaviours, showing how youngsters learn the survival strategies thanks to their group members. Although the film was “very low budget” production, I still managed to succeed in carrying out all its phases and getting the results I wanted. I aimed to make an accurate and entertaining documentary and raise people awareness on the importance of protecting this population of monkeys and its invaluable cultural heritage. " Luca Antonio Marino, director, producer
Wildlife-film.com congratulates all of the finalsists and winners.
We would like to recommend two of the Selected Films:
Rodents of Unusual Size
Tilapia Film, USA
Directed by Chris Metzler, Jeff Springer & Quinn Costello
It is a brilliant film, a heady mix of human/wildlife conflict of an unexpected kind, pest control on a grand scale, unlikely pets, bounty hunting, rodent cuisine and climate change. A story expertly woven in that quirky style beloved from earlier Tilapia Film productions like the fabulous Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea!
Hard headed Louisiana fisherman Thomas Gonzales doesn't know what will hit him next. After decades of hurricanes and oil spills he faces a new threat - hordes of monstrous 20 pound swamp rats. Known as "nutria", these invasive South American rodents breed faster than the roving squads of hunters can control them. And with their orange teeth and voracious appetite they are eating up the coastal wetlands that protects Thomas and his town of Delacroix Island from hurricanes. But the people who have lived here for generations are not the type of folks who will give up without a fight. Thomas and a pack of lively bounty hunters are hellbent on saving Louisiana before it dissolves beneath their feet. It is man vs. rodent. May the best mammal win.
In the Scottish Highlands, charity Trees for Life is trialling an innovative study to try and curb deer overgrazing the regenerating Caledonian Forest. Hoping to discover what potential impacts the reintroduction of missing predators might have, they took inspiration from an icon of the rewilding movement.
They named the experiment Project Wolf.
By using its very own ‘human wolf pack’, the charity hopes to discover what impact the presence of pursuit predators may have on the deer population and, in turn, the landscape.
This short documentary joins the human wolf pack on their patrol, and explores how rewilding is not just about reintroducing large predators, but also changing whole landscapes and reconnecting ourselves with nature.
"Originally from Aberdeenshire Scotland, I was brought up with a love for wildlife. When studying MA Anthropology joint with Film and Visual Culture at the Unviersity of Aberdeen, I started to think more about how our worlds overlap and wanted nothing more than to make films about it.
I relocated to Bristol to do a postgraduate in Documentary at UWE and started doing just that. I self-shot my first short film, 'Red Sky on the Black Isle', that went on to show around the world in film festivals and scientific conferences, win an award and be translated into 3 different languages. Since then I have started working full time as a videographer and crowdfunded my latest half hour documentary film, 'Project Wolf', a half hour documentary on rewilding which is available to watch online for free in full.
I researched, developed, filmed and edited both of these films along with many more.
Based in Bristol, I hope to continue making films about our relationship with the natural world." Lisa Marley, director
David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet – A Review By Jason Peters
26 September 2020
The much anticipated "witness statement" from David Attenborough, produced by WWF and Silverback Films, is coming to the cinema screens, for one night on the 28th of September featuring an exclusive conversation with Sir David Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin, and then globally on Netflix from the 4th of October 2020.
In more than 90 years, Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe. 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.
The film, which serves as Attenborough’s witness statement for the natural world, will screen in select cinemas across the UK, the Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Australia and New Zealand, before being released widely to theatres in those territories. Tickets are on sale now.
Audiences watching Attenborough’s story on the big screen will have the unique chance to watch an exclusive conversation between Sir David Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin. This will be available in cinemas only. The legendary broadcasters share a passion for exploring our vast planet and a desire to protect it for future generations.
Narrator: Sir Dacid Attenborough
Directed by: Alastair Fothergill, Jonnie Hughes, Keith Scholey
Producer: Jonnie Hughes
Executive Producers: Colin Butfield, Alastair Fothergill, Keith Scholey
Original Music by: Steven Price
Editor: Martin Elsbury
Director of Photography: Gavin Thurston
Film-maker’s Statements:
“For decades, David has brought the natural world to the homes of audiences worldwide, but there has never been a more significant moment for him to share his own story and reflections. This film comes at a monumental time in humankind’s history when world leaders make critical decisions on nature and climate. It sends a powerful message from the most inspiring and celebrated naturalist of our time.”
Colin Butfield, Executive Producer
“I’ve worked with David on many projects throughout my career, but to collaborate on this film, which is so important at this time, has been a real privilege. At 94 years old, his knowledge and insight of the natural world remains as relevant and cherished today as it was the first time he introduced the British public to pangolins and sloths on television.
“As we rebuild from the pandemic, Sir David’s reflections and messages of hope feel particularly timely and relevant. He not only addresses why we must urgently mend our relationship with nature, but also offers solutions to ensuring a safe and sustainable future for our planet and its people.”
Keith Scholey, Director & Executive Producer
Throughout his career, Sir David Attenborough has made hundreds of hours of iconic television, yet A Life on Our Planet is his first feature film. Why did he choose this film to make the move to the big screen, and why now? The film’s producer-director, Jonnie Hughes, explains its genesis.
David has witnessed a serious decline in the living world over his lifetime. He has seen the rainforests retreating and the grasslands emptying, and has searched ever harder for species hanging on in hidden corners of the world. He’s observed a downward trend that is set to cause a disaster far more profound and with more lasting impacts than the desolation of Chernobyl – a decline that will have a more limited impact on his life, but will come to define the lives of all those who follow him. He is dedicated to lending his considerable profile to efforts to halt and then reverse this decline, and he’s in a good place to do so.
“Saving our planet is no longer a technological problem, it’s a communications challenge,” David has said on several important stages. To bring about the wholesale change required to transition to a sustainable existence on Earth, we all need to hear a new story – a positive, inspiring one in which we take control of our impact and aspire to a future in balance with nature. A key component of David’s efforts to assist in this great communications challenge is this film.
In 2014, when we at Silverback Films were working with both WWF and David on the Netflix seriesOur Planet, WWF calculated that populations of wild animals had declined on average by more than half since 1970. This shocking statistic made real the steady dismantling of the living world that David had become increasingly aware of throughout his career. It quantified the terrifying extent of our impact and qualified that, in addition to climate change, a second red warning light was now flashing on the dashboard of Earth – ‘biodiversity loss’.
It also made us all decide we urgently needed to make a single film that broadcast this biodiversity crisis far and wide – David’s witness statement and his vision for the future – a personal account of a story that involves us all.
David is clearly troubled by the vision he has. He knows what happens next. We humans will, accidentally, clumsily, destabilise nature. We’ll tip the world into a sixth mass extinction. Nature, our life-support machine, will seize up. We are, it is suddenly clear, involved in an act of self-destruction.
Unless we build a new kind of life on our planet.
And David’s here to tell us how.
Statement from Sir David Attenborough about the COVID-19 pandemic and tackling the Climate and Nature Crisis:
“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused, and will continue to cause, immense suffering. If there is hope that can come out of it then that may arise from the whole world having experienced a shared threat and found a sense that we are all in it together. The same unique brains and communication skills that fuelled the development of our civilisations now have access to technologies and institutions that allow all nations of the world to collaborate and cooperate should we choose to do so.
“The time for pure national interests has passed. If we are to tackle climate change, enable sustainable development and restore biodiversity, then internationalism has to be our approach. In doing so, we must bring about a greater equality between what nations take from the world and what they give back. The wealthier nations have taken a lot and the time has now come to give.”
The film starts out with David Attenborough in Chernobyl, where he makes a comparison to what happened there following a nuclear disaster to what could happen everywhere should we not heed the many warnings being presented to us now.
He speaks earnestly to camera "I am David Attenborough and I’m 93. This is my witness statement.” The film goes on to look back at Sir David's long career as a broadcaster, that is more than sixty years, over which time he has seen incredible and alarming changes in the natural world.
The tone and mood of the film is serious and sombre, with David delivering stark facts alongside the beautiful imagery. The message is clear: Time is running out for Our Planet. Perhaps it would be better to say The Planet, as it doesn't belong to us, as a species, we merely inhabit this planet but have learnt to exploit it on a grand scale, very much to its' detriment.
The film feels very personal, hard-hitting too. David's oh so familiar, reassuring voice has emotion it it when talking about the issues facing us and the planet. Facts and figures are presented in a very clear and convincing way. There can be no denying.
He says things like "If we take care of nature, nature will take care of us" and "We need to rediscover how to be sustainable".
He also speak about our over-consumption of animal products saying "Large carnivores are rare in nature because it takes a lot of prey to support each of them. The planet can't support billions of large meat eaters ... there just isn’t the space. If we all had a largely plant-based diet, we would need only half the land we use at the moment."
And he said much else ... Listen!
Everyone should watch this film and take serious note of David Attenborough's warnings of where we are heading unless we take decisive action now. The climate emergency is very real and we cannot in good conscience ignore it, for each and every one of our own personal actions impact on the future of the planet that we live on. We must do far, far better.
This is a very important film. The most important film ever made by David Attenborough in my opinion. But, we all need to listen, and act on what this very respected and knowing elder man is saying. There can be no excuses not to.
David Attenborough has started his own Instagram accont: @davidattenborough ... reportedly, this account was the fastest to reach one milllion followers in Instagram's history... It took just four hours according to the Guinness Book of Records!
Beginners guide to buying a video camera for wildlife filmmaking
Introduction
One of the most common questions we get asked here at Wildeye is “what camera should I buy to film wildlife”. Sadly there is no easy answer. In this post, we will explain the pros and cons of different types of cameras and clear up some of the technical questions you may have.
Filming Wildlife
Whether filming as a hobby or professionally I’m going to assume that you want to achieve the very best results within your budget. Budget is the first thing you want to think about. I doubt you’d walk into a car dealership to buy a car without really knowing what you want to spend, yet we often hear from first-time buyers that they don’t have a budget in mind. Whilst this article is about cameras there are other considerations that will quickly eat into your budget and those include a tripod, microphones, batteries and memory cards. We won’t go too in-depth here about the accessories as we’ll cover those in another post but do bear this in mind. It makes no sense to spend all your money on a super high-quality camera only to put it on a shaky old tripod that ruins your fabulous 4K shots.
Once you’ve decided what you can spend on a camera kit you can then start to decide upon what type of camera you’ll buy. I’ve split cameras into three main classes. They are a video DSLR, a typical stills style photography camera with removable lenses that also shoots video. Camcorder, a typical all in one camera designed for quick and easy operation. Finally, we have Professional video cameras – typically (but not always) owned by individuals who make their living from being a wildlife camera operator.
DSLR / Mirrorless
Video DSLRs and Mirrorless are hybrid stills cameras and are a very popular option with first-time camera buyers as not only do they shoot video but also take high resolution stills photographs. There is a wide range of cameras to choose from with some newer models being designed foremostly as video cameras. The compact form factor of these cameras often means that you can get away with smaller, lighter tripods, gimbals and other accessories. They are a joy to travel with and don’t appear at all conspicuous as larger cameras can do. DSLR cameras often have larger sensors than camcorders and due to this, they offer a look that closely resembles large Hollywood movies – think backgrounds out of focus (shallow depth of field). Another advantage of these larger sensors is dynamic range (where the camera can see more details in the black and white parts of the image at the same time) and also low light abilities. A notable camera from this category is the older sony A7S mark II which was used on Planet Earth 2 and Blue Planet 2. Whilst it was not used to film all the footage they were used on certain sequences and considered good enough to be included in the final program. DSLR cameras accept interchangeable lenses which means you can easily vary the angle of view. Buy a wide-angle lens for landscapes and establishing shots and a telephoto lens for close-ups of animals. You can buy most DSLR and mirrorless cameras in a kit with a “standard” lens, extra lenses can be expensive!
Free 'Netflix For Wildlife Documentaries' Streaming Service Is Launching This Autumn - The WaterBear Network
A new streaming service dubbed the 'Netflix for wildlife documentaries' is launching this autumn. You can see what it's all about here: instagram.com/p/CEmLuI3gUkK
The WaterBear Network will be home to original content and curated documentaries about the planet we inhabit.
As well as entertaining and informing viewers, the 'innovative' platform aims to empower people to turn intention into action through a range of integrated features. For example, if you are watching a documentary about leatherback turtle conservation efforts in Costa Rica, the service can simultaneously point you in the direction of relevant charities, organisations, volunteering opportunities and more.
A tiny film with a big idea: to ask viewers across the world to take a minute to visualise the better future we could have, and then to talk about it.
This tiny film was launched to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the UN General Assembly, and features Avaaz members, alongside the voices of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Greta Thunberg, Pope Francis, indigenous leaders Hindou Ibrahim and Benki Piyako, and other influential global voices. Conceived in lockdown and composed of voicenotes and selfies sent in from every continent.
This could be the most important minute of your day:
Research has found we rarely take the time to imagine what a better future could be like. So Tom Mustill and crew thought they’d make a film that helps these conversations begin. This film asks anyone, from world leaders school children, to visualise what needs to change and then to talk about it.
They’ve made this one minute film so it can speak to a single individual or an entire government. They hope it will help individuals think about the future they want, meetings get off to good starts and motivate people to share their hopes for the future, and start to make that future happen. We all want it to be a catalyst for a better world.
Twenty-three-year-old astronomer and film-maker, Josh Dury, from Compton Martin, has been campaigning against the ever-growing problem of light pollution in our night skies.
Josh’s interest in astronomy began at the age of seven from watching science fiction tevevision programmes. His curiosity only grew further when, in 2015, he witnessed the solar eclipse from his home in the Mendips.
Speaking of his growing interest, Josh told The Journal: “After seeing the solar eclipse, I made it my ambition, two years later, to travel to the US to witness the Total Solar Eclipse. I have also been lucky enough to observe the Northern Lights in Iceland.”
Josh made the journey last year to the Atacama Desert, in Chile, to see the darkest sky in the world. Since then, he has made it his aim to promote the effects that light pollution is having all across the world, but particularly focusing on the night skies in Somerset.
Gaining inspiration from his knowledge of wildlife filmmaking at The Natural History Unit and since completing a Photography Degree at Bristol UWE, Josh has produced a film called ‘Back to the Light’, which aims to raise awareness to the implications of light pollution on the natural world and ‘its impact to astronomers, wildlife conservation and human health.’
Back to the Light - a natural history of the night-sky that identifies the subject of light pollution; its impact to astronomers, wildlife conservation and human health.
This short film was produced to raise public awareness of the Starlink Constellation and voice the concerns of the international astronomy community for mega constellation projects.
Starlink is a satellite constellation being launched by American Company, SpaceX to provide global internet services to the most remote parts of the world.
Because of the sheer quantity and global coverage of satellites, astronomers from around the world are concerned how these satellites will obstruct their views of the night-sky and the foreseeable universe.
We are amidst a climate emergency. Light pollution continues to shine upwards affecting the astronomers ability to look up at our open window of the universe and now these satellites are further contributing to the degradation of the night-sky and the natural world.
This film was a joint worldwide collaboration effort of astronomers to voice their concerns of how the night-sky will change within the next 5-years - to protect the night-sky for future generations.
Josh has also been busy setting up an astronomy organisation called Space4All which aims to actively promote practical astronomy and to engage members from all backgrounds.
Giant Screens Get Sharper By Pawel Achtel
14 September 2020
With the launch of the new ACHTEL 9x7 camera, the world’s largest cinema screens are about to get sharper. Much, much sharper.
The ACHTEL 9x7, designed specifically for IMAX and Giant Screen production, has almost twice the resolution of industry-leading RED Monstro cameras and over twenty-six times their maximum data rate, or bandwidth. But it’s not just in terms of resolution that this extraordinary, new camera leads the way.
Shooting natively in the 4:3 aspect ratio of the giant screen industry, unlike the cameras of most other potential competitors, it will no longer be necessary to compromise image quality, and significantly increase post-production costs, with ‘shot extensions’ or by stitching together multiple shots in order to create full-sized images of the necessary proportions. And, by keeping every pixel at maximum, RAW quality all the way from its state-of-the-art BSI sensor to the camera recorder, the quality of the final images are unmatched by any other camera on the market today.
This latest, Back-Side Illuminated sensor design features true Global Shutter readout, Wide Colour Gamut, high colour accuracy, low noise, high light sensitivity and high frame-rates - all features essential for today’s best, big-screen movies. And because, uniquely, it’s able to record uncompressed, RAW images at an impressive 10 GB/s (about twice the maximum data rate of today's Thunderbolt 3), the ACHTEL 9x7 is able to preserve the most minute of details in shadows and mid-tones as well as highlights. The absence of compression, a compromise we’ve all come to expect and live with since the advent of digital cinematography, means that no details are lost, and gradations of colour and luminance are as smooth as technically possible.
Australian cinematographer and camera inventor, Pawel Achtel ACS, is no novice when it comes to inventing and producing high-end camera technology. His company’s DeepX and 3Deep camera systems for underwater cinematography featured revolutionary designs, using carefully tested and matched Nikonos underwater lenses mounted on RED cameras. And, the company's patented 3D beam-splitter was recently used extensively on James Cameron’s latest Avatar sequels, in New Zealand, prompting the legendary Hollywood director to write that the results were the best underwater 3D images he’d ever seen. By far.
“Finding lenses sharp enough for the ACHTEL 9x7 is one of our biggest problems at the moment,”
Pawel Achtel said from his Sydney workshop this week. “We’re constantly testing all the best lenses on the market today and are finding that only a few, select lenses maintain the maximum quality attainable with this camera.”
The camera head - which provides the option of all popular lens mounts - is remarkably small even by today’s standards, measuring just 80 x 80 x 70 mm and, because it can be placed up to 20 metres away from the rest of the camera (connected only via fibre optic cable), the ACHTEL 9x7 - capable of shooting at up to 70 frames/second - can go where few giant screen cameras have gone before.
The first ACHTEL 9x7 cameras are available for purchase and production hire.
Patagonia’s ‘Public Trust’ film asks US Americans to Fight For Their Public Lands
On September 25, Patagonia’s “Public Trust” documentary debuts on YouTube for the public.
It’s been featured a few times as an exclusive screening at digital film festivals since the Spring, but soon it is available for all to watch.
Produced by Robert Redford and Yvon Chouinard, it’s a moving tribute to the importance of public lands, a reminder that they’re public lands, belonging to all, and a rallying call to fight the interests that seek to exploit them.
Silverback Films response to Daily Mail What Planet are they on? article ... by Jason Peters
4 September 2020
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."
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."
Introducing the 2020 Jackson Wild™ Media Lab & Summit Fellows From Jackson Wild
3rd September 2020
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 Faith Briggs Katie Bryden Romi Castagnino Darío Fernández-Bellon Sugandhi Gadadhar Pooja Gupta Raunak Kapoor Emi Kondo Christine Lin Anthony Ochieng Dustin Renwick
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
Raghunath Belur
Chelsie Boodoo
Asha de Vos
Iyana Esters
Eshika Fyzee
Malak Ghazal
Alexandra Kahn
Felixie Kipngetich
Cosette Larash
Irene Mendez Cruz
Yolanda Mogatusi
Kiki Cheptoo Ng'ok
Niba Nirmal
Carolina Sosa
Aishwarya Sridhar
Paula Sternberg
Elizabeth Streeter
Shaz Syed
Akansha Tiwari
Victoria Wangui
Ryan Wilkes
Justin Wong
Sandra Wanga
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.
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.
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!
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!
The BBC Natural History Unit has brought together the most astounding stories from the Bafta-winning Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II to create the ultimate escape.
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.
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.
Jackson Wild™ Announces 2020 Legacy Awards and Rising Star Award Winners From Jackson Wild
25th August 2020
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jackson Wild™ Announces New Initiative for 2020 Virtual Summit: Action Coalitions From Jackson Wild
19th August 2020
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:
Global Industry Empowerment
Empowering local storytellers to global platforms and cultivating a culture of training while employing local talent currently living in remote locations where international film crews are likely to travel
Impact Campaign Development
Creating open-source resources that empower storytellers to effectively build impact strategy into the DNA of their projects from concept through distribution
Greening Production Standards
?Integrating existing industry trends for greening production to create standards specific to documentary filmmaking and wildlife projects in the field with opportunities for collaboration
Reshaping a More Inclusive Nature/Conservation/Science Film Industry
Identifying tangible pathways to enhance diversity and inclusion within our industry sector through thoughtful practices and creation of early, pre- and mid-career development programs. Ensuring people of color, all genders, people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ are adequately represented. Focus areas will include countries having an established nature/conservation filmmaking industry.
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.
Wildscreen appoints new interim CEO to oversee first ever virtual Wildscreen Festival By Wildscreen
17 August 2020
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.
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.
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:
World Premiere Special Pristine Seas (wt) Airing in September;
National Geographic Magazine Feature Article in the September Issue;
and New Book by Pristine Seas Founder Enric Sala, The Nature of Nature,
Out August 25
“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.
Jackson Wild™ Media Awards 2020 Finalists Announced! From Jackson Wild
10th August 2020
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) Awarded to the program that most effectively explores animal behavior in a new, fresh, imaginative or illuminating way.
Pumas - Legends of the Ice Mountains: Rebirth
A Terra Mater Factual Studios/Wildlife Films production in co-production with THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, Doclights/NDR Naturfilm, in association with PBS, CPB, Vision Hawk Films, National Geographic
The Elephant Queen
A Deeble, Stone & Oliff Production. Apple Original
The Octopus in My House
A Passion Planet Ltd. production for THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC and BBC in association with WNET
Best Animal Behavior Film, Short Form Awarded to the program (under 15 minutes) that most effectively explores animal behavior in a new, fresh, imaginative or illuminating way.
Kidnapper Ants Steal Other Ants' Babies - And Brainwash Them | Deep Look
KQED, PBS Digital Studios
Super Sea Slugs
Diatom Studios for CuriosityStream
The Honey Bee Brain
Rebel Media Productions in association with Long Story Short Media, supported by a generous grant from the Templeton World Charity Foundation
This Killer Fungus Turns Flies into Zombies | Deep Look
KQED, PBS Digital Studios
Best Ecosystem Film, Long Form
(Sponsored by Wanda Natura) Awarded to the program that most effectively explores a unique habitat and its wildlife.
Life and Death in Paradise - After the Flood
Blue Paw Artists for ZDF Enterprises and Bayerisches Fernsehen, Germany
My Octopus Teacher Sea Change Project & Off the Fence - A ZDFE company, A Netflix Original Production
Okavango - River of Dreams: Divine Journey
A Terra Mater Factual Studios/Wildlife Films production in co-production with THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, Doclights/NDR Naturfilm, in association with PBS, CPB, ARTE France, National Geographic and SVT
Santa’s Wild Home
A Terra Mater Factual Studios production
Best Ecosystem Film, Short Form Awarded to the program (under 15 minutes) that most effectively explores a unique habitat and its wildlife.
Chasing Ghosts
Grizzly Creek Films, bioGraphic
Last Wild Places: Iberá
National Geographic Society
Last Wild Places: Majete
National Geographic Society
Best Earth & Sky Film
(Sponsored by ARTE France) Awarded to the film that best explores the science of planet earth and the cosmos beyond. Relevant disciplines include Geology, Paleontology, Oceanography, Astronomy and Meteorology.
The Edge of All We Know s
Collapsar films, with support from John Templeton Foundation, Sandbox Films, and Sundance Institute
Rise of the Mammals
HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, NOVA for WGBH Boston
Best Conservation Film, Long Form
(Sponsored by Doclights) Awarded to the program that most effectively relates conservation issues and/or solutions and the individuals, groups or projects dedicated to the protection of a species, ecosystem or some other aspect of the natural world.
Corona - The Pandemic and the Pangolin
A Terra Mater Factual Studios production
Jane Goodall: The Hope
Lucky 8 TV for National Geographic
The Story of Plastic
Discovery Channel presents THE STORY OF PLASTIC, produced by Pale Blue Dot Media presented by The Story Of Stuff Project in association with React To Film
Reef Rescue
Merit Motion Pictures, Capa Presse/Films à Cinq, ARTE France and in association with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Vulcan Productions
Best Conservation Film, Short Form
(Sponsored by Humane Society International) Awarded to the program (under 15 minutes) that most effectively relates conservation issues and/or solutions and the individuals, groups or projects dedicated to the protection of a species, ecosystem or some other aspect of the natural world.
Akashinga: The Braves Ones
Produced by Avatar Alliance Foundation for National Geographic Documentary Films
Last Call for the Bayou: On a Wing and a Prayer
Encompass Films, Smithsonian Channel
Last Wild Places: Iberá
National Geographic Society
Plastic Warriors
Conchboy Films
Best People & Nature Film, Long Form
(Sponsored by: Vulcan Productions) Awarded to the program that most effectively explores the interdependent relationship between humans and animals or the environment.
Jane Goodall: The Hope
Lucky 8 TV for National Geographic
My Octopus Teacher Sea Change Project & Off the Fence - A ZDFE company, A Netflix Original Production
The Last Ice
National Geographic Documentary Films, Blancpain
The Octopus in My House
A Passion Planet Ltd production for THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC and BBC in association with WNET
Best People & Nature Film, Short Form
(Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund) Awarded to the program (under 15 minutes) that most effectively explores the interdependent relationship between humans and animals or the environment.
ADAPTATION: Kentucky
Alizé Carrère, The Redford Center in association with The Front
Akashinga: The Brave Ones
Produced by Avatar Alliance Foundation for National Geographic Documentary Films
The Church Forests of Ethiopia
Emergence Magazine
The Hunt for Medals, Not Lions
Black Bean Productions
Best Changing Planet Film, Long Form
(Sponsored by PBS) Awarded for the best examination of our changing planet, including human impact, the environment, sustainability and climate change.
Great Green Wall
SEVILLE INTERNATIONAL presents a MAKE WAVES production in association with United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
On Thin Ice
An Altayfilm Production in association with MDR / ARTE France
The Story of Plastic
Discovery Channel presents THE STORY OF PLASTIC, produced by Pale Blue Dot Media presented by The Story Of Stuff Project in association with React To Film
Best Changing Planet Film, Short Form
(Sponsored by International Fund for Animal Welfare)
Awarded for the best examination (under 15 minutes) of our changing planet, including human impact, the environment, sustainability and climate change.
ADAPTATION: Kentucky
Alizé Carrère, The Redford Center in association with The Front
Last Call for the Bayou: On a Wing and a Prayer
Encompass Films, Smithsonian Channel
Mermaids Against Plastic: TAMARA
Free Roaming Studios, National Geographic Society, Conservation Media Group, Stuyvesant-Bard Films
Best Science in Nature Film, Long Form
(Sponsored by Marco Polo Film AG) Awarded to the program that most effectively incorporates science, the scientific method and scientific discovery into an understanding of some aspect of the natural world.
My Octopus Teacher Sea Change Project & Off the Fence - A ZDFE company, A Netflix Original Production
Reef Rescue
Merit Motion Pictures, Capa Presse/Films à Cinq, ARTE France and in association with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Vulcan Productions
The Age of AI: Saving the World One Algorithm at a Time
Team Downey, Network Entertainment, Sonar Entertainment, Youtube Originals
The Deep Med
Les Gens Bien Productions, ARTE France
Best Science in Nature Film, Short Form Awarded to the program (under 15 minutes) that most effectively incorporates science, the scientific method and scientific discovery into an understanding of some aspect of the natural world.
Chasing Ghosts
Grizzly Creek Films, bioGraphic
Feathers In Flight: The Bird Genoscape Project
Day's Edge Productions
Lens of Time: Jaw Jumpers
Spine Films, bioGraphic
The Honey Bee Brain
Rebel Media Productions in association with Long Story Short Media, supported by a generous grant from the Templeton World Charity Foundation
PROGRAM CATEGORIES
Best Impact Campaign
(Sponsored by HHMI Tangled Bank Studios) An impact campaign extends beyond the screen, to inspire measurable on-the-ground change. Entrants must submit an essay and other support materials to outline the impact campaign. Effects of the impact campaign must be demonstrated after June 1st, 2019 but media may have been completed and released previously.
Peng Yu Sai
Malaika Vaz and Nitye Sood, Untamed Planet Films
Sea of Shadows
Terra Mater Factual Studios in association with Appian Way, Malaika Pictures, The Wild Lens Collective for National Geographic Documentary Films
The Elephant Queen
A Deeble, Stone & Oliff Production. Apple Original
Best Non-Broadcast
Film (Sponsored by Saint Thomas Productions) Awarded to the film not broadcast and not commercially distributed that most successfully educates its audience on some aspect of the natural world. This includes projects created by government agencies, NGOs, universities and other institutions.
African Parks: Protected Area Management
Esri
Entangled
A film by David Abel and Andy Laub, made with the support of the Pulitzer Center, the LEF Foundation, and The Boston Globe
Tribes on the Edge
CauseCentric Productions
Best Limited Series, Long Form Awarded to the mini-series with episodes longer than 15 minutes in length, that most effectively advances a natural history theme.
H2O The Molecule That Made Us
A WGBH and Passion Pictures production, in association with ARTE France, with funding from Draper, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Lynn Bay Dayton and Bruce C. Dayton, Anne Ray Foundation, and PBS
Pumas - Legends of the Ice Mountains A Terra Mater Factual Studios/Wildlife Films production in co-production with THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, Doclights/NDR Naturfilm, in association with PBS, CPB, Vision Hawk Films, National Geographic
The Hidden Kingdoms of China Brian Leith Productions Ltd in association with China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and Bilibili for National Geographic
Best Limited Series, Short Form Awarded to the mini-series with episodes shorter than 15 minutes in length, that most effectively advances a natural history theme.
Best Engaging Youth & Family
Film (Sponsored by San Diego Zoo) Awarded to the program that most effectively inspires an appreciation of the natural world to young people and families.
Feathered Friends - The Secret Life Of Garden Birds
PKM FilmproduktionsgmbH, ORF, ARTE France, ORF-Enterprise
Jane Goodall: The Hope
Lucky 8 TV for National Geographic
The Elephant Queen
A Deeble, Stone & Oliff Production. Apple Original
Best Presenter-Led Film Awarded to the program that makes the most effective use of a host or presenter in communicating an appreciation and understanding of the natural world.
Peng Yu Sai
Malaika Vaz and Nitye Sood, Untamed Planet Films
Presenter: Malaika Vaz
Wild Cuba: A Caribbean Journey Crossing the Line Productions for ORF, BBC, RTÉ, France Télévisions, THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, PBS, ORF Enterprises
Presenter: Colin Stafford-Johnson
Wild_Life: The Big Freeze: Wolf vs. Bear
National Geographic
Presenter: Bertie Gregory
Best Micro-Movie
(Sponsored by Seeker) Awarded to the most effective and compelling project under five minutes in length (including PSAs, music videos, and campaigns), that best advances an appreciation or understanding of the natural world.
African Parks: Protected Area Management
Esri
Breathe - Save the Tongass
Wild Agency, Salmon State
#NatureNow
A @tommustill Film for Gripping Films, Greta Thunberg and writer/climate activist George Monbiot with support from Conservation International, Nature4Climate, The Food and Land Use Coalition and Gower Street
The Genetics of Tusklessness in Elephants
Day's Edge Productions for HHMI BioInteractive
The Tawaki Project
Braydon Moloney
Women on a Mission, Poachers to Peacekeepers
Katie Bryden, Conservation International + SONY Storytelling Alliance
Best Feature Film
(Sponsored by Terra Mater Factual Studios) Awarded to the film created for commercial distribution that best advances an appreciation or understanding of the natural world. This category includes films distributed in theaters and feature length films.
My Octopus Teacher Sea Change Project & Off the Fence - A ZDFE company, A Netflix Original Production
The Elephant Queen
A Deeble, Stone & Oliff Production. Apple Original
The Tiger Mafia
Karl Ammann & Laurin Merz, HOOK Film
Best Emerging Filmmaker Presented in recognition of the best program produced by either a first-time filmmaker in the field of natural history production, or a student currently enrolled or no more than 2 years out of an academic program.
Into the Himalayas
A Riverbank Studios Production with United Nations Development Programme India and The Ministry of Environment & Forests Govt. of India
The Amazing World of Bees: Inside and Outside the Hive
Atlantic Productions
Best Global Voices Film In an effort to recognize local stories told by local voices, this category will accept films produced by individuals or production teams based Asia, Africa, Latin America, South America, Oceania and indigenous communities around the world.
Bahari Yetu (Our Ocean)
An Africa Underwater and East African Ocean Explorers Production, made with the support of the National Geographic Society
Flying Elephants - A Mother's Hope
Prakash Matada, Center for Wildlife Studies, Saving Nature
The Stork Saviours
PSBT, Vijay Bedi & Ajay Bedi
Yaktal
Taitao Producciones, Picafilms
CRAFT CATEGORIES
Best Cinematography
(Sponsored by Fujifilm and Fujinon Lenses) Awarded for the cinematography that most enhances the natural history program of which it is a part..
H2O The Molecule That Made Us: Pulse
A WGBH and Passion Pictures production, in association with ARTE France, with funding from Draper, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Lynn Bay Dayton and Bruce C. Dayton, Anne Ray Foundation, PBS
Cinematographers: Ryan Atkinson, Paul Atkins, ASC, Simon de Glanville, Cristian Dimitrius, Mike Downie, Sugandhi Gadadhar, David Herasimtschuk, Jeremy Monroe, Christiaan Munoz Salas, Moris Alberto Munoz Salas, Ross Pimlott, Tim Shepherd, Rolf Steinmann
My Octopus Teacher Sea Change Project & Off the Fence - A ZDFE company, A Netflix Original Production
Cinematography: Roger Horrocks and Craig Foster
Additional Filming: Tom Foster, Pippa Ehrlich, Warren Smart
The Elephant Queen
A Deeble, Stone & Oliff Production. Apple Original
Cinematographer: Mark Deeble
Best Editing Awarded for the editing that most enhances the natural history program of which it is a part.
H2O The Molecule That Made Us: Pulse
A WGBH and Passion Pictures production, in association with ARTE France, with funding from Draper, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Lynn Bay Dayton and Bruce C. Dayton, Anne Ray Foundation, and PBS
Editor: Jacob Thomson
My Octopus Teacher Sea Change Project & Off the Fence - A ZDFE company, A Netflix Original Production
Editors: Pippa Ehrlich, Dan Schwalm
Edit Consultant: Jinx Godfrey
Pumas - Legends of the Ice Mountains: Birth
A Terra Mater Factual Studios/Wildlife Films production in co-production with THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, Doclights/NDR Naturfilm, in association with PBS, CPB, Vision Hawk Films, National Geographic.
Editor: Candice Odgers S.A.G.E.
Best Original Music Score Awarded for the original musical score that most enhances the natural history program of which it is a part.
A Song for Love - An Ape with an App
A co-production of Terra Mater Factual Studios, Mark Fletcher Productions, Colorful Nature Films
Original Music by: Barnaby Taylor
Great Green Wall
SEVILLE INTERNATIONAL presents a MAKE WAVES production in association with United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
Original Music by: Charlie Mole, Inna Modja
My Octopus Teacher Sea Change Project & Off the Fence - A ZDFE company, A Netflix Original Production
Original Score: Kevin Smuts
Additional Music: Tom Foster and Matt Dennis
Seven Worlds One Planet: Australia
Natural History & Factual Productions Ltd o/b/o BBC Studios Production Ltd and BBC Studios Distribution Ltd, British Broadcasting Corporation
Theme Music: Hans Zimmer and Jacob Shea for Bleeding Fingers Music
Original Music: Jacob Shea for Bleeding Fingers Music
Score Producers: Hans Zimmer & Russell Emanuel
Score Recording Engineer: John W. Chapman
Best Writing Awarded for the writing that most enhances the natural history program of which it is a part through the union of imagery, storyline, dialog and narration.
The Octopus in My House
A Passion Planet Ltd production for THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC and BBC in association with WNET
Writers: David Allen, Anna Fitch
Corona - The Pandemic and the Pangolin
A Terra Mater Factual Studios production
Writer: Ruth Berry
Wild Cuba: A Caribbean Journey Crossing the Line Productions for ORF, BBC, RTÉ, France Télévisions, THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, PBS, ORF Enterprises
Writer: John Murray
Best Audioscape
(Sponsored by Television Academy Sound Peer Group) Awarded for the combined contribution of sound editing, production mixing and post-production mixing that most enhances the natural history program of which it is a part.
My Octopus Teacher Sea Change Project & Off the Fence - A ZDFE company, A Netflix Original Production
Sound Design: Barry Donnelly
Okavango - River of Dreams
A Terra Mater Factual Studios and Wildlife Films production in co-production with THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, Doclights/NDR Naturfilm in association with PBS, CPB, ARTE France, National Geographic
Sound Production & Design: Beverly Joubert
The Elephant Queen
A Deeble, Stone & Oliff Production. Apple Original
Supervisor and Sound Editor: Tim Owens, Wounded Buffalo
Sound Editor: Kate Hopkins, Wounded Buffalo
Field Sound Recordists: Norbert Rottcher, Pete Cayless
Re-recording Mixer: Ben Peace, Wounded Buffalo
Honorable Mentions
Acasa, My Home
Manifest Film, HBO Europe, Corso Film, Kinocompany
Bird Boy
Toolbox Film, Pedersen & Co., Relation04Media
Cephalopods: Aliens of The Deep
Saint Thomas Productions
Cries of Our Ancestors
Arcus Foundation, National Geographic Society, Global Wildlife Conservation, Migrant Films and Guinée-Ecologie
DEHESA, Forest of the Iberian Lynx
A Wanda Natura film in co-production with Ukbar Films and Terra Mater Factual Studios
Felicia: The Life of an Octopus Fisherwoman
José Carlos Pons
Green Forests and Red Carpet
MC4 production, Blue hour films with support from Region Bretagne, Fondation Iris
Guardians of Ua Huka
Wild Cherry Media Ltd, BirdLife International, SOP Manu and Association Vaiku'a, special thanks to Scientific Exploration Society, Rivers Foundation, University of Oxford, Christ Church, Zoo Berlin, Zoo Heidelberg, ZGAP
Kokoly
Blue Ventures with support from the Sundance Institute Stories of Change grant
Run Wild
adidas Runtastic, Internet of Elephants, The Snow Leopard Trust, United Nations Environment Programme
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.
BBC Studios Natural History Unit announces Planet Earth: A Celebration
3 August 2020
Featuring a new score from Hans Zimmer & Jacob Shea performed by british multi-award winning artist Dave and narration by Sir David Attenborough
BBC Studios Natural History Unit have announced a one-off 60min special combining world class artists from music and wildlife filmmaking like never before. Created to lift the spirits during a time of international uncertainty Planet Earth: A Celebration will air on BBC One, BBC America and on Tencent in China this summer.licence fee and enhancing programmes for UK audiences.
In his first Natural History spectacular this year, Sir David Attenborough recorded a new narration during lockdown at his home in London. Planet Earth: A Celebration will take viewers on an exhilarating sensory journey to the wildest places on earth through the gaze of some of nature’s most extraordinary creatures from Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II. A new score has been composed by award-winning composers Hans Zimmer, Jacob Shea and the team at Bleeding Fingers and performed by Brit and Mercury award winner Dave on the piano and the BBC Concert Orchestra on strings. Both the orchestra and Dave were filmed for the program in the Lyndhurst Hall at Air Studios, London within strict social distancing and Covid-19 guidelines.
Hans Zimmer said: “Working with David on so many of his magnificent programs celebrating nature and our planet has been a joy for me. I am constantly inspired by what he is able to capture, and the collection of sequences featured in Planet Earth: A Celebration is truly special. It was an honor to once again work with David, Jacob Shea and the BBC Concert Orchestra to highlight these incredible stories once again.”
Dave said: “I’ve always been a fan of powerful natural history documentaries, This is a programme where nature and music come together, so it was only right that I lent my talent, my time, and my attention to this project. It was a pleasure to work alongside Sir David Attenborough and Hans Zimmer.”
Jo Shinner, Executive Producer of BBC Studios Natural History Unit said, “From Sir David right through to the crew - we all had to push ourselves creatively and technically under strict Covid social distancing guidelines to bring the magic and scale of this ambitious production to life. In times of crisis, nature can be a real healer, and we hope that this programme will provide inspiration and comfort.”
Julian Hector, Head of BBC Natural History Unit said: “I’m so pleased we can celebrate Planet Earth at this time of great anxiety. I feel sure our audience will feel joy and exhilaration seeing the work of this remarkable team creating natural history through lockdown.”
Planet Earth: A Celebration was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director, Content, and Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Science. It is made by BBC Studios Natural History Unit, co-produced by BBC AMERICA and Tencent Music Entertainment Group (QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music and WeSing). The Executive Producer is Jo Shinner.
Wildscreen Festival Unveils First Ever Official Selection Programme By Wildscreen
30th July 2020
Wildscreen, the not-for-profit behind the world’s biggest festival of natural history storytelling, today revealed the line-up for its inaugural Official Selection Programme.
The charity introduced the Official Selection in 2020 to discover and honour bold, authentic and diverse stories that speak to different audiences with urgency about the natural world. The programme was established to open up the Festival to a wider range of documentary makers, embracing independents, with a more relaxed entry criteria compared to that of the Wildscreen Panda Awards which focuses on the craft of the wildlife genre.
The 2020 Official Selection honours 35 productions, 17 feature length and 18 short films, that are as diverse in style and subject as the natural world. The entries hale from 14 countries across 5 continents, each bringing a new perspective to the natural world and humanity’s relationship with it.
The myriad of complex relationships that exist between humans and nature features heavily amongst the selections which Wildscreen hopes will make a powerful contribution to the discussion on inclusion and diversity within the wildlife and conservation sector globally.
Rebecca Kormos and Kalyanee Mam’s CRIES OF OUR ANCESTORS, puts women’s voices at the forefront, documenting the peaceful relationship between people and chimpanzees in Guinea that have lived side by side for generations and threat of bauxite mining to both of their futures.
Aner Etxebarria Moral and Pablo Vidal Santo’s BAYANDALAI - LORD OF THE TAIGA, tells the story of the last elder of the Dukhas tribe, the great reindeer herders of the Taiga, questioning modern custodianship of nature through living testament of ancient ways of co-existence. In contrast, Ofelia de Pablo and Javier Zurita’s SHARING THE LAND, explores the conflict between shepherds and wolves, co-existing in Europe.
James Byrne’s OUR GORONGOSA shines a spotlight on what it means for people and wildlife to coexist, addressing intersectionality and exploring how Gorongosa is redefining the identity and purpose of an African national park.
Chelsea Jolly and Whit Hassett’s THIS LAND tells the story of land access in the U.S told through a journey of inclusion and empowerment, following runner and advocate Faith E. Briggs as she covers 150 miles on foot through three U.S. National Monuments that lay in the thick of controversy around public lands.
Experimental technologies and storytelling techniques also feature in the line-up, with Joseph Purdam’s ECOSPHERE, a VR experience that spotlights indigenous and community led efforts to protect the natural world through experiential stories, and EARTHSONGS, a joyful celebration of wild soundscapes, utilising spatial computing technology from Mitch Turnbull and Ollie Lindsey.
The selections also feature films from established heavyweights of the natural history genre, including Victoria Stone and Mark Deeble’s THE ELEPHANT QUEEN, Apple TV+’s first documentary, and BBC Studios Natural History Unit’s EARTH FROM SPACE and PANGOLINS: THE WORLD’S MOST WANTED ANIMAL
Hundreds of submissions were received from over 40 countries, selected by an international and diverse team of over 30 pre-selectors and programmers, curating a screening programme that features original and creative stories about the natural world.
The team of programmers, LUCY MUKERJEE (USA), KEVIN MWACHIRO (Kenya), EMMA HUGHES (UK), LYNN NWOKORIE (UK), JONATHAN PEYNET (Germany) and PETER VENN (UK) had the tough job of curating the final selection.
Lucy Mukerjee, Senior Programmer at the Tribeca Film Festival and cofounder of the Programmers of Colour Collective said: “These engaging, emotionally impactful films eloquently and urgently present the state of planet Earth today in a way that feels both informative and inspiring. By putting the spotlight on little-known places and species, this cinematic collection reveals the high stakes of survival, and the delicate balance necessary in order for nature and humanity to coexist.”
Audiences will be able to stream the Official Selection films with selected director Q&A’s during the first ever virtual edition of the Wildscreen Festival which launches in September. Wildscreen announced back in May that it would taking the industry-leading event online, seizing the opportunity to make it the most inclusive and accessible Festival in its 38-year history. Three-month industry passes are on sale now at £125, with concessions offered at £50. Tickets can be purchased here.
Stories about the natural world have never been more important - we are the first generation to understand humanity’s impact on nature and the last to be able to protect and restore it. Wildscreen believes in the power of visual storytelling to spark positive and restorative action for our natural world, globally. Bold, authentic and varied stories that speak to different audiences with urgency and hope have never been so necessary. The Official Selection call for entries was open to anyone with a story about nature to share - and the submissions did not disappoint!
We received hundreds of submissions and worked with a team of pre-selectors and programmers to curate a screening programme that features original and creative stories about the natural world. The natural world is beautifully diverse and this strength will be reflected through the voices heard, tools used and stories shared within the Wildscreen Official Selection.
We are very proud to announce the first ever Wildscreen Official Selection films, they are...
A Voice Above Nature Annie Moir
United Kingdom
Bayandalai - Lord of the Taiga
Aner Etxebarria Moral, Pablo Vidal Santos
Spain
Clorofilia
Andrés Sehinkman, Jonathan Barg and Leandro Vital - Planta Alta TV
Argentina
Cries of Our Ancestors
Rebecca Kormos, Kalyanee Mam
United States
Earth From Space: Ep 1 A New Perspective Barny Revill
United Kingdom
EarthSongs
Producer/Director: Mitch Turnbull
Creative Technologists and Designers: Ollie Lindsey, Adam Child, Olie Kay, Robin North, Chris Linington
Sound Design: Mitch Turnbull, Luke Reed, Olga M. Reed
Commissioner: South West Creative Technology Network
United Kingdom
Ecosphere
Joseph Purdam
Australia
Ecuador’s Hidden Treasure
Kata Karáth, Ana Naomi de Sousa
United Kingdom, Ecuador
Eye of the Pangolin
Bruce Young
South Africa
Flying Elephants - A Mother's Hope
Prakash Matada
India
Guardians of Ua Huka
Ben Cherry
United Kingdom
Horse Tamer
Hamid Sardar
France
Kokoly
Blue Ventures, Garth Cripps, Paul Antion
United Kingdom, Madagascar
Last Wild Places: Gorongosa Director: Sarah Joseph
Executive Producer: Vanessa Serrao
United States, Mozambique
MY 25: The Ocean Between Us
Inka Cresswell
United Kingdom
Ophir
Alexandre Berman, Olivier Pollet
France, United Kingdom
Our Gorongosa
James Byrne
Mozambique
Pangolins: The World's Most Wanted Animal
Victoria Bromley
United Kingdom
Pushed up the Mountain
Julia Haslett
United States
Rewilding
Vincent Perazio
France
Serengeti Nature’s Living Laboratory
Day's Edge Productions for HHMI Tangled Bank Studios
United States
Sharing the Land
Ofelia de Pablo, Javier Zurita
Spain
She Walks with Apes
Caitlin Starowicz, Mark Starowicz
Canada
Sockeye Salmon. Red fish
Dmitriy Shpilenok, Vladislav Grishin
Russian Federation
STROOP - journey into the rhino horn war
Director: Susan Scott
Producers: Bonné de Bod, Susan Scott
South Africa
That's Wild
Michiel Thomas
Belgium, United States
The Condor & the Eagle
Sophie Guerra, Clement Guerra
United States, Germany, France
The Deep Med
Gil Kebaïli
France
The Disappeared
Kim Stewart
United Kingdom
The Elephant Queen
Victoria Stone & Mark Deeble
Kenya
The Octopus in My House
Anna Fitch & David Allen
United Kingdom
This Land
Chelsea Jolly, Whit Hassett
United States
Voices of the Pacific Flyway Eric Liner
United States
Wild & Wool Phillip Baribeau
United States
Zimbrul Emmanuel Rondeau
France
Wildscreen is based in Bristol, UK – the south west of England city nicknamed ‘Green Hollywood’ because it produces more natural history film and TV than any other city in the world. www.wildscreen.org
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.
Jackson Wild™ Summit & Media Labs Go Virtual By Jackson Wild
27th July 2020
Jackson Wild is delighted to announce a virtual programming expansion for 2020, allowing the organization to reach a broader, more global audience than ever before.
This year, we are making the most of this collective pause by reflecting on the state of the industry through action committees tasked with reimagining the transformative power of our community. At the heart of the Summit, we will work together on tangible actions that make our industry more diverse, inclusive, green, and impactful.
By eliminating the physical barriers associated with travel and by also significantly reducing registration fees, Jackson Wild is leaning into creating deeper connections through an expanded slate of one-on-one mentorship, collaborative committees, and pitching experiences than have ever been possible before.
Jackson Wild remains committed to elevating global voices and early career filmmakers by hosting a digital edition of the Jackson Wild Media Lab, created with HHMI/Tangled Bank Studios and Day's Edge Productions, as well as a greatly expanded virtual Fellowship and Mentorship programs. Applications are now open for all programs!
"The challenge facing each of us is how can we, individually and collectively, amplify and accelerate change to help drive new solutions to the challenges we are facing?" asks Jackson Wild Executive Director Lisa Samford. "What can we do together, alongside this uncommon community, to inspire our combined audiences of billions of people to better care for all life on our beautiful planet? At a time when nothing less than the fate of our world is at stake, there is no better place and no better company to tackle these questions than at the 2020 Jackson Wild Summit."
Modeled directly on its longstanding history of creating intimate and high impact convenings, this year's virtual Jackson Wild Summit will showcase this year's best and most innovative nature and conservation media and presents unique sessions that directly engage with thought leaders and innovators in science, conservation and media to:
COLLABORATE
CONNECT
LEARN
Action Committees
Science & Storytelling Roundtables
Workshops
Digital Networking
Mentorships
Speed Pitching
Global Partner Events
Keynotes
Panels
Masterclasses
Finalist & Award-Winning Films
Premieres
About Jackson Wild: Jackson Wild’s programs promote public awareness and stewardship of wildlife and wildlife habitat through the innovative use of media. For over 28 years, the Jackson Wild Summit has grown a reputation for hosting an extraordinary convening of scientists, conservationists, innovators and media 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 on August 10. Learn more at: jacksonwild.org/2020-virtual-summit
Botswana 2020 Behind-the-scenes with Robert Hofmeyr and his Mum!
In February 2020 we travelled overland to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan National Parks in Botswana to film the desert wildlife of the Kalahari and the zebra migration during the rainy season. In this short film, I hope to show you a bit about what goes into filming high resolution content in the remote African wilderness. This is my first behind-the-scenes video, so please let us know in the comments if you would like me to make more of this kind of content.
The adventure starts in Hermanus, near the Southern tip of Africa. Since my usual assistant was unable to come on this trip, my mother kindly offered to join and help with the driving. We travelled via the Karoo into Botswana and on to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. In the CKGR we camped for 3 nights in Deception Valley filming desert wildlife, birds, lions and cheetahs. Then we travelled West to Tau Pan Camp where we spent most of our time on the pan itself, filming the herds of wildebeest, gemsbok (oryx) and springbok, as well as a beautiful male lion, a cheetah, a giraffe, bat-eared foxes, and black-backed jackals. After a few nights at Tau Pan, we moved East again to Leopard Pan, where we camped for a 3 more nights. From Leopard Pan, they visited the small copse of trees where Mark and Delia Owens camped in the 1970s. They later wrote the book 'Cry of the Kalahari' about this experience.
After more sightings of lions and other Kalahari birds and animals, we headed out of the park. In part 2 of this series we visit Boteti River Camp, near the gate of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park as well as South Camp in Nxai Pan National Park.
After ten days in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, we left the park and travelled to Boteti River Camp, near the gate of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. Here we spent some time exploring the mostly dry riverbed, and filming elephants, giraffe, fish eagles, hippos, lilac-breasted rollers, and other beautiful species that frequent this ares.
We then travelled through the park, intending to camp at the remote Tree Island campsite, but since the zebra migration had not yet arrived in the area, we decided to keep moving and camp at South Camp in the Nxai Pan National Park. In Nxai Pan, we were happy to find the large herds of zebra we had been looking for.
In this film, I also do a walk around of my filming vehicle, and share some tips for remote cinematography and camping in African wildlife areas.
Filmed on Red Weapon Magnesium, GoPro Hero 8, DJI Mavic Pro, and Samsung Gear 360.
Wildscreen Festival Announces 2020 Panda Award Nominees By Wildscreen
23rd July 2020
Wildscreen, the not-for-profit behind the world’s biggest festival of natural history storytelling, today announced the nominees for the 2020 Wildscreen Panda Awards – the highest honour in the international wildlife film and TV content industry.
Wildlife documentary thriller SEA OF SHADOWS, from National Geographic Documentary Films leads the way, picking up four nominations out of the nine film categories for Editing, Music, Producer/Director and Sound.
The adrenaline-packed documentary follows a team of dedicated scientists, high-tech conservationists, investigative journalists and courageous undercover agents as well as the Mexican Navy as they put their lives on the line to save the last of the world’s 30 remaining vaquitas and bring a vicious international crime syndicate to justice.
Silverback Films tops the list as the most nominated production company, securing five nods, including best Scripted Narrative for the soon to released, the 93-year-old broadcaster’s witness statement on the state of the Earth and his vision for the future.
BBC Studios Natural History Unit follows close behind with four nominations, dominating the Series category with DYNASTIES and SEVEN WORLDS, ONE PLANET.
Films creating impact beyond entertainment stood out for the jury, with SEA OF SHADOWS being joined by STROOP (Producer Director), PENG YU SAI (Emerging Talent) and OUR PLANET (Cinematography) in the nominations.
This was also evident in the Photo Story Award nominees, Brent Stirton’s PANGOLIN IN CRISIS, Joan de la Malla’s MASKED MONKEYS and Audun Rickardsen’s DINNER IS SERVED - all of which shine a light on contemporary conservation issues.
Jeff Wilson, Chair of the Panda Awards Nomination Jury said: “This year was a bumper year for the Wildscreen Panda Awards, with our 30 nominees standing out amongst nearly 600 entries from over 30 countries. However what was remarkable to me was that, despite COVID19 preventing our international jury of over 30 world-leading broadcasters, producers and craft professional being in the same room as one another, the discussions were as intense, as intelligent and as mind-opening as any jury debates that have gone before.
Across all categories and juries, a clear message from within the industry emerged – at a time when the natural world and the human race are under pressure from global events, our films and teams need to have purpose beyond entertainment. Consistently the Jury’s voted for the films that not only had a creative voice but also that left an indelible impact on audiences. The overwhelming consensus was now, more than ever, our films have to stand above the parapets and be part of the global conversation on the future of our planet.”
Alongside the craft awards, Wildscreen also introduced two new categories this year, recognising the talent of individuals and teams, with best Producer/Director and Production Team.
The 2020 line-up also welcomes productions not pure in their natural history form, including Passion Pictures’ H2O – THE MOLECULE THAT MADE US, securing two nomination for Series and Scripted Narrative and CLOROFILIA, nominated for its fresh fiction-fusion approach and sense of humour from Argentinian production company, PLANTA ALTA, nominated for Emerging Talent.
Category sponsors are: Doclights/NDR Naturfilm Producer/Director Panda Award, Dolby Cinematography Panda Award, Dolby Sound Panda Award, Icon Films Emerging Talent Panda Award, and the NHK Scripted Narrative Panda Award.
The winners will be announced on 22 October at the Panda Awards Celebration, during the first ever virtual edition of the Wildscreen Festival. Wildscreen announced back in May that it would taking the industry-leading event online, seizing the opportunity to make it the most inclusive and accessible Festival in its 38-year history.
Three-month industry passes are on sale now at £125, with concessions offered at £50. Tickets can be purchased here.
My Octopus Teacher
Sea Change Project and Off the Fence; A Netflix Original Production
Underwater photography by: Roger Horrocks, Craig Foster
Aerials: Tom Foster
Topside photography: Warren Smart
Additional photography: Pippa Ehrlich, Dave Aenmae
South Africa
Dynasties: Chimpanzee
BBC Studios NHU, BBC America, Tencent, France Télévisions and CCTV9
Photography by: John Brown, Mark MacEwen
United Kingdom
Our Planet: One Planet Silverback Films with WWF for Netflix
Photography by Jamie McPherson, Roger Horrocks, John Aitchison, Paul Stewart, Gavin Thurston, Warwick Sloss, Mateo Willis, Sophie Darlington, Matt Aeberhard
United Kingdom
EDITING AWARD
Sea of Shadows
Terra Mater Factual Studios in association with Appian Way, Malaika Pictures, The Wild Lens Collective for National Geographic Documentary Films
Editors: Georg Michael Fischer & Verena Schönauer
Austria
Wild Cuba: A Caribbean Journey Crossing the Line Productions for ORF, BBC, RTÉ, France Télévisions, WNET Thirteen, PBS, ORF Enterprises
Editor: Jamie Fitzpatrick
Ireland
Disneynature Penguins
Silverback Films for Disneynature
Editor: Andy Netley
United Kingdom
ICON FILMS EMERGING TALENT AWARD
Andrés Sehinkman, Jonathan Barg, Leandro Vital, Armin Marchesini Weihmuller and Ailín Salas
For the film Clorofilia Planta Alta
Argentina
Malaika Vaz and Nitye Sood
For the film Peng Yu Sai
Untamed Planet
India
MUSIC AWARD
Sea of Shadows
Terra Mater Factual Studios in association with Appian Way, Malaika Pictures, The Wild Lens Collective for National Geographic Documentary Films
Music by: H. Scott Salinas
Austria
Disneynature Penguins
Silverback Films for Disneynature
Music by: Harry Gregson-Williams
United Kingdom
Dancing with the Birds
Silverback Films for Netflix
Music by: David Mitcham
United Kingdom
PHOTO STORY AWARD
Pangolins in Crisis
Brent Stirton
South Africa
Masked Monkeys
Joan de la Malla
Spain
Dinner is served
Audun Rikardsen
Norway
PRODUCTION TEAM AWARD
Earth from Space: A New Perspective
BBC Studios Natural History Unit, PBS and The Open University
United Kingdom
Night on Earth: Dusk till Dawn
Plimsoll Productions for Netflix
United Kingdom
DOCLIGHTS / NDR NATURFILM PRODUCER DIRECTOR AWARD
Richard Ladkani, Walter Köhler and Wolfgang Knöpfler
For the film Sea of Shadows
Terra Mater Factual Studios in association with Appian Way, Malaika Pictures, The Wild Lens Collective for National Geographic Documentary Films
Austria
Craig Foster, Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed
For the film My Octopus Teacher
Sea Change Project and Off the Fence; A Netflix Original Production
South Africa
H20: The Molecule That Made Us
Passion Planet Ltd and WGBH Boston for PBS
Script by: Nicolas Brown, Alex Tate
United Kingdom
Savage Kingdom
Icon Films in association with Natural History Film Unit Botswana for National Geographic
Script by: Andy Mitchell
United Kingdom
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet Silverback Films and WWF for Netflix
Script by: David Attenborough with Jonnie Hughes
United Kingdom
SERIES AWARD
Dynasties
BBC Studios NHU, BBC America, Tencent, France Télévisions and CCTV9
United Kingdom
Seven Worlds, One Planet
BBC Studios Natural History Unit, BBC America, France Televisions, ZDF, Tencent Penguin Pictures and China Media Group CCTV9
United Kingdom
H2O: The Molecule that Made Us
Passion Planet Ltd and WGBH Boston for PBS
United Kingdom
DOLBY SOUND AWARD
Sea of Shadows
Terra Mater Factual Studios in association with Appian Way, Malaika Pictures, The Wild Lens Collective for National Geographic Documentary Films
Sound by: Bernhard Zorzi, Michael Plöderl, Bernd Dormayer, Roland Winkler, Bernd Mazagg
Austria
The Flood
Icon Films in association with Natural History Film Unit Botswana for National Geographic
Sound by: Richard Lambert, Roy Noy
United Kingdom
Wild Shetland
Maramedia Ltd for BBC Scotland
Sound by: Kate Hopkins, Owen Shirley & Mitch Dorf, Ben Peace, Wounded Buffalo
United Kingdom
Think Phones Disconnect Us From Nature? Think again. by Pam Voth
22 July 2020
New Nature App, Mammalz, Changes the Narrative, Connects Today’s Generation to Nature and Each Other Using Smartphone Technology
So often, technology is blamed as the culprit for disconnecting us from nature. But a new media company is changing that perception. Mammalz, a new nature app, is re-imagining what can be done to democratize the nature media industry and reconnect people to nature around the world by using technology available in nearly everyone’s hand, the smartphone. In the hands of a Mammalz community member, a smartphone actually becomes an agent for change and the tool to connect people around the globe to nature and one another.
On Mammalz, you experience nature with other people
Using smartphone technology and a niche community approach, the Mammalz app has become the go-to choice of nature lovers from over 60 countries around the world to enjoy a dose of nature content any time of the day. Every visit to Mammalz brings a new possibility to encounter nature like you’ve never seen before. Join a live stream with a herpetologist hiking a desert canyon searching for lizards; watch a vlog from a young researcher who is studying the way people coexist with wildlife in Sierra Leone; or feel relaxation flood over you as you watch a video of colorful fish dart in and around a coral reef. Mammalz is a place for curiosity and discovery to flourish.
Becoming a star on Mammalz
Anyone with a smartphone, a great personality, a curiosity for the natural world, and a creative imagination can become a star on Mammalz. The two Mammalz co-founders are biologists-turned-wildlife filmmakers and recognize the many barriers to breaking into the nature media industry to pursue a career as a nature storyteller.
They know that old-school gatekeepers are in charge of deciding what gets produced for broadcast and that the professional camera equipment required to create natural history programming for television is extremely expensive. “These are huge obstacles. Add to that the fact that young people don’t even consume television programming,” says Rob Whitehair, Mammalz CEO and co-founder. “We realized it’s time to shake up our own industry. We created Mammalz to give people the chance to share their own unique perspectives about the natural world, and to make a living doing it.” Future plans for Mammalz include introducing monetization tools for partnered creators.
Can the smartphone actually save the world?
The smartphone proved to be the perfect tool to create the opportunity for people to create and engage with nature content. “Right from your phone, you can live stream, vlog, take photos, edit short videos, and record audio. And it’s better quality than most video cameras from 10 years ago,” says Whitehair. “It also completely removes the barrier to entry to be able to create content. If anything, we need more voices out there championing the natural world. Not fewer voices. It would be a travesty not to harness the true potential technology has given us to make the world a better place. Our future depends on it.”
Join the Mammalz Community - It’s Free!
To download Mammalz, visit the App Store. Or visit the web platform at Mammalz.com.
The Mammalz Android app is planned for the future. To learn more about Mammalz, visit community.mammalz.com.
Founded by biologists-turned-wildlife filmmakers, Rob Whitehair and Alexander Finden, Mammalz is the “Twitch for Nature”; a mobile- and web-based media streaming and social platform dedicated to nature storytelling and driven by community. Whether you are a professional media maker, scientist, educator, artist, writer, or one of over 600 million nature enthusiasts across the planet, Mammalz provides you with the tools to personalize your experience, share your love of nature, and truly make a difference.
Mammalz, PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation founded in May 2018 and headquartered in San Diego, CA.
The Mammalz mission is to promote a greater global public understanding of nature and the environment while acting as a bridge between science, media makers, and the public.
GREEN SCREEN online and onscreen By Green Screen
10th July 2020
14th International Wildlife Film Festival starting 7th September.
The International Wildlife Film Festival Green Screen will start in Eckernfoerde on 7th September. Until end October, a large number of outstanding films will be screened digitally and in selected locations. As in previous years, this 14th festival focuses on wildlife films and their presentation to a nature-loving audience.
In observance of Corona restrictions for public events, Green Screen will provide filmmakers with platforms in order to exchange ideas and present their films. Green Screen will award all prizes in all 14 categories out of the films nominated by an international jury.
The festival will run for 6 weeks without any screenings to large audiences. Unfortunately, traditional events such as opening night and award night cannot take place. With 45,000 visitors, last year’s GREEN SCREEN festival was again the European wildlife film festival with the highest attendance.
This year’s festival will feature around 70 wildlife documentations and numerous short films. Two Eckernfoerde screening venues will be open to visitors. Additionally, the GREEN SCREEN website will showcase “One Day – One Film”, offering one wildlife film per day for the duration of the festival. Starting 21st September, cinemas in nearby towns will have four weeks to screen participating films. Screenings are scheduled for Kiel, Rendsburg, Schleswig, and Kappeln. All in all, Green Screen will present a selection of worldwide wildlife film productions at approx.130 events.
Some filmmakers are expected to attend the screenings of their films. Others will be unavailable due to work commitments and will hopefully be able to send in video messages.
This year’s programme will be available online as of 1st August. At the same time, ticket sales will start via the Green Screen website. Tickets will be distributed by mail.
The award jury will select the winners from all nominated films. The audience award sponsored by Schleswig-Holstein newspaper publishing group will be determined online by its readers in August. Festival director Dirk Steffens will host the online award ceremony featuring footage from winning films and respective video messages by winners.
The ”Eckernfoerde Talks“, traditional forum for ecological and politically charged topics will take place at “Eventlocation Carls” on 8th September. The panel consisting of scientists, and representatives from nature and wildlife organizations and political institutions will discuss causes and effects surrounding the topic „Pandemics – Nature’s Response“ and will be hosted by NDR presenter Vera Vester .
There will be workshops for experts featuring new trends in wildlife film plus another of the popular pitching sessions where filmmakers can present their ideas for new productions to an expert panel.
International wildlife film festival Green Screen starts in September
Programme overview and tickets from 1 August
From 7 September to 18 October, Green Screen is showing a large number of outstanding wildlife films on the Internet and at selected events. This year, Europe's most popular nature film festival is setting an example with its programme for nature documentaries and its presentation for nature-loving film fans.
The programme for all events will be published online on 1 August. At the same time, ticket sales via the Green Screen website will begin. At around 130 individual events, the festival once again offers a cross-section of the worldwide production of nature films.
For filmmakers, special platforms for the exchange and presentation of their films will be established. All green screen prizes will be awarded this year as well. Festival director Dirk Steffens will moderate the award ceremony for filmmakers from numerous countries. The award is presented online.
The festival is extended to six weeks. About 70 nature documentaries and numerous short films are shown in Eckernförde. Green Screen takes into account the currently necessary conditions for public events at two venues.
In addition, a current nature film will be presented on the green screen website under the title "One Day - One Film" on each of the 14 festival days in Eckernförde. From 21 September, cinemas in neighbouring cities will show four weeks of festival films. Screenings are planned in Kiel, Rendsburg and Schleswig.
Green Screen is preparing online seminars for experts this year. This includes the presentation of new trends in nature films and the "pitching", which has been successful for years, in which filmmakers present their ideas for new productions to a panel of experts.
WE WANT TO LIVE – UK REBELLION ... 1st September 2020 with Extinction Rebellion
We face an intersection of global crises. Climate breakdown, COVID-19, racial injustice, economic inequality – all are symptoms of a toxic system propped up by corrupt politicians, that is driving us to extinction – a system built on inequality, the destruction of nature, and the exploitation of Black, brown and Indigenous people.
We can not carry on like this. The system is broken.
It’s 2020. Siberia is burning. Extinction is beckoning – but the Government is looking the other way. Peaceful rebellion is the only option we have before us.
Driving Elephants – Behind The Scenes by Kirsty Wells
4 July 2020
On one of my first nights in India we went looking for elephants.
Someone had alerted the forest department that 4 elephants had been spotted on a major highway linking the cities of Bangalore and Mysore. Mobile phone-captured images had hit the papers the previous day, clearly showing 4 elephants running along the edge of a multi-lane motorway.
The field researchers at A Rocha India (an NGO specialising in elephant conservation – whom I worked alongside in the making of the film) drove our team into the action. The team consisted of myself, volunteers, a forest department officer and the NGO field researchers who regularly assist the department with driving operations.
Pedal to the metal we raced through small towns and residential areas dimly lit by street lights until we reached a forested clearing and parked up. The evening orchestra of insects, barking dogs, human hubbub and the gentle hum of traffic was interrupted by flashes of light and the loud bangs of firecrackers. We nervously waited at the car as some of our group went into the darkness armed with torches to join the forest watchers as they made a line to drive the elephants through the clearing and out into the open.
When you look at the mosaic landscape that surrounds Bannerghatta National Park you realise how challenging this situation is to manage. With 40% of the northern range of the park within Bangalore’s municipal limits, the landscape quickly erupts from forest to dense urban settlements with major roads and railways scattered throughout. Bannerghatta is perhaps the only elephant inhabited national park in India that lies this close to an urban metropolis. Within just a few kilometres, escaped elephants find themselves deep in human settlements.
Bannerghatta National park is a long but narrow fragment of the expansive Mysore elephant range that extends across the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. This range is home to the largest congregations of Asian Elephants in the world and Bannerghatta is home to around 160 of them.
As India’s population has soared this range has constricted but elephants still make large migrations between territories to look for new mates and habitat. Despite inviolate pockets like Bannerghatta and other major parks including Nagarhole and Bandipur remaining fenced and protected, there is little that can be done to stop these giants dispersing beyond their man-made boundaries, enacting the typical behaviour of a large migratory species.
That first night I was struck by how impossible the management of elephants becomes once they breach the confines of wilderness and become trapped in the maze of towns and cities. Not only having to navigate through a labyrinth of man-made structures but also contending with the presence of local people.
Drives mostly take place at night because moving elephants during the day would be too risky for members of the public. One major drawback of working at night however, is not being able to see, and in spite of their size, elephants are very skilled at disappearing without a trace. And on this occasion, the efforts to drive the elephants from their forest grove proved unsuccessful – the elephants had moved on, we were too late.
That same night we drove on further. Members of the public had alerted the forest department of elephant sightings in a patch of territorial forest a few kilometres away – the elephants had somehow given us the slip. When we arrived we saw evidence of elephant movement – broken fences and collapsed walls. Department staff and vehicles surrounded the wild enclave and again formed a line within it to try to flush the group of bulls out so they could be pushed to an area of safety.
The scene was chaotic with various different forest department’s called upon, along with police and other land managers present. After some time it seemed the elephants had vanished once again under the cover of darkness. The vehicles congregated and the department staff regrouped to discuss their possible movements and how to proceed.
Just as the dust had settled, a local gentleman in great panic drove up on a moped. He was screaming hysterically, explaining how a group of elephants had intersected him on his way home from work – this moment is captured in the opening sequence of Driving Elephants. Driving up a narrow road he found himself head to head with a group of bull elephants. Unable to turn around and with his mother behind him he feared for their lives. And, rightly so. Wild elephants are volatile are very dangerous, especially in the midst of such a stressful situation. Despite this man’s sighting just moments earlier when the forest department reached the location, the elephants were gone. It seemed that once again these animals had outsmarted this army of people, and as light returned to the sky, we retired for the night.
That particular group of elephants spent close to 2 weeks outside of the park and covered an impressive distance in the process – traversing a major river, highways and multiple towns. The forest department worked tirelessly to get them back safely but their efforts were continually thwarted by interference from members of the public. This became one of the most poignant take-aways from my time observing driving operations. Just how often members of the public obstruct and impede them.
When a wild elephant appears in your town or village (particularly those many kilometres from the National Park) you have every right to be interested. The problem is the congregation of crowds once the word has got out. Pictures and status’ on social media spread frenzy and before long swarms of local people create blockades to drives – unwittingly putting themselves and the lives of forest watchers at risk, often for a simple photo op.
When the forest department are alerted of elephant sightings outside of the park they track them and tend to surround them during the day to try to prevent them moving further – largely to avoid damage and destruction to people and property. In these human-dominated areas elephants avoid open spaces and take shelter in small oases of nature – forest groves, plantations and farmland. Routes are meticulously planned to drive elephants back to the forest as quickly and as safely as possible, trying to avoid major traffic routes and dense areas of inhabitation.
During the drive the movement of elephants can be incredibly random as they are under high stress, they will streak in any direction they think poses the least threat at that moment. Thus when they stumble across a barrage of people armed with cameras and smart phones they will likely double back and flee which puts the co-ordinated efforts in jeopardy.
The role that members of the public play became a pivotal point I wanted to raise in the film because creating awareness of their impact is a small way that change could be asserted quickly – certainly to residents of Bangalore and the surrounding areas.
The fact that driving as a management strategy exists is in itself contentious and opens up a broader sphere of problems facing elephants in the region. Inadequate fencing has been responsible for many escapes but even with reinforcements many elephants are able to pass through these barriers without much issue. In addition, many of the mechanisms employed to deter crop-raiding (which have proved successful in parts of Africa) – such as using bees and chilli fencing – are problematic in such a densely populated environment. The reality becomes just moving elephants from one farm to the next rather than preventing them coming at all.
It is a great concern that these wonderful creatures are being put into such hostile and stressful situations as they disperse from natal territories. It is a perhaps the biggest worry for the farmers on the fringes that are perpetually raided for the crops they require to sustain their families throughout the year. However, the farmers I spoke with were amazingly tolerant and resilient in the face of such strife on their doorstep.
Ravi Nayak who is interviewed in the film was attacked by an elephant on his way to work the first week I arrived and before I left, several months later, I had the chance to speak with him. Ravi had spent the preceding months in intensive care having suffered life threatening injuries and despite the scars across his body and the metal pins in his legs, his opinion of elephants as a species was remarkable. When asked what he thought of elephants following the attack, he simply responds that he was going for his livelihood as the elephant was going for his.
Without doubt, those living on the park’s periphery have a greater understanding of the ecological importance of their native wildlife and similarly the danger they pose. They are able to coexist – however haphazardly at times – through a laudable level of tolerance and a good relationship with the forest department, although this is not always the case.
Corruption in the higher ranks of this government department which is responsible for all the species within forest areas (and when they come out), makes them the victim of much persecution and blame. Whilst a few top officials may wrongly stockpile funds and resources for personal gain, those attributes are rarely found amongst the frontline workers.
Forest watchers are paid a very small salary and are expected to routinely put themselves in dangerous situations. Of the forest watchers we spoke to, several mentioned the burdens for their own families when they stay out for many nights on watch or during drives and the fear that they may not return at all. There is also tension in communities between forest watchers and farmers who suffer crop losses and who see them as part of the problem. Having spent time observing their work, I saw first-hand many dedicated frontline forest watchers, working ill-equipped but providing invaluable skills in the form of tracking and an unteachable knowledge of the forest.
Without doubt, there are many shortcomings with how elephants are managed and how the forest department is equipped to deal with this increasing conflict. What I intended Driving Elephants to show was the harsh reality of this struggle in an increasingly urbanised landscape. Whilst Bannerghatta might be slightly unusual in its placement, elephant excursions are commonplace across the country and with India’s population still increasing it will likely become an archetype of this increasingly urbanised issue.
Furthermore, I hope it raises awareness of a problem taking place on the doorsteps of many Bangalore residents – many of whom are unaware of the park’s existence.
Much the same as the rest of the planet, the larger issues prompting this conservation battle revolves around habitat loss and human encroachment. Whilst there are great strides being made to enhance connectivity with corridors across the country, without these short-term measures and perhaps a more pragmatic approach for population management, these incidents will likely become increasingly common in the future.
Thus the fate of elephants in Bannerghatta, for now at least, relies on the continual work of the forest department to keep them within the safety of the protected area.
QUEEN OF BIRDS – The Great Philippine Eagle from Dan O’Neill
The great Philippine eagle seems more like a creature from a story than that of reality. Standing at a metre tall, with a 7ft wingspan and dagger-like talons, they are truly formidable animals, but with just 400 pairs left in the wild, are the most endangered raptors in the world.
In December 2019, a young female Philippine eagle was miraculously rescued from the ocean off the south coast of Mindanao. The bird was starving, exhausted and after changing hands several times, was taken to the Philippine Eagle Foundation for rehabilitation. She was named 'Maasim'.
On news of Maasim's story, biologist, Dan O'Neill, heads to the Philippines to follow her journey back to the wild. But after a major setback, the mission is turned upside down...
Due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) has had to close its doors to the public.
With this comes losing the foundation’s largest source of funding – visitor admission to the centre. As a non-profit organization with very limited resources, the Philippine Eagle Foundation desperately relies on this to run its day-to-day operations.
With the centre closed indefinitely, the foundation will soon be unable to provide for the food and care of over 100 animals.
The Philippine Eagle Foundation in Davao City, Mindanao is the only conservation breeding and rehabilitation facility for the largest and most endangered eagle on the planet and the national bird of its country. Along with 31 critically endangered Philippine Eagles, it is home to over 80 other animals that are mostly found only in the Philippines, ranging from deer and a crocodile to various raptor species.
As a home to these animals, the foundation provides not only nourishment but also safety from threats to their health and wellbeing.
Through your donations to this campaign, you can help the Philippine Eagle Foundation not only with proper care for these creatures but with the necessary measures to ensure their safety during this difficult time.
Your donation will help:
Provide the day-to-day food of the animals
Keeper care
Shelter maintenance
Veterinary care (in case of emergency)
In this crisis, we remember not just each other, but also the animals that depend on our care.
Thank you.
Dan O'Neill
Patron, Philippine Eagle Foundation
AUCEF's New Film "Unbreathable: The Fight for Healthy Air" Premiered June 18th at a Virtual DCEFF
CEF’s new film, "Unbreathable: The Fight for Healthy Air," premiered (virtually), on June 18th with the DC Environmental Film Festival and a live panel discussion at 5:00pm EST. Panelists included: Mustafa Santiago Ali,VP of Environmental Justice, National Wildlife Federation; Bill Reilly, former EPA Administrator; Shashawnda Campbell, co-founder of Free Your Voice in Baltimore; Beth Gardiner, author of “Choked”; Maggie Burnette Stogner, director of “Unbreathable" and, moderator Paul Billings, National Senior VP of Policy, American Lung Association. For more information, visit the website at www.unbreathable.org
This film premieres at a critical time. Asthma is the number one health issue for children, and recent research links air pollution to higher cases and deaths from COVID-19. Environmental regulations and enforcement of existing laws are being stripped away when the need for renewable energy is more urgent than ever.
“A powerful and important film about one of modern America’s most consequential laws.” — Beth Gardiner, author, CHOKED
Unbreathable: The Fight for Healthy Air spotlights the ongoing struggle for clean air in the United States. Over the past fifty years, there has been major progress in significantly reducing air pollution across the nation thanks to the Clean Air Act. However, asthma continues to be the number one health issue for children and nearly half of all Americans across the country today are still impacted by unhealthy levels of air pollution. This short film shares stories of communities that are fighting for healthier air and the challenges we face to ensure healthy air for all.
Executive Produced by the Center for Environmental Filmmaking at American University, with support from the American Lung Association, AU’s Center for Environmental Policy, and the Hanley Foundation.
On Thursday, June 18, the Center for Environmental Filmmaking held a panel discussion with director Maggie Burnette Stogner and policy experts, including Mustafa Santiago Ali (VP of Environmental Justice, National Wildlife Federation), and Shashawnda Campbell (Free Your Voice, Baltimore). You can watch a recording of that discussion below.
Three Ways the New Mammalz App is More Than Just a Social Platform for Nature Lovers by Pam Voth
18 June 2020
Nature content creators from around the globe are flocking to Mammalz to share stories of the natural world and finding more than “likes”
Mammalz, a new community-driven user-generated content platform for all things nature offers a centralized place for today’s generation of socially savvy nature content creators, scientists, and consumers to connect with each other and create a global community around anything that advances the human-nature relationship. But even though it may look like a niche social platform for nature lovers on the surface, Mammalz is really more of a movement.
Here are three ways the Mammalz app is breaking the social media mold:
1) Global Representation
We’re throwing out the gatekeepers. Mammalz is democratizing the nature media industry. For far too long, a select, elite group has not only controlled the narrative, but maintained a narrow vision of creativity when it comes to nature storytelling. That stops now. Mammalz is the place for everyone around the world to unleash their creativity and share their stories of the natural world. Whether you’re a professional, an amateur, a scientist, an educator, or just someone who loves nature, all voices and perspectives are welcome here.
2) Reconnecting The World To Nature
Every visit to Mammalz brings a new possibility to encounter nature like you’ve never seen before. Join a live stream with a young zoo keeper, watch a timelapse video of a dragonfly emerging from its larval stage, or feel relaxation flood over you as you watch colorful fish dart in and around a coral reef. Mammalz is a place for curiosity and discovery to flourish. And it's a place where the power of community comes together to make a positive difference for the natural world.
3) Science and Education
Science is serious, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun! And the more you learn about nature, the more there is to love! Mammalz teams up scientists with creative media makers to convey important, complex information in a user-friendly way. On Mammalz, you can interact with subject experts to ask questions and get answers you know are accurate. Young and old alike will find a place to fall in love with nature while discovering ways to protect it.
And, It’s Free!
To download Mammalz, visit the App Store. Or visit the web platform at Mammalz.com.
A film made by The Open University (Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies) June 2020
'We're living through an era of increased political protests. This film examines how protest movements go about communicating their message. Why are we seeing such an upsurge in demonstrations? What impact are they having on the political process? And how do those without access to traditional forms of power get their voice heard? Focusing on the work of Extinction Rebellion, and with contributions from journalists, activists and academics, the film is an insightful look at political communication in the era of the protest.'
Our Forest Campaign’s latest report revealed traders paying to ship illicit Myanmar teak into Europe via the back door. In trying to sneak the banned timber in via Croatia, the move sought to skirt EU import rules so the traders can get their hands on it for high-paying clients to use for luxury products in the marine sector, such as superyacht decking. In our report, The Croatian Connection Exposed: Importing illicit Myanmar teak through Europe’s back door, we named the European firms involved.
“We can never get a re-creation of community and heal our society without giving our citizens a sense of belonging.”
- Patch Adams
The first time I encountered a California Condor in the wild, it took my breath away. I wasn’t prepared for the emotional rush of having a massive prehistoric looking bird fly right over my head. It was the same heart-dropping feeling of having a bomber buzz an airfield during one of the countless airshows I attended as a child. It was something so magnificently dramatic, and profoundly humbling.
Even more dramatic was the reason the Condor was flying over my head in the first place. Just a couple of years prior to that, there were no Condors in the wild. They had been brought to the brink of extinction by human activity and then at the 11th hour, saved from their certain demise by an extraordinary and audacious act of science and humanity.
I became obsessed with how an animal, representing a stunning connection to our prehistoric past, and posing absolutely zero threat to humans, was so far gone that it could only survive as a species if humans intervened. That story, wrought with intrigue, heartbreak, ego, and drama became the subject of my first film and what ensued was a life-changing lesson.
Believing that the Condor would not survive on its own, biologists made an unprecedented move to remove all of them from the wild, then captively propagate them in zoos to get their population back to sustainable numbers. Then began a long slow process of reintroducing them back into the wild and in turn managing the wild population, a process that continues today to great success.
But that success was not met without first enduring controversy, legal battles, mounting costs, competing interests, and other human drama that threatened to sink the entire effort. So why then, was it so successful?
As it turns out, there is something powerful that happens when a disparate group of individuals, organizations, and competing interests unite over a common cause, they form community. And that lesson has proven itself time and again in my over 20 years of making natural history films and being involved in conservation efforts.
Whether the issue is wildlife, habitat, policy, or public acceptance, the formation of community has been the deciding factor for success. Giving stakeholders a sense of belonging where their voices are heard, respected, and equally considered creates a conversation, not just an information exchange. And when people start conversing and truly feel a sense of belonging, mountains move.
I am reminded of a quote from author and expert on leadership, Linda Lambert, who says,
“One great conversation can shift the direction of change forever.”
I’ve experienced that many times in my life and I believe it with all my heart. So the big question is, how do we capture that sense of community that we know works on a local scale, and translate that to a global platform?
It’s not like we don’t know what to do. Throughout our history, communication and community were inextricably linked. That is, until technology allowed us to communicate to the masses. Then, communication became less about a way to share stories and converse, and more about a way to provide information. Community, in the modern age, has taken a back seat as communication has exponentially evolved into a global powerhouse that consumes us, giving us instant access to information and opinion anywhere, anytime. But that evolution has missed out on a key ingredient that helped people stay connected to life, interaction.
Media has simply become a one-way passive experience. It is my sincere belief that this is a major factor that holds the nature community back. We are a disparate group of like-minded people and organizations strewn across the globe with a common purpose, but a very loose sense of belonging, no real community. And that, I believe, is a root cause of the disconnect from nature we are experiencing today.
Today, as we catapult forward growing exponentially in both population and impact, people have become more disconnected from nature than ever. We have lost the basic understanding of our place in the mosaic of life. While we are a highly evolved complex beautiful creature standing for the most part at the apex of life, we are also, at our most simple, a vulnerable animal on this planet.
The Mammalz mission is to reconnect people to nature and we do that by taking the power that technology has given us by connecting us globally as individuals and transforming that into a sharing community, where people feel a sense of belonging, can interact with each other, and can have meaningful conversations.
But how do we actually do that? Through all of the lessons learned about community, media, human nature, and our connection to this planet and each other, we have whittled it down to a three-step process that we believe will be game-changing in helping Mammalz reconnect the world to nature.
The first thing we do is democratize participation giving everybody on the platform an equal voice and the ability to interact with one another and create conversations rather than everybody just talking at one another.
The second thing we do is create an atmosphere where truth, facts, science, creativity, and respect are not an option, but the standard.
Finally and most importantly, we need to think beyond today’s assumptions and operate from a shared global vision of what community actually means. How we create shared purpose, self-worth, value, inclusivity, equality, diversity, and then harness that vision to find real-world, long-lasting, meaningful solutions to the problems facing our natural world.
I’ll leave you with a favorite quote of mine, from Thomas Berry that is so apropos in light of the current pandemic and the other massive issues we face today.
"The natural world is the larger sacred community to which we belong. To be alienated from this community is to become destitute in all that makes us human. To damage this community is to diminish our own existence.”
We are Mammalz and we are all in this together. We welcome each and all of you to this community. If you love nature, this is your home.
Founded by biologists-turned-wildlife filmmakers, Rob Whitehair and Alexander Finden, Mammalz is the “Twitch for Nature”; a mobile- and web-based media streaming and social platform dedicated to nature storytelling and driven by community. Whether you are a professional media maker, scientist, educator, artist, writer, or one of over 600 million nature enthusiasts across the planet, Mammalz provides you with the tools to personalize your experience, share your love of nature, and truly make a difference.
Mammalz, PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation founded in May 2018 and headquartered in San Diego, CA.
The Mammalz mission is to promote a greater global public understanding of nature and the environment while acting as a bridge between science, media makers, and the public.
The first community-driven content platform for all things nature.
We started Mammalz to revolutionize the way the world communicates about and connects to nature. TV is old. YouTube, Facebook, and others are missing the thing that binds us together - a sense of community. Mammalz is a global, interactive community that unleashes the power of creativity to show you nature in ways that you've never experienced.Rob Whitehair Co-Founder, CEO @ Mammalz
While we gaze out our windows at the trees, the clouds, and the birds, many of us are realizing how much we’ve taken the natural world for granted. Staying connected to nature is a challenge in isolation, but even more dispiriting is our constant struggle to stay connected to each other. As it becomes ever more clear from scientists that a disregard for nature and lack of understanding about how humans fit into the mosaic of the natural world has landed us in the current pandemic crisis, our launch of Mammalz has become even more timely and poignant. The good news is that by simply joining the Mammalz community, we can immediately begin to discover inspiring nature stories, unleash our creativity to share our own perspectives about the natural world, and connect with a global community who loves nature as much as we do.
Our team at Mammalz is now prouder than ever to stand behind our mission: to promote a greater global understanding of nature and the environment while acting as a bridge between science, media makers, and the public. And with your support, our Wefunder investors, we are delighted to announce that Mammalz is available for free across the globe on the App Store and the web. We invite you all to join us in the new way to experience nature.
Why you may want to invest in Mammalz:
1 - We are revolutionizing the way we connect with nature during a time when we all need it most.
2 - Active users spend over 1 hour per day on Mammalz.
3 - Over 20% of our monthly active users are active daily.
4 - 37% average post engagement rate - 9x higher than our competitors.
5 - $300,000 secured in prior investments.
6 - With a TAM of over 600 million nature enthusiasts, we can create an entirely new content economy.
7 - We are enabling thousands of nature content creators to make a living doing what they love.
Listen to So Hot Right Now – a brand new Podcast from award-winning film-maker Tom Mustill & journalist Lucy Siegle
To save the world we need to change the story. Nature and the climate are in crisis. To survive we must use our most powerful tool - communication. Telling these stories can be difficult and dangerous. But done right they can change the world. Join environmental journalist Lucy Siegle (The Guardian, The One Show) and wildlife filmmaker Tom Mustill (Greta Thunberg/#NatureNow & BBC Natural History Unit) as they learn how to communicate better, from those who do it best.
Legendary broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, former president of Ireland Mary Robinson, singer and activist Ellie Goulding, UN climate negotiator Christiana Figueres, Native American Veteran and Organizer Krystal Two-Bulls, and other master communicators all share their hard-earned insights. Informal, personal and passionate, these conversations will give you the tools to play your part, whether you’re phoning your dad, or addressing the United Nations.
Wildscreen Festival 2020 goes virtual By Wildscreen
28th May 2020
Wildscreen, the UK-based not-for-profit conservation organisation behind the biennial Wildscreen Festival, today announces the 20th anniversary edition of the Festival will bring the natural world to the online world this October.
Seizing the opportunity for evolution in light of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the reimagined virtual event will be the most accessible Wildscreen Festival to date, with more people than ever before being able to tune in to its ground-breaking content and benefit from the events unrivalled networking opportunities.
Wildscreen’s patron, renowned naturalist David Attenborough says, “Never has communicating the threats facing our natural world and the bold solutions required to protect and restore it been so vital. Wildscreen, with its convening power is uniquely placed to support and challenge those who can tell the stories the world needs to hear and see.”
The online edition of the Festival, already slated for the 19-23 October, will include everything that the international industry expects from the genres’ leading event, including keynotes, masterclasses, sessions, commissioner meetings, film premieres and screenings with director interviews, and a new programme of one-to-one meetings.
Over 300 films will also be available over a three-month period between September to December, which will then be accompanied by all the industry content released during the Festival week from Friday 23 October.
Martha Holmes, Wildscreen Festival Advisory Board Chair and Head of Natural History at Plimsoll Productions, said,
“During these unpredictable and unprecedented times, never have amazing stories about nature been more needed.
Our vision for a virtual Wildscreen Festival in October 2020, not only reflects the times we are living in but opens our community up to more creators, bigger audiences and more buyers, enabling the Festival to reach them in their homes, offices and field stations.”
Lucie Muir, CEO of Wildscreen continued, “We already had plans for live-streamed content and networking events hosted in global hubs beyond Bristol during the 2020 Wildscreen Festival to reduce the environmental impact of the event and bolster greater access and inclusion across the industry. The pandemic has accelerated and focused us on those ambitions and gives us the opportunity to be bold and reimagine what a future Wildscreen Festival and industry could look like.
“Though we love Bristol and it’s our home, the pandemic has shown more than ever that we need to nurture and support natural world storytelling talent and audiences around the world and demonstrate leadership in democratising the industry.”
BBC Studios is also announced as Principal Sponsor.
Julian Hector, Head of the Natural History Unit and Wildscreen Board member says:
“BBC Studios fully supports Wildscreen’s bold and ambitious move online which will open the festival up to new voices and new audiences and continue to support the global wildlife filmmaking industry.”
Also announced today is the first keynote, an interview with Sky’s Group Chief Executive Jeremy Darroch.
Under his leadership, Sky has saved over a billion trees in the Amazon Rainforest, campaigned for healthy oceans and set the ambitious target for its business to become net zero carbon by 2030.
This week, the broadcaster launched three factual channels, including Sky Nature a dedicated home to natural history programming.
The week will also feature a virtual version of the Wildscreen Panda Awards. The celebration, to be held on 22 October, will reveal the winners of the most coveted prize in the global wildlife film and TV industry.
Full three-month industry passes for Wildscreen Festival will cost £125 ( VAT where applicable), with concessions offered at £50, to further Wildscreen’s mission to diversify the natural world storytelling industry.
Weekly live programming streaming on Instagram and Facebook, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12pm EST!
Jackson Wild is launching a summer series of online experiences to keep our community connected and engaged with innovators within our industry, new ideas and one another. Join weekly conversations and Q&As with some of the world’s most influential filmmakers, conservationists and scientists, live streamed on Facebook and Instagram. Most importantly, we miss you and we want to hear from you! Click here to let us know what programs you would like to see and participate in during this time.
As "shelter in place" orders are lifted and parks and outdoor recreational areas open to eager visitors, it's time we start thinking about how we re-enter the natural world. We all have the ability to be the best stewards of our planet's wild places once we can travel again. But where do we begin? We'll hear from Sally Snow, Jackson Wild's 2019 Rising Star Award recipient and Whitney Caskey, the Curriculum Director of University of Wyoming's Guide Certificate Program. As leaders in the conservation and tourism space in the Philippines and Jackson Hole, they have a lot to say about re-opening the planet's wild landscapes to visitors. How can communities supported primarily through tourism refine communication strategies and guiding practices that foster better environmental stewardship? And how can we as individuals set a good example?
The competition attracted over 15000 entries from over 60 countries, with the Conservation Documentary Award given for a set of images and captions telling a bird-related conservation story in a photo-journalistic style.
Nick’s portfolio showed how nest boxes, rescue and ringing work are helping to support and monitor Swifts in the UK, whose numbers have declined by 50% in the last 20 years. His work was helped by Bradford-on-Avon Swift Group, Action for Swifts, Swift Conservation and several Swift enthusiasts across England.
BPOTY has just launched a new Bird conservation charity, Birds on the Brink partly funded by the competition, and in the month that Swifts, much loved summer visitors to the UK that have just arrived back from wintering in Africa, the charity’s first donation is to Hampshire Swifts to fund the installation of Swift nestboxes at Winchester cathedral.
Winning images on the left but see then larger with descriptions here.
BPOTY judge and member of the Birds on the Brink advisory panel Mark Carwardine shares his thoughts on the decline in the UK Swift population and announces the winner of the BPOTY Conservation Documentary Award 2020:
Photographer and film maker Nick Upton from the United Kingdom is the inaugural winner of the Bird Photographer of the Year Conservation Documentary Award for 2020. Nick supplied a fantastic series of images depicting the decline of the UK Swift population and the local conservation projects that are being undertaken to help halt the decline in Swift numbers. In this video Nick explains how he took the images:
The broadcaster, naturalist and all-round living legend is celebrating another year.
He's been helping people develop a greater appreciation for the world around them throughout his epic career.
Here are some reasons why so many love him: bbc.co.uk/newsround/52589991
Want to make a difference? Watch & Share the Wildlife Winners & Losers Film Series produced by Richard Brock & largely edited by Gareth Trezise ... Use these films to help save the planet!
And the Wildlife Winners are…
I’m wildlife filmmaker and producer Richard Brock. For many years I worked for the BBC’s prestigious Natural History Unit alongside David Attenborough. My series “Wildlife Winners and Losers” looks carefully with well-documented evidence at these changes – past, present and particularly the future.
Using previously unseen footage from the recent past we bring the story right up to date and try to look forward as to the winners and the losers we might expect – and why. As far as I know, no one has done this so deliberately around the world with so many species and places. In the 80+ shortish films most recently finished in 2020 we find many examples of winners, or, at least those trying not to be losers!
The natural world is changing very quickly now. The clock is ticking faster and faster. Some species are winning, some are losing.
So, here FOR FREE are films to use as AMMUNITION to help save the planet:
Do you feel, increasingly, that there’s a new need to explain to people the plight of wildlife, and the planet, which we all depend on?
Now’s your chance, for free, to get the message out there around the world. Help distribute hope and knowledge with Wildlife Winners and Losers – how to turn losers into winners.
These films are yours to view and, please pass on – see Brock Initiative YouTube ... It’s a call to action! A unique opportunity to help the planet!
“We’ve been celebrating nature by bringing its wonders to the TV screen all over the world. Now that world is changing, faster and faster, and nature needs help. Films can do that, at a local level, be it with decision makers in the government or in the village.”
Richard Brock Founder of the Brock Initiative
What you can do:
choose subjects that inspire and interest you
watch the the films
share with as many people as possible – by as many means as possible!
use the series to inspire you to help save the planet
use the series to give you ammunition to help save the planet
Sir David Attenborough says:
“Richard’s interest in and concern for the natural world has resulted in the formation of the Brock Initiative. He and his team intend to reach people locally in order to make a difference on the ground. I wish him every success.”
We will be sharing Richard Brock's news there, including all things Brock Initiative and especially focusing on the Wildlife Winners & Losers film series!
As we navigate our way through the climate crisis and current pandemic we look towards films that can inform and inspire ... It's not too late to save the planet and ourselves! Watch Meet Richard Brock ... The main man behind the Brock Initiative and his epic Wildlife Winners & Losers film series!!
Richard Brock is the man David Attenborough SHOULD have been. 25 years ago when I was at the BBC Natural History Unit... after a lifetime of filming the world and producing Sir David ... Richard traded in his BBC pension, picked up a camera himself, and travelled the globe filming, producing and appearing in a series about environmental issues. Issues that were very obviously assailing nature and all of us. Issues that others were content to sweep under the carpet and continue to promote the illusion, through carefully cropped and gorgeous imagery, that God was in his heaven and all was right with the world. Richard saw the reality and ACTED on it putting his money where his mouth was. I had the great pleasure of knowing him then ... much more of a gentleman than me... but with real fire and force of conviction. Look closely at everything In the Brock Initiative ... you’ll see wisdom and evidence that everything we are experiencing now ... was known about and could have been acted on a quarter century ago. I salute you Richard. Should be SIR Richard. Thank you for keeping on keeping on!
Mammalz App is Now Live On the App Store – Download for Free to Enjoy Nature for this Generation from Mammalz
30 April 2020
The Mammalz iOS mobile app and web platform give people around the globe an innovative, highly interactive way to connect to nature and socialize while social distancing.
Mammalz, a community-driven user-generated content platform for all things nature is now available on the App Store.
This free app offers a centralized place for today's generation of socially savvy nature content creators, scientists, and consumers to connect with each other and create a global community around anything that advances the human-nature relationship.
Mammalz supports all forms of media: live streaming, video, photos, 360/VR, and podcasts.
And, Mammalz goes way beyond the "like" button with engagement tools like live stream chat, comments, direct chat, and discussion boards, all designed to help people socialize, even when times like this require social distancing.
The global community on Mammalz is growing fast and so is the variety and diversity of entertaining and educational nature content being uploaded every day.
Live streamers take viewers along on their hikes and answer questions about the birds and plants they encounter.
A zookeeper hosts regular AMA (ask me anything) sessions via live stream.
Creators inspired by Steve Irwin upload short presenter-lead films with a goal to educate and entertain about the natural world. Science communicators take viewers into the field to demonstrate proper field biology techniques.
Filmmakers around the world share long-form documentaries about anything from conservation science, to wild harvesting a gourmet meal from the land.
Behind the scenes videos and outtakes bring viewers even closer to the action and into the in-the-know fold.
Wildlife and landscape photographers share their best work along with stories about getting the shot.
And throughout the Mammalz community, a high level of engagement between creators and their audiences is evidence of how much fun people are having while learning about the natural world.
Global Pandemic Spotlights Need to Understand, Respect, and Connect to Nature
As it becomes ever more clear from scientists that a disregard for nature and lack of understanding about how humans fit into the mosaic of the natural world has landed us in the current pandemic crisis, today’s launch on the App Store is even more timely and poignant.
The good news is that by simply using the Mammalz app, people can immediately begin to discover inspiring nature stories, unleash their creativity to share their own perspective about the natural world, and connect with a global community who loves nature as much as they do.
“The natural world is struggling with more human-inflicted chaos than ever before. Extinction rates are soaring, and the clock is ticking,” says Alex Finden, Mammalz Co-Founder and COO.
“Fortunately, there are millions of young people, scientists, storytellers, and nature fanatics who care, including us, but we haven't had an effective platform to communicate with...until now. We are Mammalz, and we're on a mission to advance the relationship between humans and the natural world in the most fun way possible.”
A Vision So Much Bigger Than an App – Mammalz Mission to Create Champions for the Natural World
The Mammalz mission is to promote a greater global public understanding of nature and the environment while acting as a bridge between science, media makers, and the public.
As the highly engaged Mammalz community scales to millions of users, the company intends to incorporate creative solutions to solve the natural world’s greatest problems. With recent innovation in data science, creating an augmented experience of nature that emphasizes education and promotes real-life engagement will become a reality. The vast amount of encrypted multimedia data will also allow Mammalz to accelerate the rate at which conservation scientists can decode, track, and put a stop to wildlife trafficking.
“More than ever, we need a safe place where we can be inspired by nature, a trusted place to communicate and interact with one another while sharing truthful, scientifically accurate information,” says Rob Whitehair, Mammalz Co-Founder and CEO. “We need to hear from multiple, diverse perspectives around the globe to widen the understanding of what nature means to the global community. This will help us gain not only more knowledge and understanding of life on Earth, but more compassion and empathy for our fellow humans. Welcome to Mammalz.”
The Mammalz Android app is planned for the future. To learn more about Mammalz, visit community.mammalz.com.
Founded by biologists-turned-wildlife filmmakers, Rob Whitehair and Alexander Finden, Mammalz is the “Twitch for Nature”; a mobile- and web-based media streaming and social platform dedicated to nature storytelling and driven by community. Whether you are a professional media maker, scientist, educator, artist, writer, or one of over 600 million nature enthusiasts across the planet, Mammalz provides you with the tools to personalize your experience, share your love of nature, and truly make a difference.
Mammalz, PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation founded in May 2018 and headquartered in San Diego, CA.
The Mammalz mission is to promote a greater global public understanding of nature and the environment while acting as a bridge between science, media makers, and the public.
Rob Whitehair, Co-Founder and CEO
Rob is a 20-year veteran of the natural history film industry. He is a multi-award-winning filmmaker, producer, and executive who has directed, produced and shot films for broadcast and theatrical markets worldwide. He is known throughout the industry for his vision, leadership, inspiration and his ability to take seemingly impossible ideas and turn them into a reality. Mammalz is the culmination of Rob’s dream to create a next-generation media platform that will connect people on a global scale through their love for nature.
Alexander Finden, Co-Founder and COO
Inspired by the underwater world, Alex is a highly creative, award-winning wildlife filmmaker, Divemaster, YouTube channel manager, Twitch content editor, and operational guru. He is known for being a master of details, turning ideas into actions, and keeping calm in the storm. Alex is fascinated with portable live-streaming technologies and plans to encourage outdoor streaming as one of the most popular content types on Mammalz.
43rd Annual (First Virtual) International Wildlife Film Festival Award Winners Announced from IWFF
24 April 2020
Congratulations to the IWFF 43 award winning films.
We are pleased to announce the Award Winners for the 2020 International Wildlife FIlm Festival. The 43rd IWFF Awards were Announced Online, on Friday, April 4th.
Dancing with the Birds
Director/Producer: Huw Cordey, Silverback Films
Duration: 50min
A journey deep into the forest, following the glorious colours and curiosities of rarely seen birds-of-paradise, bowerbirds, and manakins as they show off in spectacular fashion in their search for a mate--much of which has never been filmed before. The film carries its own pedigree, narrated by the Emmy Award-winning Stephen Fry, who guides the viewer through this charming and playful documentary suitable for all the family.
Gajah Borneo Director: Shervin Hess
Duration: 5min
In a land ruled by the palm oil trade, a Borneo pygmy elephant calf comes to life in a stop-motion world made out of recycled paper.
Watson
Director: Lesley Chilcott
Producers: Loise Runge, Lesley Chilcott, Wolfgang Knöpfler
Duration: 1hr 40min
Part pirate, part philosopher, Greenpeace co-founder Paul Watson has dedicated his life to fighting for one thing: ending the slaughter of the ocean’s wildlife and the destruction of its ecosystems. This provocative film examines a man who will stop at nothing to protect what lies beneath.
Overland
Director: Elisabeth Haviland James, Revere La Noue
Producers: Elisabeth Haviland James, Revere La Noue
Duration: 1hr 42min
Overland explores the complex bonds between three humans and the raptors they train and love. Lauren trains injured eagles to fly and hunt while scouring the world for falconry secrets. But a traumatized eagle which seems beyond repair pushes her to the brink. Giovanni left Rome for a solitary life in the countryside with his hawks. After a transcendent experience with an 800-year-old falconry book, he begins to question his life’s purpose. In Dubai, Khalifa is training to be the world’s best falcon racer. Now, with urban life encroaching, he must find a way to keep his fragile Bedouin culture from vanishing forever.
Lost Cities
Directors: Marita Davison, Jennifer Moslemi, Ruth Gates
Producers: Maria Davison, Jennifer Moslemi Lost Cities is an interactive film that reveals the incredible hidden world of corals. With its unique layout, non-linear narrative, and evocative design, Lost Cities imparts crucial information about the crisis corals face globally while pushing the boundaries of the traditional nature documentary. The experience is anchored by an expressive soundscape and narration by the late Dr. Ruth Gates, a visionary coral biologist. By exploring what lies beneath the surface, Lost Cities brings to light the surprising way the lives of corals are interwoven with our own.
The Love Bugs Director: Allison Otto, Maria Clinton
Producer: Caryn Capotosto, Jane Julian, David and Linda Cornfield
Duration: 34min
Over the course of 60 years, two married entomologists traveled to more than 67 countries, quietly amassing the world's largest private collection of insects. But as they grapple with Parkinson's in their twilight years, these two soulmates--married for 55 years--decide to give the collection away. This humorous and poignant documentary explores the love of nature--and the nature of love--and what it means to devote oneself completely to both. This film was shortlisted for a 2019 IDA Award in the Short Documentary category.
Spawning Hope
Director/Producer: Roshan Patel
Duration: 9min 46sec
Marine biologists are concerned about the genetic health of many endangered coral species. This short film follows a team of scientists as they attempt to use cryopreserved coral sperm to introduce DNA to new populations of elkhorn coral. If this technique works, it could have a lasting impact on how conservationists are able to protect and restore endangered corals from near-extinction.
A Walk Through The Land of a Thousand Hills
Director & Producer: Chema Domenech
Duration: 11min 11sec
Claver Ntoyinkima, a Rwandan park ranger, shares the secrets of Nyungwe National Park. Containing almost 300 bird species, over 1,000 plant species, and dozens of large and small mammals, Nyungwe is one of the most biodiverse places in the world. Twenty-five years after the horrific Rwandan Genocide, the park is now one of the best-conserved montane rainforests in Central Africa. As Claver walks through the forest, we discover the origins of his conservationism and the history of an ecosystem that has survived one of Rwanda's darkest periods.
The Story of Plastic Director: Deia Schlosberg
Producer: Deia Schosberg, Stiv Wilson, Megan Ponder, and Kyle Cadotte
Duration: 1 hr 29min
Depicting a world rapidly becoming overrun with toxic material, The Story of Plastic brings into focus an alarming man-made crisis. Striking footage, original animations, and archival material combine in this timely documentary to reveal the disastrous impact of the continued manufacture and use of plastics, shedding new light on a pressing global challenge which threatens the life expectancy of animals, humans, and Earth itself.
Hunting the Helmeted Hornbill
Producers: Tim Laman, Tom Swartwout
Duration: 12:27
The helmeted hornbills of Southeast Asia's rainforests are frequently poached for their casques, which, like elephant ivory, are carved into luxury objects. But these birds are treasures of avian biology--dedicated mates which risk their lives to raise their young. Conservationist Yoki Hadiprakarsa and photographer Tim Laman are on a mission to tell the story of this ancient bird before it's too late.
Tigerland
Director: Ross Kauffman
Producer: Xan Parker, Zara Duffy, Fisher Stevens, Ross Kauffman
Duration: 1hr 30min
Half a century ago in India, a young man rallied the world to save tigers from extinction. Today, the creed is carried on in Far East Russia. Directed by Oscar® winner Ross Kauffman (“Born into Brothels”) and produced by Oscar® winner Fisher Stevens (“The Cove”), TIGERLAND is the story about our relationship with one of the world’s most revered creatures
Sarika says "Sharing my perspectives on the Tigerland film and ways that the covid-19 pandemic might affect tiger conservation.
Please visit www.wild-tiger.org and stay up to date with my work by signing up for the newsletter. Wild Tiger is a US-based non-profit dedicated to conserving Bengal tigers and their habitats. Using the wild tiger to galvanize a greater engagement in conservation."
High school level field guide for a deeper dive into the film and on Tiger Conservation in India: DOWNLOAD PDF.
Going Nuts: Tales From the Squirrel World - For its' exceptional cinematography. Director: Yann Sochaczewski
Producer: Yann Sochaczewski - Altay Film
Duration: 50min
Squirrels are among the most widely recognized mammals. They gladly join us for our lunches in city parks, amaze us with their acrobatics, and entertain our children as cartoon squirrels on TV. Squirrels live in an extraordinary diverse range of habitats, calling cities, deserts, mountains, and the arctic their home. Some can fly, some can swim, some live in trees or underground, others love the snow or feel cozy in the hot deserts. This documentary explores some of the most fascinating squirrel species worldwide and shows how the squirrel family became so successful dealing with extreme environments and human neighbors.
#NatureNow - For its' environmental ethics and low carbon footprint. Director: Tom Mustill Producer: Andrea Walji
Duration: 03:39 #NatureNow is a personal and passionate call to arms from Greta Thunberg and George Monbiot to use nature to heal our broken climate. Made with no flights, recycled footage, and zero net carbon. Given away for free. Viewed over 54 Million times.
Join Director, Tom Mustill (#NatureNow) and Carrie Richer (IWFF Artistic Director) in a conversation about filmmaking, carbon footprints, wildlife film and working with Greta Thunberg and George Monbiot on #NatureNow.
See Animals - For its' clever & prescient connection to our current times. Director: Scott Wenner
Duration: 1min 53sec
A meditation on the beginning of the Sixth Extinction. Perfect for these pandemic-infused times.
Jury
IWFF says:
Thank you to our incredible 2020 Final Jury
Ronald Tobias, Katie Schuler, and Lisa Parks
With the exception of the Living in Wildlife category which was judged by Christopher Johns, Ronald Tobias, and Lisa Parks.
Netflix Releases Educational Documentaries on YouTube for Free ... IncludingOur Planet &Chasing Coral
For many years, Netflix has allowed teachers to screen documentaries in their classrooms: help.netflix.com/en/node/57695
However, this isn’t possible with schools closed. So at their request, we have made a selection of our documentary features and series available on our YouTube channel.
If you are a parent or teacher, please check the ratings so that you can make informed choices for your students and children.
This short-film takes us on a journey through the life of the Narrow-headed Ant. Sadly, this insect is now very rare, with just one population in England, in South Devon, and without urgent action we could lose it altogether.
Back from the Brink talks to film-maker Neil Aldridge from Wildscreen about how our incredible Narrow-headed Ant film was made.
A Buglife led project, with the amazing help of Devon Wildlife Trust, based in Devon - we are aiming to save this incredibly rare ant, from extinction!
The Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam have been showing nature films from past festival editions through their YouTube channel.
They say "We must all stay inside to contain the corona virus as much as possible. Unfortunately, we cannot change that. What we can do is delight you with beautiful nature films!
In the coming period we will therefore show various nature films on our own YouTube channel. We will let you know which films are online via our newsletter. Thank you to the filmmakers who contributed to this special WFFR Online - Corona edition! "
Read: Surviving the Future: Culture, Carnival and Capital in the Aftermath of the Market Economy & Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It by David Fleming, Shaun Chamberlin
Surviving the Future Culture, Carnival and Capital in the Aftermath of the Market Economy by
David Fleming, Shaun Chamberlin
Surviving the Future is a story drawn from the fertile ground of the late David Fleming’s extraordinary Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It. That hardback consists of four hundred and four interlinked dictionary entries, inviting readers to choose their own path through its radical vision. More here...
Lean Logic A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It by
David Fleming
Edited by Shaun Chamberlin
Lean Logic is David Fleming’s masterpiece, the product of more than thirty years’ work and a testament to the creative brilliance of one of Britain’s most important intellectuals.
A dictionary unlike any other, it leads readers through Fleming’s stimulating exploration of fields as diverse as culture, history, science, art, logic, ethics, myth, economics, and anthropology, being made up of four hundred and four engaging essay-entries covering topics such as Boredom, Community, Debt, Growth, Harmless Lunatics, Land, Lean Thinking, Nanotechnology, Play, Religion, Spirit, Trust, and Utopia. More here...
On Earth Day, Global Pandemic Spotlights the Need to
Understand, Respect, and Connect to Nature from Mammalz
22 April 2020
Mammalz App – Nature for this Generation –
Launches Today at Mammalz.com
The Mammalz web app gives people around the globe an innovative, highly interactive way to connect to nature and socialize while social distancing.
An iOS version of Mammalz will be on the App Store soon
Mammalz, a community-driven user-generated content platform for all things nature, launched their web platform on the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day.
This free app offers a centralized place for today’s generation of socially savvy nature content creators, scientists, and consumers to connect with each other and create a global community around anything that advances the human-nature relationship.
Mammalz supports all forms of media: live streaming, video, photos, 360/VR, and podcasts.
And, Mammalz goes way beyond the “like” button with engagement tools like live stream chat, comments, direct chat, and discussion boards, all designed to help people socialize, even when times like this require social distancing
To sign up and create a free account, visit Mammalz.com.
Mammalz had planned an Earth Day launch of their web app long before the Covid-19 pandemic hit and forced people around the world to social distance and stay home in order to diminish transmission and save lives.
As it becomes ever more clear from scientists that a disregard for nature and lack of understanding about how humans fit into the mosaic of the natural world has landed us in the current pandemic crisis, today’s launch on what is likely the most ironic Earth Day in history, is even more timely and poignant.
The good news is that by simply using Mammalz, people can immediately begin to discover inspiring nature stories, unleash their creativity to share their own perspective about the natural world, and connect with a global community who loves nature as much as they do.
“The natural world is struggling with more human-inflicted chaos than ever before. Extinction rates are soaring, and the clock is ticking,” says Alex Finden, Mammalz Co-Founder and COO. “Fortunately, there are millions of young people, scientists, storytellers, and nature fanatics who care, including us, but we haven't had an effective platform to communicate with...until now. We are Mammalz, and we're on a mission to advance the relationship between humans and the natural world in the most fun way possible.”
As the highly engaged Mammalz community scales to millions of users, the company intends to incorporate creative solutions to solve the natural world’s greatest problems.
With recent innovation in data science, creating an augmented experience of nature that emphasizes education and promotes real-life engagement will become a reality.
The vast amount of encrypted multimedia data will also allow Mammalz to accelerate the rate at which conservation scientists can decode, track, and put a stop to wildlife trafficking.
“More than ever, we need a safe place where we can be inspired by nature, a trusted place to communicate and interact with one another while sharing truthful, scientifically accurate information,” says Rob Whitehair, Mammalz Co-Founder, and CEO. “We need to hear from multiple, diverse perspectives around the globe to widen the understanding of what nature means to the global community. This will help us gain not only more knowledge and understanding of life on Earth but more compassion and empathy for our fellow humans. Welcome to Mammalz.”
The Mammalz Android app is planned for the future. To learn more about Mammalz, visit community.mammalz.com.
Founded by biologists-turned-wildlife filmmakers, Rob Whitehair and Alexander Finden, Mammalz is the “Twitch for Nature”; a mobile- and web-based media streaming and social platform dedicated to nature storytelling and driven by community. Whether you are a professional media maker, scientist, educator, artist, writer, or one of over 600 million nature enthusiasts across the planet, Mammalz provides you with the tools to personalize your experience, share your love of nature, and truly make a difference.
Mammalz, PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation founded in May 2018 and headquartered in San Diego, CA.
The Mammalz mission is to promote a greater global public understanding of nature and the environment while acting as a bridge between science, media makers, and the public.
Rob Whitehair, Co-Founder and CEO
Rob is a 20-year veteran of the natural history film industry. He is a multi-award-winning filmmaker, producer, and executive who has directed, produced and shot films for broadcast and theatrical markets worldwide. He is known throughout the industry for his vision, leadership, inspiration and his ability to take seemingly impossible ideas and turn them into a reality. Mammalz is the culmination of Rob’s dream to create a next-generation media platform that will connect people on a global scale through their love for nature.
Alexander Finden, Co-Founder and COO
Inspired by the underwater world, Alex is a highly creative, award-winning wildlife filmmaker, Divemaster, YouTube channel manager, Twitch content editor, and operational guru. He is known for being a master of details, turning ideas into actions, and keeping calm in the storm. Alex is fascinated with portable live-streaming technologies and plans to encourage outdoor streaming as one of the most popular content types on Mammalz.
This Earth Day, stay in and explore the beauty, drama and spectacle of our natural world with 50 incredible natural history moments from BBC Earth based on what you've been liking and sharing.
Wildscreen is thrilled to announce the stellar line-up of judges for the 2020 Photo Story jury.
We’re excited to announce that Laurent Geslin, Orsolya Haarberg, Chris Packham and Tony Wu will join Chair of the jury, Kathy Moran, to review all the photo story submissions and have the difficult task of picking the winners.
Entries into the competition to date are very strong, with compelling narratives being communicated through outstanding imagery. If you want this world-class set of judges to view your work, and to be in with the chance of winning a coveted Panda Award you have until 1 May to enter via our our Film Freeway Page.
Kathy Moran, Chair
Kathy is Deputy Director of Photography at National Geographic Magazine. As National Geographic Magazine’s first senior editor for natural history projects, at the last count Kathy has edited over 320 stories. Highlights include editing a single-topic issue on the Yellowstone ecosystem and Brent Stirton’s features on Rhinos and Virunga. She has edited books for the Society include Women Photographers at the National Geographic, The Africa Diaries – An Illustrated Life in the Bush, Cat Shots and Tigers Forever, and two anthems of wildlife photography. Named Visual Editor of the Year 2017 by POYi, she was a founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers and has been on the jury of numerous international photography competitions and award programs.She was also on the Jury for the inaugural Photo Story Panda Award in 2018.
Kathy said: "Photo stories shine a spotlight on the beauty and fragility of the natural world and have huge powering in reaching hearts and changing behaviours. I am excited to discover new stories and storytellers as Chair of the Wildscreen Festival Photo Story Jury.”
Laurent Geslin
Laurent Geslin is an award-winning wildlife photographer who has worked all over the globe. But since he has moved to Switzerland, his main subject has been the European lynx. After two books about this very elusive cat, he is now working on documentary for the french and swiss cinema about wild lynx in its environment.
Find Laurent online at www.laurent-geslin.com
Orsolya Haarberg
A landscape architect by training and originally from Hungary, Orsolya turned her passion for photography into a profession when shemoved to Norway in 2005. In her work, Orsolya looks for the unusual in everyday nature. She seeks the detail or the unexpected moment of light that adds atmosphere, drama or magic to a landscape.
She has won prizes in competitions worldwide, including the prestigious Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year, where she also served in the jury in 2009 and 2016. She has twice been awarded the title of Hungarian Nature Photographer of the Year. Orsolya's images have been published in National Geographic magazine in both the US and international editions.
Find Orlsolya online at www.haarbergphoto.com
Chris Packham
Chris Packham is an English naturalist, nature photographer, television presenter and author, best known for his television work including the CBBC children's nature series The Really Wild Show from 1986 to 1995. He has also presented the BBC nature series Springwatch, including Autumnwatch and Winterwatch, since 2009.
Find Chris online at: www.chrispackham.co.uk
Tony Wu
Tony Wu's lifelong association with the sea started when he was a child. A crab pinched his toe, and it was love at first ouch. Now that he's (somewhat) grown up, Tony devotes most of his time to researching and documenting rarely seen marine animals and environments, spending more days at sea that he does on land. Tony owns more pairs of fins than he does shoes.
Tony has received a number of prestigious awards, including Grand Prize in Japan's largest underwater photography contest, the prize for Best Book of the Year at the Festival of Marine Images in Antibes, and first place in the Underwater and Behaviour: Mammals categories of the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest.
Find Tony online at www.tony-wu.com | www.tonywublog.com | https://tonywu.art
Our purpose here at Wildscreen is to bring people together to celebrate and protect the natural world. We will continue to monitor this evolving situation closely, taking any necessary action as required and share timely updates with our community.
Introducing new film 'The Sequel - What will follow our troubled civilisation?' + access to new Surviving the Future online course and interactive book!
(Facebook won't let us trim off the countdown, so skip to the 4hr mark for the start of the event!)
Welcome to our 'Surviving the Future' online event, available in full here, and beginning with the launch screening of BAFTA-winning director Peter Armstrong's new film 'The Sequel: What Will Follow Our Troubled Civilisation?'. Rare, in that it not only recognises the fundamental unsustainability of today's society but dares to ask the big question: What will follow?
Then stay tuned after the credits roll for conversation about just that with Caroline Lucas MP and stars of the film Rob Hopkins, Kate Raworth and Shaun Chamberlin, all of whom are involved, in their different ways, in reimagining civilisation. And in rekindling optimism in the creativity and intelligence of humans to nurse our communities and ecology back to health.
Or for more interaction, head to thesequel.net for details of two other new resources for these difficult times - an 8 week online course 'Surviving the Future: Conversations for Our Time' and the new online, interactive version of the late David Fleming's legendary 'Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It'.
None should be barred from discussing these issues by finances, so enjoy the free stream of the film, the interactive dictionary is also currently free to access, and scholarships for the course are available.
Miss Connecting to Nature and Each Other? Mammalz to the Rescue! Launching Earth Day on the App Store from Mammalz
14 April 2020
Nature is more important now than ever.
Mammalz, a new iOS app and web-based platform, gives people around the globe an innovative, highly interactive way to connect with nature
and socialize while social distancing.
During this time of lockdown and social distancing to diminish the transmission of coronavirus and save lives, people around the world who long to connect to nature and are feeling the stress of isolation have something to look forward to.
On Earth Day, April 22, 2020, Mammalz, a community-driven user-generated content platform for all things nature, will launch their iOS app on the App Store.
As it becomes even more clear from scientists that a
disregard for nature and lack of understanding about how
humans fit into the mosaic of the natural world has landed us in the current pandemic crisis, Mammalz steps in with a solution. This free app offers a centralized place for today’s generation of socially savvy nature content creators, scientists, and consumers to connect with each other and create a global community around anything that advances the human-nature relationship. Mammalz supports all forms of media: live streaming, video, photos, 360/ VR, and podcasts. And, Mammalz goes way beyond the “like” button with engagement tools like live stream chat, comments, direct chat, and discussion boards, all designed to help people socialize, even when times like this require social distancing.
A Highly Engaged Community - A Look Inside Mammalz Beta
The beta version of the Mammalz iOS app launched in September 2019 on TestFlight.
Since then, a curated community of over 1,000 highly-engaged content creators and consumers have been testing and using the platform to share everything from lucky animal encounters, to stunning landscape vistas, to live-streaming primitive fire-making techniques.
This community is already 9x more engaged with content creators on Mammalz than those on generalist social media platforms.
Over 20% of active users are on Mammalz daily for an average of one hour.
Connecting to Nature in the Most Fun, Creative Ways
Possible
During recent weeks when venturing far from home has been out of the question, the beta community on Mammalz has engaged in a friendly challenge to look for nature in and around their homes and shared their resulting live streams, videos, and photo posts on the platform using the #CloseToHome tag.
Some of the most fun and unique posts to come out of the #CloseToHome challenge include a wild roadrunner parading by the back door with its fence lizard dinner; a pet bearded dragon munching loudly on crunchy greens; a 21-year-old cockatiel named Pearl who loves rice pilaf; cheeky squirrels who demonstrate extreme hoarding behavior at the bird feeder; people mimicking bird calls and getting a response from the real thing; blooming succulents growing impossibly out of dead stumps; and someone who transformed their backyard trampoline into a photo hide to capture photos of tiny local Muntjac deer.
Connecting to Nature in the Most Fun, Creative Ways
Possible
During recent weeks when venturing far from home has been out of the question, the beta community on Mammalz has engaged in a friendly challenge to look for nature in and around their homes and shared their resulting live streams, videos, and photo posts on the platform using the #CloseToHome tag.
Some of the most fun and unique posts to come out of the #CloseToHome challenge include a wild roadrunner parading by the back door with its fence lizard dinner; a pet bearded dragon munching loudly on crunchy greens; a 21-year-old cockatiel named Pearl who loves rice pilaf; cheeky squirrels who demonstrate extreme hoarding behavior at the bird feeder; people mimicking bird calls and getting a response from the real thing; blooming succulents growing impossibly out of dead stumps; and someone who transformed their backyard trampoline into a photo hide to capture photos of tiny local Muntjac deer.
Get a Sneak Peak Before Launch
Anyone may sign up for Mammalz. All accounts are free. For general information and links to set up an account visit community.mammalz.com.
To create an account using the web platform, go to mammalz.com. The Android version of Mammalz is planned for late 2020.
Mission-Driven Champions for the Natural World – The Future of Mammalz
The Mammalz mission is to promote a greater global public understanding of nature and the environment while acting as a bridge between science, media makers, and the public.
As the highly-engaged Mammalz community scales to millions of users, the company intends to incorporate creativesolutions to solve the natural world’s greatest problems.
With recent innovation in
data science, creating an
augmented experience of nature that emphasizes education and promotes real- life engagement will become a reality. The vast amount of encrypted multimedia data will also allow Mammalz to accelerate the rate at which conservation scientists can decode, track, and put a stop to wildlife trafficking.
Founded by biologists-turned-wildlife filmmakers, Rob Whitehair and Alexander Finden, Mammalz is the “Twitch for Nature”; a mobile- and web-based media streaming and social platform dedicated to nature storytelling and driven by community. Whether you are a professional media maker, scientist, educator, artist, writer, or one of over 600 million nature enthusiasts across the planet, Mammalz provides you with the tools to personalize your experience, share your love of nature, and truly make a difference.
Mammalz, PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation founded in May 2018 and headquartered in San Diego, CA.
The Mammalz mission is to promote a greater global public understanding of nature and the environment while acting as a bridge between science, media makers, and the public.
“Inhabitants of the Microworld” is a series of short videos produced by Science into Images that aims to show the enormous amount of organisms that inhabit the microscopic world that we cannot see with the naked eye.
These inhabitants are mainly protozoa, microalgae, microscopic animals such as tardigrades, nematodes or water fleas, as well as the initial stages of development of larger organisms, such as some mosquitoes. All of them belong to that part of ecosystems that we hardly ever pay attention to. They are many, many of them, and although they pass completely unnoticed by most of us, they are fundamental to the functioning of the biosphere as a whole.
The Inhabitants of the Microworld series is designed to serve as an educational resource to support teaching, however, due to the special circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic that is hitting our society these days, we have made it available to all those interested through our YouTube channel. We hope that both educators and parents and, especially, children and young people, can enjoy it and learn with it, and that this will help them to cope better, even if it is only in small pills, with the confinement to which we are forced.
From Science into Images we would like to ask you, if you like the series, to share it with the people you think might also like it.
In response to the massive disruption brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and the importance of keeping the documentary community’s activities alive, the 31st edition of Sunny Side of the Docand the 4th edition of PiXii Festival will move to an exclusively online format for the very first time, taking place on 22nd to 25th June and streamed from La Rochelle, France.
As the virus forces us indoors, we have been thinking of ways to invest in our digital spaces, and build robust connections that can compensate some of the physical proximity we’re losing. These measures demonstrate our long term commitment to sustaining the creative health of the industry and making sure WE return together to a rich and vibrant ecosytem at the end of the crisis.
In an interconnected world, this year’s Connected Edition aims to provide the viable funding opportunities, valuable market intelligence, and networking services Sunny Side of the Doc is known for.
This unique platform will enable all major industry stakeholders to connect for a series of tailor-made activities including pitch sessions, one-to-one meetings and also a significant programming of video resources and topical webinars(livestreamed Q&A, hands-on workshops, case studies) designed by top-level experts to foster extensive interactions with professional peers. What’s more, the new digital format allows for some of the online offerings to remain accessible beyond 25th June 2020.
Content First: showcasing quality-driven projects and programmes through pitches and an online screening library;
Trends and Industry Focused: having a finger on the pulse for the lastest trends and practices to help beat the crisis;
Community Driven: strengthening our real-world ties and maintaining international collaboration between talent, production companies, distributors, broadcasters and cultural centres.
All our delegate passes will be streamlined into a new All Access - Connected Pass at a flat-rate fee of €200 (excl. tax) for the entire offering.
With an introduction from Sir David Attenborough and narrated by Barry Paine this film explains the work of Butterfly Conservation and shows all of our very special butterflies and some of our moths, and the beautiful places where they survive. The film indicates what is happening to butterflies and moths in a changing world and a changing climate, and suggests how they can be helped into the future. It follows the fortunes of the endangered Marsh Fritillary across Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England through the year. All proceeds from the sale of the original dvd went to Butterfly Conservation's highest priority conservation projects aimed at saving our most threatened butterflies and moths. Now some 16 years on you can all watch it for free and like all my films nothing is monetized. Just watch, engage and share.
These are challenging times, even for our charities like Butterfly Conservation. If you want to help save butterflies and moths in the UK, there are lots of ways to contribute! Whether you want to give your time, donate to an appeal or become a member - everything helps towards their conservation work. Please follow the link to see how you could help. Thank you. Richard and Gareth.
"I have always thought that butterflies represent the canaries in the coal mine, giving us early indications of man's impact on the planet. Everyone knows about the decline of the House Sparrow, but British butterflies and other insects are facing an even greater crisis than birds. I am deeply concerned that we must increase our efforts to conserve biodiversity at this critical time". Sir David Attenborough 2004
Please also take a look at Butterfly Conservation's Youtube account and watch many other informative videos: youtube.com/user/savebutterflies
Watch: Earth LIVE Lessons from Lizzie Daly
Welcome the Earth Live Lessons with your Host Lizzie Daly - Biologist & Wildlife Broadcaster.
Tune into 20 minutes of daily earth lessons LIVE from around the world brought to you by some the most inspiring scientists, conservationists, wildlife filmmakers and more.
Starts on 18th March 2020. Broadcast LIVE every single day in March and April.
Wednesday, 4 March saw the premiere of the major new BBC2 documentary Tigers: Hunting the Traffickers.
Debbie Banks, EIA's Tiger Campaigns Leader and an internationally recognised expert in the field, made a big contribution to the programme’s research and also features in it. Tigers: Hunting the Traffickers follows former Royal Marines commando Aldo Kane exposing the shocking secrets of the illegal tiger trade in South-East Asia and those who profit from it. You can watch it on BBC iPlayer.
The report gives examples of how China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam are failing to implement international decisions to end trade in the parts and derivatives of captive-bred tigers – and are, in fact, allowing the number of tigers in captivity to proliferate.
Far from relieving pressure on wild tigers by satiating the market for tiger products, trade in captive-bred tiger parts has actually perpetuated their desirability, stimulating demand not reducing it.
Vietnam is one of the worst offenders. In hideous backyard operations in lawless Nghe An Province, tiger cubs smuggled from Thailand and Laos are raised to maturity and slaughtered on commission by Vietnamese and Chinese buyers. Trusted Vietnamese brokers may pull together a group of buyers who spend a weekend on-site, watching the tiger being killed and butchered and waiting while the bones are boiled down with other ingredients into tiger bone glue, which may be for personal use, to give as a gift or to sell on within their own social networks.
EIA and its partners have also prepared the new online multimedia resource Tiger Trade Trail, showcasing facts, figures, images and video – you can find it at reports.eia-international.org/tiger-trade-trail.
Jackson Wild 2020 Media Awards Open for Entry & other news!
Media today deepens understanding of the world around us, inspires commitment to protect and restore the natural systems upon which all life depends and empowers the radical changes that will be required to do so. Nature film’s equivalent to the Oscars®, the Jackson Wild Media Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in nature, science and conservation storytelling. With a panel of 150+ judges, the Jackson Wild Media Awards competition is unique in that each entry is reviewed in its entirety by multiple judges, specifically chosen for their expertise in each category.
2020 Call for entry opens March 1, and will close May 1, with finalists announced on July 15. Any film completed since June 1, 2019 is eligible to enter.
Heads up filmmakers: entry for the 2020 Jackson Wild Media Awards is open! We have over 30 categories to enter and all projects completed since 6/1/19 are eligible. We can't wait to see your wonderful work! Visit www.jacksonwild.org/2020-media-awards to learn more.
Media Lab Application – Stay tuned - applications open March 23! The Jackson Wild Media Lab will train and mentor emerging conservation media leaders in unique programs that directly engage them influential content creators.
Learn more: jacksonwild.org/2020-media-lab.html
Seeking Preliminary Judges for Media Awards – Are you interested in helping select the best of the best nature films? Join our team of judges! Judges who can commit to longer assignments can earn 2020 Jackson Wild Media Summit discounts.
Learn more: jacksonwild.org/2020-judge-application.html
Intern in Jackson Hole – We are looking for passionate individuals to assist with organizing our 2020 programs and events!
Learn more: jacksonwild.org/internships.html
Jackson Wild World Wildlife Day Film Showcase 2020: Biodiversity Winners Announced from Jackson Wild
03 March 2020
Jackson Wild, the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are excited to announce the winners of the World Wildlife Day Film Showcase: Biodiversity.
A big thanks to the preliminary jury – professional filmmakers, scientists and stakeholders from around the world – who chose the finalists from over 300 entries, as well as the final jury who selected the winners.
Winners were announced on March 3 at UN Headquarters during its World Wildlife Day Celebration, and will be showcased at screenings around the world.
A Partnership with United Nations Development Program and CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) celebrating World Wildlife Day. In a world confronting unprecedented environmental threats, it is essential to empower locally-driven engagement that inspires action, with measurable impact.
On World Wildlife Day 2020, we celebrated wildlife as a component of biodiversity in its many beautiful and varied forms, raised awareness of the multitude of benefits of wildlife to people, the threats it's facing, and the urgent need for everyone to take actions to help conserve wildlife before it's too late. Winners were celebrated at a high-level event celebrating the launch of World Wildlife Day at UN Headquarters in NYC, on Tuesday March 3, 2020.
Winning and Finalist Films will be showcased throughout the world through special premiere and World Wildlife Day screening events as well as at the Jackson Wild Summit and through Jackson Wild On Tour.
The judges selected the winners in eight categories:
Science, Innovation and Exploration;
Issues and Solutions;
People and Wild Species;
Stories of Hope;
Global Voices;
Web of Life; Short; and
Micro.
World Wildlife Day 2020 Film Showcase winners:
Science, Innovation and Exploration:
Nature: The Serengeti Rules
A Production of HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and Passion Planet in association with Sandbox Films, Thirteen Productions Llc and WNET
Issues and Solutions:
Watson
Local Hero, Participant Media, Terra Mater Factual Studios
People and Wild Species:
Grasslands - North America´s Hidden Wilderness
A River Road Films production in association with CBC and Terra Mater Factual Studios
Stories of Hope:
Silent Forests
House Tiger Productions
Global Voices:
Mundiya Kepanga, The Voice of the Forest
Muriel Barra/ LatoSensu productions
Web of Life:
The Elephant Queen
An Apple Original and A Deeble, Stone and Oliff Production
Okavango - River of Dreams - Episode 3: Inferno
A Terra Mater Factual Studios / Wildlife Films production in co-production with Thirteen Productions LLC, Doclights/NDR Naturfilm in association with PBS, CPB, Arte France / Unité Découverte et Connaissance, National Geographic Channels and SVT
The UK's first touring wildlife film festival IS BACK! Wilderland brings the world's most breathtaking independent wildlife shorts to the public THIS SPRING... Touring theatres across the UK & Ireland (MARCH - MAY 2020)
Films have been viewed, our community judges have weighed in, and our jury has selected the 2020 films that lit up the screen. Out of a field of 270 films from 30 countries, the Official IWFF Selections are now live on our site! During the fest, our final jury will watch all semi-finalists and present one winner in each category. We're so fired up to share this year's beautiful and important films.
Earth Hour 2020 Official Video - ft. "Rock the World" by The Script
Nature is one of our greatest allies against climate change and is vital for our survival, but it is under threat. This #EarthHour, join millions around the world for the biggest environmental movement of 2020, and switch off on 28 March at 8:30pm your local time. Let’s come together this Earth Hour 2020 to #Connect2Earth and raise our voice for a healthy natural world we can all rely on.
From Richard Brock's blog: Don’t blame it on a virus…
Typical, commercial wildlife TV programmes relentlessly tell us about “Deadly Killers of the Amazon” or “shark fury, ruthless predators” (Nat Geo, etc).
Yes, they may be born to hunt and feed. But in the meantime in a wildlife “sea market” in Wuhan, China, wild creatures, for so long reviled and mispresented are getting their “revenge”.
From that place, with its dead, tortured and desperate inmates comes a tiny microscopic “something” that brings the (important to us) world, as we think it, to its knees.
Travel, health, finance, politics and ordinary people are completely devastated. And whose fault is it?
Don’t blame it on a virus, that “deadly killer” or “ruthless predator”.
It turns out to be more successful on its own terms, than we will ever be.
Jackson Wild World Wildlife Day Film Showcase 2020 Finalists Announced from Jackson Wild
19 February 2020
Wildlife films to animate the “biodiversity super year”
Finalists Announced for World Wildlife Day Film Showcase
Judges and organizers of the World Wildlife Day 2020 Film Showcase have unveiled the finalists of this year’s contest, highlighting 57 outstanding films, picked from a total of 345 entries. The seven final laureates will be announced on 3 March, during the World Wildlife Day celebrations at a high-level event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The festival was organized by Jackson Wild, the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), along with film professionals. It was announced last November and is the fifth of its kind.
The Showcase is anchored in the theme of this year’s World Wildlife Day: "Sustaining all life on Earth," which aims to celebrate wild fauna and flora as essential components of the world’s biodiversity, to highlight their immense benefits to humanity as purveyor of resources and livelihoods, and to raise awareness about the threats they currently face.
The theme also underlines the importance of sustainable use of biodiversity, as research continues to shed light on the scale and speed of the biodiversity loss crisis the world is facing, and the role that overexploitation of wildlife and the degradation of habitats and ecosystems play in accelerating it.
The judges – professional filmmakers, biodiversity experts and stakeholders from around the world – selected the finalists in eight categories:
Science, Innovation and Exploration;
Issues and Solutions;
People and Wild Species;
Stories of Hope;
Global Voices;
Web of Life; Short; and
Micro.
The full list of finalists can be found below.
Winners and finalists will be showcased extensively at events across the world to raise awareness of the importance of conserving and sustainably using the world’s biodiversity and wildlife and maintaining their habitats and ecosystems that benefit all humankind. They will also be part of the messaging around what has been dubbed the ‘biodiversity super year’, at the numerous high-level events organized in 2020 by UN Member States, UN system organizations, multilateral environmental agreements and civil society. The aim is to bring biodiversity and the challenges of halting its loss to the forefront of the sustainable development agenda by adopting an ambitious and transformative global biodiversity framework in line with the Agenda 2030 decade for action.
CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero said: "We are grateful to all filmmakers who submitted their entries celebrating all life on Earth and the great value of our world’s wildlife. The stories and images they recorded will be powerful tools to help raise awareness of the grave crisis that is biodiversity loss. With nearly a million species currently threatened with extinction in the near future because of unsustainable human activity, it is time for us to reshape our relationship with nature, including wild plants and animals. For this year’s World Wildlife Day celebrations, we want to push for a more sustainable use of all the precious and – though we sometimes forget it – limited components of the biosphere. These wonderful films will help us do just that."
"Global biodiversity is declining faster than at any time in human history, with one million plant and animal species currently threatened with extinction. 2020 is a critical year for transformative change to lay the groundwork for a decade of nature conservation and restoration.
The World Wildlife Day 2020 Film Showcase will inspire action by capturing real stories about the irreplaceable benefits that nature provides to support human well-being," said Susan Gardner, Director for Ecosystems for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
"This year’s selection of finalists are some of the most moving and powerful pieces of media we have ever seen," said Lisa Samford, Executive Director of Jackson Wild. "These films are sure to move the dial for conservation of our planet’s biodiversity."
"The World Wildlife Day 2020 Film Showcase serves as a wonderful way to highlight the importance of sustaining all life on Earth," said Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). "As governments prepare to negotiate the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, increasing the sustainability of wildlife use and management is a priority.We know the stakes are high. We must strive to conserve and use biodiversity sustainably to ensure wildlife keeps sustaining all life. The awareness raised by these films will no doubt serve to enlighten many people about the critical importance of bending the curve on biodiversity loss."
World Wildlife Day 2020 Film Showcase finalists:
Science, Innovation and Exploration:
A Song for Love - An Ape with an App
A co-production of Terra Mater Factual Studios, Mark Fletcher Productions and Colorful Nature Films.
Nature: The Serengeti Rules
A Production of HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and Passion Planet in association with Sandbox Films, Thirteen Productions Llc and WNET
Serengeti: Nature’s Living Laboratory
Day's Edge Productions for Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Our Gorongosa
A Gorongosa Media and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios Production
Watson
Local Hero, Participant Media, Terra Mater Factual Studios
People and Wild Species:
Grasslands - North America´s Hidden Wilderness
A River Road Films production in association with CBC and Terra Mater Factual Studios
Kingdom of the White Wolf: Episode 103
Nat Geo Wild
Sharkwater Extinction
Sharkwater Pictures
The Serengeti Rules
HHMI Tangled Bank Studios/Passion Planet
Stories of Hope:
Europe's New Wild: Episode 103
Nat Geo Wild
Rare: Creatures of the Photo Ark: Episode 1
WGBH Boston and So World Media, LLC in association with National Geographic Channels
Silent Forests
House Tiger Productions
Global Voices:
Mundiya Kepanga, The Voice of the Forest
Muriel Barra/ LatoSensu productions
Okavango - River of Dreams - Episode 1: Paradise
A Terra Mater Factual Studios / Wildlife Films production in co-production with Thirteen Productions LLC, Doclights/NDR Naturfilm in association with PBS, CPB, Arte France / Unité Découverte et Connaissance, National Geographic Channels and SVT
On the Front Line, The Rangers of Gorongosa National Park
Gorongosa Media
Queen without Land
Artic Light in association with NRK, NDR/Doclights, ORF, France 3, Smithsonian Channel, SVT
Web of Life:
Borneo - Earth´s Ancient Eden
A production of Terra Mater Factual Studios
Okavango - River of Dreams - Episode 3: Inferno
A Terra Mater Factual Studios / Wildlife Films production in co-production with Thirteen Productions LLC, Doclights/NDR Naturfilm in association with PBS, CPB, Arte France / Unité Découverte et Connaissance, National Geographic Channels and SVT
Mexico City and its Sacred Salamanders
Katie Garrett, bioGraphic
The Firefox Guardian Gunjan Menon, University of the West of England
Mud, Sweat, and Fears: Episode 2 of 'Last Call for the Bayou'
Encompass Films
Where Life Begins
Coral and Oak Studios, The Wilderness Society
Honorable Mentions, Short:
Ay Santa Ana
Pongo Media
Gajah Borneo
Shervin Hess, Oregon Zoo
Meet The Real Wolf
Grizzly Creek Films
Spider Monkey for Sale
An Ateles Films production by Michael Sanderson and Ana Luísa Santos
A Constituency for Conservation | Ndoki at 25
Wildlife Conservation Society
Second Chances Eilidh Munro
The Birdman of Chorao
Shashank Bhosale
The Burrowers
Yasmine Ellis
This sites' producer, Jason Peters, was a Preliminary Judge of this comptetion.
Winners will be presented at a high-level event to coincide with the global celebration of UN World Wildlife Day at UN Headquarters in New York on 3 March 2020.
Winning and finalist films will be subsequently showcased extensively throughout the world, through World Wildlife Day screening events as well as at the Jackson Wild Summit and through Jackson Wild On Tour.
With public interest in environmental issues higher than it has been for years, it is important to maintain the momentum and build on people’s understanding and motivation to protect our natural world. Nina Seale explores how environmental films have been used to engage people to make a difference for the environment.
On the deck of a beautiful French ship, sailors are sitting completely still, watching a swallow resting on the planks.
This is the memorable closing shot from a short film called Le tombeau des épuisés (Tomb of the exhausted), surprise winner of the Audience Favourite at the Good Natured Film Festival. With its slow pace, hushed French narration and subtle music, it didn’t feel like a typical conservation film. However, its power lay in its ability to remind the audience of their own experiences; the connections we create with nature, no matter where we are.
When was the last time you were moved by a film or documentary? Can you think of any which have made you reconsider your beliefs, or change your behaviour? What about environment films- when you think of an impactful environment film, what do you think of? Why do you think it made an impact? What is impact?
So… what is impact?
One answer would be change- a beautiful, moving film is distributed to a wide and diverse audience who will duly be inspired and care enough about the cause to take action.
But impact is complicated to plan, predict and measure. A film’s purpose could be to bring an unknown issue to the global spotlight, in which case reach and public sympathy would count as effective impact (e.g. Virunga shedding light on the threats of war, poaching and oil exploration on the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park). But if a film is re-addressing a well-known issue, the impact would be further along the chain: looking at creating systems change (e.g. Blue Planet II inspiring viewers to move away from single-use plastics).
So, when creating their story and impact plan, filmmakers need to truly understand what what change would look like, who would implement it, and how, in order to make a film that will really make a difference.
The right audience
An important part of this is audience. Is the film aiming for widespread behaviour change (a larger, more diverse audience) or specific actions such as policy change or changing the practices of an industry? Will the film reach the right people, or is the film asking the audience to put pressure on decision-makers?
Showing your film to the Dutch audience? Last year Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam welcomed more than 10,000 visitors and is growing ever since we started back in 2015.
We are open for entries until 1 May 2020.
The festival will be held from 27 October - 1 November 2020.
The competition is free of fees and selected filmmakers receive hotel lodging during the festival days (for two people) and free admission to all festival related events and films.
In 2020 Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam will recognise outstanding achievements in 10 Flamingo Award categories. Your entry will automatically compete for either Best Film/Best Short Film and the Audience Award.
Suitable for those with little to no experience our one day technical course will get you up to speed with all of your cameras manual functions.
Whether you are looking at a career in filmmaking, going travelling or are just a keen amateur looking to up your game this single day one on one course will educate, inspire and give you the skills you need to get the best from your equipment.
This course is run in the beautiful Norfolk countryside and is taught exclusively by our technical tutor Simon Beer. Working with video cameras for 27 years Simon will share his experience, knowledge, offer tips and will explain and demonstrate the core concepts of filmmaking leaving you confident to use a video camera.
Hands-on and field based
Our day begins at Wildeye HQ (with a cup of tea and homemade cake). We start by explaining how cameras work, we will discuss functions including focus, iris, shutter, white balance, gain, ND filters, peaking, scopes, zebras and more to ensure you are familiar with these fundamentals.
Travelling some 20 minutes away we will continue the day at stunning Pensthorpe, previously home to BBC Springwatch. Here we will set-up a number of shots giving you the opportunity to shoot some footage and also demonstrate how by using the cameras on screen tools you can ensure your video is in focus and properly exposed.
We pride ourselves on taking whatever time is necessary with you to ensure you leave us feeling confident and empowered to use a professional video camera whilst understanding the important basics of its operation.
By working together you will gain hands-on experience of how camera operators work and get the amazing shots you see on wildlife, travel and adventure documentaries.
Let's talk tech...
Throughout this fun and knowledge packed day you will get the opportunity to ask any technical questions you want about all sorts of filmmaking kit including cameras, tripods, lighting, audio, gimbals, sliders and more, we’ll also let you have the keys to the Wildeye kit room so you can chose what equipment you want to use throughout the day!
Award-winning broadcaster, conservationist, photographer and writer Chris Packham called on the television industry to make environmental productions carbon neutral within three years, to reduce television production’s impact on climate change and help highlight the truth about environmental problems our planet faces during the BAFTA television lecture at London’s Barbican Centre.
Over the course of his career, Packham has presented many acclaimed and popular natural history programmes, including The Really Wild Show, Springwatch and most recently 7.7 Billion People and Counting. His career has been dedicated to wildlife filmmaking, conservation and educating the public about the environment, and he has been awarded the Dilys Breese BTO Medal for “his outstanding work in promoting science to new audiences” and Wildscreen Panda Award.
Opening his lecture with a powerful dystopian story to demonstrate how climate change could shape our future, Packham then delivered a video message filmed on location in Tanzania discussing the television industry’s role in climate change.
A video from Tanzania that Chris Packham showed at his TV Lecture where he discusses the climate emergency and the role television, alongside Albert, can play in making those changes.
ALBERT says "Right then, we've got 10 years to save the planet - let's get cracking!"
With only 10 years to save the world, albert is stepping up a gear this year.
From events and campaigns to case studies and training - we want to make some noise and make sure everyone in our industry is armed with the knowledge and tools to do their bit.
Find out how to get started at www.wearealbert.org and join the planet party.
David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet
In his 93 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.
Produced by WWF and award-winning wildlife film-makers Silverback Films, David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet is a first-hand account of humanity’s impact on nature and a message of hope for future generations.
Coming to cinemas across the UK, Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Australia and New Zealand on 16 April 2020. Tickets available now at: www.attenborough.film
David Attenborough warns that humans have 'overrun the world'
In a new film, A Life on Our Planet, the broadcaster rails against the imminent, man-made dangers behind the climate emergency.
David Attenborough has warned that humans have “overrun the world” in a trailer for A Life on Our Planet, a forthcoming documentary looking at the changes on Earth during his lifetime.
The 93-year-old naturalist and broadcaster describes the project as a “witness statement” of the effects of the climate crisis, adding that the actions of humanity are sending the planet into decline.
Our oceans are heating up, and fast.
Sea temperatures in 2019 were the highest on record.
Oceans are the clearest measure of climate change, since they absorb 90 per cent of the world's heat.
Warmer seas mean more intense storms, droughts, floods and wildfires.
The study is the latest warning on the climate crisis facing our planet.
However, greenhouse gas emissions are still at record levels.
Are we starting to tune out to the constant stream of bad news on the climate? If so, how should we change the conversation? Presenter: Martine Dennis
As Australia's ruinous wildfires continue to spread, so does disinformation. There has been fake news, conspiracy theories on social media, and even claims the fires were the work of 200 arsonists. A significant amount of this content went viral, sowing confusion and discord in an already rattled population.
While much of this has been the work of trolls, mainstream media outlets such as Rupert Murdoch’s Sky News and The Australian newspaper have also been criticised for their coverage. The debate is particularly contentious in a country where climate change has long been a controversial topic that often figures as an election issue.
In this show, we will hear the latest news from the epicenter of the disaster, dig into the disinformation campaigns and media controversy, and look at how indigenous people are responding to the devastation.
BBC Two announces Tigers: Hunting The Traffickers, an investigation into illegal tiger farms in South East Asia By BBC
10th January 2020
Later this year BBC Two will screen Tigers: Hunting The Traffickers, a one-hour documentary from Grain Media in which former Royal Marines Commando Aldo Kane exposes the shocking secrets of the illegal tiger trade in South East Asia and those who profit.
Working alongside fearless wildlife crime investigators and covertly filming tiger traffickers, Aldo embarks on a perilous journey along key trafficking routes connecting Malaysia, China, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. From tiger wine breweries in China, to small backyard holdings in Vietnam, the programme uncovers shocking evidence of demand for tiger parts that threatens to wipe out wild tigers entirely. Evidence includes footage of frozen tiger cubs in freezers at a breeding facility in Laos; tigers held in high security holding pens in Thai zoos; a trader openly selling tiger products in Laos with a street value higher than cocaine; and caged tigers fattened in a dark basement in Vietnam to be killed and cooked to order.
Armed with the secret filmed evidence from the investigation Aldo travels to Geneva where it is presented to international decision-makers at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to act on.
Aldo’s fascination for wild tigers and conservation started during his military training in the South East Asia jungles, home to a declining number of wild tigers. In recent years he has also used his specialist military skills to train anti-poaching units in Africa.
Aldo Kane says: “I have spent years in the fight against wildlife poachers and this has given me an unique insight into a criminal underworld, where wild animals are worth more dead than alive. Nothing could have prepared me for what I uncovered about the illegal tiger trade in South East Asia. Here tiger trafficking is big business, often controlled by organised crime units, and yields huge profits. It’s ruthless and cruel and wild tigers pay the ultimate price. The growth of illegal tiger farms across South East Asia is threatening the survival of one of nature’s most beautiful creatures, where a premium is paid for its wild provenance. I hope this film raises awareness of the complex issues that surround the trade and the threat it poses to endangered wild tigers mainly amongst those who ultimately have the power to stop the trade and protect them.”
Patrick Holland, Controller, BBC Two, says: “This is a powerful and urgent film revealing the shocking scale and devastating consequences of the trade in captive tigers. Aldo and the team have shown remarkable bravery and tenacity to reveal the depths of the issue. It is an imperative part of BBC Two’s mission to bring such compelling filmmaking about the changing planet to the broadest audience.”
Tigers: Hunting the Traffickers, a 1x60’ for BBC Two, is made by Grain Media. The executive producer at Grain Media is Monica Garnsey and the executive producer at the BBC is Roger Webb. Laura Warner is the director. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Controller, BBC Two, and the Commissioning Editor is Tom Coveney.
Wildscreen evolves Panda Awards and introduces Official Selection for 2020 By Wildscreen
9th January 2020
Wildscreen, creators of the world’s largest and most prestigious wildlife film and photo Festival today announces the launch of the newly revamped Panda Awards, the highest honour in the global wildlife and environmental film industry. The 2020 Wildscreen Festival will also feature an Official Selection screening programme and a bold new award to recognise best practice in sustainable production.
David Allen, multi award-winning filmmaker, is also announced as Final Jury Chair.
Wildscreen Panda Awards
The wildlife industry takes global audiences to the world’s most remote, inhospitable and threatened environments, shining a spotlight on species and habitats that most will not experience. This form of documentary has never been more important or needed, with biodiversity being threatened to the point of no return. The Panda Awards celebrates the human endeavour, commitment and unique skill that it takes to tell nature’s stories. As this industry thrives, the demand for the content our industry creates has never been greater.
In 2020, the Wildscreen Panda Awards will focus on the craft and impact on audiences. The eleven categories in the 2020 Panda Award competition are: Cinematography, Editing, Emerging Talent (film and photo) Music, Photo Story, Producer/Director, Production Team, Scripted Narrative, Series and Sound.
The 2020 competition sees the introduction of two new awards recognising the talent of individuals and teams: the Producer/Director award and the Production Team award recognising the collaborative nature of the genre and the remarkable endeavour of the entire team, from pre to post production.
All films nominated across the eleven categories will be eligible for the Golden Panda Award, selected by the Final Jury.
New for 2020, the Sustainable Panda Award will recognise the production that best uses sustainable practices to reduce the environmental damage across the entirety of a production. Each production entered in to the awards will need to outline the measures taken in their submission.
David Allen, head of Passion Planet, is also announced as Chair of the 2020 Wildscreen Panda Award Final Jury. David is no stranger to the awards having won no less than seven Pandas, including the 2018 Theatrical Panda Award for The Serengeti Rules and the Golden Panda Award, for My Life as a Turkey in 2014 is announced as the Chair of the 2020 Wildscreen Panda Award Final Jury.
David Allen said: “In 1989 I had a short film selected for the ‘Newcomer Panda Award’, I didn’t win, but I have been attending the Wildscreen Festival ever since. Thirty years later, it's a true honour to be asked to Chair Final Jury for the 2020 Wildscreen Panda Awards. The Pandas are truly regarded as the highest accolade in our genre, and at this particularly important time for both our industry and our planet, I can’t wait to see this year’s entries.”
Wildscreen Festival Official Selection – New for 2020
As we enter a new decade, we are at a time in our history when stories about the natural world have never been more important - we are the first generation to understand humanity’s impact on nature and the last to be able to protect and restore it. Wildscreen believes in the power of visual storytelling to spark positive and restorative action for our natural world, globally. Bold, authentic and varied stories that speak to different audiences with urgency and hope have never been so necessary.
The inaugural Wildscreen Official Selection will be a global launch pad where creative innovation is recognised, new voices are discovered and where there is equality in opportunity from which a truly inclusive natural world storytelling genre evolves.
The Official Selection is open to anyone with a story about nature to share. Entrants will be able to submit long or short form content, including emerging technologies or platforms. A team of programmers will curate a screening programme featuring original and creative stories about the natural world. The natural world is beautifully diverse and this strength will be reflected through the voices heard, tools used and stories shared within the Wildscreen Official Selection. The programme will consist of premieres, global voices and brave innovations.
The 2020 edition of the industry Festival takes place 19-23 October 2020 in Bristol, UK. The Official Selection screening programme will take place between 17-25 October and be open to both industry and public audiences.
“Planet Crunch” One year in the Life (or Death) of a Planet. Ours. The only one we’ve got. The Earth."
"In the autumn of 2019 a 16 year old Swedish schoolgirl came to England and there, supported by millions of people around the world, told us how it was, is and may become. Her name is Greta Thunberg. We will follow her already-famous progress across one year to major, crucial, pivotal conferences in China about global biodiversity; in Glasgow in Scotland about climate change worldwide and the famous international wildlife film festival “Wildscreen” in Bristol, England. These three major events are the culmination of Greta Thunberg’s and Sir David Attenborough’s efforts to save the planet. Or not. No less. The Crunch has arrived. And it now affects almost every aspect of our lives, wherever we are, whoever we are. Our story connects biodiversity; places; forests; farming; fishing; food; fashion; consumerism; waste; human populations; politics; big money/corporations; water (air–› glaciers–›rivers–› sea); plastics; energy; tourism; media; transport: the future; China – its impact on everything – it’s already in the room. The content and order may change.
I expect the book/film will be in about 20 book chapters/film sections. Book: 6 pages each chapter, total about 120+ pages – Film: 2 mins each section = about 40+ mins. They will be very available before, at, and after the three major events mentioned above. Ready by October 2020, and, hopefully, with great education potential for schools, and anyone, anywhere else…Forget Brexit! It’s comparatively unimportant."
Richard via brockinitiative.org/planet-crunch-book-film
Prince William unveils 'Earthshot prize' to tackle climate crisis
Move is hailed by Sir David Attenborough as ‘the most prestigious environment prize in history’
Prince William has announced what was described as “the most prestigious environment prize in history” to encourage new solutions to tackling the climate crisis.
The “Earthshot prize” will be awarded to five people every year over the next decade, the Prince said on Tuesday, and aims to provide at least 50 answers to some of the greatest problems facing the planet by 2030.
They include promoting new ways of addressing issues such as energy, nature and biodiversity, the oceans, air pollution and fresh water.
The prize, inspired by US president John F Kennedy’s ambitious “Moonshot” lunar programme and backed by Sir David Attenborough, promises “a significant financial award”, a statement said.
The Duke of Cambridge, a grandson of the Queen and second in line to the throne, said the Earth was “at a tipping point” and faced a “stark choice”.“Either we continue as we are and irreparably damage our planet or we remember our unique power as human beings and our continual ability to lead, innovate and problem-solve,” he said. “Remember the awe-inspiring civilisations that we have built, the life-saving technology we have created, the fact that we have put a man on the moon. People can achieve great things.
“The next 10 years present us with one of our greatest tests – a decade of action to repair the Earth,” he said.
"The earth is at a tipping point and we face a stark choice: either we continue as we are and irreparably damage our planet or we remember our unique power as human beings and our continual ability to lead, innovate and problem-solve." — The Duke of Cambridge @EarthshotPrizepic.twitter.com/SfGaKY9qsG
Over the last ten years, the evidence that we face urgent challenges to protect the environment has become indisputable, and it’s clear that the time to act is now. Drawing inspiration from the concept of moonshots, which since the moon landing in 1969 has become shorthand to talk about the most ambitious and ground-breaking goals, Prince William announces the Earthshot Prize: an ambitious set of challenges to inspire a decade of action to repair the planet.
The Earthshot Launch film was made for the Royal Foundation by HTYT Films with thanks to:
• Silverback Films
• Getty Images
• Sky
• Our Planet
• Druyan-Sagan Associates
• Google
• BBC Earth
• North Design
• Nic Woinilowicz
• String and Tins
• Moving Picture Company
The Mill, its pool and the surrounding landscape in Dorset provide a microcosm of the English countryside now - from when it was built and used to provide power and food up to today, still milling after 1000 years.
Seven small worlds reveal glimpses of a surprisingly rich community. Welcome to those wonderful worlds featuring swallows, very cute harvest mice, ospreys, otters, kingfishers, swans,snakes, frogs and water - walkers.
A familiar sight in an English country garden - or even a window box. Their private life is truly extraordinary and to reveal it we follow bumblebees on their rounds as they visit many flowers for pollen and nectar.
The Queen takes great care of her young, but if we don't take care of bees and insects as a whole, we may face disaster worldwide.
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