 Wildlife Film News
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Welcome to our Newest Full Members! |
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Natalie Clements – an experienced TV camera operator and self shooting producer director. For the past two years she has specialized in wildlife content, specifically focusing on conservation, re-wilding and international animal moves. Shoots on the Sony FS7, A7iii and is PfCO certified with a Mavic Pro Zoom. Edit using Premiere Pro and often edit and delivers to clients in the field for immediate social media content alongside main filming. Adaptive, well organized and experienced in filming wildlife on the move.
See:
Website: www.natalieclements.co.uk |
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Moritz Katz – an experienced wildlife cinematographer based in Tokyo, JAPAN. Having his own gear, he is flexible and happy to work in motivated teams around the globe. Credits - camera (selection):
Specialization:
More here... See:
Website: www.moritzkatz.jimdofree.com |
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Carter McCormick – is from Rising Fawn, Georgia where he gained a deep respect for our connection with the natural world. He began his filmmaking career in 2008 and his passion for film and conservation has taken him to wildernesses around the globe working alongside prestigious research organizations, conservation groups, universities, and other NGOs. Carter and his wife Paula founded Habitat Productions a non-profit based film production company in 2017, where they focus on the creation of wildlife and environmental documentaries. Currently Carter is researching how wildlife films can be better formulated for his Phd at University College Cork in Ireland. While in Ireland, Carter has also founded the Ireland Wildlife Film Festival. See:
Websites: www.habitatproductions.org & www.thewildconnection.com |
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Skylar Sherbrooke – a wildlife camera operator/assistant with an academic background in Biology that gives him valuable insights for creating stories. He has 8 years of experience working with productions for organizations such as the BBC, National Geographic, and Netflix. Camera systems that he has expertise with include: RED cinema cameras, DSLR cameras for video and still images, Blackmagic cameras, DJI Drones, and Time-lapse Systems. He is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA as well as Tucson, AZ and has availability to travel for productions. See:
Website: www.skylarsherbrooke.wordpress.com |
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Join them, become our next newest Full Member! |
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As a full member of the site, you get a listing in all appropriate sections, a profile page and priority on your news across the site, this newsletter and our social media accounts. Membership fees help to keep the site going too ... Your support is much-needed! To become a full member ... email membership@wildlife-film.com for an application form. Visit: Wildlife-film.com/freelancers (currently just £30/year!) or Wildlife-film.com/companies (£100/year!) for further info. |
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The Living Thames trailer: Sir David Attenborough guides us through the historical and environmental landscape of the UK's most iconic river ... The history of the River Thames is long and varied, snaking through the centre of London before connecting to the North Sea and on into the Atlantic ocean. The Living Thames is a new documentary that looks back on its development through the centuries and the central role it has played in supporting economies, societies and the surrounding environment. Sir David Attenborough introduces the film, before environmentalist Chris Baines goes on a journey from Teddington in southwest London out to the sea, shedding light on the history of the river many are unaware of (which will hopefully include the pivotal role it played in the transatlantic slave trade). More here... Watch & Share New Father Thames, a Wildlife Winners & Losers Film from Richard Brock! New Father Thames. The whole length of the river from the points-of-view of a heron above and an eel below, we look at the potential for wildlife as a result of London's new "Super Sewer". Visit: brockinitiative.org/use-these-films-to-help-save-the-planet Follow: twitter.com/brockinitiative, instagram.com/brock_initiative, tumblr.com/blog/brockinitiative & facebook.com/BrockInitiative Edited by Gareth Trezise: www.wildlifeinmotion.com |
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A VOICE ABOVE NATURE: How Sound Pollution Kills Whales & Dolphins - Wilderland Festival The powerful call of the humpback whale fills our oceans in a way our species will never understand. A Voice Above Nature explores the surface of the seas in a way never seen before to reveal a not-so-silent-killer, sound. Through a variety of expert voices, we learn just how loud this issue is. Listen to the whales and feel how they experience the world. The noise pollution we are creating in our oceans is creating an unbearable world for whales that most of us would never believe. Can we respect the silence they need to survive?
Subscribe to WilderlandTV: youtube.com/channel/UCyKoalJu0SBDEwRpteoRf_A |
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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. Because we want to live.
Join the Rebellion on 1 September, 2020: extinctionrebellion.uk/uk-rebellion-2020 |
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Think Phones Disconnect Us From Nature? Think again. New Nature App, Mammalz, Changes the Narrative, Connects Today’s Generation to Nature and Each Other Using Smartphone Technology
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.
About Mammalz 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.
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. |
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Wildscreen Festival Announces 2020 Panda Award Nominees 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.
Wildscreen Panda Awards 2020 Nominations List: DOLBY CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD My Octopus Teacher Dynasties: Chimpanzee Our Planet: One Planet Sea of Shadows Wild Cuba: A Caribbean Journey Disneynature Penguins ICON FILMS EMERGING TALENT AWARD Andrés Sehinkman, Jonathan Barg, Leandro Vital, Armin Marchesini Weihmuller and Ailín Salas George Pretty Malaika Vaz and Nitye Sood MUSIC AWARD Sea of Shadows Disneynature Penguins Dancing with the Birds PHOTO STORY AWARD Pangolins in Crisis Masked Monkeys Dinner is served PRODUCTION TEAM AWARD Earth from Space: A New Perspective Lost Kings of Bioko Night on Earth: Dusk till Dawn DOCLIGHTS / NDR NATURFILM PRODUCER DIRECTOR AWARD Richard Ladkani, Walter Köhler and Wolfgang Knöpfler Craig Foster, Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed Bonné de Bod and Susan Scott NHK SCRIPTED NARRATIVE AWARD H20: The Molecule That Made Us Savage Kingdom David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet SERIES AWARD Dynasties Seven Worlds, One Planet H2O: The Molecule that Made Us DOLBY SOUND AWARD Sea of Shadows The Flood Wild Shetland See: Wildscreen Festival 2020 goes virtual & Wildscreen Panda Awards 2018 Winners Announced! Follow etc: facebook.com/wildscreenfest & twitter.com/WildscreenFest + instagram.com/wildscreenorg |
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Wildscreen Festival Unveils First Ever Official Selection Programme 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...
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 |
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Technical Producer Wanted by Wildscreen (Freelance late August - October 2020) Wildscreen are looking for an experienced, driven and technical producer to support our small, dynamic and ambitious team deliver the 2020 Wildscreen Festival Virtual Edition. Work with us Position: Wildscreen Festival - Technical Producer The Role We are looking for an experienced, driven and technical producer to support our small, dynamic and ambitious team deliver the 2020 Wildscreen Festival Virtual Edition. Wildscreen is 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. The online edition of the Festival will include everything that our international industry expects, including keynotes, masterclasses, sessions, commissioner meetings, film premieres and screenings with director interviews, and a new programme of one-to-one meetings. Panda Award submissions and Official Selection films will also be available over a three-month period between 17 September to 16 December, accompanied by all the industry content released during the Festival week itself which takes place from 19-23 October 2020. The Technical Producer will take ownership and responsibility for the technical planning, delivery and execution of the virtual Festival, supporting the Festival team and our freelance content producers to deliver an amazing, seamless industry programme. Deadline for applications: Thursday 13 August 2020 at 5pm. Find out more and apply here: wildscreen.org/about/work-with-us |
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Jackson Wild™ Summit & Media Labs Go Virtual 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:
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 |
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GREEN SCREEN online and onscreen 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
Visit: greenscreen-festival.de Follow: facebook.com/greenscreenfestival & instagram.com/greenscreen_festival |
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2020 Grierson Award nominations announced The Grierson Trust has announced (23/07/20) the shortlist for the 2020 British Documentary Awards in association with All3Media. Lorraine Heggessey, Chair of The Grierson Trust says: “This is a particularly challenging time for filmmakers, so I’m pleased to have this opportunity to celebratesome of the most outstanding factual programmes broadcast in the past 12 months. This year’s shortlist showcases thecreativity and fearlessness of the world’sfilmmakers as theytake viewers to the heart of issues affecting all our lives. I’m also thrilled that 2020 shortlist represents the biggest range of channels, broadcasters and platforms to date, as commissioners recognise the crucial role the documentary plays in every schedule.” The 104 shortlisted films and eight presenters will now go forward to final nominations and judging ahead of 48th annual awards ceremony on 10th November 2020. The BBC dominates the Science and Natural History categories and tops the shortlist with 44 entries in the running overall. Netflix has over 50% of the Best Series shortlist with 12 films in total. Channel 4 have 11 in the mix. ITV has five films listed, Sky has three, Al Jazeera, Apple+, Nat Geo and Amazon Prime all have two each. Completing the list with a film apiece are Channel 5, Discovery, S4C, BT, ESPN, YouTube and Fields of Vision while the remainder is made up of festival and university screenings alongside theatrical releases. Discovery Best Natural History Documentary The Elephant Queen
The Last Igloo
The Octopus in my House
Seven Worlds, One Planet: Antarctica
The Story of Plastic
Takaya: Lone Wolf
Tigers: Hunting the Traffickers
Cuba: A Caribbean Journey
The full shortlist: griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/the-grierson-awards/shortlist |
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2021 Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital Festival Dates & Call For Entries Announced 2021 DCEFF FESTIVAL DATES ANNOUNCED THURSDAY MARCH 18 - SUNDAY, MARCH 28 We are excited to announce the 29th Annual Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital will be held March 18-28, 2021. We look forward to offering a robust online festival featuring over 100 films and many filmmaker and expert panels (in-person, theatrical screenings will continue to be pending until safety permits). Stay tuned for more announcements about our full 2021 Festival in the months ahead, as well as news about our numerous virtual events this fall. We are now accepting submissions for 2021 Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital! The 29th Annual DCEFF will be held March 18-28, 2021. We look forward to offering a robust online festival, as in-person theatrical screenings will continue to be pending until safety permits. We welcome film submissions on all topics related to the natural and built environment. Submission Categories Short Films This category includes films with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including credits. Feature Films This category includes films with a running time greater than 40 minutes. Please carefully read the rules and guidelines for submissions posted on FilmFreeway. If you have specific questions about submitting a film to DCEFF, contact samantha@dceff.org. More here: dceff.org/submissions 2021 Festival Deadlines:
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DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: A LIFE ON OUR PLANET - Premiering In Cinemas For One Night Only September 28 One man has seen more of the natural world than any other. This unique feature documentary is his witness statement. In his 94 years, David Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and documenting the living world in all its variety and wonder. Now, for the first time he reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime as a naturalist and the devastating changes he has seen. Honest, revealing and urgent, DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: A LIFE ON OUR PLANET is a powerful first-hand account of humanity’s impact on nature and a message of hope for future generations. Created by award-winning natural history filmmakers Silverback Films and global conservation organisation WWF, the film is Directed by Alastair Fothergill, Jonnie Hughes and Keith Scholey and Executive Produced by Colin Butfield. Celebrated British naturalist Sir David Attenborough has a broadcasting career spanning over six decades. He has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and bringing the wonders of the living world to audiences worldwide through groundbreaking natural history series. His work includes: Life on Earth, Planet Earth and more recently the Netflix original documentary series Our Planet. After the film, audiences will have the unique chance to watch a very special, exclusive conversation between Sir David Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin. This will only be available in cinemas.
Get tickets: attenborough.film Follow: facebook.com/DavidALifeFilm & twitter.com/DavidALifeFilm |
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Impotus Americanus trends after Lincoln Project releases David Attenborough-style video mocking Trump The Lincoln Project, a political action committee formed by anti-Donald Trump Republicans, shared a video titled 'Nationalist Geographic' that uses a wildlife documentary format to explain the current U.S. President. On Friday, July 31, a strange term seemed to be taking up space on social media: Impotus Americanus. At first glance, it seems like binomial nomenclature, the system of naming in which two terms are used to denote a species of a living organism, the first one indicating the genus and the second the specific epithet. It was invented by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in the eighteenth century. So what creature then is Impotus Americanus? The Lincoln Project, an American political action committee formed in late 2019 by several prominent current and former Republicans with the goal of preventing the reelection of Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, shared a video. Titled ‘Nationalist Geographic’ (a clever pun on National Geographic, the globally-popular magazine that deals with science, geography, history, and world culture and Trump’s ideological tenet), the video description calls Impotus Americanus “one of the heaviest leaders in the animal kingdom.” Just a second into the video, it becomes apparent that it is a joke on President Donald Trump. Stylized in British naturalist Sir David Attenborough’s oft-used wildlife documentary format like in ‘Planet Earth’, the one-minute-something video begins with a drone shot of Trump playing golf. |
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Five years after Cecil the lion was shot dead, trophy hunting continues ... The 2nd of July marked five years since Cecil the lion was shot by an American dentist. The killing sparked an international outcry to ban lion trophy hunting. The UK government has made repeated promises to ban it, but hunters continue to import, quite legally, lion trophies into Britain. Channel 4's Chief Correspondent Alex Thomson has spoken exclusively to the controversial safari tour operators who lead the hunts.
Get more news at - channel4.com/news |
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iTravel Films Documentary & Filming Support Operating for the last 11 years and clocking a total team experience of almost 30 years between us, we offer our extensive support for Photography and Filming crew – large or small projects across many remote and the unexplored destinations around the Indian Subcontinent. We are pleased to list below all the services that we can offer pertaining to your projects across India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Tibet. Having worked with multiple projects (National & International) ranging from Wildlife, Culture, People, Adventure & Festivals, we surely can be that strong pillar of support in the asian region. What can we Assist you with: Aspects of Art & Research, Government Liaising/Filming Permissions/Visa Support, Location Scouting, Accommodation, Catering, Technical and Aerial Equipments, AV Set-ups Find out more: theitravelgroup.com/itravelfilms |
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Meet The Slow Worm! The Lizard Without Legs from Ewan Wilson He says: "The United Kingdom is not the environment you would think could support a population of reptiles, but there is a surprising range of cold blooded critters that call the UK home. This critter is called a slow worm and he is a reptilian paradox as he has a similar body plan to a snake but has no relation and is just a lizard without legs. I hope you enjoy this video about the slow worm. If you did enjoy my video then check out some of my other adventures and take a look at my other social media accounts, listed below."
Instagram - www.instagram.com/true_naturetv |
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Stephen Dunleavy, Creative Director at Humble Bee Films, talks with Jake Willers Stephen talks about his start in the industry, his time at the BBC, founding Humble Bee Films and working with Nigel Marven and Sir David Attenborough.
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Who Killed the Elephants in Botswana? In the heart of Africa, a tragedy is unfolding. Over the past two months, more than 350 elephants in Botswana have died of unknown causes. It’s carnage on an unprecedented scale – and no one knows what’s behind it. Speculation abounds as to what could be killing the elephants, but is anything really being done to solve the mystery? As part of our investigation, we speak to conservationist Dr. Niall McCann, and also look at the long-term impacts this kind of tragedy could have on Botswana’s elephant population.
Terra Mater brings you the conservation topics that matter. To stay up to speed with their latest videos, SUBSCRIBE! |
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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.
Visit: www.movingpictures.africa |
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Save the Sharks – United Conservationists Sharks are the most badass creatures the planet has ever seen. Rob Stewart, Activist and award-winning Sharkwater filmmaker talks about saving sharks. Guardians of our oceans, they manage every creature that lives in the ocean today…..keeping coral reefs safe, and plants from being overgrazed by sea life. Sharks protect our oceans. We need sharks for ocean health. Oceans give us 60% of our oxygen, absorb carbon that causes global warming, absorbs our excess heat and feed a billion of us humans…and to top it off, they make millions in shark tourism. Yet, we kill up to 150 Million of them every year. We all can be heroes and make the world a better place. Save the Sharks. Watch filmmaker Rob Stewart explain why we need sharks as a keystone species and how you can help. Learn more at www.savingsharks.com |
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Why Bonné de Bod would love to spend the day with David Attenborough Award-winning wildlife TV presenter and film-maker Bonné de Bod is well-known for her in-depth reporting on wildlife and environmental issues. For nearly a decade, she has presented in English and Afrikaans on TV (seven seasons on 50|50, special correspondent on SABC news, eNCA and kykNET’s GrootPlaas) as well as radio. A career highlight was her recent nomination alongside Dame Judi Dench for best presenter/host at last year’s Jackson Media Awards, known as the “Oscars” of wildlife. In 2014, she embedded herself, along with her co-producer, on the front lines of the rhino poaching war for a four-year film, STROOP: journey into the rhino horn war. The film was selected for more than 35 festivals and won 30 awards. What was the proudest moment in your career? The most special was when we had soldout cinema screenings across the country for our independent documentary film STROOP: journey into the rhino horn war. No cinema distributor would take the film; they said no one would watch it! We hired the cinemas ourselves, and the public showed up! You can spend a day with any celebrity in the world. Who do you choose and why? It can be none other than David Attenborough. He travelled extensively and is considered the godfather of natural history. I’ve also heard that he is quite a character with a great sense of humour. |
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Everything You Need to Know About Climate Change – Climate Adam Climate change can seem pretty complex, but we can all understand the core ideas. I want to explain everything from what we know is happening, to what we can do to stop it. After all climate change is happening, it's us, it's serious, but there is hope...
Visit: climateadam.co.uk |
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Cinematographer Bertie Gregory Shares Tips, Tales About Capturing Animals on Camera When it comes to picture time, pets can be the most difficult subjects to shoot on camera. Trying to capture wildlife in their natural environment is an even bigger challenge, even for the professionals. In this video, one of the youngest and most accomplished wildlife cinematographers on the planet, Bertie Gregory, gives Spectrum News' Burton Fitzsimmons some tips, and talks about his trips around the globe to capture animals in their element. Watch here: spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/san-antonio/news/2020/07/09/cinematographer-shares-tips--tales-about-capturing-animals-on-camera# Bertie's Instagram handle is @bertiegregory. |
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What’s it really like to film documentaries for David Attenborough? “We sailed in a 50 foot sailboat for 800 miles to the island of South Georgia, which is a sub Antarctic Island, right at the bottom of the South Atlantic Ocean. It is covered in millions of penguins and seals.” Bertie Gregory tells me the wild story of his journey to South Georgia with a surprisingly casual laugh. “But, during the journey, it took us about a week to sail there and three days in we were just in this friggin’ crazy storm. I remember us sat in the wheelhouse, opposite each other, trying not to be sick. We just had this amazing moment of like, ‘how on earth did we get into this? This was a terrible idea!” This incredible experience is, after all, just one day in the work life of the BBC and National Geographic wildlife filmmaker. At just 26 he is one of the most sought-after camera people in the business. He has just won a BAFTA and is currently a contender for an Emmy for his work on the critically acclaimed Seven Worlds, One Planet series. “Most of the time you turn up to the airport, having never met the other three people you're going to spend all day every day for the next two months with,” he tells me, “and you'll experience something with them that maybe no one else on the planet has ever seen before.” How do you become a wildlife photographer? The business of making nature documentaries has slowed down a bit for the moment, at least for Gregory. With the COVID-19 pandemic preventing him from travelling abroad, he has been taking some time to get back to the root of what led him to love wildlife in the first place. “I've just started to get back in the water now that you can dive again. “I grew up doing a lot of surfing and things like that off the Cornish coast. I think just when you spend that amount of time outdoors, you sort of gain an appreciation for wildlife.” he explains, speaking to me over the phone during a rare extended stay in the south west of England where he grew up. “It’s really easy to look back on things and say- ‘Oh that was the moment when that happened.’ But yeah, looking back I think that was the reason I was so interested in wildlife.” Read more: euronews.com/living/2020/07/22/what-s-it-really-like-to-film-documentaries-for-david-attenborough |
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Smithsonian Channel’s Unscripted Strategy: What are the trends? A Sunny Side interview with Chris Hoelzl. WHAT THE DOCUMENTARY BUYERS WANT! Chris Hoelzl, SVP and Program Development, Smithsonian Networks (USA) A session moderated by Peter Hamilton, DocumentaryBusiness.com. #SSD20 The 2020 Connected edition of Sunny Side of the Doc provided insightful presentations where key funders, commissioners and cultural stakeholders reveal their programming strategies, future commissioning plans and what they are really looking for from producers. We are very proud to have collaborated with so many organisations, talent, speakers and moderators across the globe to produce insightful sessions, share incredible stories and to strengthen our community ties when most needed. Of course, we missed the friendly embrace under the sun but be assured that the beautiful and rebellious La Rochelle awaits you all on June 21-24, 2021.
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Ample launches LA’s first-ever dedicated natural history label US prodco Ample Entertainment has launched the first-ever dedicated Los Angeles-based natural history division, under the label Ample Nature. The move into blue-chip space was announced by Ample co-founders Ari Mark and Phil Lott, who also revealed that the label will be led by producer Kylie Stott, who has been appointed as VP of development for natural history at the new outfit. Stott will spearhead development and production across a slate of natural history and wildlife programming, with Ample Nature already securing programming across multiple networks and platforms. During her more than 15 years in television, Stott has worked on natural history productions for the BBC, National Geographic, ITV, ZDF and Discovery, and more, and has produced internationally acclaimed documentaries, including David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef and Stephen Hawking’s Brave New World. Ample Nature is also teaming up with a roster of natural history talent, including EP and cinematographer Sophie Darlington (Our Planet), writer David Fowler (Disney’s Born In China), underwater cinematographer Didier Noirot (Blue Planet) and creature artist David Krentz (Walking With Dinosaurs), among others. More here: tbivision.com/2020/07/28/ample-launches-las-first-ever-dedicated-natural-history-label |
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BBC Studios Natural History Unit announces Planet Earth: A Celebration 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. From: bbcstudios.com/news/bbc-studios-natural-history-unit-announces-planet-earth-a-celebration |
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Can you make a wildlife series from a wheelchair? BBC Natural History Unit (NHU) researcher, Niall Strawson, broke his back in 2009. Since then he's been on a mission to return to the wild and make documentaries. Niall is the first ever NHU crew member who uses a wheelchair 24/7 to go out on a complex international shoot for Animal Impossible. This is his story.
More about Niall Strawson: dfmanagement.tv/niall-strawson |
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Mermaid purses! from Francisco Castro Velasco He says: "We found a mermaid purse on our last dive. What is a mermaid purse? Does it actually come from a mermaid? Click to find out." |
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ARTE Distribution Signs New Deals for The Private Life of Sharks ARTE Distribution and France-based indie producer Le Cinquième Rêve have signed a co-production deal with Doclights for The Private Life of Sharks and presold the rights for the rest of the world, excluding France and Canada, to National Geographic. Directed by Alexis Barbier Bouvet and Didier Noirot for ARTE GEIE’s nature and discovery slot, The Private Life of Sharks will feature mind-blowing shark behavior and footage from around the world in 4K and 8K. The film will explore facets of sharks that are rarely chronicled—that they’re fragile, delicate, ingenious, collaborative and even clumsy. It will show them hunting, resting, cleaning and reproducing. The Private Life of Sharks will be on ARTE before the end of 2020, on Germany’s NDR prime-time wildlife slot in 2021, and National Geographic and Wild’s SharkFest this summer under the name 50 Shades of Sharks, premiering on July 24 in the U.S. during the annual SharkFest television event. Read more: worldscreen.com/tvreal/arte-distribution-signs-new-deals-for-the-private-life-of-sharks/ |
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ENTANGLED, a new film about endangered whales ... ENTANGLED is a new, feature-length film about how climate change has accelerated a collision between one of the world’s most endangered species, North America’s most valuable fishery, and a federal agency mandated to protect both. The film, by the makers of Lobster War and Sacred Cod, will be released in 2020. The film is premiered at the Woods Hole Film Festival, and will be online this week. Tickets for Entangled are now available here. Visit: entangled-film.com |
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STRESS at a BEAR JAM at Grand Teton National Park – Trevor LaClair's Wildlife Filmmaking Vlog The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is home to amazing animals like grizzly bears. About 700 grizzlies make their home in the ecosystem. While driving within the parks, you can occasionally get lucky with a road-side bear making for some easy photography and filmmaking...so you think. During a film trip in Grand Teton National Park, both Cathy and I came across a bear jam. It was a great opportunity to film some grizzlies but as the bears moved closer to the road, the size of the crowd increased. It became a stressful situation has visitors played the game of hierarchy, asserting their dominance to be in front of the crowd to get a photo of the bears.
Cathy and I decided to leave the crowd to look for foxes. We had a change in plans. Instead of foxes, we ended up returning to the beaver lodge to relax. That's when we came across the rewarding sight...BABY BEAVERS!
Visit: trekkingwithtrevor.com & facebook.com/trekkingwithtrevor |
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Celebrity-fronted docuseries like Zac Efron’s may attract viewers, but they prove how few A-listers can compete with Attenborough The Greatest Showman star's documentary debut, like those of some A-listers before him, is entertaining but far from focused, says Lauren Morris. When Zac Efron’s newest Netflix venture hit the platform on Friday, fans of the actor were both equally surprised and delighted to find it wasn’t another scantily-clad romcom or a serial killer biopic, but an environmental travel series. Down to Earth with Zac Efron shows how the now-bearded actor has come a long way since his High School Musical days – quite literally as he journeys to the likes of Iceland, France, Costa Rica and London – to find healthier, eco-friendly alternatives for producing food, water and energy. “Change has to start somewhere,” he says in the trailer. “Maybe it’s time we all change.” Efron is the latest cinematic star to indeed make a change – from blockbuster hunk to globe-trotting documentary presenter – and while his docuseries debut has thus far proved immensely popular (Down to Earth is the sixth most-watched title on Netflix UK since it’s release), it perfectly demonstrates how many actors-turned-presenters are more amateur than Attenborough on the non-fiction front. While the series’ trailer heavily emphasises the environmental angle of Efron’s travels, the show feels unfocussed. In the first episode, we see the actor travel to Iceland to bake rye bread by volcanic springs, design chocolate bars, eat Michelin-starred reindeer tartare and have an “ice and fire” massage – activities you’re more likely to find on a nordic mini-break than an environmental expedition. It’s also unclear why exactly Efron has decided to undertake this world-wide adventure – he doesn’t appear to show much interest in eco-friendly living and fails to provide much of an educational commentary whilst undertaking his fun, tourist-y tasks. In fact, the little analysis he provides throughout the series is littered with fratboy vocabulary, with “dude”, “gnarly”, “woah”, “holy s***” and “sick” frequently exclaimed by the actor across all eight episodes.
Read more: radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2020-07-13/down-to-earth-with-zac-efron-review-netflix |
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MGM Television, K2 Studios set copro deal for nature, wildlife content MGM Television and Los Angeles-based K2 Studios — a producer-distributor of documentary films for specialty theaters – have partnered to coproduce premium nature, wildlife, science and adventure programming. The deal — part of MGM’s push into factual, docs and specials — includes coproduction of eight documentary TV series, distribution of K2 library content and a first-look deal for new K2 content. Sea Lions: Life By a Whisker (pictured), the first K2 release born from the partnership, will continue its rollout this summer as theaters open post-pandemic. More: realscreen.com/2020/07/03/mgm-television-k2-studios-set-copro-deal-for-nature-wildlife-content |
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Northern Banner takes Canadian rights to “The Walrus and the Whistleblower” Toronto-based Northern Banner Releasing has picked up the Canadian rights for Nathalie Bibeau’s Hot Docs 2020 Audience Award-winning film The Walrus and the Whistleblower. Northern Banner, the Canadian distribution arm of Raven Banner Entertainment, is eyeing a fall release for the film. Produced and directed by Bibeau, and produced by Bunbury Films’ Frederic Bohbot, The Walrus and the Whistleblower follows Phil Demers, known by some as the “Walrus Whisperer.” For a decade, Demers worked as a trainer at the MarineLand amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He ran the show swimming with killer whales and training belugas, seals and Smooshi the walrus, until he quit, claiming animal abuse and calling for an end to the practice of keeping marine mammals in pools. MarineLand is currently suing Demers for CA$1.5 million dollars on claims of trespassing. Read more: realscreen.com/2020/07/03/northern-banner-takes-canadian-rights-to-the-walrus-and-the-whistleblower |
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Nat Geo Fall Slate Includes ‘Akashinga: The Brave Ones,’ ‘Jade Eyed Leopard’ Nat Geo has set its slate for the fall season. Six natural history global series and specials will debut this fall. Those include the digital premiere of the documentary film “Akashinga: The Brave Ones” from three-time Academy Award winner James Cameron and director Maria Wilhelm. The film will debut on World Elephant Day on Aug. 12. The one-hour special “Jade Eyed Leopard” will debut Sept. 7 on Nat Geo WILD, with that special narrated by Jeremy Irons. Nat Geo WILD Fridays on National Geographic Channel will launch on Aug. 14 with the Season 4 premiere of “Savage Kingdom.” “Visually spectacular cinematography that will take your breath away. Awe-inspiring narratives told from the animal’s perspective,” said Geoff Daniels, executive vice president of unscripted global entertainment for National Geographic Channels. “Exploring the hidden phenomena of our planet. These are all hallmarks of National Geographic natural history programming. By partnering with the best-in-class storytellers, we create thrilling onscreen experiences powered by cutting-edge visual technologies that move audiences around the world to fall in love with our planet.” More here: variety.com/2020/tv/news/nat-geo-akashinga-jade-eyed-leopard-1234721037 |
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'Ground-Breaking' Documentary Links Amazon Fires And Deforestation To Animal Agriculture Moby, who executively produced the film, says it's a 'must-watch for anyone who is passionate about combating corruption' A new 'ground-breaking' documentary that links the Amazon fires and deforestation to animal agriculture has been released. Takeout is produced by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Michal Siewierski and executively produced by celebrity singer Moby and entrepreneur turned advocate Peter Eastwood. The film features interviews with renowned scientists, doctors, politicians, and climate advocates who 'weave a complex narrative that exposes the bad actors conspiring to line their pockets at the expense of our ecosystem'. It also aims to 'expose the real reasons behind the Amazon forest fires and the alarming rate of deforestation in Brazil - the world's largest exporter of beef'. Read more: plantbasednews.org/culture/documentary-links-amazon-fires-and-deforestation-to-animal-agriculture
Visit: www.takeoutdocumentary.com |
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7 Things SHARK WEEK Gets Right And Terribly WRONG Here are 7 things Shark Week gets right and wrong about sharks. Shark Week is an iconic series that has been running on the Discovery Channel for over 30 years. Originally meant as an educational platform, shark experts have openly criticized the series for becoming too sensationalized. Great White Sharks thrash in the waters, camera crews entice them to approach with bait, and a large focus of the series is on shark attacks - an event that is actually pretty uncommon. On the other hand, Shark Week has put sharks in the spotlight, has amplified the need for shark conservation, and has inspired generations of viewers. Let's take a deeper dive into what Shark Week gets right and wrong about sharks.
Visit: livekindly.co/7-things-shark-week-gets-right-and-terribly-wrong |
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Life from vents with Natural History Museum Join the #LifeFromVents team on a research trip to Eyjafjörður on the north coast of Iceland, as they work to better understand how hydrothermal vents affect the evolution of animals that live in these incredible environments.
Website: www.nhm.ac.uk |
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Call of the Wild New narrative and production techniques are being used in wildlife filmmaking, with messages of conservation front and center. With its ability to bring viewers up close and personal with mighty jungle animals, endearing woodland creatures, terrifying ocean predators and awe-inspiring insects alike, nature programming has long been a solid draw with audiences. But the days of a narrator quietly whispering over delicate images of elephants drinking from a waterhole have given way to something much more dynamic. Today’s popular wildlife programs are bigger, bolder and more ambitious than the genre has ever been. And rightfully so, as the messages they can carry are pressing to be heard in this time of environmental threat and looming extinctions. “As a genre, natural history is going from strength to strength,” says Patricia Fearnley, the head of natural history, unscripted and content partnerships at BBC Studios. “It used to be seen as attracting only the older demographic, but since Planet Earth II, younger audiences and families have been coming to natural history in a way we haven’t seen before.” While the images themselves have always been arresting, it’s become more imperative nowadays that the stories are too. “Natural-history content is more character-driven than it was five or ten years ago,” Fearnley says. “We are far more likely to care about an individual animal with relatable characteristics rather than a generic group of animals.” Narratives around climate change, carbon emissions and environmental issues at large are now “inevitably woven into most natural-history content,” she adds. “Even five years ago, that is something that would have been less palatable to audiences. It’s now an expectation. It’s virtually impossible to tell a story about the natural world without illustrating how behavior has changed in response to the changing environment.” Indeed, there has been a rise in green thinking all across the world, “in particular by the younger generation,” says Anne Olzmann, managing director of Albatross World Sales. “People have become more environmentally conscious and thus are more interested in seeing what is going on on our planet, what it has to offer and what is at stake. So, there is an even higher need for wildlife and nature programming at the moment.” Read more: worldscreen.com/tvreal/call-of-the-wild |
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PALM OIL is DEVASTATING the RAINFOREST Why is this plant-based oil devastating the rainforest? You may not know it, but many products you encounter every day can contain palm oil. Packaged snacks like chips and cookies contain palm oil, and household products like lipstick and toothpaste do, too. There is an increased demand on this cheap and versatile oil, and companies cut corners on sustainability to make a profit. There are environmental impacts related to palm oil due to deforestation, as land is cleared for palm plantations. There are also impacts on wildlife - the Bornean orangutan, Sumatran tigers, rhinos, and elephants are some of the species at risk. There are impacts on indigenous communities and activists who try to protect the land. How can we move forward from palm oil? Several countries have implemented bans, though experts warn that another land-intensive oil will simply take its place. Dr. Jane Goodall supports the sustainable production of palm oil, but it has to be done right. Governing bodies such as the RSPO provide sustainability regulations for palm oil production. There are also lab-grown palm oil alternatives that may soon take palm oil's place.
See: www.livekindly.co |
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Billions of frogs are being killed ... Want to help? Right now, as you read this, billions of frogs across the world are being tortured, maimed, and killed. Stolen from the wild, they die in pain. It is estimated that in Asia alone, between 180 million and a billion frogs are currently stolen each year for use in traditional ‘medicine’.
The cruelty being inflicted on frogs for cosmetics or when they are barbarically killed for a sick frill for diners is so blatant, so abhorrent and so dangerous that governments must act now. Your donation will help us make them pay attention.
Frogs play a vital role in the food chain, as both predators and prey. As tadpoles, frogs eat algae, reducing the chances of algal contamination and they, in turn, are an important source of food for birds, fish, monkeys and snakes. Their diet includes mosquitoes, lowering the transmission risk of killer diseases including Dengue fever, malaria, West Nile fever and Zika. Right now, frogs are racing headlong to extinction, but if we act fast to stop the international trade, we will give the frogs a better chance of survival and save billions of creatures from merciless cruelty. Every single animal life is important. Please support the Political Animal Lobby in their efforts: palobby.org/donate/millions-of-rare-and-threatened-frogs-face-torture-and-decimation |
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How humans are making pandemics more likely It’s never been easier for animal pathogens to spill over into humans. Over the last 40 years, disease outbreaks among humans have become more and more frequent. The majority of those diseases are zoonoses, or diseases that originated in animals, like Ebola, West Nile virus, and probably Covid-19. But what makes zoonotic outbreaks likelier than ever is actually something humans are doing. According to science journalist Sonia Shah, author of the 2017 book "Pandemic," the expansion of humans onto more and more of the planet’s land has increased the likelihood of disease outbreaks in two ways. First, as humans move into what were once animal habitats, we end up living closer to animals that might contain dangerous pathogens; and second, as we destroy or alter animal habitats, we’re driving away or killing off animals that once served as a “firewall” between those pathogens and us. And the human land development driving this trend shows no signs of stopping.
Become a Vox Video Lab member: youtube.com/channel/UCLXo7UDZvByw2ixzpQCufnA/join |
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How 2020 could be about to get a LOT worse - Earthling Ed Surge's new ‘Not If, But When’ campaign is centred around discussing the inextricable link between animal farming and infectious zoonotic disease. As a recent UN report has further highlighted, animal farming and animal exploitation have to be eliminated if we are to reduce our risk of future pandemics, because simply put, whilst we have animal farms we will have pandemics. #NotIfButWhen
Read more: surgeactivism.org/notifbutwhenswineflu |
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TOP 7 PLANT-BASED FILMS OF ALL TIME - PBN Plant Based News' Klaus goes through the best films focusing on the plant-based lifestyle. What are your favourites?
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE WEEKLY PBN HEADLINES: plantbasednews.org/signup |
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They're Trying To Kill Us: A new film from What The Health co-director on racism in the food system. Cowspiracy/What The Health co-director Keegan Kuhn has teamed up with health advocate and activists John Lewis (aka Badass Vegan) to raise awareness of the health disparities for Americans of Color and the systems keeping it that way. Audiences journey with co-director John Lewis as he crosses the country seeking answers to why Americans of Color suffer from disproportionately higher rates of chronic disease than their European American counterparts, while examining the intersections of food, disease, race, poverty, institutional racism and government corruption. Through interviews with cultural influencers, doctors, researchers, politicians, attorneys, professional athletes, activists and experts in the field of food justice, John begins to unravel a story of collusion that has kept millions of Americans sick, while the industries responsible make billions of dollars. The film follows John as the protagonist and narrator in the documentary due to his unique experience being adopted at birth from his drug addicted birth mother, growing up as an overweight kid in the violence of Ferguson, to becoming a prominent health and wellness advocate promoting compassion. The film has a crowdfunding campaign running to help raise additional funds to propel the film into the wider world.
Please consider supporting this important film and message on their Indiegogo page: igg.me/at/TTTKU/x/156996# |
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WATCH: ENDGAME 2050 What will the future be like in the year 2050? A mere three decades away, most of us hope to still be around. So, what kind of future are we riding into? ENDGAME 2050 gives us a glimpse into that future, and it does not look good. Humanity has backed itself into an ecological endgame as we approach mid-century. Featuring musician Moby along with leading scientists, ENDGAME 2050 lays out the reality that, unless we act urgently now, we are hastening our own destruction.
Film-maker Sofia Pineda Ochoa, who directed the film, says: "I made ENDGAME 2050 because I want people to wake up to the gravity of the situation before it’s too late. I think many environmental films sugarcoat our reality and the extent of changes needed. They sometimes don’t want to make people too uncomfortable. But I think that does a grave disservice to the audience and the planet. I wanted this film to clearly lay out the dire situation in which we now find ourselves, and the responsibility for these global problems that we all bear. I think we owe it to the planet, other species, and ourselves to not bury our heads in the sand." FEATURING: Moby, Boris Worm, Paul Ehrlich, Claire Kremen, Bill Ryerson, Malcolm Potts, Alicia Graves, David M. Romps, Daniel H. Miller, James Gerber, Philip Wollen, Kim A. Williams, Josh LaJaunie, T. Colin Campbell, Bandana Chawla, Munish Chawla, Michelle McMacken and Robert Ostfeld. WEBSITE: www.endgame2050.com |
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