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DCEFF is now accepting submissions for their 34th Annual Environmental Film Festival.
They’re looking to bring the best films exploring the natural world and issues like climate, conservation, & sustainability to their audiences in DC - March 19-28, 2026.
Since 1993, the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital (DCEFF) has been the world’s premier showcase of environmental storytelling. Our mission is to harness the power of film and community to illuminate, celebrate, and inspire positive and lasting action for our planet.
Our screenings are held at amazing venues across the DC Metro Area, including museums, embassies, universities, and other leading arts, cultural, and scientific institutions.
Voted DC’s Best Film Festival by the readers of Washington City Paper the last 7 years in a row!
The Pridelands Wildlife Film Festival (PWFF) officially opened their call for entries on the 21st of July. Deadline: October the 5th
Are you telling bold, raw, beautiful stories about wildlife, nature, or the people who live alongside it? Whether you're a seasoned filmmaker or just getting started — we’ve built a space for your voice.
With brand new categories like Best Innovative Wildlife Storytelling and Digital Indie Voices, alongside festival staples like Best Short, Feature, Emerging, and African Film — there’s a place here for every kind of conservation storyteller.
PWFF is more than just a festival, it’s a movement. A platform for reclaiming narratives, dismantling colonial frameworks, and building a future where African and BIPOC storytellers lead the global conservation dialogue.
Pablo Behrens is a London-based film director and producer.
His latest film ¨London´s Last Wilderness¨ is about the ecology of a fantastic region close to London.
London’s Last Wilderness is the visual experience of an explorer landing on an undiscovered planet.
Every shot in the film was captured using truthful documentary techniques—no retakes, no setups. What you see happened once, and only once.
Like the first Europeans in the Amazon or astronauts orbiting the moon, there was no time for rehearsals or scripted reflections. The camera moved with the explorer—fast, focused, in the moment.
A mere 30 miles crow's flight from Piccadilly Circus lies a place London largely ignores: the Greater Thames Estuary. It's an ecological and cosmological force hiding in plain sight.
One of its secrets is scale. The estuary rivals London in size. To truly cover it, you need years — exploring north and south banks. From land, sea and sky.
Beyond the coast lies a maze of creeks and shifting islands, shaped by rivers and tides that change everything, twice a day. Half the terrain vanishes and reappears with the North Sea. No two days are the same. No tide repeats.
To be honest with this place, you have to film it all. Across four seasons, in all weather, under every tidal condition. Nothing could be skipped. Nothing faked.
The film has no presenters. This is not exactly a human story.
Lazarus Training – First aid, medical & safety training based in Essex & London.
Lazarus Training specialises in delivering
realistic, scenario-based first aid and safety
training designed for the unique challenges of
the media and production industry. We offer
tailor-made courses to meet your specific
operational needs, whether on location or in a
studio setting. Training can be arranged in
country or on location.
Our training uses professional casualty actors
and real-life scenarios to create immersive,true-to-life experiences, preparing your team to
respond effectively in high-pressure situations.
With a highly experienced training team drawn
from medical, armed forces, and emergency
services backgrounds, we bring unrivalled
expertise, practicality, and realism to every
session—ensuring your crew is ready for
anything.
First Aid on Remote Locations is designed for production teams working away from the office or studio. Whether filming or recording, this course is aimed at groups who will experience a delay in accessing medical care for a colleague injured or taken ill.
Specialist Medical Training for Media Production Teams
When Your Crew is Hours from Help, Preparation is Everything
Filming overseas?
Working in remote deserts, dense jungles, icy mountains, or distant villages?
When you’re out of range of immediate medical support, knowing how to respond in the first minutes after an injury can save lives — and save your production.
Lazarus Training’s First Aid in Remote Locations course is explicitly designed for media production companies operating in areas with limited access to hospitals or rescue services.
This isn’t generic first aid — it’s tailored by professionals, for professionals who face real risk in remote environments.
Exciting Update from Lazarus Training: Additional FARL Training Dates Coming Soon!
We are thrilled to announce that following the recent endorsement of our First Aid in Remote Locations (FARL) course by the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, demand has been higher than ever.
Our next course, FARL 67 (16th–18th September 2025, Blagdon), reached capacity faster than expected—and thanks to your enthusiasm, we are now scheduling additional dates for later this year and into 2026.
This is fantastic news for anyone who missed out on securing a place in September. Keep an eye on our channels, as we’ll be releasing new dates shortly.
As a reminder, FARL is designed for those working in challenging and remote environments—particularly media professionals, natural history crews, and documentary filmmakers. With refreshed scenarios, updated content on managing illness and injury, and the option to add a fourth day covering evacuation planning, travel health, and crisis response, it continues to be one of our most comprehensive training programmes.
We are also still exploring venues closer to London to make attendance easier for our delegates—so if you're looking to complete our FARL or FAOL training course we’d love to hear from you......0800 242 5210 or email info@lazarustraining.co.uk
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SCOTLAND: The Big Picture (SBP) is a charity that works to make rewilding happen
across Scotland, in response to the growing climate and biodiversity crises.
Our vision is of a vast network of rewilded land and water, where wildlife flourishes and
people thrive. Visit: scotlandbigpicture.com
Could you make the next Mysteries of the Universe or Our Planet?
Gain the expertise needed to direct science and wildlife productions, the know-how to produce and direct entire shows and the confidence to generate and pitch ideas to commissioners.
Date and time: Wednesday, September the 10th from 12 - 1pm (GMT+1)
Event programme:
Course overview with tutors
Q&A
Once you have booked your place, you will receive details of how to join the event.
Wildscreen, the not-for-profit behind the Wildscreen Festival, has revealed the nominees for its 2025 Panda Awards.
Nat Geo racked up nominations across 9 of the 17 award categories, with a full-house in the Series category with A Real Bug’s Life, Series 2 (Plimsoll Productions), Secrets of the Penguins (Talesmith) and OceanXplorers (co-produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit and OceanX).
Silverback Films picks up the most nominations for a single production company, garnering 7 nominations across 3 titles. Amongst them, Ocean with David Attenborough, the Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production is the most nominated production, with 5 nods spanning Scripted Narrative, Cinematography, Music, Producer/Director and Impact.
Joining the ocean-focused nominees is Netflix’s docuseries, Our Oceans (Wild Space Productions), with 2 nominations, alongside OceanXplorers, Tides of Life and Sea Lions of the Galapagos.
Joint second most nominated, with 3 nods each are Underdogs, A Real Bug’s Life, Series 2 and The Birds. Underdogs, a co-production from Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort and Wildstar Films, celebrates nature’s unsung and unconventional heroes and is narrated by the actor. A Real Bug’s Life (Plimsoll Productions), is an adventure into different micro bug worlds around the globe, narrated by Awkwafina, and is recognised across Cinematography, Children’s and Series. The Birds (Passion Planet and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios in association with Ammonite Films) provides insights into the mechanisms of the natural world and a filmmaker in the twilight of this career.
The Birds is nominated in the new for 2025, Independent category, alongside Trade Secret and The Old Bear. Trade Secret, Directed by Abraham Joffe and Executive Produced by Adam McKay, exposes the sanctioned commercial sale of hundreds of polar bears on the global market each year. The Old Bear, Directed, Written and Produced by Julie Busse & Candice Odgers and featuring Casey Anderson which meditates on the last days of old grizzly bears as a window into exploring human attitudes about aging and death.
Meet the 2025 Jackson Wild
Media Awards Finalists!
Jackson Wild are thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2025 Jackson Wild Media Awards. This year’s entries showcased an inspiring range of stories, perspectives, and creative approaches from around the world—highlighting the power of media to connect us with the natural world and one another..
The panels of preliminary judges carefully evaluated over 1,000 hours of incredible submissions to determine the finalists across each category. We offer our sincere congratulations to all who have been recognised.
Award winners will be announced during the Jackson Wild Awards Gala on October 2, as part of an energizing week of conversations, community, and celebration at the 2025 Jackson Wild Summit (September 29th - October 3rd).
Whether you join us in person or virtually this fall, we look forward to celebrating these stories with you.
“Ocean with David Attenborough,” “Yanuni” among nominees for Jackson Wild Media Awards
Disney+/National Geographic’s Ocean with David Attenborough (pictured), PBS Nature’s Wild Hope series and the feature doc Yanuni, exec produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, are among the nominees for the 2025 edition of the Jackson Wild Media Awards.
Each project has received multiple nominations for the awards, to be held during the Jackson Wild Summit, which takes place from Sept. 29 to Oct. 3 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Nominations were made from close to 1,000 category entries representing 48 countries.
This year’s awards program also marks the debut of the Content Creator award, recognizing social media creators active in the wildlife and conservation space; the Branded Content award, recognizing work done with brand partners; and the Investigative award, honoring journalism that probes environmental issues
“This year marks a historic milestone for Jackson Wild, with more films entered than ever before — an inspiring testament to the global power and urgency of storytelling for the planet,” said Christie Quinn, interim executive director of Jackson Wild. “In a time when the natural world faces unprecedented challenges, these films are beacons of hope, truth, and creativity. We are honored to celebrate such bold, visionary voices from around the globe.”
Below is a select list of nominees, with credits supplied by Jackson Wild. For the full list, visit the Jackson Wild website at this link.
Animal Behavior
A Real Bug’s Life: Love in the Forest
National Geographic Channel, Plimsoll Productions
Sea Lions of the Galapagos
Disneynature
Secrets of the Penguins: Heart of Emperors
Talesmith, National Geographic
Underdogs: Total Grossout
Wildstar, National Geographic
Ecosystem
Our New World
Boréales, Terra Mater Studios, Federation Studios, Lionfish film, Distributed by Autentic
Secrets of the Forest
A NOVA Production by Windfall Films Ltd, (part of the Argonon Group) for GBH in association with France Télévisions, ABC Television, and ZDFinfo
The Birds
A Passion Planet and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios Production in association with Ammonite Films
The American Southwest
Fin and Fur Films, Natives Outdoors, American Rivers, Northern Jaguar Project, Peregrine Fund, Glen Canyon Institute, Freshwater Illustrated, Salmonfly Project, ProNatura Noreste, Walton Foundation, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Horizon Foundation
Conservation: Long-form America’s Wolf
National Geographic Society Impact Story Lab
Reindalen
Neon Raven Story Labs, University Centre in Svalbard
Wild Hope: Pangolin Protectors
An HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and NEWF Production for PBS Nature’s YouTube Channel
Wild Hope: Stork Sisters
An HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and Red Rock Films Production for PBS Nature’s YouTube Channel
Planet in Crisis: Long-form
Ocean with David Attenborough
Silverback Films, Open Planet Studios Productions, All3Media, National Geographic
The White House Effect
Actual Films, Department of Motion Pictures, Impact Partners, Far Star, Cinereach, Cinephil, Bird Street Productions
Wild Hope: Mission Impossible
An HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and Red Rock Films Production, in association with Camera One Productions for PBS Nature’s YouTube Channel
Yanuni
Malaika Pictures, Appian Way, Nia Tero, Age of Union, Tellux, ÖFI+
Netflix leads unscripted noms for 2025 Daytime Emmys
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) has revealed the nominations for the 52nd annual Daytime Emmy Awards, which will be presented in a ceremony in Pasadena, California on October 17, 2025.
The honors’ unscripted categories cover genres including culinary, legal, travel and adventure, science and nature, lifestyle, reno/how-to, and arts and popular culture.
Netflix titles had a strong showing across the Daytime Emmys’ competition categories, garnering multiple noms for blue-chip wildlife docs such as Secret Lives of Orangutans (pictured) and Living with Leopards, anthropology series Secrets of the Neanderthals and history series Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors, and the arts & culture doc Black Barbie, from Shonda Rimes’ Shondaland. National Geographic also notched a good share of noms for two of its premium titles, Shark Beach with Anthony Mackie: Gulf Coast and National Parks: USA.
Off the Fence acquired by Insight TV following announcement of bankruptcy proceedings
Amsterdam-based factual-focused linear and FAST channel operator Insight TV revealed on Thursday (July 31) that it has acquired award-winning factual producer and distributor Off the Fence (OTF), one month after the latter announced that it had entered bankruptcy proceedings.
The transaction will see OTF depart its previous parent, ZDF Studios, and move under the Insight TV umbrella while keeping its brand identity intact. Key OTF staff — including CEO Bo Stehmeier — have been retained to manage the label under its new ownership, and select other personnel from the company will be integrated into Insight TV’s commercial, legal and acquisitions teams.
However, a “number of other roles” at OTF have been affected by the acquisition, according to a release, which added that both Insight TV and OTF are working with those individuals “with a focus on long-term opportunity, not reduction.¨
However, a “number of other roles” at OTF have been affected by the acquisition, according to a release, which added that both Insight TV and OTF are working with those individuals “with a focus on long-term opportunity, not reduction.
The major change that will be enacted through the deal is the shuttering of Off the Fence’s in-house production arm, OTF Studios, which has produced such titles as the Academy Award-winning My Octopus Teacher and Silverback, which won the top prize at the prestigious Jackson Wild Media Awards. According to the release, this decision was made in order to align the slimmed-down OTF with Insight TV’s business model of coproductions and third-party commissioning.
The Bough Breaks, produced by Mousehole Films and sponsored by us is now being distributed by Good Docs.
Good Docs is a leading documentary distributor representing a wide collection of films that do GOOD in the world.
Their award-winning collection champions creative expression and complex films that provoke critical thinking. Featuring stories about individuals and communities working towards a more equitable world.
THE BOUGH BREAKS has at its heart, the work of visionary conservationist and ecologist, Alan Watson Featherstone and his charity Trees For Life, but it also explores the wider Rewilding movement; how its model of large-scale forest restoration, can mitigate some of the global conservation and climate crises, currently threatening life on Earth. Alan's personal journey also illustrates the urgency for more individual responsibility in the stewardship of our planet and the enormous legacy one man can gift to the future, by staying true to his personal vision.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: People & Nature | Trees & Seas Film Festival 2025
The Trees & Seas Film Festival isn’t just a festival. It’s a global movement.
For 10 powerful days, communities around the world will gather in person and online to experience films that don’t just inspire, they mobilize.
Get your ticket today and be part of something bigger than cinema. With 75% of proceeds supporting local efforts to combat plastic pollution and drive circular economy solutions, every ticket fuels real-world change.
One Festival. Multiple Locations. Infinite Impact.
Engage in conversations with filmmakers, environmentalists and global citizens like you.
Your seat is more than a viewing spot. It’s a step toward action.
Explore powerful stories of restoration, resistance, and hope.
From underwater wonders to defiant grassroots action, these films take you into the heart of what it means to protect life on Earth.
Conservation Category | Trees & Seas 2025
Featuring: Salmon Secrets, Here the Wild Things Are, Black Water, El Pulmo, The Shot List, and The Red List.
Join us on 17th October at the British Library, London, UKor online, for a one-day nature photography symposium featuring a world-class line-up of 14 award-winning nature photographers, sharing the stories, craft and impact behind some of the most iconic recent wildlife photography.
The full line-up features award-winning photographic talent spanning 9 countries, including a compelling mix of 9 x 20 minute lightning talks, a panel discussion on the need for conservation photography, and of course our superb headliners David Doubilet and Karine Aigner.
Programme highlights include:
Working from Home – Jennifer Hayes, Anthony Ochieng & Nayan Khanolkar
An exploration of what it means to photograph the wildlife in your own backyard, from the alleys of Mumbai, to ice floes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and to the forests of Kenya, championing intimate and in-depth knowledge of place and species.
The Human Connection – Shin Arunrugstichai, Javier Aznar & Rena Effendi
A globe-spanning exploration of how our relationship with nature shapes the stories we tell, from the depths of the oceans to conflict zones and rural communities.
Why We Need Conservation Photography (Panel) – Roz Kidman Cox (Chair), Melissa Groo & Jasper Doest
A powerful discussion on the ethical and emotional impact of photography as a tool for conservation, highlighting the shift from passive admiration to active engagement.
Wildscapes – Chien Lee, Fernando Faciole & Rachel Bigsby
Discover how photographers are reimagining landscapes through their lenses, capturing the hidden drama and fragile complexity of wild habitats around the world.
To shine a light on this crisis, The Herds are on a powerful journey – using art and movement to bring the wild’s urgent message from city streets to frontline communities.
ACFF is Open for Film Submissions!
We’re inviting filmmakers to submit fiction and non-fiction conservation films from around the world on FilmFreeway.
For our 23rd year, we'll be considering films under 40 minutes - as well as inviting several feature films. We especially love stories that include possible solutions.
Your support for our environmental film festival helps elevate vital stories that inspire action for our planet.
Every donation makes a difference in our ability to bring you the best in conservation filmmaking, provide a supportive platform to filmmakers, develop educational programming, and expand our outreach efforts: Consider a donation today!
2026 DCEFF Festival Dates Announced
The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital (DCEFF) Announce their 2026 Festival Dates: March 19-28
¨We are very excited to announce the official dates for our 34th Annual Environmental Film Festival. Staff are already hard at work making plans for next March!¨
To support their upcoming programming and next year's Festival, consider making a contribution today: give/dceff/donate
In other news: ¨we're excited to announce a new staff member has joined the DCEFF team.¨
DCEFF Welcomes Brianna Day to the Team
Brianna recently joined the Festival staff as our new Director of Development, where she'll work with our amazing network of supporters to drive the DCEFF mission forward.
Prior to working at DCEFF, Brianna was Corporate Relations Manager at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In her free time, Brianna serves on the board of St. Mark’s Players, a Capitol Hill community theatre, where she continues to perform and stage manage whenever possible.
The 48th International Wildlife Film Festival (IWFF) is happy to announce the 2025 Award Winners. Every year, the IWFF Jury votes on a pool of films to be highlighted in 12 categories, pulled from submissions, and celebrated during the week-long festival. This year, the event will run from Saturday, April 19th, to Thursday, April 24th, with special screenings of award-winning films and festival favorites on Saturday, April 26th. The Virtual Festival plays online from April 26th to May 2nd.
After deliberation, one winner was selected in each of the 12 categories, and an additional Special Jury Prize was awarded. The 2025 jury included Brad Forder, the Director of Programming for the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital, Ian Withrow, the Marketing and Communications Manager of the Flathead Lake Biological Station, and Jess Swigonski, a Freelance Film Curator and Screening Strategist.
Lost Wolves of Yellowstone, the Best of Fest Award-Winner, is a powerful testament to wildlife resilience and the commitment of people who dedicate their lives to help restore the balance of nature in our ecosystems.
Jury statement: This epic, emotionally resonant film captures one of the most ambitious and controversial wildlife reintroduction efforts in modern history. Through immersive archival footage and the deeply human story of biologist Mollie Beattie, the film brings the return of wolves to Yellowstone to life with both grandeur and intimacy. For its masterful storytelling, emotional resonance, and profound exploration of ecological restoration, the jury is honored to award it Best of Fest.
A Record-Breaking Year of Submissions for the Jackson Wild Media Awards
This year’s Jackson Wild Media Awards broke our records, with nearly 1,000 category submissions, over 500 films entered, and stories from 48 countries across the globe.
This incredible response is a powerful sign: the global community of nature and science storytellers is growing stronger, more passionate, and more determined than ever.
A heartfelt thank you to every filmmaker, crew member, changemaker, and storyteller who submitted your work. Your creativity, courage, and commitment to this planet continue to inspire — and we can’t wait to celebrate the stories you’ve shared.
Attend the 2025 Summit: Register to attend
September 29 - October 3, 2025 - The Jackson Wild Summit brings together an uncommon community, bound by a shared sense of purpose. We all believe in the transformative power of story to inspire awe at the wonders of our natural world and ignite critical changes required to restore and protect it through high-impact global collaborations.
Announcing the Jackson Wild 2025 Legacy and Rising Star Award Winners
Celebrating two incredible storytellers.
One a guiding light whose work has defined the field, the other an emerging force, lighting the way ahead.
We are honored to present the 2025 Jackson Wild Legacy Award in Media to Sophie Darlington ASC, a world-renowned wildlife cinematographer whose work has redefined how we see—and feel—our connection to the natural world.
Sophie has spent over three decades behind the camera, a trailblazer in wildlife cinematography when women were few and far between. Mentored in the Serengeti by legendary filmmaker Hugo van Lawick, she’s built a career capturing emotionally powerful, visually striking, and deeply empathetic stories that bring audiences closer to the beauty and fragility of the natural world.
Her work spans many of the most iconic and award-winning nature documentaries of our time, including Dynasties Iand II, Our Planet I and II, and The Hunt, all narrated by Sir David Attenborough. In 2016, she was part of the core team that won a BAFTA for The Hunt and became a member in 2018.
In 2024, she was Co-Series Director of Photography on National Geographic’s Queens, and in 2025, she became the first dedicated wildlife cinematographer invited to join the American Society of Cinematographers and was also invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Sophie continues to build on her legacy by mentoring and advocating for women and underrepresented voices in wildlife storytelling.
Sophie’s legacy is not only measured in the footage she’s captured but in the doors she’s opened.
We are thrilled to recognize Sonya Lee, a Korean-Canadian filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer, as the 2025 Jackson Wild Rising Star—an award that honors emerging voices whose work is boldly shaping the future of environmental media.
Thank you to Wildstar Films for sponsoring the Rising Star Award and uplifting a new wave of change-makers in this industry.
Sonya’s filmmaking explores the intersections of science, nature, culture, and community. With a background in Marine Biology and International Development Studies, she brings over a decade of experience in science communication to her storytelling. As the former Science Producer for the National Film Board of Canada’s Ocean School, she created over 100 educational media pieces—including documentaries, VR/AR experiences, and interactive tools—designed to bring ocean literacy into classrooms around the world.
Her most recent film, Jawsome: Canada’s Great White Sharks, premiered on CBC’s The Nature of Things and was nominated for Best Science and Nature Documentary or Series at the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards. It will be released internationally as Sharks of the North on National Geographic WILD’s Shark Fest via Disney+ and Hulu in July 2025.
Sonya is currently creatingOur Ocean Table, a TELUS Originals docuseries that blends her love of Korean food and culture with ocean conservation storytelling. She’s also producing a CBC Short Doc about an endemic lamprey species in an urban creek on Vancouver Island, while actively advocating for productions that support women, working moms, and new parents in the field of science media.
Her passion for community-driven storytelling and ethical science communication has made her a sought-after mentor, having led workshops and knowledge-sharing initiatives across Canada, South Africa, and aboard the OceanXplorer as Media Faculty for OceanX’s Young Explorers Program.
Sonya Lee is not only a storyteller to watch—she’s a force shaping where this industry is going.
Itching at having to wait two years for the next Wildscreen Festival? Join us this Autumn for our brand new 3-day event designed to help the wildlife film, TV, and content communuty navigate the evolving landscape of natural world storytelling.
Wildscreen Industry Summit will bring together industry leading producers, distributors, commissioners, innovators and more from October 20-22 2025 in Bristol, with a hybrid format allowing global participation online.
What will it include?
- Future-Focused Talks: Insights from commissioners, distributors, and producers on emerging trends and industry shifts. - Curated Networking: Dedicated 1-1 meetings, pitching sessions, and career development opportunities. - Practical Workshops: Hands-on skills-development sessions covering key skills such as editing, filming, and storytelling techniques.
¨We are launching the Wildscreen Industry Summit at a critical time for the global wildlife content industry. In a fast-changing, unsettled and ever-evolving industry landscape,?our historical model of gathering our community together every other year at the biennial Wildscreen Festival, is no longer fit for purpose. Our community is seeking year-round leadership, collaboration and bold ideas.
The future-focused Summit will convene the community together?annually?to navigate the challenges and opportunities of a world in flux, gathering together leading producers, distributors, commissioners and cutting-edge innovators in Bristol, the wildlife film and TV content capital of the world, to push the boundaries of the craft and the business that underpins it.¨ - Lucie Muir, Wildscreen CEO
Join Wildscreen on 17th October at the British Library, London, UK or online, for a one-day nature photography symposium featuring a world-class line-up of 14 award-winning nature photographers, sharing the stories, craft and impact behind some of the most iconic recent wildlife photography.
WildPhotos will feature a world-class line-up of 14 award-winning nature photographers, sharing the stories, craft and impact behind some of the most recent iconic wildlife photography.
In partnership with Wildlife Photographer of The Year and kindly supported by Focused on Nature.
Location: Pigott Theatre, British Library, London, UK.
Life in the Sonoran Desert | A Cinematic Wildlife Journey ... from Alan Lacy
Experience the Sonoran Desert like never before.
In this cinematic wildlife journey, we follow life across one of the world’s harshest environments—where river otters glide through desert streams, caracaras hunt to feed their young, rattlesnakes track prey in silence, and saguaros burst into bloom after years of drought.
Shot primarily on the Sigma 300–600mm f/4, this film is a personal exploration of survival, adaptation, and beauty in the Sonoran Desert.
Ever wonder how a solo wildlife film gets made? In this behind-the-scenes breakdown, I walk you through how I created Life in the Sonoran Desert, a 14-minute cinematic wildlife journey, while field testing the brand new Sigma 300–600mm f/4 DG DN OS Sports lens.
From field challenges and story development, to narration and sound design, I share how this project evolved from a simple lens test into a full-fledged short documentary.
5 Mistakes I Made Filming My First Wildlife Documentary
I made my first wildlife documentary with passion... but also a lot of painful mistakes.
In this video, I break down the 5 biggest mistakes I made making my first wildlife documentary, so you don’t have to go through the same struggles.
If you’re working on a wildlife film, planning your first doc, or just curious about the reality behind the scenes, this episode will help you save time, money, and frustration. These are the hard lessons I learned over the past 15 years of trial and error.
Want to learn how to make your own wildlife documentary?
I'm building a full course on wildlife filmmaking. Sign up for early access here: filmingthewild.com/courses
New Protect The Wild animation – Join the campaign to ban snares!
Protect The Wild launched a petition calling on the Labour Govt to push through their promised ban on snares.
The UK (excluding the US) produces the most plastic waste per person globally and ships millions of kilograms overseas for "recycling" to countries like Türkiye and Malaysia, often leading to environmental damage, landfill, or burning.
We need your support to pressure the UK government to take responsibility for its plastic and end this harmful trade. Donate now to help us campaign for a ban and a real solution to the UK's plastic problem.
Apple TV+ sets fall debut for “Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age” narrated by Tom Hiddleston
Apple TV+ will release the next installment of its award-winning Prehistoric Planet franchise, Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age, on November 26.
The new five-part series will see superstar actor Tom Hiddleston taking over narration duties from natural history icon Sir David Attenborough, who voiced the first two seasons.
Shuttling forward millions of years after the extinction of the dinosaurs, Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age will offer an immersive overview of a new era shaped by ice and the rise of a new breed of giants: the iconic megafauna. From woolly mammoths to snow sloths, saber-toothed tigers to three-foot-tall dwarf elephants, the series reveals the epic stories and struggles of these remarkable animals as they battle for survival in the face of extreme climates and dramatically transforming landscapes.
Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age is produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit. The executive producers are Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton.
Reality series see four teams of shark experts and enthusiasts travel the globe trying to find the most elusive shark species
A first of its kind competition series where four teams of shark FINatics travel the world trying to find and photograph every shark imaginable in hopes of claiming the $50,000 prize.
Emzotic goes behind the scenes of the 2025 hit Netflix series 'All The Sharks' with Executive Producer Myke Clarkson!
In this exclusive interview, Myke takes us through the untold story behind the making of All The Sharks - Four teams of shark experts and enthusiasts who travel the globe trying to find the most elusive shark species in a reality competition.
From filming over 50 species of shark, experiencing a real-life 'Sharknado', to the challenges of traveling with a crew of 60, Myke reveals what it was really like to capture these epic moments of nature’s most powerful and misunderstood creatures.
Discover some terrifying behind-the-scenes stories, the logistical challenges, and the unforgettable moments that had the crew facing the raw forces of nature. What does it take to film with sharks in the wild? What dangers did they face? How did Myke Clarkson and his team pull off this massive global production?
For more than 30 years, Jackson Wild has been at the forefront of elevating conservation and wildlife storytelling, and fostering collaboration among filmmakers, scientists, conservationists, and the public. With our industry—and the world—facing unprecedented change, the 2025 Summit offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore new storytelling opportunities, understand and shape industry trends, build relationships, hear from influential speakers at the top of our field, and be inspired.
Whether you're a filmmaker, broadcaster, distributor, short-form content creator, digital activist, scientist, or immersive innovator—this is your space and your event.
Jackson Wild will deliver four unforgettable days of thought-provoking, genre-defining sessions to elevate your work and its real-world impact.
A powerful convening of creativity, resilience, and diversity in one of the most spectacular and invigorating settings on Earth.
It’s time to connect, create, and energize.
Join the festival in person ot virtually, from September 29th - October 3rd 2025
These student projects were voted on by BAFTA members from over a record breaking 1034 film, games and immersive submissions from 154 schools across 39 countries.
The winners will be announced on Friday 13 June in LA. Best of luck to graduate Thomas Cassar and his team.
In 2024, two NFTS productions took home awards. The BAFTA Student Award for Games was awarded to There Was A Home, designed and developed by Wid Alhajjaji and the Special Jury Prize was awarded to animation Dragfox, directed by Lisa Ott and starring the legendary Ian McKellen and Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK Divina de Campo.
Feeling inspired to make films that get recognised on the world stage? Applications are open for many NFTS courses starting in September 2025 and January 2026!
Adrenaline, squalls and lots of teeth: How Plimsoll threw celebrities to the sharks
The nature specialist hopes its ITV entertainment format will help celebrities and viewers fall in love with one of the ocean’s top predators
Plimsoll’s foray into entertainment, its natural history crossover SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters, first began as a question: “What is the most adrenalized experience you could give to humans?”
The answer it seems, is to dive with various breeds of sharks.
The company is best known its natural history documentaries and, Andrea Jackson, Plimsoll’s creative director of factual entertainment explains, with four different development departments, it had been seeking out a way to mine the crossover points between the entertainment and natural history genres.
To achieve this, Plimsoll frequently has what Jackson calls “cross-genre brainstorms”, and so after the fact ent team identified sharks as a potential topic, they brought in natural history colleagues to educate them about the killer fish.
“It just so happened,” Jackson says, “that the anniversary of the film Jaws was coming up and we wanted to re-write that narrative. [The film] sets sharks up as these man-killers – but nothing could be further from the truth and that propelled what we were doing.”
The result of these brainstorms was “a brilliant coalescence of people with different skillsets and different ways of approaching the telling of a story and making of a series”.
Why I came out from behind the camera to join the wildlife on screen
Presenter and camera operator Declan Burley on making Offspring Films’s The Wild Ones for Apple TV+
I should’ve known something was up when Offspring Films took me out for a meal. Halfway through dinner, they told me they wanted to put me in front of the camera. My instant reaction, with a mouthful of noodles, was “No, I’m not a presenter”.
I learned my trade in the rainforest. The first time I ever filmed animals, or was ever truly in wilderness, was in the Amazon, when I was 23 and fresh out of university. So to me, being in the jungle is just really exciting – the smells, the sounds. And you don’t see a lot of wildlife, but when you do, it’s just an absolute gift, it’s a pleasure.
And the thing is, when you watch these nature documentaries, they almost make it look too easy. The reality is that it’s not easy, but I still want to go back because I love it.
It was my partner who talked me into it in the end, and I realised I really did want to show the work that goes into these sorts of films and series – I thought ‘I’m just going to let the camera be there, because if the camera is there, then the audience can join’.
Working on “The Wild Ones” was amazing – I haven’t specialised in filming in the water before, so spending time on the boat filming the North Atlantic right whale was really fun. Like everything, it has its own challenges – particularly with boredom, as you have hours where nothing’s happening. When you’re in the boat and off to find whales, it’s pretty exciting, and then someone tells you they’re 30 hours away and you think “What are we going to do for 30 hours?”. But then all of a sudden, you spot them and everything goes mad.
I had also never really worked in deserts before. It was just unbearably hot, and the landscape looked like you could be on another planet. There was a point where I found it difficult to be in front of the camera answering questions, because it was hard to think about anything except how hot it was – but I managed to get through it.
NEWF 2025: Fellows Summit & Congress. Webinar with co-executive director Pragna-Parsotam Kok
Pragna Parsotam-Kok is co-executive director with Noel Kok of NEWF, Africa’s Nature, Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers Congress.
Pragna shares her insights into the success of the 2025 edition of NEWF Fellows Summit and Congress.
The key takeaway: NEWF is expanding its unique role in training and mentoring filmmakers from all over Africa.
National Geographic Society‘s Storytelling Program is NEWF’s key funder.
In 2025, NEWF and National Geographic Society launched AFRICA REFOCUSED to tell the continent’s rich bounty of stories from an African perspective.
¨I take a particular interest in NEWF because I backed Noel and Pragna’s vision when it wasn’t much more than a few scribbles on the back of an envelope. And attending the NEWF Congress in Durban is a highlight of my conference life.¨ Peter Hamilton
Africa Refocused is a collaboration between NEWF and the National Geographic Society, supporting the expansion of NEWF, to elevate African storytellers in global media and conversations about Africa, and ultimately addressing the need to refocus the stories of Africa so they are told by and from the perspective of African people.
The search for the next cohort of Whitley Award winners has begun!
Do you know a conservation leader who would benefit from £50,000 project funding, training, international awareness, and network opportunities?
We're looking for mid-career conservationists who are leading grassroots conservation projects in their home country in the Global South, partnering with communities, and seeking to scale up proven solutions.
Check eligibility, apply, or help share the call before applications close on 31st October.
Memorable moments from the 2025 Whitley Awards ceremony
"We have so much to learn from them as individuals, from their teams, and from what they have achieved.” - WFN Patron, HRH The Princess Royal.
An “oasis” of good news, we welcomed 400 attendees including donors, supporters and country Ambassadors to the Royal Geographical Society in London to honour the six latest Whitley Award-winning conservationists protecting our planet for future generations, as well as this year’s Whitley Gold Award winner.
WFN Ambassadors Tom Heap and Kate Humble compèred the ceremony with warmth and wit, while WFN’s Founder Edward Whitley OBE recounted extraordinary achievements from our global network of Whitley Award alumni.
YouTube overtakes ITV to become UK's second most-watched service after the BBC
Gen Alpha turn to YouTube first on their TV set at home, while over 55s double their time on the service. Fewer than half of 16-24-year-olds watch broadcast TV weekly. Despite declines, traditional broadcasters’ content still makes up majority of in-home viewing
YouTube is leading the charge in the streaming takeover of TV sets, with the service now the first place younger viewers go as soon as they switch on, according to Ofcom’s annual report on the nation’s media habits.
Overall people spent an average of 4 hours 30 minutes per day watching TV and video content at home in 2024. And while broadcast TV still accounts for the majority of in-home viewing (56%), audiences are increasingly turning to YouTube. The platform is now the second most-watched service in the UK, behind the BBC and ahead of ITV.
At home, people spent 39 minutes on YouTube per day in 2024, with 16 minutes of this via the household’s TV set. Younger adults aged 16-34 are driving this trend, watching 18 minutes of YouTube a day on TV, while one in five (20%) children aged 4-15 head straight to the app as soon as they turn the set on.
But it’s not just Gen Z and Alpha driving this trend. Over 55s are now watching nearly double the amount of YouTube content on their TVs compared to the previous year (11 minutes per day in December 2024, up from just 6 minutes in January 2023). Last year, 42% of all YouTube viewing by this age group was on a TV set (up from 33% in 2023).
YouTube content evolving
The content audiences are watching on YouTube has evolved too. Half of the platform’s top-trending videos now more closely resemble traditional TV, including long-form interviews and game shows. This shift positions YouTube as a direct competitor to ad-supported TV services, while offering broadcasters a way to reach wider and younger audiences.
Some broadcasters are increasingly offering their own programmes on YouTube, for example ITV and Channel 4 make full length programming available on their channels, retaining control over adverts. Ofcom has identified these sorts of partnerships, making public service content available and prominent on online platforms, as critical to sustain the future of public service media in its recent report, Transmission Critical.
Public service broadcasters (PSBs) are seeing success with their online services, especially the BBC. For the first time, people are watching more online programmes from broadcasters than they are recorded programmes.
Ed Leighton, Ofcom’s Interim Group Director for Strategy and Research, said: “Scheduled TV is increasingly alien to younger viewers, with YouTube the first port of call for many when they pick up the TV remote. But we’re also seeing signs that older adults are turning to the platform as part of their daily media diet too.
“Public service broadcasters are recognising this shift - moving to meet audiences in the online spaces where they increasingly spend their time. But we need to see even more ambition in this respect to ensure that public service media that audiences value survives long into the future.”
New film from Bevis Bowden: Marginalia | song to the river
Marginalia | song to the river is a film that explores the river and its wildlife in a time of increasing land pressure and climate change.
Through poetry, song and statement this film asks us who we are and how we fit into the dynamic of our surroundings and nature.
The film features the commissioned poem Isis written by Penny Boxall with additional contributions from Ricardo Pérez-de la Fuente, Jonathan Westaway and Lukas Krone. They discuss the environments lost to climate change, the river as a breathing, moving super organism and the deep sense of obligation astronauts have about conservation on returning to earth.
The music for the film was composed by Alex Smalley and Alex Lucas with the choral elements sung by the Choir of Merton College, Oxford.
Marginalia | song to the river was filmed as part of Merton College's Creative Arts Fellowship between October 2023 and August 2024 along a section of the Thames upstream from Oxford with additional elements filmed at Merton College, Oxford.
Marginalia | song to the river will screen on the:
23rd August as part of the Presteigne Festival | Gwyl Llanandras in the Welsh Marches. The programme will also include my film Raising the Hare and a selection of films from my ongoing project Observations from Isfryn.
1
st - 30th September as part of the Totally Thames Festival.
12th October as part of PhotoMonth at the Hackney Picturehouse - a double bill with the film Water Rats by Jillian Edelstein. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the photographer Tom Hunter.
"Undercover Inside the Bunker" premieres on Amazon
Inside the Beagle Rescue at MBR Acres - What's Next?
We (Animal Rising!) were told that we couldn't save any of the beagles locked up in MBR acres, that rescues on this level were relics of the 90s, and that we had no chance.
Well, we chose the right way, not the easy way - and now the whole world is going to hear about it.
This Friday (June 27th), a ground-breaking new documentary "Undercover Inside the Bunker" premieres on Amazon. It follows the “longest infiltration inside a pharmaceutical laboratory in the world”, revealing the hidden, brutal reality of animal testing across Europe - and we’d love you to see it.
The film includes our two 2022 rescues of beagle puppies from MBR Acres, as well as interviews with our co-director Rose, who helped bring these 23 beagles to safety.
Combining shocking undercover footage and expert voices, the film makes one thing clear: animal testing belongs in the past. Technologies like organ-on-a-chip and AI are already outperforming outdated methods - there’s no excuse for this cruelty to continue.
[Please note the documentary is in Spanish - with full English subtitles, so you won’t miss a thing!]
Watch the documentary and share it far and wide - the more people who see the truth, the louder the call for change.
Sign our petition urging the government to shut down MBR Acres and invest in cruelty-free technology and modern, humane science.
Donate to help power our vital press campaign as we take the fight for the Beagles of MBR acres to the British public!
As many of you know, the Animal Rising rescuers who freed 23 beagle puppies from a life in a laboratory are now facing burglary charges for saving lives.
These individuals acted selflessly to prevent suffering. Now they face prosecution simply for showing basic compassion. Your support will ensure every one of them has the help and resources they need to feel supported in court and tell their truth.
Stand with them. Stand against animal testing. Together, we can end this cruelty for good.
In solidarity,
Animal Rising
On to Tilburg! What started in 2015 as a Rotterdam film festival has now gained national wings.
After the expansion to Wageningen Wildlife and our successful online edition, another city will be added this year: Tilburg! We are very proud of that.
We will be at the iconic Cinecitta in Tilburg from 19 to 23 November. A selection of the most beautiful and most recent nature films will be shown there.
With WFFR we are reaching and inspiring more and more people! We hope to meet you during the 2025 edition.
Dates edition 2025
We are now in full preparation for the 2025 edition. The selection committee is watching the submitted films from all over the world day and night. An initial response from the committee is promising. It will be another fantastic program with the most beautiful and most recent films about nature.
Put these dates in your agenda:
Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam: 3-9 Nov ’25
WFFR Local: 1 Oct - 9 Nov ’25
Wildlife Wageningen: 12-16 Nov ’25
Wildlife Tilburg: 19-23 Nov ’25
WFFR Online: 4 Nov - 5 Dec ’25
Come to WFFR with your class
What you learn when you’re young, you’ll do when you’re old! Let your students experience the beauty of nature. Register for the WFFR 2025 school performances! The WFFR school program lets primary and secondary school students experience the beauty of nature through (short) nature films and an interactive conversation.
Aussie billionaire Andrew Forrest bankrolls David Attenborough’s US$5.1Mn OCEANS for Nat Geo and Disney+
“Billionaires back impactful documentaries!”
– That’s the key takeaway from the May 7 premiere in London of Ocean with David Attenborough.
West Australian resources magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest funded Ocean’s US$5.1 Mn documentary via Minderoo Pictures, his impact film company headed by Malinda Wink.
David Attenborough and King Charles topped Forrest’s super high-level guest list at the Royal Albert Hall premiere. (Credit: Getty Images for National Geographic)
The 99 -year-old Attenborough admits that Ocean is probably his last film.
Nearly three years in the making, the film “shines a stark spotlight on the devastation caused by industrial overfishing, with Attenborough’s unmistakable narration guiding audiences through the science, destruction and solutions.”
The film’s urgency is underlined by the timing of its launch ahead of World Ocean Day and the UN Ocean Conference in Nice.
Andrew Forrest aims to influence global policymakers and spark public demand for marine protection.
His goal is to establish “enforceable, no-take marine parks covering at least 30 per cent of oceans by 2030.”
'THIS IS THE STORY OF OUR OCEAN AND WE MUST WRITE ITS NEXT CHAPTER TOGETHER. FOR IF WE SAVE THE SEA, WE SAVE OUR WORLD. AFTER A LIFETIME OF FILMING OUR PLANET, I'M SURE THAT NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT.'
From the icy seas of our poles to remote coral islands, David Attenborough has filmed in every ocean habitat on planet earth. Now, with long-term collaborator Colin Butfield, he shares the story of our last great wilderness - the one which shapes the land we live on, regulates our climate and creates the air we breathe.
Dive into eight unique saltwater habitats, swim through kelp forests, mangroves and coral reefs and down almost 11,000 feet to the deepest corners of the most unexplored ecosystem on our planet.
Experience a journey of wonder and discovery, populated by green turtles and blue whales; clownfish and bioluminescent jellyfish; the vampire squid and the 'head-less chicken monster' - a strange form of sea cucumber that lives at the very bottom of the ocean.
With the warmth, intelligence and awe that characterises all of David Attenborough's landmark series, Ocean shows us a world which is both desperately fragile yet astonishingly resilient, with an extraordinary capacity to repair itself. It's not too late to restore our most vital habitat. If we treat it with respect, our marine world will be even richer and more spectacular than we can imagine.
A book almost a century in the making, but one that has never been more urgently needed.
** THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER **
¨Gripping... the wildlife is so fantastical that the images on the page feel like works of the imagination.¨ — Evening Standard
¨Determinedly positive . . . There seem to be real grounds for hope. You can just hear [Attenborough's] voice. The lilt and rasp of it . . . Passionate. The great naturalist's latest book, written with Colin Butfield, explores the Earth's last wilderness, from octopus gardens to booming fur seal numbers.¨ — The Times
¨[Sir David Attenborough] is a one-off . . . a genius.¨ — Daily Mirror
¨Educating and inspiring the next generation on the importance of the oceans is a key message. It reveals that the ocean is the part of our world that can, and in some cases has, recovered the fastest, and in our lifetimes we could see a fully restored marine world, even richer and more spectacular than we could possibly hope, if we act now to protect it.¨ — Daily Express
¨The great naturalist's latest book explores Earth's last wilderness, from octopus gardens to booming fur seal numbers. [It] is determinedly positive. There seem to be real grounds for hope. Given a chance, the authors insist, sea life is astonishingly resilient.¨ — The Times
On the 8th of May 2025, our most celebrated natural history broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough, celebrated his 99th birthday!
The broadcaster and naturalist first appeared on our screens more than 70 years ago. He has had a huge impact on the natural world and has played a significant role in inspiring the next generations of conservationists.
Of course there was plenty of news coverage:
Attenborough at 99 delivers 'greatest message he's ever told'
Sir David Attenborough is launching what he says is one of the most important films of his career as he enters his hundredth year.
He believes his new, cinema-length film Ocean could play a decisive role in saving biodiversity and protecting the planet from climate change.
Sir David, who will be 99 on Thursday, says: "After almost 100 years on the planet, I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea."
The ocean is the planet's support system and humanity's greatest ally against climate catastrophe, the film argues. It shows how the world's oceans are at a crossroads. The blue carpet was rolled out for the premiere the Royal Festival Hall in London. In attendance was the King, told Sir David he "can't believe" his 99th birthday was on Thursday.
OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH takes viewers on a breathtaking journey showing there is nowhere more vital for our survival, more full of life, wonder, or surprise, than the ocean. Book Tickets: www.oceanfilm.net
Nine facts about Sir David Attenborough as he turns ninety-nine
He first appeared on TV in 1954 – Over the past seven decades, Sir David has hosted many different series looking at the natural world, but where did it all begin?
After starting his career at the BBC, he presented a programme in 1954 called Zoo Quest.
It involved filming animals in captivity and in the wild and launched Sir David's career as a wildlife presenter.
The series brought rare animals - including chimpanzees, pythons and birds of paradise - into living rooms around the UK.
It was considered the most popular wildlife program of its time and proved that wildlife programmes could attract big audiences.
Throughout his 70 years in broadcasting, Sir David Attenborough has helped created some truly remarkable moments. Here are 99 of his wildlife scenes, ranging from breathtaking hunts to touching moments:
Happy birthday, David Attenborough! 99 ways he has inspired us, by Barack Obama, Billie Eilish, Morgan Freeman – and many more
The Guardian asked 99 nature lovers – including Margaret Atwood, Jane Fonda, Bono, Kate Winslet and Michael Palin – how he has helped us see the world with fresh eyes
Chris Packham Presenter, nature activist – It’s all about truth. Ask yourself, “Has David ever knowingly lied to me?” No, never. He may have told us things 40 years ago that science has updated, but he’s always told us the truth. In an age when it’s hard to trust anyone, that stands as his greatest asset.
Dr Paula Kahumbu Conservationist, WildlifeDirect CEO – Through him, I discovered the power of storytelling to move entire nations to love, care and act to protect nature. He inspired me to tell African stories through African eyes, transforming conservation outcomes.
Also see ¨David Attenborough at the BBC¨: canvas-story.bbcrewind.co.uk/attenborough70 Since 1954 the legendary documentary maker has been working with the BBC on some of the biggest and best-known natural history series on television. To mark more than 70 years in broadcasting, BBC History and BBC Archives have teamed up to celebrate his life in filmmaking.
Happy Birthday Sir David!
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society – CAMPAIGN FILM: Antarctica Defense 2025
For decades, we’ve deployed to Antarctic waters to defend some of the largest creatures on Earth. Now, our focus has shifted to one of the smallest—krill, the foundation of it all. This species is being wiped away by industrial fishing, putting the entire food chain at risk.
Industrial krill trawlers now operate here relentlessly, transferring their catch to freighters, refueling at sea, and returning to fish without pause.
These small, shrimp-like animals sustain some of the largest and most iconic species on the planet—humpback and fin whales, penguins, seals, and seabirds. As these animals arrive to feed, the trawlers sweep in ahead of them, taking the food right out from under them.
Sea Shepherd has returned to confront this crisis with nearly half a century of experience exposing lives lost in the wake of human greed. Our ships, our crew, and our camera teams are uniquely equipped to reveal what few have seen—and what the krill industry would prefer remain hidden.
Our work is rooted in science. We brought researchers aboard to monitor whale populations and their access to prey in this region—an essential feeding groundwhere whales return after breeding to rebuild their strength by feeding on krill.
We are using this evidence to push for stronger protections under CCAMLR, including the urgent establishment of a Marine Protected Area that would finally give these animals a safe zone to feed without competition from industrial trawlers.
This campaign is already shifting the conversation. But without action, the extraction continues. And the food disappears.
We focus in documentary making on land and underwater, we do high speed, infrared and thermal filming. We can also help as fixers in Cyprus and Greece.
Victoria Clarke – an Australia-based Presenter/Host/Narrator
Victoria is a freelance television presenter, broadcaster, science communicator and narrator for documentaries and television series specialising in wildlife, science, natural history and adventure/travel.
She studied a Bachelor of Science in Zoology at the University of Queensland, which she paired with formal training in television presenting and communications, and has since combined the two fields as a host for wildlife and natural history media.
Her work as a wildlife presenter has taken her to many interesting and remote places in the natural world, and she is an avid traveller and adventurer.
Victoria believes in the power of storytelling, and it's her objective to share information about our planet, and the scientific discoveries made here, to the wider community through compelling, entertaining and accurate stories.
Victoria knows that through the art of nature filmmaking, the importance of conservation and exposure to the beauty of the natural world can be truly understood and appreciated.
Massimiliano (Max) Finzi – a Marine Supervisor – Assistant Underwater Camera – Water Safety Diver
Max is a professional Marine Supervisor and Safety diver in Media, Film and HATV at Netflix, Prime, Lionsgate, Disney, BBC amongst others.
Based in both the UK (Devon) and Italy.
He says" "I have great experience in water diving safety. I am a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, an SSI Divemaster Instructor and the HSE Scuba L.4 and I’m also Instructor of many diving specialties; I’m an underwater camera assistant and also operate independently. I also have experience of training cast and crew in scuba diving to facilitate underwater sequences.
I have done over 10,000 dives in extremely different places and locations such as sea, ocean, river, altitude, lake, caves, under ice, deep and wrecks using all different equipments; I have worked as a dive instructor and dive manager for 21 years and in the last 5 as part of a team in the Marine department in film and TV.
Before becoming a diver in 1996 I was a studio still-life photographer a profession that I brought with me underwater;
I have the Gates STO (Setup/Test/Operate) certification made by Esprit Film; RYA PowerBoat L2, VHF Radio Operator, Day skipper.
I also have the IRATA Rope Access certification L1 and A1/A3 Drone open category.
More than 25 years after it first stomped onto our screens, the groundbreaking Walking with Dinosaurs is back in a major new BBC Studios production for BBC and PBS, co-produced with ZDF and France Télévisions. This six-part series reimagines the much-loved original with cutting-edge science, cinematic storytelling, and state of the art visual effects.
Each episode explores the dramatic life story of a different dinosaur, drawing directly from real- time fossil discoveries made by the world’s leading palaeontologists. As these ancient bones emerge from the earth, the show uses the latest scientific evidence and stunning visual effects from Lola to bring their prehistoric stories vividly to life, guiding audiences back through the Mesozoic Era like never before.
To help bring this historic era to life, ENVY played a big part providing a full range of post- production services.
Colourist, Sonny Sheridan; Online Editor, Adam Grant; Re-Recording Mixer, Bob Jackson; and Technical Operations Manager, Matt Cole explain the process
Laying the Bedrock
“This latest series has come a long way both in terms of technology and production”, comments Bob Jackson, who also mixed the audio of the 1999 series. “I began working on this new series in May 2024 where we set out how we would deliver the most accurate series we could.”
“During this process, ENVY and the BBC Studios Production Team were in regular contact with academics who advised us on sounds that would have been true to the time, such as birds and insects that would have been living. As an example, we could use the sounds of crickets but not cicadas. This consultation period was ongoing for the first 6 months that I was involved in the project and we were able to build up a collection of sounds to design the environments.”
Prior to ENVY working on the series, BBC Studios had already begun storyboarding and previsualising sequences in collaboration with VFX vendor Lola Post Production. ENVY and Lola subsequently worked together to facilitate the turnover of plates and delivery of VFX. “During this period, which lasted between 12-18 months, we turned over more than 2000 plates as well as the lens grids and photogrammetry Lola needed for their work.”, notes Cole.
Sonny Sheridan adds, “Sequences were shot on location with a crew going out to record clean plates. Lola would ‘de-age’ the location before adding the dinosaurs into the environment.”
PANGOLIN Journey to Freedom: An International Copro Beats the Odds. A Case Study
All the odds were against a South African producer successfully setting up an international coproduction about a secretive and enigmatic orphaned pangolin named Kosha.
That’s the story of Pangolin – Journey to Freedom.
The special is a partnership between Silver Bullet Films (Cape Town), Terra Mater Studios (Vienna) and PBS Nature. I’m thrilled to have served as an executive producer.
Follow Kosha, an orphaned pangolin pup, as her journey from rescue to freedom reveals groundbreaking conservation science that inspires a safe future for Earth’s most trafficked mammal species.
PANGOLIN: Finding the ‘baby-in-the-burrow’. A Webinar with Terra Mater Studios’ Susanne Lummer
Terra Mater Studios‘ executive producer Susanne Lummer spotlights several of the key challenges and triumphs in the development and production of PANGOLIN — Journey to Freedom.
I am delighted to have served as an EP of this warm-hearted co-production between Terra Mater, PBS Nature, and Cape Town-based Silver Bullet Films.
Our documentary follows an orphaned pangolin pup named Kosha on her journey from rescue to freedom in the Zimbabwean bush.
A webinar highlight is Susanne’s analysis of how the baby-in-the-burrow sequence reveals that even a jerry-rigged, low-tech kit can deliver highly emotional impacts. (Watch at 18′).
Plus: Don’t miss our deep dive Case Study covering the PANGOLIN story from concept to funding at €500,000 +/-, and then global distribution, which you can read here.
Chris Packham narrates ‘Killing our countryside’, a film which reveals the damage done to our wildlife and countryside by the shooting industry’s mass release of tens of millions of pheasants and partridges every year.
The film, and the accompanying campaign, make the argument for a ban on the production and release of birds for shooting.
The report details not only the horrific cruelty of so-called ‘game bird’ shooting, but also the devasting impact that it has on our environment and wildlife. Every year around 40-60 million non-native pheasants and partridges are released into the British countryside, trampling flora and outcompeting native wildlife for food. Toxic lead shot pollutes the land and waterways, poisoning animals. In reality, shooting is a million miles from its portrayal as a rural, natural pastime.
Clarkson's Farm - a show built on the suffering of animals ...
There's a chance you're watching the latest series of Clarkson's Farm on Amazon Prime or perhaps you've never even heard of the show..
Either way it is inarguable that it is one of the biggest shows on television, in fact last year it was the second most-streamed show of 2024 on any streaming service in the UK after Fool Me Once on Netflix.
That's a lot of people being fed crap. And when I say crap I mean the misinformation about Badgers and their role in spreading TB to cattle. The endless ranting about environmental regulations and red tape that is there to protect wildlife.
I was sick of seeing hardly anyone call it out and actually talk about the reality of British farming when it comes to the exploitation of animals and the effects on nature and wild animals.
So this week's video looks at the truth behind the hit show. I'd really appreciate you giving it a watch and letting me know your thoughts in the comments :)
“Matilda and the Brave Escape¨ is an uplifting and empowering short film based on the true story of Matilda, a pig who escaped from a farm in the UK and gave birth to her piglets in a nearby woodland - saving herself and her piglets from certain death.
The story of Matilda is incredible for many reasons - from Matilda herself to the dedication and kindness of everyone who campaigned for her freedom, her story is truly remarkable. Matilda and the Brave Escape shows her incredible bravery through the style of a family-friendly animated children’s story - as we strongly believe that Matilda has the power to inspire all ages. But while many children’s stories anthropomorphise animals, we wanted to showcase Matilda as the autonomous individual that she really is, allowing an audience to connect with her experience more authentically.
Ultimately, though the realities of pig farming are truly horrifying, Matilda’s story is one of a huge amount of hope and inspiration.”
- Ed Winters
Real lives. Real suffering. A story we must rewrite ... Animal Equality.
Around 85% of farmed animals in the UK are factory farmed.Every year, 1.2 billion land animals and up to 77 million fish are farmed and slaughtered for human consumption, plus millions more who die along the way. Their short lives are defined by pain, deprivation, and despair.
Every year, billions of animals suffer in factory farms worldwide, including here in the UK. Factory farming is the cruel and unsustainable system of intensive animal agriculture, where animals are treated as mere commodities – so often crammed into unnatural sheds, deprived of many of their basic needs, and subjected to painful mutilations.
Newborn calves are torn from their mothers in the dairy industry so their milk can be bottled for humans, millions of mother pigs are confined to metal crates barely bigger than their bodies, and chickens are bred to grow so unnaturally fast that their legs break and collapse under their weight. Meanwhile, farmed fish are confined in underwater cages often riddled with lice or disease, with no specific legal protections at slaughter.
Despite claims that the UK has ‘high welfare standards’, our investigative exposés consistently expose extreme cruelty, legal violations, and a lack of law enforcement. Non-compliances often go unnoticed and unpunished. The only way to truly protect animals is to end factory farming altogether.
At Viva! we’ve always believed in the power of food to change the world – that’s why we’re launching our latest initiative: Halfway Heroes. A bold, fun, and welcoming campaign encouraging meat-eaters to reduce their animal product consumption by going 50 per cent plant-based.
This is a campaign about action, not perfection. It’s about helping people take that all-important first step – swapping out meat and dairy for delicious, planet-friendly plant-based options. It’s for the climate-conscious but not-yet-vegan, the curious but overwhelmed. And it’s here to show that every bite counts.
My Role on the Katavi Series – ¨Over several years, I had the privilege of working on the Katavi series during both the dry and rainy seasons, immersed deep in the bush. My primary role involved extensive long-lens cinematography from a vehicle, supported by my incredible local drivers – Naiti and Kahimba – whose tracking skills and instinct in the field were invaluable.
Alongside ground-based filming, I also operated drones to capture aerials and dynamic bird-following shots that helped bring the vastness and drama of Katavi to life from above.
During my time there, I picked up some “kidogot” Swahili, basic tracking techniques, and, more importantly, a profound respect for the land and its rhythms. I filmed intense and emotional wildlife behavior, including dramatic hippo fights, a rare pelican kill, and powerful sequences of infanticide – alongside many other unforgettable moments from this remarkable series.
A highlight of this experience was being mentored and deeply inspired by Owen Prümm – an extraordinary filmmaker, cameraman, and bushman. His passion and presence in the field made this one of the most meaningful and unforgettable chapters in my career.¨ Luana Knipfer
Andreas Fiskeseth – Underwater filmmaker, drone pilot and DP based in Thailand.
Born and raised on the Western coast of Norway, I moved to Thailand at 23 to pursue a career in underwater filmmaking.
I'm a certified PADI Divemaster with 14 years experience and 3000+ ocean camera dives.
I've had the pleasure of working on various films, documentaries and tv-shows for clients such as the BBC, Disney+ & UFC.
Having dived all over Thailand I also offer consultations and location scouting, both for remote and underwater destinations.
I'm also an experienced drone pilot & timelapse photographer and have shot art films, music videos and promo videos.
While I'm experienced shooting with cameras from RED, Sony, & Canon my personal setup consists of a Panasonic Lumix GH7 for underwater – a great rig paired with the right glass.
Also the owner of a DPV rental company so I have access to some very handy DPV setups for underwater filmmaking to create unique images or keep up with fast moving subjects.
Located in Thailand but available to work anywhere. Speak Norwegian and English fluently.
I'm passionate about the ocean and marine conservation and this is reflected in my safe conduct around any subject or reef.
I also have a huge 6K/4K Stock library of mantas, whale sharks, macro, reef, turtles etc.
Wildlife Film Productions inc. – a boutique production company specialized in creating groundbreaking natural history films for audiences worldwide.
Wildlife Film Productions (WFP) was founded by Alex Jones, an Emmy-nominated and Panda award-winning Director of Photography (DOP) who has worked with top broadcasters like Disney, NatGeo, BBC, Netflix, and Apple. With over a decade of experience, Alex is known for his breathtaking macro and long-lens work, creating world-class wildlife films. Initially hired as head DOP on many shows, he quickly became involved in the creative direction and writing, showcasing his storytelling talents beyond the camera. His ability to shape the overall vision of a project adds a unique depth to every production.
Award-winning filmmaker Jaap Perenboom joined Alex after a chance encounter while filming in the jungles of Corcovado, Costa Rica. Their mutual passion for wildlife filmmaking brought them together, and they soon realized they shared the ambition to build a boutique Blue-Chip wildlife film company. With Jaap’s background in both business and filmmaking, he brings a rare combination of business savvy, strategic insight, and hands-on experience as a DOP, perfectly complementing Alex’s creative vision.
United by their love for wildlife and a shared dream to produce top-tier films, Alex and Jaap are building a strong, passionate team. Their collective vision and expertise drive WFP to deliver captivating, high-quality wildlife content that stands out in the industry.
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