Scholarships & Mentorships

• World Nomads Scholarships - For over 13 years, World Nomads has been providing up-and-coming filmmakers, writers and photographers with mentorships from industry professionals. Winners get an all-expenses paid trip to tell a travel story with support from their mentor. I’m not sure when it will next be open due to the pandemic but it is one to keep an eye on.

• Jackson Wild Media Lab - A science filmmaking workshop. It is free to apply to become a fellow. In 2021 it is only open to applicants in North America (Canada, US, Mexico) and the Caribbean Islands due to the pandemic but previously it was international.

• Jackson Wild Mentorship Programme - I am a mentor on this programme and I highly recommend applying for the learning and networking opportunities! It is free and simple to apply for filmmakers at all levels globally. As a mentee you will be paired with a mentor based on similar areas of interest. You will receive 30 mins to 2 hours of 1 to 1 mentorship and an invite to a group meeting where you can ask questions to the mentors.

Podcasts

Podcasts offer an array of valuable information for free, making them an excellent tool for learning and helping you to improve your nature photography and filmmaking. For detailed information about my favourite podcasts read this blog I wrote for NatureTTL.

• The Matthew Maran Podcast - A series hosted by London-based wildlife photographer Matthew Maran.

• The Bearded Tit’s Podcast - A weekly podcast hosted by Jack Perks, a UK-based wildlife camera operator.

• Impact - The Conservation Photography Podcast - Jaymi Heimbuch’s educational podcast for photographers and filmmakers.

• The Togcast - A bi-monthly podcast focused primarily on outdoor and landscape photography.

• Master Wildlife Filmmaking Podcast - A podcast hosted by Jake Willers about wildlife film careers.

• Wild and Exposed Podcast - A podcast hosted by an international collaborative of wildlife photographers and filmmakers.

• Creative + Moneywise Podcast - Learn about the business side of photography with Laura Elizabeth Pohl.

Articles

• Advice for doing work that matters to you - A blog by science communicator and conservationist James Borrell with useful tips.

• Career advice - A guest blog on WEX by Tania Esteban with 11 tips on how to become a wildlife filmmaker.

• How to get a career in conservation - Article by Mark Carwardine with advice and links to useful conservation websites.

• Getting a job making wildlife documentaries - BBC blog with advice from wildlife filmmakers.

• How to break into wildlife filmmaking (by making your own luck) - Blog by Peter Cooper about creating your own career opportunities.

Videos

• Breaking In - A YouTube series by filmmaker Ben Harris which tells his story about getting a job in natural history TV production in the UK.

• BBC Wildlife Photography Masterclass - Launched in April 2021, The ‘Photography Masterclass with Mark Carwardine’ series will feature a range of topics; sessions out in the field and interviews other wildlife photographers, advice using different equipment including camera traps, smartphones and photography hides. The series will consist of ten videos, released weekly on Thursdays.

• Emerging Talent Breakthroughs - Webinar produced by Wildscreen as part of the launch of their new Emerging Talent scheme, which sets to improve inclusion and diversity in the natural history industry across the world.

• Free camera training events - CVP is one of the leading Broadcast and Professional video solutions providers in the UK and Europe. They also host online events and videos with training and demonstrations of camera gear.

• How to make a nature video - A video from Wildscreen’s Back From The Brink program which features useful tips for making your own wildlife films.

Books

• Wildlife Photography at Home by Richard Peters - Learn about camera trapping with a DSLR. Within its pages you will discover clear instructions on the use of remote sensors and flash setups.

• The Adventure Game by Keith Partridge - The Adventure Game is the story of cameraman Keith Partridge, who left a secure job at the BBC to pursue a dream which could combine his passion for adventure with a career in film-making.

• Conservation photography Handbook by Boyd Norton - A ‘how to’ nature photography book that provides advice on how to use your photos to effect change.

• Breaking into business by NatureTTL - This eBook will show you all the ways you can make money as a nature photographer, including all the things you need to be aware of when starting your new business.

• Conservation Film-making by Wildeye - A book about how to produce films that make a difference.

Websites & Apps

• NatureTTL - A website focused on all things nature photography, their articles include interviews with professionals, tutorials on photographic techniques, reviews of camera equipment and more. All free to access online!

• Wild Idea Lab - A paid membership community platform where you can find specialised educational resources, live events, and community networking all in one place, and all designed specifically for the needs of conservation visual storytellers.

• Eventbrite - This site provides listings for virtual events, webinars and classes. I regularly scan the site for wildlife film, conservation or photo events which could be useful opportunities for networking or expanding my skill set! Some events require a fee while others are free to attend.

• Clubhouse - Unfortunately this is only available as an app to iPhone users however in the future it should become available to the rest of the world using other mobile devices. I haven’t been able to download it yet but I see many wildlife film related chats hosted on this platform so it could be a great way to gain insight into the topic.

• WaterBear - A video on demand platform for nature documentaries. It is free to subscribe! This is a great streaming platform to watch wildlife films and gain inspiration. You can also learn about the work of their network of 80+ NGOs.

• HMRC - For anyone based in the UK and working freelance HMRC offers useful webinars which explain everything from expense claims to record keeping and tax returns. When I first started out as a sole trader in the UK when I finished university their resources were super helpful.

• Wildlife Film - For over twenty years this organisation, has been helping support early career film-makers. Their website is free to access and includes a wealth of information and you can sign up to their newsletter to keep up to date on the latest news in the world of wildlife film.

Specialist degrees

• Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University - This is the course I graduated from in 2017. I enjoyed my time there and having this qualification has opened up more opportunities for me, but degrees in the UK are expensive. I relied on loans and am still paying off debt so it is not an option for everyone.

• Wildlife Filmmaking masters course at UWE Bristol - I have heard good things about this 1-year course and if you would like to be based in Bristol or work with TV productions based there it is a great opportunity for networking.