The unique book by Piers Warren, packed with guidance and advice for aspiring makers of natural history films Foreword by Jeffery Boswall Described as 'long-overdue' and 'much-needed', this is not just an essential book for newcomers and wannabes - the fascinating case studies of well-known individuals, and unique discussion of the future of the industry from top professionals, make this an important read for those already working in the fields of wildlife, underwater and conservation film. There has never been a careers guide to the wildlife film industry before, and this book covers all aspects of working in this genre. Author Piers Warren explains how wildlife films are made, describes the variety of jobs and how to get started, and then supplies information on education and training, wildlife film festivals, organisations and projects. The section 'The Future of the Industry' involves no-holds-barred views from individuals with a wide variety of experience of wildlife films - combining to produce a fascinating and eye-opening vision of the future of wildlife programming.

Longtime producer Palmer provides an in-depth look at wild animals on film, covering the history of wildlife documentaries, safety issues, and the never-ending pressure to obtain the money shot. Marlin Perkins, Jacques Cousteau, Steve Irwin, Timothy Treadwell, and many other familiar names are discussed along with their work, accidents, and in some cases, untimely deaths. Palmer is highly critical of Irwin, and offers fascinating revelations about game farms used by exploitative filmmakers and photographers looking for easy shots and willing to use caged animals to obtain them. He also considers the subliminal messages of many wildlife films, considering everything from Shark Week to Happy Feet and how they manipulate audiences toward preset conclusions about animal behavior. In all this is an engaging and exceedingly timely look at a form of entertainment the public has long taken for granted and which, as Palmer points out, really needs a fresh and careful reconsideration.

As technology advances rapidly and viewers' options increase, this book presents a fascinating exploration of the future of the wildlife film-making industry. Its unique collection of views and advice make this book an invaluable resource for everyone who wishes to succeed as a wildlife film-maker in years to come. With articles from many leading figures in the industry and case studies of numerous skilled practitioners.

Are you thinking about a career in wildlife biology? Confused about the steps you need to take? This is the book for you! With nearly two decades of experience, Dr. Stephanie Schuttler shares her journey of becoming a wildlife biologist, what she has learned about this field, and provides advice for how you can become competitive for jobs. Wildlife biology careers have changed tremendously over the few decades. A lot of advice students receive or find on the Internet is outdated and no longer applies. With more and more students graduating, the field is more competitive than ever before. Dr. Schuttler has years of experience working in and applying for jobs in research, education, and science communication. In this book, she shares her personal journey of how she became a wildlife biologist, detailed accounts of working in museums, zoos, in academia, and for the government, what has made her competitive for jobs, and why she didn't get specific jobs despite having all of the qualifications and years of pertinent experience. In addition to her own story, she goes over the types of career opportunities available to wildlife biologists, where wildlife biologists work, what educational requirements are needed, and what else you need to become competitive for jobs in this field. Although tailored for jobs wildlife biology, this book will also help those interested in other natural history fields. Reverse engineer your career by learning from Dr. Schuttler's journey to find your dream job.

If, as many argue, movies and television have become Western culture's premier storytelling media, so too have they become, for most members of society, the primary source of encounters with the natural world—particularly wild animals. The television fare offered nightly by national and cable networks such as PBS and the Discovery Channel provides millions of viewers with their only experience of the wilderness and its inhabitants. The very films that so many viewers take as accurate portrayals of wildlife, however, have evolved primarily as a form of entertainment, following the established codes and conventions of narrative exposition. The result has been not the representation of nature, but its wholesale reconstruction and reconfiguration according to film and television conventions, audience expectations, and the demands of competition in the media marketplace. Wildlife Films traces the genealogy of the nature film, from its origins as the "animal locomotion" studies that mark the very beginnings of motion pictures themselves, to the founding of the Animal Planet cable channel that boasts "all animals, all the time." The narrative and thematic elements that unite wildlife films as a genre have their roots not in the documentary film tradition, but in the older traditions of oral and written animal fables as reflections of human society. Derek Bousé contends that classic wildlife films often portray animal protagonists living in families modeled on an ideal of the human nuclear family and working in communities that resemble an ideal of bucolic human society. In these stories—presented as documentaries—animals are motivated by human emotions and conduct relationships according to human customs. This imposition of culturally satisfying narrative patterns upon the lives of animals has not only led to the misrepresentation of the natural world; it has promoted the notion that our values, our moral vision, our models of society and family structure derive from nature, rather than being cultural formations.

On an epic 3,000-mile journey through the most pristine backcountry of the American West, four friends rode horseback across an almost contiguous stretch of unspoiled public lands, border to border, from Mexico to Canada. For their trail horses, they adopted wild mustangs from the US Bureau of Land Management that were perfectly adapted to the rocky terrain and harsh conditions of desert and mountain travel. A meticulously planned but sometimes unpredictable route brought them face to face with snowpack, downpours, and wildfire; unrelenting heat, raging rivers, and sheer cliffs; jumping cactus, rattlesnakes, and charging bull moose; sickness, injury, and death. But they also experienced a special camaraderie with each other and with the mustangs. Through it all, they had a constant traveling companion—a cameraman, shooting for the documentary film Unbranded. The trip’s inspiration and architect, Ben Masters, is joined here by the three other riders, Ben Thamer, Thomas Glover, and Jonny Fitzsimons; two memorable teachers and horse trainers; and the film’s producers and intrepid cameramen in the telling of this improbable story of adventure and self-discovery.

The battle to save the world is being joined by a powerful new group of warriors. Celebrities are lending their name to conservation causes, and conservation itself is growing its own stars to fight and speak for nature. In this timely and essential book, Dan Brockington argues that this alliance grows from the mutually supportive publicity celebrity and conservation causes provide for each other, and more fundamentally, that the flourishing of celebrity and charismatic conservation is part of an ever-closer intertwining of conservation and corporate capitalism. Celebrity promotions, the investments of rich executives, and the wealthy social networks of charismatic conservationists are producing more commodified and commercial conservation strategies; conservation becomes an ever more important means of generating profit. Celebrity and the Environment provides vital critical analysis of this new phenomena and argues that, ironically, there may be a hidden cost to celebrity power to individual's relationships with the wild. The author argues that whilst wildlife television documentaries flourish, there is a significant decline in visits to national parks in many countries around the world and this is evidence that t a time when conservationists are calling for us to restore our relationships with the wild, many people are doing so simply by following the exploits of celebrity conservationists.

Never has the time been more critical for film-making to help make a difference to the natural world. This book shows you how. A complete 'how to' guide, aimed at both film-makers and conservationists who want to use film as a tool for conservation. Covers all pre-production activities including how to raise funds. How to choose and use the filming equipment you need, plus a guide to post-production. Explores reaching audiences, organising screenings, using social media, monitoring effectiveness and ethical considerations. Features case studies from leading conservation film-makers including Mike Pandey, Rob Stewart (Sharkwater and Revolution), Will Anderson (Hugh's Fish Fight) and Shekar Dattatri. Describes how organisations use film effectively in conservation; including Greenpeace, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Great Apes Film Initiative (GAFI). 'For all of us who care about the environment and wildlife, and want to make a difference, this is an important book.' Jane Goodall, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace 'This book is of enormous value to everyone involved in conservation' Lee Durrell, Honorary Director, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust 'Conservation Film-making is a richly nourishing book, a professional tour de force, and a compelling argument that films, when made according to the best practices contained in this book, can make a huge and positive difference to the world in which we live.' Professor Chris Palmer, Director of the Center for Environmental Filmmaking 'This terrific book will become the bible for everyone determined to fly in the face of everything-is-wonderful-and-happy natural history programmes and show, instead, that conservation can be awe-inspiring and watchable, too.' Mark Carwardine, Conservationist 'Conservation Film-making is a detailed and well-researched 'how to' guide, but it is more than that - it's a good read! It should be read by everyone involved in conservation, to understand better how film could - indeed should - be used.' Ian Redmond

As conservation of the natural environment becomes a subject of world concern, far more employment opportunities are being made available in this area. This book shows the current careers situation, who the employers are and which qualifications they are seeking.