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| WELCOME Welcome to our first newsletter, we look forward to bringing you news from the Wildlife Film Academy. If you are passionate about wildlife and want to pursue a career in wildlife filmmaking, then the wildlife filmmaking course offered by the Wildlife Film Academy is for you. It will equip you with all the information you need to fast-track yourself into the wildlife film industry. |
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| NEXT COURSE STARTS IN APRIL The April course, which runs from 18 April - 18 May 2007, has 3 available spaces left. If you book before 30 March you will be eligible for a discount on the normal course fee. Book now to ensure your place on this course by submitting the application form on the website or emailing info@wildlifefilmacademy.com Please visit www.wildlifefilmacademy.com for detailed information about the course. |
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| NEWS FROM THE OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA The students on the March course have just returned from filming in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. They had an awesome time in the bush from early dawn until long after the sun had set, taking every opportunity to film all the animals that they could find. On the game drives they encountered astonishing elephant herds with youngsters playing and drinking at the river, numerous giraffes feeding on the acacia thorns, a handful of hippos bathing in one of the delta's river channels, and a pride of lions resting at a waterhole. In addition to filming some of Africa's most extraordinary mammals and birds they also filmed amazing sunrises and sunsets, plains and forests. Filled with an overwhelming sense of appreciation for earth's natural beauty, the students returned with stunning and unique footage. |
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| NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ENDORSES THE WILDLIFE FILM ACADEMY National Geographic Television has endorsed the Wildlife Film Academy wildlife filmmaking course. Several of the course lectures have been specifically designed for the Wildlife Film Academy by National Geographic Television based in Washington, U.S. and they have hand-picked wildlife films to use as critical case studies. |
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| PAST STUDENTS ALREADY BEEN COMMISSIONED The exciting news is that several Wildlife Film Academy past students have already been commissioned by the NHU AFRICA (Natural History Unit of Africa) to produce 1 hour documentaries. These films will be showcased at the Wild Talk Africa Film Festival and Conference in August 2007 in Durban, South Africa. Maanda Ntsendeni is producing Legends of the Lake Brief synopsis: For over a hundred years, the "People of the Pool" or Vhatavhatsindi have safe guarded, protected and conserved Lake Fundudzi, South Africa's only inland lake by performing rituals for their ancestors and observing traditional laws. But with modernisation and development such traditional laws are no longer being observed. Lake Fundudzi is in a state of demise, and this marks a beginning of a bitter struggle as potential investors are earmarking Lake Fundudzi for eco-tourism business development much to the protest and disapproval of Vhatavhatsindi. The Vhatavhatsindi maintain that any development around the lake would anger their ancestors as Fundudzi is a sacred place where the souls of their ancestors rest. Younus Salie is producing: Desert Wanderers Brief synopsis: Desert Wanderers will explore the exceptionality of the Namib desert and its surrounds. The film will showcase the marvels of this region, its hostile nature and the ingenious adaptation of the plant and animal life to their inhospitable home. Animals that inhabit this desert have over the centuries uniquely adapted to survive this harsh terrain. The adventure will start at the Skeleton Coast of Namibia, and then travel inland to encounter one the most uniquely adapted species, the Desert Elephants of Namibia. Desert Wanderers will observe their nomadic and somewhat thoughtful feeding patterns, their conservative drinking patterns and their ecologically friendly practices. Motheo Seleke is producing: City Dog, Wild Dog Brief synopsis: Loosely inspired by the popular children's story City Mouse, Country Mouse - City Dog, Wild Dog is an inspiring animal story that follows the lives and deaths as well as comparisons of a wild dog pack in the Madikwe Game Reserve and a pack of abandoned domestic dogs in the city of Cape Town. This film will share amazing insight into man's best friend and Africa's disappearing wild dogs and their battle for survival. Johan Vermeulen is producing: A Squirrels Tale Brief synopsis: The Kalahari is a place of dramatic seasonal transformations and this film follows the life of "Oumsie"and her sisterhood of Cape Ground Squirrels throughout the seasons and how they survive the extremes of the Kalahari - the hot, rainy season when food is in abundance, to the cold and dry season when food and moisture is scarce. The film will also show how the Cape Ground Squirrels interact in perfect harmony with the Whistling Rats and the Yellow Mongoose with whom they live in close contact, including both its advantages and disadvantages. |
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| FREE ENTRY TO WILD TALK AFRICA WILDLIFE, TRAVEL AND CULTURAL FILM FESTIVAL All Wildlife Film Academy students gain free entry to the 4-day Wild Talk Africa Film Festival and Conference, which runs from 27-30 August 2007, in Durban South Africa. Use this opportunity to meet International Commissioning Editors from Animal Planet International, National Geographic Television and BBC NHU, and be inspired and informed with the discussion topics, workshops and world-class screenings. For up-and-coming wildlife filmmakers this is an event not to be missed. As a delegate of the festival, you will have access to:
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| NEWS FROM FILMMAKERS IN THE FIELD The Wildlife Film Academy spoke to the Foster Brothers, Craig and Damon, to find out what they are up to. What are you currently working on? We are working on a short film from an African perspective for the "Al Gore, Kevin Wall, Pharrell, Cameron Diaz launch unprecedented campaign, a concert to combat climate crisis". "Live Earth" concerts, in all 7 continents will reach global audience of over 2 billion. Who has commissioned it? Save Our Selves (SOS) - The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis. What is your advice for newcomers to the industry? Do not try and emulate anybody, make the film for yourself first. |
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| BRAND NEW EDIT SUITES AT THE ACADEMY The Wildlife Film Academy is now fully equipped with 8 brand new state-of-the-art IMAC Apple editing suites which run Final cut PRO HD v5. Students have the opportunity to spend maximum time editing their footage in the comfort and security of the Academy with personal tutors constantly on hand. |
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| NEWS FROM PAST STUDENTS News from past student, Ben Hewett, [bghewett@hotmail.com] "I completed the wildlife filmmaking course at the Wildlife Film Academy in June last year, and since then it has been a rollercoaster ride of intense learning, travelling around Africa and being surrounded by 4 meter Tiger Sharks. Coming from a photography and diving background the course in Cape Town suited me perfectly as a great stepping stone into the world of wildlife filmmaking. After a very memorable trip to Botswana for 6 days, accompanied by Brad Bestelink, I had the opportunity to test and experiment some sequences and styles of editing and filming I've always wanted to try. I had been bitten by the bug of filming, bitten hard, and with this new thrill of being behind the camera filming the most incredibles animals and fish in the world I wanted more. With the great help from Sophie I got in contact with Mr Peter Lamberti, CEO of a wildlife production company, Aquavision based in Johannesburg. A week after the course I was up in Johannesburg ringing the doorbell of Aquavision, I began as an intern logging stock footage from the enormous archives, and luckily had the chance to sit in on edits, voice overs, and equipment checks, attempting to memorize everything I was told and shown. After a few months Peter invited me to join him on a underwater shoot at Aliwal Shoal filming, "Dive to Tiger Central" a Tiger shark film, so finally I got my lucky break and got to get back underwater again! The shoot was incredible and I had the best time of my life, the film will be getting aired on Discovery during Shark Week and I even have a mention on the credits as Camera Assistant and Sound, which as you can imagine was soon retold many times to friends and family back in the UK. I'm now full time at Aquavision as a camera assistant and loving every day, I'm off on regular shoots and in the time between helping out in the office, in April I am off to help in the filming of Tiger Sharks, Zambezi's, Mako and even free diving with the Great Whites, a lifetime ambition! I'm constantly learning and making great contacts and friends in the process, it's certainly beating work back in the UK!" Calling all past Wildlife Film Academy students, send us your news, we want to know what you have been up to since leaving the Academy and what you are currently working on. Email lameez@wildlifefilmacademy.com - we will publish your update in our newsletter. |
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| THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS NFVF National Geographic Television Air Botswana Dimension Television Facilities |
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| CONTACT DETAILS
WILDLIFE FILM ACADEMY Ph: +27 21 422 2644 Fax: +27 21 422 5363 Email: info@wildlifefilmacademy.com www.wildlifefilmacademy.com |
