February 2009

After six years as head of the BBC's Natural History Unit, Neil Nightingale will step down to return to programme making. Nightingale's first project will be a BBC landmark series focusing on the wildlife of Africa. His successor is yet to be announced. Read full press release Since the announcement, Broadcast has reported that the head of the Natural History Unit position will not be merged with the currently vacant position of Bristol-based head of features role, assuaging fears of BBC staff.

February 2009 sees nine UK environmental filmmakers and craftspeople visit India and Sri Lanka as part of Wildscreen India, organised by the British Council. The Festival will also see screenings of Panda Award-winning wildlife and environmental films from across the world and masterclasses on various aspects of filmmaking including Trends in Wildlife & Environmental Filmmaking.

Wildscreen India 2009 will tour five cities: Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Guwahati and Colombo.

Harriet Nimmo, Wildscreen's Chief Executive said, "We are delighted to be returning to India to further develop our relationship with Indian audiences and filmmakers, whilst exploring new markets in Sri Lanka. These countries are key destinations because they are developing fast, with eco-systems which are under threat from rapid economic development and climate change. The films being screened as part of this year's Festival have an environmental focus, including engaging stories about climate change and aim to inspire and enthuse those interested in preserving and protecting India's precious biodiversity."

Noted Indian filmmakers, Mike Pandey, Naresh Bedi and Sandesh Kadur, will share the Indian perspective and their case studies with the audiences.

For more information, visit: http://www.britishcouncil.org/india-projects-ukeff-wildscreen.htm.

Story submitted by Quincy Russell & Yves Paccalet, the writer of Captain Cousteau.

Mini-Monsters of the Amazon

Directed by Quincy Russell. Produced by Mona Lisa Productions (France) for ARTE (France & Germany), CBC The Nature of Things (Canada) and Discovery Science (USA). Written by Yves Paccalet (the writer of Commandant Cousteau) and Quincy Russell.

How often in a lifetime can a film producer declare that he is discovering a whole new world? From the award winning team of Cannibal Mites (Wildscreen 2000 Panda Award for Innovation), Mona Lisa Productions is currently in the post-production stages of its new high definition documentary Mini Monsters of the Amazon (2 x 1 hour, 1 x 52).To reveal this secret world Thierry Berrod will be using the patented environmental scanning electron microscope coupled with the new micro scanner.

Quincy Russell, film director, confronted the dangers of the Amazon rainforest in November 2008 with a team of international scientists to discover the amazing world of treehoppers. A strikingly visual insect that is hard to come by - of 3,400 species, 3,300 can only be found in the Amazon. A new world has been revealed for the very first time.

Russell said: "When I saw the first photographic stills of membracidae, I knew this would be a challenging but gratifying film to direct. They only measure a few millimetres and we hardly know anything about them. Evolution has produced these living beings that resemble contemporary art, yet have lived here for over 40 million years. Visually breathtaking, and researchers are revealing that they even have their own language. Their story is definitely one to tell!".

"Treehoppers will at long last have their own film, I've been waiting for this moment for a long while. We are looking for the unexpected, so by it's very nature we dont know what were going to find".

Dr Stuart McKamey: entomologist, American Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, USA.

"We know more about the moon than we do about treehoppers, they are so mysterious".

Prof Carolina Godoy : Author & Entomologist, University Estatal a Distancia, Costa Rica.

The Code of Best Practice in Sustainable Filmmaking, a new guide to help documentary filmmakers reduce their carbon and environmental footprints, was launched this month at the RealScreen Summit and can be viewed online at http://www.filmmakersforconservation.org/conservation-filmmaking/sustainability.html .

The Code, which was created by American University and Filmmakers for Conservation, supported by WWF UK and the Ford Foundation, is based on the results of a global survey of best practices in sustainable filmmaking. Approximately 175 filmmakers and film production professionals participated in the survey. The partners hope it will be the first step towards a full certification scheme for green production.

Chris Palmer, director, AU's Center for Environmental Filmmaking summed up the reason for the code: "Environmental and wildlife filmmakers have a special responsibility to reflect best practices in sustainable filmmaking, as they are the ones often in the most fragile places on earth dealing with animals that are on the edge".

WildFilmNews' round up of the latest news from the world of wildlife and environmental film festivals.

Festivals coming soon
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, 13th - 22nd February 2009, Missoula, USA	San Francisco Ocean Film Festival, 19th - 22nd February 2009, San Francisco, USA
The 2009 Big Sky installment includes 143 extraordinary films from more than 30 countries, a selection chosen from nearly 1000 submissions. For more information, visit www.bigskyfilmfest.org .	Now in its sixth year, the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival returns to present more than 35 documentary, fictional, and animated films from around the world. For more information, visit www.oceanfilmfest.org .
Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital, 11th - 22nd March 2009, Washington, USA	Albert International Wildlife Film Festival, 21st - 29th March 2009, Albert, France
Presented in collaboration with 82 unique organizations, EFF is recognized as a major collaborative cultural event in the nations capital, and the largest environmental festival of its kind in the world. For more information, visit www.dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org .	Every year, thanks to its international personalities who compose a supreme panel of judges, the Albert Festival rewards the most recent animal films shot by amateur or professional film directors worldwide. For more information, visit www.fifa.com.fr .

Check the WildFilmNews Calendar for all events in the coming months.

If you would like information on your Festival included please send details to info@wildscreen.org.uk .

Wildeye, Norfolk (UK) New course dates announced

Introduction to Wildlife Filmmaking 29th - 31st May and 10th-12th July 2009

These weekends, in the heart of Norfolk, provide a unique hands-on introduction to wildlife filmmaking.

Wildlife Camera Operator Course 19th - 21st June 2009

This course will arm you with the knowledge and techniques to create stunning shots and sequences

To book a place, email: info@wildeye.co.uk.

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Wildlife Film Academy, Cape Town (South Africa)

Intensive one month intro to wildlife filmmaking 16th February - 17th March and 23rd March - 21st April 2009

Newly relocated to Untamed Africa in the heart of the Kruger National Park.

For further details, email: info@wildlifefilmacademy.com.

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Green Umbrella's factual tv production workshops, Bristol (UK)

Intensive one month intro to wildlife filmmaking 24th - 25th February and 28th February - 1st March 2009

Green Umbrella's Workshops are practical courses designed to introduce newcomers, trainees and existing professionals wanting to widen their skills, to the 'real and practical' side of film and tv production for broadcast television.

To book a place, email: admin@green-umbrella.co.uk.

Call for entries
Japan Wildlife Film Festival, 20th - 23rd August 2009, Toyama, Japan	Green Film Festival in Seoul (GFFIS), 21st - 27th May 2009, Seoul, South Korea
Japan Wildlife Film Festival is one of the biggest event of its kind in Asia and the Pacific Rim organised by Nature Film Network. With the film competition at its focus, other screening programmes and lectures will also take place during the festival for better and deeper understanding towards wildlife films. Call for entries deadline: 15th February 2009. For more information, visit www.naturechannel.jp/Ehome.html .	ENCOUNTERS, the annual South African International Documentary Festival, will show a selection of documentary films from around the world, with a particular focus on South African work. Call for entries deadline: 23rd February 2009. For more information, visit http://en.gffis.org/ .
14th International Film Festival - Stambecco D'Oro Trophy, 22nd - 29th August 2009, Valle dAosta, Grand Paradis, Italy	BLUE Ocean Film Festival, 11th - 14th June 2009, Savannah GA, USA
Nature Body Project is an Association NPO that aims to contribute to the conservation of the environment, using as a means of raising the image, and promote the development of natural Italian cinema. Call for entries deadline: 28th February 2009. For more information, visit www.enteprogettonatura.it .	BLUE, a global oceans film and conservation event is dedicated to promoting, honoring, and sharing great films in an effort to help protect the oceans and the life within. Call for entries deadline: 15th March 2009. For more information, visit www.bluefilmfest.com .
11th FICA - International Festival of Environmental Film and Video, 16th - 21st June 2009, Cidade de Goias, Brazil	25th International Menigoute Festival, 27th October - 1st November June 2009, Menigoute, France
FICA has a particular focus on films addressing environmental issues. Covering a wide spectrum of formats and categories the result is a festival with a varied programme. Call for entries deadline: 23rd March 2009. For more information, visit www.fica.art.br .	Menigoute Festival's main purpose is to inspire to the greatest public increased awareness of the need to conserve the natural environment. Call for entries deadline: 1st May 2009. For more information, visit www.menigoute-festival.org .