Film Masterclass seeks ways to tell conservation stories

The Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival presents its popular Filmmaker’s Masterclass, presented by Wesgro, and supported by the UK Government’s Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP).  The theme for 2019 is Changing Oceans: How to Make Impactful Environmental Documentaries. The masterclass brings several top ocean conservation experts and environmental filmmakers together to discuss the challenges they face when they tell stories in an atmosphere of rampant denialism and increasing corporate and governmental censure.
 
Filmmakers, conservationists and scientists face much opposition when they try to tell stories about climate change and the demise of our planet. There is resistance and apathy in mainstream media, and open hostility from corporates when held to account for poor destructive environmental practices. The masterclass will discuss ways to work within a media landscape where the dominant narratives align with hegemonic capitalist interests.
 
Join the Masterclass on the 4th December for a conversation that digs beneath the surface of the stories of our time. We examine how these stories impact the way we see the world but also how we act – or fail to act – when it comes to protecting our planet.
 
CHANGING OCEANS MASTERCLASS SPEAKERS
 
Bryan Little, Director
For Bryan, film school was about spending a long weekend with Werner Herzog in a New Jersey Motel, and inspiration was looking at an orb spider with Sir David Attenborough on the side of the M3.  A born storyteller, Bryan seems to soak up everything around him; and with a sensitive eye and skilled hands has the ability to deliver to his audience a work of art – no matter the subject. His latest feature doc, DEEP BLUE \ MIDDLE C, is a homage to his favourite place on earth, the west coast of South Africa.
 
“For 10days and 10nights, we made a studio on the beach. From it, our little community of surfers, artists, musicians, chefs, mystics and foragers mademusic with our true selves. Exploring the greatest force on earth, we ate our fill from the wilderness. With themes of the ocean, spirit, biology, identity, and our natural place in the world, Deep Blue / Middle C is an interwoven story where fiction and non-fiction co-exist; as do memory and dreams.”
 
Bryan co-founded Fly on the Wall productions with Producer, Filipa Domingues in 2004. https://www.flyonthewall.co.za/
 
Swati Foster, Environmental Journalist
Swati is one of India’s best-known environment journalists. She is the environment editor of NDTV and the content editor of their special programs. Her show Born Wild, is the longest-running wildlife conservation television show in India, of which she is the presenter, writer, and researcher. She was the first Indian journalist to be invited to the jury of the Wildscreen Award, or the green Oscars as they are known.
 
She has been awarded the Ramnath Goenka Award, The Sanctuary Asia Wind Under the Wings Award and the Carl Zeiss Award for her work reporting on tiger conservation. Her solo outing as a filmmaker led to her making The Animal Communicator with her husband, Craig Foster, which has had over 6 million views on YouTube.
 
Swati spends her time between India and South Africa and has just authored a book Born Wild: Journeys into the heart of India and Africa. She heads up the Sea Change Project Outreach campaign. Her main interest is exploring shared spaces between humans and animals and believes that greater co-existence will be the only way to save the wild. – https://seachangeproject.com/
 
Anna Breytenbach, Interspecies Communicator and Conservationist
Anna is an internationally-acclaimed professional interspecies communicator based in Cape Town. Her consulting and teaching focuses on conservation projects such as ecological restoration, predator and primate rehabilitation, elephant management, human-wildlife conflict and cetacean research.
 
Trained in tracking and mentoring in the USA, she leads children and adults in nature awareness based on the old sciences of the indigenous peoples. She is also the subject of the documentary movie “The Animal Communicator”, excerpts of which have had over 10 million views on YouTube.
 
Anna’s passion is raising awareness and advancing the relationships among human and non-human animals, on both the personal and spiritual levels. She has guided thousands of people globally to rediscover and develop their natural senses so that they deepen their connection with all species in an honouring manner. Anna is inspired by being a voice for the wild ones. – www.animalspirit.org
 
The Filmmaker’s Masterclass takes place on 4th December 2019 at 6pm for 6.30 at the Invest SA One Stop Shop, Cape Sun Corner, 46 St. George’s Mall, Cape Town. 
 
Book Your Tickets here
More information about the Wavescape Festival at www.wavescapefestival.com