On the Brink
On the Brink tells the story of the northern royal albatross that breed at Pukekura. In relative safety at their breeding grounds, they face enormous threat for the majority of their lives while out at sea. The Royal Albatross Centre has kept this naturally uncommon bird away from the brink of extinction and together they continue to inspire a new generation that cares about wildlife conservation.
In February 2021, I was granted access by the Royal Albatross Centre to film the blue penguins and the northern royal albatross at Pukekura - the only mainland colony of royal albatross in the world.
I was able to observe and film the tours provided to visitors and was also given time to interview Operations Manager of the Royal Albatross Centre, Chris McCormack and Nich Kelly, Visitor Host. Chris, born and bred on the Otago Peninsula, has dedicated most of his adult life to educating visitors about albatross and protecting them. Nich, MA in Wildlife Management from the University of Otago, is equally knowledgeable and passionate about the survival of albatross. Their lives have bound with the lives of the albatross at Pukekura, and their resulting perspectives and deep understanding of colony tell the story.
Showreel - 2020
My Showreel contains a collection of some of my favourite footage taken in Costa Rica, Colombia and New Zealand in late 2019 and 2020. Featuring a black-handed spider monkey, common basilisk, cat-eyed snake, leaf cutter ants and New Zealand sea lions.
This, along with my other films, was shot using a lumix G80, 14-45mm & 45-200mm lenses, a tripod, and audio recorded with a Rode VideoMicro. I’ve kept the size and weight of my kit to a minimum to take on multi-day hikes with but it has to accommodate everything else I need as I travel.
Zoos: Life in Lockdown
Shooting predominantly took place at Auckland Zoo and Orana WIldlife Park during the end of 2020.
The film documents an example of the wider devastating impact the corona virus has beyond our own species. Focusing on the financial crises that face many zoos throughout this pandemic and the potential consequences on the most dependent animals of their own kind, Zoos: Life in Lockdown highlights and comments on the priority and function of many zoos which, not for the first time, have been brought into questioning.
Tamandua Biological Station
Filmed during my time volunteering at Tamandua Biological Station on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, in 2019.
The owner, Rebeca, asked me to produce a video for her to share on social media. This short ‘day in the life of’ video represents just a fraction of the abundance of wildlife at the station. Camera trap footage helped to catch some of the more elusive animals that follow the trails at night.