Advice: 10 Steps to Become a Wildlife Filmmaker

Want to improve your wildlife shots or start creating short films about animals? This guide is for you. Award-winning wildlife documentary filmmaker Nina Constable, featured on the BBC, CNN and ITV, shares some of her advice for making it in the wildlife filmmaking industry. Over to you, Nina.

Wildlife and conservation filmmaking is now more accessible than ever before, with numerous online platforms now available for discovering, uploading and sharing films. Rather than who you know, it’s much more about the time and effort you put into creating and sharing that content. 

When I first set out, with no science degree and no connections, I thought I’d have no chance of breaking into the highly competitive wildlife filmmaking industry. Contrary to what I initially thought, my BA in English Literature, love of storytelling and desire to learn, accompanied by an MA in Documentary Practice at the University of Bristol, were a perfect recipe for becoming a one-woman filmmaking band. But where to begin?

1. Start creating your showreel

A showreel is one of the most valuable things in your arsenal when securing film jobs. Whether it’s applying for media internships, which can be a brilliant way to learn new skills and develop relationships or pitching for paid commissions, an eye-catching showreel is key. It’s exactly how I landed my first-ever commission.

2. Get as much experience as you can

After a six-month unpaid film internship in Mozambique for a marine conservation organisation, I had a portfolio of films and accompanying showreel that I could use to demonstrate my skills as a filmmaker.

After sending these to Cornwall Wildlife Trust, I landed my first paid film commission with them. While working on that first set of films, I was introduced to scientists, researchers and other conservation organisations, which led to more work. 

As someone who writes, films, and edits, I was an attractive choice. I entered finished films into film festivals and shared them online and at public screenings, getting my work out into the world and reaching wide audiences for the organisations I was producing work for.

Working directly with conservation organisations, I often hear firsthand about interesting stories and topics and this is how I began to get work in broadcast. My work now spans both online and broadcast, from BBC Springwatch, BBC Countryfile, CNN, C4, ITV and more. I also have films sitting on the Sky Nature Channel and Waterbear, and I have a large portfolio of work on the WWF UK YouTube channel. All of this, from starting out with small conservation organisations whose work I admired.

3. Build your kit bag

Working mostly alone, choosing and refining what’s in my kit bag is vitally important in ensuring I can ‘run and gun’ without compromising image quality. Over the years, I’ve tried out numerous different setups.

My main camera is the Canon EOS C70. It’s their lightest cinema camera with 4K slow-motion, the same cinema-quality sensor as the Canon Cinema EOS C300 EF, dual XLR ports and a whole host of other functionalities. This felt like something I’d been waiting for for a long time. Lens-wise, my go-to and longest-loved lens is the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM. As a lot of my work is not set up, I have to be very reactive—so a versatile lens is key. For interviews, I use the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM to get a shallow depth-of-field to draw focus totally on the interviewee and give the shots a cinematic feel. 

Shooting wildlife, my go-to lenses are the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM and 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM. I often use these with a Canon EF 2x II Extender to give me that extra focal length. With a wider aperture, the 70-200mm is better in lower light but the 100-400mm allows you to get up-close and personal and capture some of those incredibly detailed shots.

4. Make sure you use a tripod

The one thing you can’t compromise when shooting with a long lens, is a good set of heavy legs with a fluid video head. Without this, you end up with a lot of wobble and producing smooth sequences is challenging. I have a pretty old Manfrotto pair, which has stood the test of time. I also have a pair of 3-Legged Thing legs, which spread out almost totally flat, allowing me to shoot floor level and keep steady. This is brilliant for filming low-level species, the undergrowth, getting low down to the water, and generally getting interesting angles.

5. Think in sequences

The images and narrative need to tell a story, so try to capture various shots—including establishing shots, wides and close-ups help create that story. Different framing allows cuts between angles and frames to create an engaging sequence. You need time for the drama or story you want to capture to unfold, so do your research to ensure you allocate enough time to capture what you need.

6. Capture non-sync wides

These are a lifesaver when filming interviews, especially two-person interviews. Wide shots without audio, where the foreground is in focus and your subject is blurred in the background, provide extra bits of footage or a cutaway if you can’t find the right thing in your interview.

7. Speak to the experts

Take time to do your research. Reach out to scientists and professionals who work on the species you want to capture. They’ll always have the best advice on locations, timings and approaches. It might be that there’s only a specific time of year it’s possible to film a certain species, or they only like certain weather or habitat.

8. Check your settings

I often film in different lights/weather, so my settings must be changed for every shoot. My ISO may have been bumped up if shooting in low light, but then I could be shooting in bright light the next day and if this isn’t adjusted, I end up with a lot of grainy shots. Before heading out on a shoot, have a list of things to check the night before.

9. Make your work unique

With wildlife filmmaking becoming more accessible, it means there are many more voices out there. So, standing out from the crowd is incredibly important. I am always told that my work has a very specific ‘look’—although not intentional, I think this is because I’m not afraid to break the rules. I love playing with light, so choosing the time of day—when you get the effect you like—helps to create an identity for your work. I like to use light flares, silhouettes and shadows, so I often shoot sunrise or sunset. Find what works for you, and get out and shoot.

10. Get your work out there

Although it often seems shameless, promoting yourself is important when finding work. I have a love-hate relationship with social media—I have landed several big commissions through producers finding me online. But I do find it challenging to want to post all the time. Regardless, I ensure I dedicate time to share projects I’m working on and keep my online presence up to date. It’s also a great way of sharing current projects and connecting with like-minded people and the conservation and wildlife community. I produced an entire online series during lockdown by connecting with people online! Film can be a powerful tool in conservation. So, if you have a story you want to tell, get out there and get filming.

Looking for more wildlife content?

This article is part of the MPB Guide to Wildlife Photography and Videography, our comprehensive look at how to create wildlife imagery, with camera recommendations, advice, and interviews with experts.