Wildlife Film Academy

  South Africa

• Other Cities in South Africa: 
Kruger Park

Term: Throughout the year 
Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: all year round

Description: The Wildlife Film Academy operates a globally unique one-month course in South Africa, which has been developed by experienced and award-winning international filmmakers. The academy seeks to inspire and inform aspiring filmmakers and teaches a variety of skills which are essential in making original and appealing wildlife films. If your dream is to film the wildest of animals in their natural environment and develop your skills as a wildlife film maker, then this course is a must.

On the course you will have the opportunity to film and experience a huge diversity of wildlife including lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard, rhino, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, antelope, hippos, reptiles, smaller creatures such as mongoose, abundant birdlife and raptors and rare flora.

Experience a filmmaking course and produce real wildlife footage in South Africa. To make a successful wildlife or natural history film, you need to combine creative and technical camera and editing skills with a good appreciation of animal behaviour, ecological processes, ethics in the natural world and local communities, and some serious business knowledge. The Wildlife Film Academy teaches all these areas of expertise and inspires its students to combine these skills in unique and successful ways.

The Wildlife Film Academy is located in the Southern Numbi Gate area of South Africa. Nasikazi Wilderness Camp, where the students are accommodated, is located on the 6000 hectare Mduli Concession in the Kruger National Park. The Kruger National Park and Mdluli Concession are Big 5 areas, and as well as lions, leopards, buffalo, elephant and rhino you should get the opportunity to see crocodiles, baboons, vervet monkeys, kudu, impala, reedbuck, zebra and other game.

Highlights: This course has been designed with you in mind and the following key elements make the course successful:   

* A practical filming location shoot in a stunning wildlife game reserve to give you hands on camera experience in Southern Africa.
* Tutorials and lectures developed by renowned wildlife filmmakers who know how hard it is to make a start in the wildlife filmmaking industry.
* Individual access to editing suites and tutors to enable you to complete your own film at the end of the course, which you can use as a promo for a bigger project.
* Specific focus on Business Skills to provide you with an understanding of budgeting, negotiations to enable you to survive long-term in the industry.

Pre-Production and Lectures at the Academy
* Introduction, orientation and inspiration
* What do commissioning editors, broadcasters and distributors want?
* Conceptualising and pitching
* Camera technology, high definition, shot composition and lighting
* Soundtracks, sequencing and an introduction to shooting and editing
* Funding and budgeting
* Exposure to key industry contacts, networks and wildlife film festivals

Qualifications: No qualifications necessary, just a passion for conservation and filmmaking.

Cost in US$: GBP 2,499

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: A typical volunteer is someone who is passionate about animal conservation, helping to protect a vanishing way of life, and of course filmmaking! Experience is not needed, just the desire to help aid the environment and surrounding communities, and to learn the art of wildlife filmmaking.

Age Range: 18+

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to South Africa Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 10

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone Interview

Worldwide Experience's Mission Statement: Worldwide Experience strives to conserve what man is fast destroying- our own environment. We support conservation and community projects through the recruitment of volunteers from around the world to help work on these diverse, and worthwhile projects. If you are thinking of taking a Gap Year or even just want to get away for your summer break Worldwide Experience will have the placement to suit you. From 2 weeks-3 months, we have projects in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Sri Lanka, and our experienced team will help place you on a project that will suit your needs the most. Moreover, all the programmes have been set up with the needs and requirements of the placement in mind. This means that whether you're helping to dart a lion, track a cheetah, ID an elephant or teach a class of children, you are making a difference through your work there. Your safety is also in the forefront of our minds, and as a fully bonded tour operator, all volunteers booked to travel through us will be protected by bonding, as required by ABTA and ATOL. We can also organise all flights direct from our UK office.

Year Founded: 2003