How we started
Our work in film and photojournalism with conservation organisations continually introduced us to inspiring people and stories. To share these more widely and spark deeper conversations, we launched our podcast and blog.
Supporting Conservation Organisations
From the field, we also saw how budget constraints often limited smaller conservation organisations from telling their own stories. We wanted to help by offering sustainable options – from professional storytelling support to building in-house capacity. This led to the creation of our Patreon platform and our conservation storytelling workshops.
Funding Models
High-quality storytelling takes resources. Working for free is not sustainable – for us or the wider creative community. To balance the needs of conservation organisations with fair pay for creatives, we developed innovative funding models. These allow us to subsidise projects while maintaining high production standards and supporting freelancers in this specialised field.
Developing African conservation storytellers
There is a critical shortage of African conservation storytellers. There are many barriers to entry – the work is often in remote, challenging locations which can be difficult, expensive, and even dangerous to reach – and the financial barriers regarding equipmnet are high. To address this, we are investing in the next generation through remote mentorships, paid field internships, fellowships, and subsidised or pro-bono workshops. Our long-term vision includes on-site internships and partnerships with conservation organisations.
About us
As conservation storytellers we’ve spent nearly ten years working with conservation organisations of all shapes and sizes, creating media both inhouse and on contract. We’ve worked with large global organisations, and small local grassroots organisations, helping them share their stories and build credibility. In all cases we’ve seen that these organisations have pressing needs when it comes to good quality multimedia storytelling.
Mana Meadows
Photographer, Writer, Communications Specialist
Mana is a photographer, writer, and communications consultant with two decades of experience in photojournalism, documentary storytelling, and editorial project management. She has worked across local and international publications and now applies this expertise to conservation communications. Her background in strategic communications, editorial commissioning and field-based media production directly shapes the design and delivery of Conservation Storytelling courses.
Matthew Blair
Filmmaker, Director, Social Development Practitioner
Matt is a visual artist, filmmaker, and conservationist with a background in livelihoods and human–wildlife coexistence. With deep knowledge of Southern Africa’s wildlife and conservation efforts, he works as a field collaborator and self-shooting DP for international productions. His experience as a social practitioner gives him firsthand insight into the storytelling challenges faced by conservation teams, which he brings into his work in film and training.