WHAT WE DO
We provide a community engagement service to conservation organisations. We partner with organisations on the ground to produce inspirational films about incredible people and wildlife. The films are made in the local language and are then shown to communities on a bicycle-powered cinema made by Stand Up for Nature founder Jamie Unwin. Our service provides a unique and appealing method for organisations to engage communities with wildlife conservation. We are a not for profit organisation and operate worldwide.
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film showings
So many wildlife documentaries have been produced and they have inspired millions of people in the western world but these films are rarely – almost never - seen by the people who live alongside the wildlife. We want to use film in the same way but to inspire those best placed to protect some of the planets most precious wild places and wildlife. Natural history films can instil passion, love and admiration for the natural world. Through our films and the bicycle-powered cinema rural communities can also share this aspirational experience of seeing wildlife in film.
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local language films
We focus on making films about local conservation heroes, solutions to human-wildlife conflict and amazing wildlife stories. We can work with your organisation to tailor the films to your conservation needs and show the films where they are needed most. We like to make films featuring people from local communities, thus making them far more relatable and inspiring to their fellow communities. The films act as a very effective way to spread local knowledge and motivation. We have had audience members telling us how amazed they were to find out there were people within their communities who are passionate about protecting baboons, or elephants or lions!
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Bicycle-powered cinema
The bicycle-powered cinema allows us to show films in rural areas where access to electricity might be difficult. The power from just one bicycle is enough to power the projector and speakers. All of our films showings are conducted by local educators and the bicycle also entices interest and helps to further increase audience numbers. The cinema draws in men, women and children who can then all share in the experience and the messages.
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our impact so far:
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testimonials
Austine Okande, Communication Officer WWF-Kenya "This ingenious concept by the skillful Hannah and Jamie, helped us in a big way to engage the local communities in the Maasai Mara, communities telling their own stories in their own local language was an amazing concept. Not to forget the bicycle as a source of energy which enabled us to access some of the most remote villages with no electricity connection. The filming execution was good. I would defiantly love to do it again …communities loved it, so do I!"
Rebeca Quiros, Estación Biológica Tamandua "Dear Hannah and Jamie, you two have make your best effort to make that great film, I have no words to say thank you. It was a great experience for me, Allan and Alejandro to see you working and to learn from you two. I am sure this film will become a big bless in our project, definitely is a high quality work, you really made a good job and I know we can obtain good results from it. I wish the best for you two, we will always remember you with a nice feeling. In fact, the days after you leave we were really missing you in Tamandua. You are very professional in your work and I am sure you will have a great future on your careers. Please feel welcome to come back at any moment to our place, this is your house in Costa Rica."
previous projects
project kenyaWe produced the first extensive series of local language films (Maa & Swahali) about local inspiring Kenyans who are doing something remarkable to protect their wildlife. From a Maasai man who habituated himself into a troop of Baboons to a boy who raised a buffalo, the films followed the remarkable stories of Kenyans fighting to protect their wildlife. These films were then shown to 10,000 people with the bicycle powered cinema. Supported by WWF Kenya, Nat Geo, Explorers Club and 16 other partners.
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More information on Project Kenya
From October 2017 - March 2018, Hannah and Jamie travelled to Kenya in search of inspiring individuals who despite poverty, conflict and civil unrest are actively protecting wildlife. They produced 10 films featuring people from many different communities. Individuals included an elder protecting an elephant maternity forest, a mother standing up for women’s voices in her community, a man who has habituated himself within a troop of baboons, a young girl who expresses her love of wildlife through art and a boy who hand raised a buffalo. All were made in either Maa or Swahili and each of these films shares with the viewer relatable and achievable ways that they too can protect wildlife.
Hannah and Jamie showed these 10 films to over 10,000 people in remote parts of Kenya using their bicycle powered cinema. For many people it was the first time they had ever seen a film before and for many more it was the closest view they had ever gotten of the wild animals with which they share their home. Many people came to our film showings believing that there was nothing good about big predators like lions and that they should be killed instantly. However, these same people left saying that after watching the films they could now see there were benefits to them and that they would actively try and incorporate other deterrent methods into their everyday lives and that killing a lion would now be a last resort.
All 10 films are being distributed to all our Kenyan partners so that they can continue to be shown in schools and communities across the country. All 10 portray a different message and so the collection provides organisations with a good educational tool to use within their conservation outreach.
Project Kenya Partners: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Kenya, National Geographic Society, the Explorers Club, the Scientific Exploration Society, University of Exeter, the South Rift Association of Land Owners (SORALO), Gamewatchers Safaris, Laikipia Wildlife Forum, Borana conservancy, Il Ngwesi group ranch, Ol Jogi conservancy, Ol Pejeta conservancy, Sony UK, DJI and British Airways.
Hannah and Jamie showed these 10 films to over 10,000 people in remote parts of Kenya using their bicycle powered cinema. For many people it was the first time they had ever seen a film before and for many more it was the closest view they had ever gotten of the wild animals with which they share their home. Many people came to our film showings believing that there was nothing good about big predators like lions and that they should be killed instantly. However, these same people left saying that after watching the films they could now see there were benefits to them and that they would actively try and incorporate other deterrent methods into their everyday lives and that killing a lion would now be a last resort.
All 10 films are being distributed to all our Kenyan partners so that they can continue to be shown in schools and communities across the country. All 10 portray a different message and so the collection provides organisations with a good educational tool to use within their conservation outreach.
Project Kenya Partners: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Kenya, National Geographic Society, the Explorers Club, the Scientific Exploration Society, University of Exeter, the South Rift Association of Land Owners (SORALO), Gamewatchers Safaris, Laikipia Wildlife Forum, Borana conservancy, Il Ngwesi group ranch, Ol Jogi conservancy, Ol Pejeta conservancy, Sony UK, DJI and British Airways.
Project malawiWe showed our elephant conservation film through 7 protected areas, working with the government of Malawi, reaching over 14,000 people and taking 336 children into 6 parks over 6 weeks. Supported by the British High Commission, The Whitley Wildlife trust, African parks and 18 other partners.
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More information on project malawi
In 2015 Jamie produced the film 'Stop Wildlife Crime, Protect Malawi's Wildlife', the film received praise from Malawi's president Prof. Peter Mutharika and was nominated for an award at the New York Wildlife Conservation Film Festival. The film was shown on National television in Malawi but it wasn't seen in the poorest communities that don't have access to televisions, despite it being these communities with the highest prevalence of poaching. The team therefore constructed a bicycle powered cinema and with local educators toured Malawi showing the film to 14,000 people living in remote communities.
In the film, two young school children reveal that they had never seen an elephant before, it became increasingly evident that in fact very few Malawian children have ever seen first hand the wildlife which is on their doorstep. When asked about their experiences with wildlife, most described stories their elders had told them or what they had learned in school. Very few had had the opportunity themselves to see wild animals in a way which would enable them to appreciate and understand more about them. We therefore decided to take as many children as we could into the national parks throughout Malawi to witness their country’s wildlife for the very first time, inspiring a new generation of conservationists. We managed to take 336 children to see their country's wildlife for the first time. The next generation hold the answers so its invaluable to inspire them about their natural world.
Despite being one of the poorest country's in the world, Malawi is serious about stopping wildlife crime and the ivory trade. It has made huge steps enforcing laws to protect wildlife for the benefit of the people and the natural world, the short film 'Stop Wildlife Crime, Protect Malawi's Wildlife' has been part of this transition.
Project Malawi Partners: Government of Malawi, Department of National Parks and Wildlife, African Parks, Wildlife Action Group, Children in the Wilderness, Central African Wilderness Safaris, Pageant Pewter, Books for Nature, SS Rent a Car, Tracer Deben, Canon UK, Sony UK, Manfrotto, DJI, Pink Banana Studios, Wildscreen Exchange, Ardnamurchan Natural History Centre, Exeter Annual Fund, Whitley Wildlife Trust and the British High Commission.
In the film, two young school children reveal that they had never seen an elephant before, it became increasingly evident that in fact very few Malawian children have ever seen first hand the wildlife which is on their doorstep. When asked about their experiences with wildlife, most described stories their elders had told them or what they had learned in school. Very few had had the opportunity themselves to see wild animals in a way which would enable them to appreciate and understand more about them. We therefore decided to take as many children as we could into the national parks throughout Malawi to witness their country’s wildlife for the very first time, inspiring a new generation of conservationists. We managed to take 336 children to see their country's wildlife for the first time. The next generation hold the answers so its invaluable to inspire them about their natural world.
Despite being one of the poorest country's in the world, Malawi is serious about stopping wildlife crime and the ivory trade. It has made huge steps enforcing laws to protect wildlife for the benefit of the people and the natural world, the short film 'Stop Wildlife Crime, Protect Malawi's Wildlife' has been part of this transition.
Project Malawi Partners: Government of Malawi, Department of National Parks and Wildlife, African Parks, Wildlife Action Group, Children in the Wilderness, Central African Wilderness Safaris, Pageant Pewter, Books for Nature, SS Rent a Car, Tracer Deben, Canon UK, Sony UK, Manfrotto, DJI, Pink Banana Studios, Wildscreen Exchange, Ardnamurchan Natural History Centre, Exeter Annual Fund, Whitley Wildlife Trust and the British High Commission.
organisations we have WORKED WITH
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accolades
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National Geographic
The world leader in geography, cartography and exploration. We are honored to be National Geographic Explorers and recipients of a Young Explorer Grant. The Explorers Club
First to the surface of the moon, first to the summit of Mount Everest , world renowned, the explorers club is at the for front of expedition. We are delighted to be the recipient's of the Scott Pearlman Field Award. |
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The Scientific Exploration Society
With a long history of expedition firsts and innovative product testing, the Society now focuses on supporting and approving exploration. We are honored to be the recipients of the Rivers Foundation Award for health & humanities 2017. |