Introducing The Amateur Wildlife Filmmakers Network (AWFN)

The Amateur Wildlife Filmmakers Network (AWFN) is an online community connecting people from across the globe who share an interest in watching, photographing and filming wildlife and the natural world.

Supported by their ambassador, world renowned wildlife cameraman and TV presenter Simon King, the AWFN caters for all levels of interest, from people who like to watch wildlife in their own garden to those more adventurous photographers and wildlife filmmakers who like to travel further afield.
 
The AWFN websites (http://www.awfnet.com and http://www.talkwildlife.com) can help you improve your wildlife filmmaking and photography by providing articles, features and video tutorials covering a wide range of subjects including....

• Information about what equipment to use
• Techniques, tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your  equipment
• Ideas about what to film
• Suggested locations to visit or stay
• and great ways to share your work with others making your  wildlife film
  
  Whether you just take the occasional snap in your garden or your dream is to become a professional wildlife filmmaker / wildlife photographer, there's a place for you, as part of the AWFN!

Pedalling for Primates: A screening of Patrick Rouxel’s ‘Losing Tomorrow’ using Pedal Power Cinema

The Great Apes Film Initiative (GAFI) and the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) are pleased to present Patrick Rouxel’s ‘Losing Tomorrow’, a poetical film on the habitat of orangutans and an insight into the logging industry in Indonesia and ‘Dear Mr President’, a short film created at the request of local communities in Sumatra. The films will be screened, using a newly developed Pedal Power Cinema, on Wednesday 10th March 2010 at The Old Music Hall, 106-108 Cowley Road, Oxford 0X4 1JE. Doors open at 6:30pm and screening will start at 7pm. Admission is only £3.

World renowned Conservationist, Ian Redmond OBE- the man who introduced David Attenborough to gorillas and taught Sigourney Weaver to grunt like a silverback, is our special guest speaker for the evening. Ian has worked with Great Apes for over 30 years and will be here to share his experiences and answer any questions. Ian will be happy to sign copies of his books, which will be available to purchase. There will also be a raffle, refreshments and merchandise for sale.

Places are limited so pre-booking is strongly recommended. If you would like to book a ticket, please call 01865 403343 or e-mail: suzanne.turnock@googlemail.com. Come along and see this new and exciting initiative- you can even have a pedal yourself!

All money raised at this event will go towards a Pedal Power Cinema for conservation education projects with communities living near the last remaining forests in Sumatra.

NHNZ on Antarctic Whale Expedition

A group of scientists doing groundbreaking research on whales in Antarctica aimed at proving Japan does not need lethal whale “research”, is the subject of a new documentary by New Zealand based production company NHNZ.

Veteran NHNZ film maker Max Quinn has joined an Australian research expedition on board the NIWA research vessel, the RV Tangaroa from where, through non lethal-research techniques, they will collect new information on whale migration, family groupings and feeding behaviour in Antarctic waters. Using satellite tags carefully placed on the whales’ backs, the team will track them in almost real time to better understand their migration patterns.

“Despite humans having hunted whales to near extinction, there is still much we don’t know about their family life, population, breeding and migrations. So, for the first time they will attempt to attach up to 130 satellite tags on Minke, Humpback and even the mighty Blue whale – the largest creature to have lived on our planet,” says Max.

The film will set out to show a committed and passionate team of whale researchers trying to protect the interests of these great leviathans. The footage in this icy environment will be spectacular. When these scientists are not riding out some of the planets most horrendous seas, they will be using techniques that will require the utmost precision and skill in freezing and unforgiving conditions.

The journey is expected to take 44 days. The team left New Zealand on Monday (February 1st). They plan to operate along the Antarctic ice edge for more than 30 days, from the Eastern Ross Sea to the coastline of the Australian Antarctic Territory and to the little known Balleny Islands - ironically named after an English whaling captain. They plan to be back in New Zealand towards the 15th of March. “But with the Antarctic winter approaching, chances are nothing about this journey will be predictable,” says Max.

Max will be shooting in High Definition and using the latest underwater pole camera systems to gain an unprecedented view of this unique and exciting world of whale research. This will be Max’s eighth expedition to the Antarctic as a film maker.