BA(Hons) wildife media |
|
|
Our students have a passion for wildlife and the natural world, combining fieldcraft skills such as knowledge of wildlife identification, biodiversity, habitat and behaviour, with the lens craft skills of photography and filmmaking. This academic year has presented our final year graduating cohort with more challenges, but also more opportunities, than ever before.
We have all appreciated the sights and sounds of our local green places and spaces more than ever amidst successive lockdowns. On our daily local walks, we have experienced the biodiversity of nature all around us and our awareness and appreciation have increased. We have found collective peace, joy and solace in how the seasonality of the natural world continued and wildlife benefitted from less traffic and pollution. People have commented on the birdsong being amplified - or have we simply listened and noticed more? Using their creativity, technical skills and scientific knowledge, our students create compelling wildlife stories through media, with the aim of communicating important conservation messages and making positive change. Areas of interest and research include the role of nature in mental health, the impact of habitat loss on specific species, plus media representation of nature through wildlife documentaries. We are proud of their achievements and thought-provoking work - we wish them all well on their onward individual journeys to employment and postgraduate study - and take this moment to collectively share and celebrate their success. |
|
Jasmin Bartlett
Website I was fortunate to spend an equal amount of my life in both South Africa and the UK and have come to enjoy the best they both have to offer. I have always enjoyed the outdoors, hiking, mountain biking, traveling and documenting my travels through photography. Studying BA (Hons) Wildlife Media has helped me to expand my skills in filmmaking and certainly increased my passion for documenting wildlife. I am interested in not only the behaviour of wildlife, but the impact of human interaction upon the natural world - and how we can assist in preserving it. |
‘Food for Thought: Hamadryas and Humans’
A documentary about the communities of Baboons living in Saudi Arabia in the film Self-Shooting Director/Producer. Produced during Covid-19 pandemic |
|
Yasmin Dooley
YouTube Yasmin began her learning journey studying film but soon realized her passion for photography and an enduring interest in wildlife, nature and the environment. Conservation issues are a real focus for Yasmin, who wishes to use her creativity, eye for detail and storytelling to highlight issues needing action. Yasmin is particularly interested in marine mammals and volunteered over the summer recording the cetaceans of Orkney. |
|
|
James Grieve
The global pandemic of Covid-19 hit the world towards the end of my 2nd year and for the duration of my 3rd year of degree studies, in a year where more people have had to work from home and amidst successive lockdowns many people have been stressed and isolated and without the access to the nature they would normally have. In my short film ‘Calming Nature,’ I have tried to show how the stresses and strains of everyday life can be alleviated and calmed through time out immersed in nature. Getting out and about and exploring with my camera taking photos is my passion and you can see more of my work via my Instagram. |
|
|
Zoe Hofman
During my time on this course, I have integrated my existing knowledge of animal behaviour into my work and transferred it into the film and photography that I produce. Throughout the year of 2020, the restrictions of Covid-19 played a big part in how I had to go about curating material for my projects for my final year, but with perseverance, I succeeded to create content such as my 3-minute minor project ‘One Man and His Hawk.’ The film looks at the working relationship that falconers develop with their raptors, specifically John Cunningham and his Harris Hawk, who kindly contributed his time to the film. This project is one I’m particularly proud of as I pushed myself to utilise all of the skills I have developed and improved upon during my time at university and was able to feel confident in producing a film entirely by myself. |
|
|
Lewis Kent
Website YouTube I am an aspiring wildlife filmmaker who aims one day to work on wildlife documentaries around the globe. I was inspired to start this journey at the age of 13. For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with wildlife, with frequent trips to London Zoo as a child fuelling my interest. Ever since watching the BBC series ‘Frozen Planet’ back in 2011, I’ve always wanted to work on BBC documentaries. My past 4 years of study at the University of Cumbria are the starting point of my path to my dream job |
'Spring Wetlands' created by Lewis Kent, Mike Lavin, Luke McCarthy & Otja Tjitunga
Music: Sean Whytock | Voiceover: Zac Lloyed Rush |
|
Mike Lavin
Website During my time at university, I have been inspired by many of the lecturers and fellow students. Their passion and dedication to wildlife and conservation, especially British wildlife, has encouraged me to look more at the fantastic wildlife that is around our homes. I have completed projects looking at the importance of gardens to nature, plus investigating the problems of litter, whilst working from home during lockdown restrictions - to then filming the wildlife living along the River Eden in my minor film, ‘Life on the River.’ A subject I have also take a keen interest in is the benefits of nature upon mental health, a factor that has certainly helped me during my university journey, immersing myself in wildlife watching, wildlife filmmaking and wildlife photography. |
'Spring Wetlands' created by Lewis Kent, Mike Lavin, Luke McCarthy & Otja Tjitunga
Music: Sean Whytock | Voiceover: Zac Lloyed Rush |
|
Luke McCarthy
I've been interested in nature, wildlife and the environment from a young age, when aged 6 years old I joined the Scouts and took part in lots of outdoor activities - and my love for the natural world keeps growing. With the use of media like photography and filmmaking, together with the global reach of the internet, you can show audiences around the world how truly beautiful our planet is, from the artistry of a spider’s web to the breath-taking British landscape. All too often we take this for granted, even though the biodiversity of flora and fauna is what makes our Earth magnificent. |
'Spring Wetlands' created by Lewis Kent, Mike Lavin, Luke McCarthy & Otja Tjitunga
Music: Sean Whytock | Voiceover: Zac Lloyed Rush |
|
Rachel Owen
Website Writer, photographer and nature-lover Rachel has thrown herself whole-heartedly into the last three (and a half) years of studying. She has had the opportunity to explore her academic passions and dream up new media projects - learning the importance of wildlife media as a tool for art, education and activism. Alongside her studies, Rachel has been the long-standing Treasurer and Secretary for the Wildlife Society - working to bring a range of ideas to life, including building a photography hide and rewilding the campus. She hopes to stay in Carlisle and use these skills to rewild both the city, and its people. |
|
|
Martin Pullan EngTech TMIET
YouTube A visual artist based in Cumbria, Martin established a successful career in engineering and is a Technician Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, running his own limited company, prior to studying for his BA (Hons) Wildlife Media degree. Martin's primary interest is working with camera trap technology to achieve images of elusive wildlife. He has also developed a passion and expertise for capturing images of a wide variety of species of wildlife with digital cameras and PIR sensors. During his degree, Martin had the opportunity to work on a Hollywood film production when ‘The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle’ was filmed in The Lake District, fulfilling the role of Marshall on the set and helping with a complex chase scene. He has gained further professional experience when Eycott Hill Nature Reserve was filmed as part of the BBC series ‘Songs of Praise.’ During the summer months, Martin has undertaken conservation and environmental work with the West Cumbria Rivers Trust, taking part in their monitoring of fish populations in various waterways. |
|
|
Enlli Shakespeare
I grew up on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales and have been studying BA (Hons) Wildlife Media at the University of Cumbria for the last 4 years and have enjoyed my time here. Having lived by the sea my entire life, I have always had a fascination about the underwater world and how very little we have explored our oceans. I am eager to pursue a career in underwater photography. I am passionate about sharks in particular - much maligned and misunderstood in the media, but such fascinating creatures. I hope to have the opportunity to film and photograph them in future. |
|
|
Beth Smith
Website Photography is an art of observation, finding something interesting in an ordinary place that others don’t see. Having an interest in photography and a passion for conservation, particularly for marine wildlife, I chose to study this degree as a combination of both. I want to help raise awareness and educate others on the impact and involvement of human decisions in changing our environment, with urgent issues such as climate change and pollution. Throughout my time at the University of Cumbria studying BA Wildlife Media, I have gained new skills and knowledge, working with a new wide range of technology, editing, environmental and animal studies. Graduating with this degree I hope to achieve my ambition of working within the marine wildlife sector. The images displayed have been part of university projects, from wildlife, water pollution, short documentaries and newly skilled drone footage. |
|
|
Otja Tjitunga
Website YouTube I’m an aspiring wildlife photographer / videographer in my third year of studying for my BA (Hons) Wildlife Media at the University of Cumbria. Through studying wildlife media, I want to be able to use my wildlife knowledge and media skills to make a difference by raising awareness and hopefully educating the public on wildlife issues such as human wildlife conflict and poaching. The goal is to work freelance or ultimately for production companies such as the globally renowned BBC and National Geographic. |
'Spring Wetlands' created by Lewis Kent, Mike Lavin, Luke McCarthy & Otja Tjitunga
Music: Sean Whytock | Voiceover: Zac Lloyed Rush |
|
Elizabeth Thompson
YouTube During my studies, I have developed my understanding of the natural world, leaving me with an interest in making my future career path in agriculture. Having studied in Cumbria, it has opened my eyes to the simplicity and history of nature, which has been captured in my photography. |
|
|
Xanthe Walker
Website During my BA (Hons) Wildlife Media degree, my passion for conservation has grown, and I have developed my interest, knowledge and expertise in protecting and improving the environment. The various media projects, fieldwork and research I have completed have allowed me to travel and see many new and interesting species and get involved in their conservation. My interest in British wildlife has also developed throughout my course and my trips to the Shetland Islands and John O’ Groats have consolidated a love for coastal and marine wildlife, which I hope to carry on into my developing career. |
|
|
The University of Cumbria Institute of the Arts | Brampton Road | Carlisle | Cumbria | CA3 9AY | UK
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|