NHU AFRICA Takes a Walk on the Wild Side

Among a variety of other initiatives, the Natural History Unit of Africa commissions, co-produces and distributes wildlife documentaries for the international market.

Created to unite and promote the wildlife and natural-history filmmaking community in South Africa, the Natural History Unit of Africa (NHU AFRICA) has a vision to ultimately unite the industry on the African continent. Not only does NHU AFRICA commission, co-produce and distribute projects, but it provides assistance to filmmakers in such areas as training, networking and conferencing, HD equipment facilitation, funding and commissioning.

"We have been pushing the boundaries to give new filmmakers a chance, as well as working in association with some of the longer established African-based filmmakers," says Sophie Vartan, NHU’s commissioning editor.

“NHU AFRICA has an incredible HD portfolio of unique and world-class wildlife programming which appeal to international audiences,” Vartan continues. The catalogue includes human-interaction and animal-behavior stories, classic natural history and conservation films told from a unique African perspective.

The unit has produced more than 100 hours of programming since its establishment in 2006. One of NHU AFRICA’s latest projects is Iceman, which follows the journey of Lewis Gordon Pugh, a long-distance swimmer who undertakes to swim in the freezing Antarctic and Arctic seas to raise awareness for global climate change. "We have also released Nature of Life, a documentary which provides solutions to humanity’s greatest challenge yet—global climate change—and shows how indigenous African wisdom can hold the key; and Antarctica: Journey into the White Desert, a mesmerizing visual adventure in a land of remote natural wonder which follows the expedition of South African scientists, researchers and explorers who brave this inhospitable yet mysterious continent,” explains Vartan. Further highlights include the 13-part reality series Troop.

NHU’s productions extend far beyond the African border, and to date sales have been made to the U.S. and Canada; India, Taiwan, China and other parts of Asia; Russia, Australia, the Middle East, Scandinavia, Poland, Ukraine, the U.K. and elsewhere in Europe. Co-productions are also part of NHU AFRICA’s international remit, as it looks to develop partnerships with new broadcasters, while continuing to build on the relationships it’s already established. Some of the recent co-productions include A Kalahari Tail, done with NHK of Japan, and The Search for the Knysna Elephants, with Animal Planet International.

One of NHU AFRICA’s current projects, a co-production with Animal Planet U.S. and Animal Planet International, is Into the Dragon’s Lair. Vartan says, “It’s our biggest film yet, world-first, unique footage, and audiences will see the Okavango Delta from a very different perspective. It’s also immensely topical—humans swimming with crocodiles.”

Vartan says that increasing co-production partnerships is one of NHU’s key goals in the months ahead, along with keeping up the current pace of production, further developing distribution channels and working with a wider range of African filmmakers by establishing relationships with new talent.

NHU AFRICA also has a number of other initiatives outside of program production and distribution. It hosted the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition in South Africa for the first time in 2006, and has continued to do so each year since. This exhibition, owned by the Natural History Museum in London and BBC Wildlife Magazine, is an international showcase of the very best photography worldwide featuring natural subjects.

The Wild Talk Africa festival and conference, which was held in April 2009, was attended by more than 350 delegates from 22 countries. In just its second year, the film competition drew in 253 entries for its ROSCAR Awards, from 21 countries. The next festival will run in 2011.

The Wildlife Film Academy recently relocated to Entabeni Private Game Reserve, ensuring that there are a host of game-viewing opportunities and chances to film wildlife. Since its inception, the Academy has trained more than 200 students and has also placed students in full-time employment in the wildlife industry, as interns with production companies or as freelancers with commissions. The month-long course is divided into three parts. The first part of the course focuses on theory-based lectures. The second part of the course students are accompanied by an experienced filmmaker and a game ranger, and taken on early morning and evening game to capture the footage for their film. The final part of the course concentrates on the post-production and editing of the film. At the end of the course, students will have successfully produced a broadcast quality three-minute short film, with final mix of voice-over narration and soundtracks.