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Category Archives: Adventure filmmaking
Adventure, Adventure filmmaking, Africa, animals, Animals Travel, Backpacking, BBC, BigCats, biodiversity, Biology, Born Free, Bristol, Cameras, Conservation, david attenborough, ecology, Elephants, film, Film Festival, GH5, gopro, humans, Interview, Ivory burn, Kenya, Lions, Natural history unit, Research, safari, social media, south africa, travel, twitter
April 29, 2017 Tania Esteban	Leave a comment
I was recently interviewed for one of my favourite magazines – Digital FilmMaker! Here is the original with some of my photos from my 'A Lion's Tale' shoot in Kenya; exactly a year ago. Hope you enjoy it and feel inspired to do your own!
Why will this project be of interest to readers of Digital FilmMaker?
Hopefully this will be of interest to anyone wanting to shoot their first short film and have only just begun to delve into this creative, thrilling world of visual storytelling. Also, that it is indeed possible to do on a very small budget, whilst travelling to amazing places in the process! Natural history differs to drama in that you cannot predict what the wildlife 'characters' will do; or control a great deal of external environmental factors. However, with careful planning and preparation during the pre-production stage; it is possible to make an emotive and personal human-wildlife story that resonates with your target audience.
What had you done project wise in the lead up to this?
This was one of the first and biggest project that I was completely involved in. I studied Zoology during my undergraduate years and played around with cameras in different university societies; but nothing on this scale. I lived in southern Spain all my life before moving to the UK to study as an 18-year old, and upon graduating I then came to Bristol to pursue an MA in Wildlife Filmmaking at the University of West England. I've known for a long time that I wanted to get into filmmaking (since I was 12), growing up watching David Attenborough and living in the countryside greatly inspired me. However, there was no academic support in Spain for me to progress in this field, and so dreamed of getting into camerawork and research at the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol; where a staggering 40% of the world's wildlife documentaries are made. The Master's course certainly helped me achieve this, and part of the MA involved making our own film, drawing upon all the skills we learned alongside it. Whilst my academic background was scientific, I had always loved being creative as a child; storyboarding, drawing and writing took me to the far-flung exotic and biodiverse places I saw on our television.
Where I grew up in Southern Spain – the light and birdlife greatly inspired me.
Watching producers and cameramen/women filming behind the scenes sparked my interest; combining the best of both science and art worlds. Then when I was 13 my father bought me my first DSLR, and could finally capture the Bee-eater birds and Short-toed eagles that were always tantalizingly out of reach. Armed with my telephoto lens, I wanted to share my passion with others but knew that being self-taught wouldn't be enough to cut it in this competitive industry.
I therefore had a lot of catching up to do at University; joining the Leeds Student Radio societies, television and photography clubs so that I could begin to create a portfolio and apply for the MA. This included a conservation YouTube Channel about local biodiversity, and two radio programs that I produced; Weekly Wildlife Watch and the Travel Talk Show. Whilst radio and LSTV taught me how to write, shoot and focus on story; PhotoSoc helped me to compose and learn about the fundamental principles of photography.
Who has done what on the film?
As part of the MA requirement, I saw the entire project throughout each of the processes – from the initial idea as a researcher, producer/director, camerawoman, sound, editor, SFX/mixer, grader and now social media manager promoting the content online. It was certainly challenging juggling the different roles, but I loved learning and trying out a variety of methods, techniques and styles from both the drama and natural history world. Learning through mistakes is certainly the best way forward in all walks of life, and by having total creative and editorial control I feel I've made something close to my childhood memory and dream. It certainly has been an extraordinary experience that I will remember forever.
And how did that utilise your individual skills?
With my camerawork, I attempted to adapt different styles of shooting as well as techniques to create a visual story that would suite a film festival audience. Such immersive filmmaking techniques include those seen on various BBC series capture the animal's perspective to add an emotional level to the story, leading to a more powerful, captivating documentary. I attempted to capture privileged views of the lion in its environment, and learned a great deal about how different documentaries are made by analyzing the shots in different sequences.
I shot in high speed in attempt to create a sense of drama for the first and last sequence of A Lion's Tale, as well as with the use of extreme close ups (in particular the ranger patrol) for an immersive feel. The storyboarding of key sequences proved to be invaluable during the shoot, as it allowed me to focus on what I wanted to achieve in terms of framing, direction, action, speed.
Early morning starts – shooting high speed with the FS700 and Canon 100-400mm.
Equally, I took the camera off the tripod and onto a small inexpensive rig to allow for camera movement – and emphasizes the feeling and mood for a scene. The use of jibs, cranes and float cams are increasingly being used in natural history to create dynamic movement and a parallax between the scenes as seen in drama. The development of gimbals has now made this possible, although I had to resort to a very crude version of one in the end – my arms!
So what's the film about?
The Born Free story began with lions, and now 50 years later since the original film, A Lion's Tale looks at the legacy that actress turn conservationist Virginia McKenna has left and the conflicts that lions and all wildlife face in Kenya. Set in the original heartland of the true father of lions, we journey to Meru National Park to see the Born Free team and Kenya wildlife service rangers on the front line of conflict and education. The world's largest ivory burn is about to take place, as a symbol of Kenya's determination to help all wildlife and stop the illegal trade. Will the next generation take up the challenge? Is there hope?
This film reveals how Kenya's new generation of conservationists is looking out for all wildlife, including the elephants, which is witnessed at the world's largest ivory burn event – a symbol of stopping all wildlife trade and helping humans and nature co-exist. Gaining access to this historical event was one of the greatest challenges and provided me with the opportunity to capture a unique moment in time. It has quickly been adopted in the media with several feature films and documentaries have highlighted the event (The Ivory Game, Hugh's Ivory War). It was a truly unforgettable experience, which I self-shot and have now begun to edit into a separate film alongside this production. Filming beside my heroes, both in the conservation and camera world was one of the highlights of the shoot. The worlds press and filmmakers were gathered to document it, and it was truly a sobering sight to see the 150 tons of ivory go up in flames.
Who wrote it and what inspired that?
The story of A Lion's Tale began with my passion for lions and chance meeting with leading ape conservationist Ian Redmond.
This love of Africa and felines started during my childhood, when I was encapsulated by the true story of George and Joy Adamson. For me, the purpose of making A Lion's Tale was to emotionally engage and raise awareness – focusing on one of the major issues not only concerning lions, but all wildlife in Kenya. The original Born Free story captured the emotions of millions during its release in 1956, a time when our relationship with the natural world and 'wild' animals was viewed negatively.
And so, whilst a large conservation movement was seemingly triggered with the momentum of a single film, it was the emotive driving force behind the true story about the real Adamson's who released an orphaned lioness into the wild that led to actress Virginia McKenna to change her entire career and life plan – from actress to activist. I also felt it timely to produce with the upcoming ivory burn and Convention on the International Trade on Endangered Species meetings in Johannesburg. I didn't want to write a set script; and by using the characters' voices in the film I hope this has allowed audiences to connect with and care about the cause – not be lectured on it. The major theme of the film is hope – an emotion that all humans can relate to and a message that I believe everyone involved in the filmmaking and conservation industry can use as a device to inspire and drive change.
And who produced it and pulled the project together?
I was the producer of the project and responsible for all the script-writing, scheduling, budgeting, interviewing, shooting, etc. which did take extensive planning. After conducting all the research, calling and making the contacts; getting out on location was thrilling but accounted for only 20% of the production! Logistically it was challenging, Meru National Park is not a well visited park like the Maasai Mara or Amboseli. I booked a direct flight from London Gatwick to Nairobi to go and film at the Born Free office based there, the ivory burn and then a small carrier plane into the heart of Meru for the lions.
Upon descending Meru, all I could see was a small office – no runway as such but more of a dirt track – then suddenly a giraffe galloping away from us in attempt to avoid a collision! However, the Born Free team and Kenya Wildlife Service were remarkable, they helped make the shoot a success – driving me to all the locations within this most beautiful and underrepresented of parks. The ivory burn was undoubtedly the hardest to get permits for; but with a lot a patience and incredible support from the Born Free's president (CEO) as well as one of my contributors, Will Travers, I was fortunate enough to be able to film at the historic event.
Did you have much in the way of money to play with?
Not at all! I calculated a rough budget of £3000, as most of my negotiations brought the prices down and the park fees to film were waivered in return for me editing a separate version for them. This may seem ludicrous to most drama filmmakers, but in wildlife the budgets are far smaller and so this is where precision also plays a part throughout the production process. In total it cost £2600 for a 10 day shoot – this of course excludes all the pre-production and post costs as I was the one researching, filming, directing/producing, editing, grading, sound mixing; however the music was beautifully composed by MA student Richard Collins as part of his course. The facilities were provided by my university and the training in advance, but also a lot of practical reading and watching hours and hours of 'How to…' videos! Kit was also borrowed from the university and so most of the budget was spent on flights and accommodation. I did however set up a crowdfunding campaign and managed to raise half the funds to go; kind support from family, friends and strangers alike. IndieGoGo was the platform I used as it's less risky if you don't hit your top target.
And what were your kit choices for this film?
Kit wise I used what was available at university; the Sony FS700 with the kit lens (18-200mm f/3.5-6.3), the 50mm f/1.8, 100mm Canon f/2.0 primes and the 100-400mm with the EF metabones adaptor. The telephoto was crucial for getting close to the action when it would have otherwise been too far and dangerous. This was especially the case with the lions! For sound; radio mics, Sennheiser 416 with the 522 mixer, and a Tascam for good measure – the latter was used to record atmos in the field. The wild sounds of Kenya truly are as vivid and vibrant as you would imagine. I loved recording the young group of school children who sang to us, it stirs up many joyful memories when played back.
The film was edited on Premiere Pro, Pro Tools, and graded in Da Vinci. In hindsight, I would have loved to have taken an DJI Ronin MX gimbal, FS7 and a Phantom 4 Pro drone for the aerials; but very grateful for the access to the kit we had, especially as students. You are only ever truly limited by your own imagination.
Where does it sit alongside the rest of your portfolio of work?
In terms of technical difficulty, time scale, and aspiration to make – it's right up there! As I am sure many of you reading this have experienced, we are our own worst critics. However, this is one project that I was excited and dare I say it, proud to have made. It's been a life-long ambition to meet my heroine Virginia McKenna, and never thought I would get to experience the true Born Free story alongside the incredible people who keep that spirit of the Kenyan wilderness alive.
So where are you with the film right now?
The film is now complete, however there are a few colour grading tweaks being done by a professional, as I now have the confidence to hit the bigger festivals! It was something that I lacked skill-wise, and could only grade and colour correct to a certain extent. I'm looking forward to the festivals and so far, it's collected awards at six in the US, UK, India and Spain; winning recently at the Wild Film Fest in Falmouth. But more importantly, it's been shared in the schools back in Meru where it was filmed, and where the real difference in changing attitudes towards these amazing animals can be made. They are the generation that can make all the difference.
How is it looking at this stage in the game?
All finished! It took me 10 months in total, with my fellow course mates and I recently enjoyed a screening of our films at the Everyman theatre in Bristol. It was incredibly rewarding to see in on the big screen with family and friends, as well as some BBC staff who came to support us. A project that you are so involved in does, to a certain extent, take over your life for a while – but it's such an incredible feeling to see the end creation. Although I always say that if I didn't set myself a cut-off point, I'd be forever editing! I received a heartfelt letter from Virginia McKenna, my main character, about how much she enjoyed the film – and that was very special indeed as she had a huge influence on me when I was growing up.
😁🎥🐞🐿🐹Feel incredibly blessed to have been on this #MA #wildlife #film making course with such a group of extraordinary, talented and passionate friends…I really do wish you all the happiness and success in your futures- can't wait to see what you do!! 😁😢😭😭🌍❤❤❤ #uwe #Bristol #love at our final film screenings
A post shared by Tania Rose Esteban (@tania.rose.esteban) on Oct 27, 2016 at 10:37am PDT
Incredibly exciting day at the #premiere of #alionstale @ the #Everymantheatre #Bristol😀😎🦁🐾🎞 #mawfonlocation
A post shared by Tania Rose Esteban (@tania.rose.esteban) on Oct 21, 2016 at 3:04pm PDT
And how do you plan to promote it given that this is such a competitive marketplace?
I plan to promote it through a variety of social media platforms; Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc. and by connecting with influential Born Free supporters who can use their media presence to share and connect the film with the intended audience. Equally by continuing to enter festivals, I hope to promote it further worldwide. I also shot some 360 VR 'behind the scenes' clips to showcase on my website, especially during the ivory burn. Tapping into this market is key to reaching the younger audiences or those not necessarily interested in wildlife. During the run up to the film's creation, I built up an online audience offering exclusive clips and images from the shoot as well as other stages of its development. It's really important to engage with them and respond to what they have to say; as well as offer any advice. They also want their voice to be heard.
Can you tell us about the other projects you've been working on?
At the moment, I am employed at the BBC as a researcher with the digital team – one of the most innovative, creative and energetic group you'll meet at the Natural History Unit! I'm loving every moment, most recently we released exclusive Snapchat stories for Planet Earth II in the US, and now I'm working on another digital project associated with the Blue Planet series. It's incredibly exciting as you get to help out in various productions with different roles. Film-wise I do have a couple of personal project ideas in the pipeline, and I am very keen to shoot another short using the superb Panasonic GH5 – watch this space!
How do they differ from this one?
They differ in that they are not located in Africa! I've always been incredibly drawn to the continent but now have storylines I'm researching in Australia and Japan, both having more of a cultural-human element to them. However, another short I'd love to shoot is more of a pure wildlife blue-chip style, and I now have access to better equipment and financing to facilitate the projects.
What is your favourite genre and why?
I'm a little biased when saying I adore making natural history, but it's something I live and breathe every second of the day. For centuries, humans have told stories to make sense about the world- illuminating behaviour, making order out of chaos and to create moral meaning. It's the way we can comprehend and pass on information, with which we have the insatiable need for form and structure in the way we tell them. Natural History has been documented for thousands of years through visual, physical and audible means, whether through the primitive Stone Age depictions of a hunt through cave paintings, to the now pioneering ultra-high definition wildlife films. Nature is endlessly fascinating and beautiful, and as a curious person it's something that I'm always passionate and keen to share with others. I am certain most of us have this desire to learn about the world around us. I do of course enjoy watching a great variety of programmes and films; adventure, comedy, sports, fact ent, animation and action! You can learn many lessons from different genres.
Are there other genres that you'd like to tackle?
Natural History will always be my passion – but I do believe you can cross-pollinate genres and get interesting results. A superlative example the award-winning success Virunga directed by Orlando Von Einsidel; where wildlife documentary meets investigative journalism. It combines elements of "The seven key steps of story structure" as described by screenwriter John Truby, and regardless of it being a non-fiction film, Virguna also contains strong dramatic elements and a classical story structure of good versus evil. Battles depicted through the civil war and conflict between the park rangers and the oil companies are also tied in with the need to survive, along with the desire to exploit natural resources for profit. These all conjoin into a single cause and effect pathway through the combined use of a 'run and gun' shooting style and profound emotive pauses. It would be interesting to try a more daring, journalist approach with a conservation story – thrilling audiences by being immersed right in center of the action.
So what is the filmmaking climate like in your neck of the woods?
Wildlife filmmaking is quite different to drama in my experience. Whilst we are adopting more cinematic techniques and technology using gimbals and aerials to create a parallax and dynamic edge; the set-up times, cast (!), budgets, and approach are quite different. I worked recently on a drama set as a camera assistant and found the whole thing fascinating; there certainly are no repeat takes when filming a wild animal in action! Equally, whilst in drama you have many specialized roles such as focus pullers, gaffers, and make up; wildlife crews are noticeably smaller as costs for location shoots would soon quickly rise – budgets are noticeably smaller. Most crews are a jack of all trades, and you learn quickly how to be as multi-skilled and useful to a team as possible. It's the most incredibly rewarding and thrilling industry, and you never quite know what animals you will see and how they will behave. If you're lucky, you can capture unique behavior that's never been seen before.
#drama #queen🎥🎬💻. Change of scenery as a #camera #assistant on a drama set!! #lightscameraaction #behindthescenes #film #tudor #RED #clapperboard
A post shared by Tania Rose Esteban (@tania.rose.esteban) on Sep 23, 2016 at 8:53am PDT
#InLove 🎥🎬😍😍 #RED #EPIC #samyang #prime #lens #teradek #drama #shoot #behindthescenes #film #excited #camera #assistant
Are you at the stage of making any money from this as yet?
No, I decided that this project would not be for profit, despite my access to the ivory burn. I wanted this to be an educational and inspirational piece and shared far and wide; available to anyone with an interest in wildlife and Africa. Now that I know I can make a short film – next time may be different!
So where do you see this filmmaking route taking you in the future?
I hope to follow in the footsteps of some of my filmmaking heroes; Sophie Darlington, Sue Gibson, Justine Evans – the best female camerawomen in our industry! But equally, I do want to pursue my passion for producing and continue to create compelling stories. I recently met the producers who worked on Planet Earth II who were incredibly inspiring- their work is truly in a league of its own. David Attenborough of course has been the greatest source of inspiration; and If I can make entertaining, emotive and compelling films that inspire others to want to make even the smallest of positive differences on our beautiful planet, then I'll be a very happy earthling indeed.
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Adventure filmmaking, Africa, animals, BBC, BigCats, Born Free, Conservation, film, Film Festival, Kenya, Lions, Uncategorized, UWE, wildlife filmmaking
A Lion's Tale
May 11, 2016 Tania Esteban	Leave a comment
As many of you know, I have been off filming in Kenya as part of my final Master's film for the UWE Bristol-BBC course. Here is a little more background to the story before I start blogging the exciting events that happened during the trip!
Please check out more about the FILM here:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-lion-s-tale/x/11469504#/
2016 is The Year of the Lion that will honour the 50th anniversary of the film Born Free. A story of true determination, passion, love and drama – it is one of the most successful conservation stories ever told all. This film will be presented by Virginia McKenna, the actress turned wildlife activist as she tells us about her journey to protect the lions of East Africa and introduces us to the team of rangers currently working in Elsa's heartland, Meru National Park. Led by Virginia's son, Will Travers and the charismatic Victor Mutumah (Game warden of the Kenya Wildlife Service), we see first-hand how the threat to lions has never been so pressing.
Wildlife activist Virginia McKenna; actress turn conservationist
Meet Victor Mutumah: chef extraordinaire and wildlife conservationist or Born Free.
OBE Will Travers: son of Virginia and Wildlife activist, president of the Born Free Foundation. Shown here at the major Ivory Burn event we attended.
Their numbers have declined by 90% since the making of the film, and the recent lion census has revealed that in Meru poisoning, snaring and hunting is threatening the last remaining populations of the original lions raised by George Adamson. As the team search for answers across the dramatic landscape, it ultimately leads them to the local Borana people whose livelihoods are equally at risk from these majestic predators.
Without urgent action, lions could become extinct into the wild within our life time- as currently there are less lions than rhino in the wild…
Can the team help convince the new generation of children of the value of lion? Will they change from hunters to conservationists? Will Virginia's lion legacy be felt in the true heartland where it matters most?
Our documentary will take place in the heartland of the Born Free story, in the little visited and utterly unspoilt Meru National Park where the Adamson's released Elsa the lioness into the wild. Steeped in history, few places are comparable to the remote and rugged atmosphere found here with a vast range of habitats, criss-crossed with 13 natural rivers. From the majestic lion and the minute naked mole rat – it truly is a landscape of contrasts.
Despite being at the peak of her career, the film and all it still stands for changed her life…It's powerful message stayed with her after the film and so she gave up Hollywood and began a lifetime of campaigning across the world to save animals from commercial exploitation, imprisonment, cruelty and the loss of their natural habitat-focusing relentlessly on her personal mission with the Born Free Foundation.
In the beginning we meet Virginia McKenna, actress turn conservationist as she introduces us to the Born Free film she was involved with, and shares the impact it had on her. Through a series of interviews and cut aways to archive of the Born Free Film, we gain an insight into why lions are important to her, her relationship with them and what the Foundation is doing as part of their campaign to halter their startling decline….
We then journey to the homeland of Elsa the lioness and the heartland of Joy Adamson- Meru National Park. Virginia's voice guides us though a remarkable raw landscape in the foothills of Mt Kenya with its herds of zebra and elephants, home to the descendants of the original lions from the film. Here we meet Victor Mutumah of the Born Free Foundation and the rangers who fight tirelessly against poachers and bandits.
The reality of what's causing the lions decline is revealed in the field as the rangers track down snares and traps.However the main cause is shown as human populations encroach further into lion territory this often leads to human-wildlife conflicts and a fragile relationship between lions and locals. Is conservation on the agenda amongst the local people? An interview with a local farmer from the Meru tribe gives us an insight into where this stems from, and what is really thought about conservation.
What does Born Free and the KWS need to do to change their views in on one of the last strongholds of lions in Kenya before its too late?
Born Free and the KWS attempt resolve this conflict by reaching out towards the community and giving them the tools to become conservationists. With the Global friend's programme, they educate the next generation of lion guardians about the value of lions to their culture and livelihoods. By focusing on environmental education and benefits to human communities; Global Friends encourages communities to find their own solutions to human-wildlife conflict… As well as this, de-snaring operations and research are helping to reduce conflict and enable a better understanding of the last remaining individuals in the park. However the threats are very real to the rangers, who need to protect themselves as well as the lions they so dearly care about.
On the final leg of the journey, we meet Virginia's son, Will Travers as he journeys to the Ivory Burn in Nairobi National Park; the largest in history, and a symbol of hope to tackle the ever increasing rise in the illegal ivory trade and of all of Kenya's species.
But will this be enough to change people's relationship between lions to a positive one? Is there hope for the future of Kenya's lions?
On completion of this film, it will be screened at the BBC Natural History Unit this September 2016, a day of great celebration for everyone involved in the project and YOU at home for making it a reality. Then it's off to the Film Festivals around the world! Virginia's Lions could have an impact on raising awareness about the plight of lions and encourage protection from commercial trade at the 17th COP convening with CITES in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Born Free Foundation since its creation in 1984 originally with Zoo Check, it has raised over millions and grown into a global force for protecting and rescuing wildlife. It is working harder than ever with local communities to give them right conservation tool, with its personal passion for wild animals and desire for positive change remaining at the heart of the foundation.
Resolution?
Virginia's message of hope is an inspiration to us all, and something which all humans share. I hope to raise awareness about the plight of lions through my film, but also celebrate the story of Virginia McKenna and the Born Free Film which changed her life. This story is unique in that Virginia is not a scientist, nor a local Kenyan…but someone who has a deep passion and connection to the place and the wildlife around her. We will ultimately decide the fate of lions, and so let us chose hope and rally with Born Free to ensure the next generations will see this remarkable iconic species in the wild for themselves.
Photo credit: The amazingly talented Robyn Gianni took these photographs and is allow me to use them for the film! Check out her incredible work here:
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/163647394
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Adventure filmmaking, BBC, Bristol, Conservation, Film Festival, Natural history unit, Uncategorized, wildlife filmmaking
Wildscreen Re-launch 2016!
January 18, 2016 Tania Esteban	3 Comments
What a first semester it's been! New Year has kick started with a bang, time is flying by and we're now planning our final film projects and pitching to the BBC soon… it's all becoming a reality now and I can't tell you how exciting it all feels. I'm trying to catch up on some much needed blogging after all the Christmas shenanigans and deadlines- here's what happened at the Wildscreen Re-launch 2015!
Wildscreen…the Natural History equivalent to the Oscars, announced that the 18th Festival will take place in Bristol, UK from Monday 10th October until Friday 14th October 2016 – we can barely wait! I for one am very excited at the prospect of volunteering as well as entering this year. The talent last year was truly astounding, and more than ever conservation is beginning to make a come back in the form of human and animal characters, with strong emotive storytelling. (*Hint*Hint…along the lines of my final film too).
At the festival, anyone and everyone in the industry turns up to celebrating the world's best natural world film event. They all congregate in the dining hall before the main awards event, looking rather resplendent in all that finery. Even the rarest of them all congregates at this most awe-inspiring of talent pools…Sir David has been known to make an appearance despite being a highly migratory species. At the Festival there's a whole host of fantastic workshops you can get up to including masterclasses and keynotes which provide unique access to some of the sectors most influential, powerful and innovative individuals.
SO…a the re-launch we were given the task of filming and vision mixing the event, as well as welcoming guests into the viewing. We met up with two experienced cameramen who positioned us in left and right winds as well as the back. Whilst one of us was in charge of tracking the speakers in a mid wide shot, the other to cameras were either a steady wide or "interest cam" where we could get more creative and get close ups of the face and hands as the passionate speakers gesticulated with verve.
We also got involved with welcoming VIP guests with a snazzy Wildscreeen T-shirt, and it was quite thrilling to welcome in some of the biggest faces in the industry. Sadly no David but we shall meet again! It felt so humbling to be in their presence, and a real reminder that we have so much to learn- they've been there, done it all and literally gotten the T-shirt. They are so knowledgeable, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been taught by a few of them. Once everyone was in, it was time for a quick piece of tortilla and then leg it to the stage, the show wouldn't start itself!
Anna modelling and rocking that T-shirt
I was also playing around on the vision mixing desk with Dave, head technician and our lecturer, as well as all round cool, techy, goatee guy. This was an interesting experience for me and really appreciated how important timing is!
Cue Titles……
During rehearsals I got to see some very interesting speakers including talented and rising star Patrick Ayree. A former UWE student himself, he's blazing our screens with superb new productions such as his most recent Big Cat series by Offspring Films, Sky 1. His dulcet tones emanated from the stage as he hosted the event whilst we were treated to stunning array of photography. He's certainly one to watch for in the imminent future…
Patrick Ayree hosting the Wilsdscreen Re-launch event, at the rather resplendent Bristol Old Vic.
Then things got fishy…in a good way though, with Wildscreen's New Horizons Nicholas Röhl, a man with a vision to change the way we recklessly catch fish in an unsustainable manner, through his admittedly bold and humorous photography. Fish Love is at the heart of a global movement
to protect our seas from destructive fishing practices. The portraits, featuring celebrated individuals with fish have successfully raised awareness for campaigns such as Deep Sea Coalition, OCEAN2012, The End of the Line, and Blue Marine Foundation. Visions of celebrities adorned with fish is something I didn't envisage, but nonetheless it was a very interesting concept! Check out and support his work here.
Here's the video too! (Shot on our Sony FS700's)
Alex Morris, Creative Director at Barcroft Media talked Digital– where they source amazing photographers using the internet, social media and forums to find the most talented individuals…as there's a huge demand for eye-catching content. They also a YouTube channel with large global audiences that would even make Taylor Swift go weak at the knees … with over 100 million views a month! Fun fact of the night: A staggering 300 hours of media is uploaded every min onto YouTube– that's a LOT of cute kittens and sneezing pandas…
Violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen gave a stunning heartfelt performance of The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams. Such a beautiful creative display of our relationship with the natural world shown in conjunction with a series of some of the very best wildlife and environmental photography from many talented individuals. This was perhaps one of my favorite highlights of the event as its clean, inspirational simplicity allows your imagination to run wild and feel moved emotionally…a deep routed connection to the natural world that resonates strongly with us all.
After the event it was time to relax and meet some of the guests! And of course show off our new Wildscreen T-shirts kindly given to us by the organizers, thanks Hannah! You all pulled it off!
So here was out team photo #GirlPower! We'll see you for 2016!
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Adventure, Adventure filmmaking, Africa, Backpacking, nature, plettenberg bay, south africa, travel, Volunteering, wildlife, wildlife filmmaking
South Africa Wildlife filmmaking internship – How YOU can volunteer for free!
August 30, 2015 Tania Esteban	7 Comments
Backpacking and volunteering in South Africa
This year in June I flew to South Africa to pursue a childhood dream and volunteer as a wildlife filmmaking intern in Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and Jukani– 3 wildlife sanctuaries located in The Crags, Western Cape, Titsikamma National park. I never thought it would be possible until I began doing my own research- without the costly fees of a company doing it for me. I'm a scientist by nature, research is what I love to do! So I set about by looking at the organisations which didn't charge an arm and a leg to simply volunteer. Its infuriating when such companies around the world will voraciously take advantage of students wanting to give up their time to a good cause, and have a trip of a lifetime; travelling whilst it's still possible without being tied down to jobs and life.
So I'm creating these following posts to help YOU VOLUNTEER ON A STUDENT BUDGET, WITHOUT COMPANY FEES! WHY? Because I was in the SAME SITUATION as YOU, and wanted to experience Africa at my own pace, see and do incredible things and meet amazing people.
Above is a little video clip of one of the many species I filmed there. Many of these individual Capuchins have been rehabilitated and evidently the methods have worked, as they display remarkably natural behaviour and social interactions.
So here's what I did and how you can also do something similar for a budget price.
I worked as a student volunteer at the South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance parks, Plettenberg Bay to work as a ranger tour guide and photographer/filmmaker in the Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and Jukani wildlife sanctuaries. They fund themselves through revenues from tourists who take educational tours of the sanctuaries, and multi-lingual tour guides are much needed to continue to bring in funds. A detailed catalogue of all the SAASA species has not yet been made of the primates, birds and apex cats, and so I wanted to help compile this information, along with taking photographs and film footage (for YouTube) of individual primates as an important part of the project.
I really wanted to be able to make a difference at the SAASA by bringing my skills as a photographer/videographer/zoologist and researcher, as well as help to build up a collection of all the species and individuals at the sanctuary.
Having studied zoology at the University of Leeds for 3 years, I felt the need to travel and experience different cultures, sights and wildlife encounters before I go on to study for my Master this coming September at Bristol (for a MA in Wildlife Filmmaking). Not only did I feel I would grow as a person, but also gain further insight and build upon my current portfolio which will prove to be very useful when applying for jobs as a freelance camera woman.
It has been a life-long ambition to visit South Africa, I missed out on an opportunity field trip last summer due to my research project that was to be conducted in the UK on bat foraging distributions. I can tell you it has far surpassed my expectations… it's really was life changing and incredible, fascinating, awe-inspiring, revelatory, amazing, stunning and… yes this is why you should GO FOR IT!
On the SASSA website they advertise the jobs that need doing and how you can get involved, and the possible accommodation that's nearby where you can backpack and be drive to and fro; take a look:
1# Getting the volunteering internship
SO sort out what your role will be doing with Vivjer and Laura via email or telephone. Then you can start thinking about where you want to live these next few weeks…
This requires you to get in contact with them which is very easy nowadays- a simple email telling them what you do and want to achieve through volunteering there, what experience you have to offer, CV, website, ect. You're pretty much in unless you're going through a well-known organisation and a company is booking you through (such as Conservation experience Africa, or the Born Free Foundation). Having said that, Monkeyland which opened it's doors in 1998 is actually an enormous 13 hectares, where 11 monkey species are allowed to roam free in stunning natural Afro-montane forest. Nothing is simulated, the forests were here originally before the project was started, and endemic Vervet monkeys use to roam the forests. It far supersedes anything I have seen in Europe…and is truly a sustainable, long-term project with many modern concepts and ideas being implemented by Laura Mostert and the team. In fact it's even won the Tourism Sustainability awards (2014).
Monkeys that were previously kept as pets, ex-circus performers and abused zoo monkeys are rescued by Monkeyland, and placed into special monkey homes to rehabilitate before being released back into the forest sanctuary. This is known as the "Eden syndrome effect," which when implemented; nobody is allowed to touch, pet or feed the monkeys…and minimal contact is made other than during feeding. When released, guest must also adhere to these rules, keeping a distance of 2m and NO SELFIE sticks are permitted.
This is to keep the monkeys as wild as possible and behaving naturally, which in my experience is most certainly the case. I got some brilliant behaviour when filming across all the species. Of course not all the species would be mixed together in the wild, but this doesn't seem to affect intraspecies communication (between the same species). We feed them a variety of fruits and vegetables, all of which come from locally sourced farmers, so not only fresh but also benefitting the local communities. I'm not going to lie, the monkeys ate better than us! I'll be writing more specifically about "A day in the life of a Monkeyland volunteer" soon.
2# Accommodation- backpacking all the way
Now the concept of backpacking is one that I had never come across. I had heard of hostels and camping sites, but it never really occurred to me that it could be a place to stay at a reasonable price and allow you to spend your hard earned cash elsewhere on incredible activities, trips, safaris, ect. I stayed at Rocky Road Backpackers, a quaint little place wedged in between the valleys with large open grounds.
Now I had an amazing time there, but unfortunately a problematic situation arose between a member of staff which caused problems for all the guests (a tale for another day!) and so this was unnerving…but other than that, the food was great and the transport was reasonable. But for me it was the incredible people I met there. I met 14 students from Western Washington University on their incredible journey to help the locals in Mosassami and Kurtland village– township communities in need of teaching, building, counselling and community project funding. I can say now I have made friends for life here and I spent all my evenings and weekend trips with these amazing people- having the time of my life!
The inspirational WWU students and I at Addo National Park. Couldn't have imagined better travel buddies than this lot, missing you all terribly!
So I was paying the equivalent of £17 a day for transport, 3 meals and accommodation. I got a small shared room with a single bed, you can save a go for a tent which does come with electricity. But be warned, its COLD in winter! That's pretty darn good, compared to hotels which can cost double the amount not including food or transport. But of course in South Africa with the strength of the pound to the rand…you can get more bang for your buck. According to a recent Post Office study, a Briton buying £500 in local currency can get 22.3% more for their money, or an additional £91.03, compared with one year ago. The current exchange rates from £ to rand are: £1=20.7 South African rand. I mean that's remarkably weak…
Having said that, in the past if was far weaker, only now are South Africans able to benefit from tourism. You can get your regular shop for less than a fiver, go out on a safari for £13, get a taxi for £5, fine-dining for £5, accommodation for £10 or less. Hence why there is such a draw to places such as Cape Town and Plett, the strength of the pound in particular means it's hugely attractive for students too, looking to enjoy their student finance money!
Another fantastic place is Stephanie's Homestay, located right next to the Beach in Plett. It's very central unlike Rocky Road, and you can get all your food shop, souvenirs without needing to ask people to drive you there which is great. You also get lifts to Monkeyland, ect as well as DISCOUNTS FOR EVRYTHING…I'm not even kidding…mention Stephanie's name and everyone knows her. She's sort of like your South African mama, so if a homestay backpackers is more your cup of tea, stay here.
There is a THIRD option…of which is FREE. Yes you hear me…FREE ACCOMODATION. Impossible I hear you say? Not so, Monkeyland have limited volunteer homes right next to them, a friend of mine who =volunteered here stayed here for the entire month without paying a single rand. The only snag is that it's a bit of a …well, dump. Its not the safest of places, I'm not going to lie, but if you're a guy or happen to be with one, its worth going. Two of my friends (both girls) stayed here and were totally fine, but you're limited in terms of food and transport unless you rent a car. I'll come onto that, but this is not particularly the best way to spend your hols, it's nicer to meet other backpackers. SO unless you're a bit of a loner, this isn't the best option, but certainly the cheapest.
3# Flights
Right so you have somewhere to stay now. Actually getting there is the next big thing! I looked through Skysanner.com, which kept sending me the best offers for the dates I was looking for. You can go via STA but sometimes it can be cheaper doing it yourself. Since I was going to Plettenberg Bay, not via Cape Town, but through Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth, it worked out cheaper through this website. I paid £660 return flight with British Airways, flying from Manchester to London Heathrow, London to Johannesburg and then finally to Port Elizabeth.
I then got a £80 taxi to my backpackers (I know…ouch!) after an exhausting 21 hours of travelling! I booked in April to avoid the summer hike costs, I have friends that paid £800-£1000…so book EARLY! BA were brilliant too, the service was excellent as usual, and the food pretty decent too. I must POINT OUT though, DO LEAVE TIME between transfers…I almost missed my connection return flight from Joho to London because of a delay! Also watch it in Johannesburg, it can be quite dodgy over there. But other than that, enjoy your flight!
4# Packing- What to take?
Right, I wish I could have read this before I went! Our summer is their winter…I can't express more lucidly how South African winters are the SAME as European ones…that just because its Africa doesn't mean that short shorts are an option! Its rather similar to a Spanish summer, not quite as bitterly cold as the UK. So do take many different layered clothes, such as thin long sleeved t-shirts, jackets, fleeces and scarves. Socks are a must too, the thick walking boot types, and bring X2 the numbers of pairs you think you'll need…you're going to lose half of them I promise! Also the same goes for underwear. There are few places that own a tumble drier annoyingly so be prepared to reuse (sorry), and smell like a monkey for a bit… that's how it rolls here in Africa! Also bring a sturdy pair of thick boots for hiking in and for the muddy terrain, you'll definitely thank me for this one. Sunglasses for those sunny days are advisable, sun cream not really. A good rugged and waterproof rucksack will keep all of this kit together nicely…DO get a decent one, I got through 2!
The travel back #backpacking #hat #bags #southafrica #dontwanttoleave
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Oh! And a Safari HAT of course!
#southafrica #wildlifefilmmaking #onmaway #travel
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Products and tablets
Mosquitoes aren't out yet, too cold, but ticks most certainly are- bring some tweezers! I got many whilst in the forests. Kwells seas sickness tablets work a treat for boat trips, especially the notoriously known choppy seas of South Africa…Immodium for those loose bowels of yours, the food can be too rich for the delicate intestinal linings of us Europeans, so this one will be of great help to stop you from living on the toilet at the most embarrassing of times. Never get caught out on safari! A water bottle bag is very useful too, as well as electrolytes in case of diarrhoea. This is to replenish lost bodily salts which are vital to your bodily functions. Echinacea tablets work a treat if you're in contact with people…so many of the American students fell ill with cold bless them, these tablets keep all that away.
I skimped a little on this…you shouldn't but I was desperate to buy a GoPro and decided to spend my £140 on one instead of the 3 courses of Rabies. But YOU SHOULD if you're working with wildlife! Also get your polio, tetanus, Hep A/B, and Typhoid re done if you haven't. There's no Malaria here so no need to splash out on the expensive tablets. All of the mentioned is free expect the rabies. Get them 2 months in advance before your trip and go and see your nearest travel clinic.
My favourite part! Okay, PLEASE BUY A GOPRO your life would be incomplete without one!! Trust me, I used it on all my trips; the hikes, safari's, swimming, surfing, cage diving especially, kayaking, canoeing, running, rock climbing, ect. It's such a hardy little camera (waterproof 30m, shockproof) that it won't bust on you, and it makes everything look amazing with its 180 degree wide view shots. Have a look at some top tips on creating your own videos here from my last post. I own a GoPro Hero which I bought for £90 on amazon. Plus et the extras like the selfie sticks, head strap mount, ect for those awkward moments where your hands are required.
Of course I would say take a SLR camera, I myself have the Canon 600D with a zoom lens (another key bit of kit for close ups of wildlife and birds), with the flip screen to shoot video.
I had the Tamron 70-300mm lens as well as the Manfrotto MH01 to shoot at night and film. Amazing what you can get from kit under £300. Here are some of my results.
Extra batteries for your camera are a must. You wont get much opportunity to charge everything at the same time. Also take extra harddrives (Samsung 1TB), SD cards, Micro SD cards (for your phone and GoPro), recording microphone for the amazing sounds, lens wipes and universal plug for your gear.
Get yourself a car if you want more freedom. If you cash in with some friends it worth getting a car so you have the freedom to come and go as you please. There's nothing worse than having to rely on others and wait hours to bunk in with people heading your way. I got caught out several times and was left in dangerous situations alone… You DON'T want this to happen! Also it's really cheap if you get it for the month, and petrol is also inexpensive. Will cost you about £200 for the month to rent, and less than £170 for petrol…but it of course depends where you go. Make sure you have an international driving licence, or something in your passport to say you're a tourist visiting for a month….we got pulled over by the police for this!
Here was the car we rented for the week to go on the trips, not the most reliable of thing! We nicknamed him Freedom…
So now you're ready to go to South Africa to the volunteering holiday of your dreams…And be prepared to have a rollercoaster of a time- Africa truly leaves a mark on your heart, and gives you the travel bug! More updates on what to expect in the volunteer sanctuaries as well as some amazing trips you can get up to too!
AdventureAfricaanimalsBackpackingBeachbiodiversityCameragoproNaturephotographySouth Africastudentstravelvolunteerwildlife filmmaking
Adventure filmmaking, Animals Travel, BBC, Climbing, film, gopro, Photography, Selfie, travel, wildlife, world
How to become an adventure filmmaker
August 6, 2015 Tania Esteban	3 Comments
SO you wanna be an adventure filmmaker?
Yes – its summer! That time of the year where we all wack out our shorts, shades and sun cream and jet-set across the world to exciting new places with friends and family. Be it glamping in Gloustershire, or snorkelling with Whales in Tonga, we ALL love to film our adventures and trips while we travel. YouTube is good evidence for this, brimming with hours of awful selfie shots of random tourists doing crazy activities, or what unusual tropical fruits they just ate for breakfast on a remote island.
So WHY go to the trouble of making one?
MEMORIES! These trips of a life-time are so called because of the incredible sights and sounds you get to see, that nobody else will ever encounter or see in quite the same way. So you can capture these moments in a different light to writing and inspire others to get out and pursue their own trails around the world.
First off….
To create a successful travel adventure film requires a blend of creativity, planning and decent tech. I don't believe in the advice that others will say on being able to create amazing films with basic kit, you do need a good SLR or GoPro action camera with 1080p, 30fps specs! But that said, the standard of the compact camera and touch screen phone cameras nowadays means you can get pretty close to it, so if you're on a budget this shouldn't sacrifice the quality too much.
#Tip 1:
The key here is to OWN a TRIPOD and keep your video footage STILL. Then you're practically 70% closer to making an amazing video. This is because in most videos that move everything around with additional handshake can result in unpleasant and messy images. This is the worst way to showcase your amazing holiday, and something nobody wants to see – even if the quality is superb, a still camera shot marks the sign of a decent film. All the videos I've been shooting in South Africa have been largely on a tripod whilst filming monkeys and big cats at Monkeyland and Jukani sanctuaries. The rule applies to both GoPro's AND SLR cameras too, mainly the SLR's as the shake from them can be unruly.
Next up is the sound….
Now unfortunately the budget cameras that we all buy have awful quality audio- the sort that sounds like your voice has been turned into a million billion amps then compressed into sounds waves via a small cheap pair of crappy tin speakers…So your best bet is to buy a relatively inexpensive Rode mic for your SLR cameras, and if not, then don't bother with the sound and add some on Adobe Audition or Cool pro edit. Both can be downloaded for free (Adobe audition version 3.0, not the new one). You're an extra 10% there now.
Have a story. There's no point I filming literally anything you walk past, have some sort of journey through which we can follow. This won't always be possible note, and DO film exciting things you've never seen before, but think of whether you want to make it more of an adventure adrenaline junkie one with plenty of action shots, or a buddies trip over with long braai nights and sit arounds which may be nice to film. Of course including local people and cuisine is important, and most exciting of all, the wildlife and landscapes!
Planning a shots list always helps too, any close ups of preparing food, tight close ups of animals, then the more scene setting views of the area- so streets, mountains, the ocean, a fiesta, ect.
Then interviews should always have a personal perspective and be directly on them, with the potential to have a camera on you if you have +2 cameras. When you find an interesting place, person, animal or situation you ALWAYS film it in a proper sequence in that you get at least 25 different shots of the event in that given location, so that youre able to tell the story visually. Don't bother if the place/event isn't particularly memorable, better to save your memory card and battery for somewhere that is. Many a time have I been somewhere and filmed away, then run out of battery for the next day without being able to find a plug socket!
Shoot transitional shots. So whether you're driving to your next location, passing maps, road signs, street scenes, day to day events, passer by's, film a few seconds of it. People brushing, cleaning, eating, chatting, commuting – its all great stuff to add to your film an give it a more professional finish. Now your 92% closer to being a pro!
The edit– this makes up the final 99%! Its key to mix up the interspersed transitional shots that you've got, and intertwine these to make your movie more professional. Add music or commentary to suite your film and then voila!! You should have an amazing travel holiday video that you can be proud of and show off to all your friends and family. And if your feelin brave, why now show it to the world and put it on YouTube (to reach full 100% pro rating of being a good distributer), Vimeo and then spread it around on social media? Who knows, maybe you can et sponsored to take videos by GoPro, mammut, Nike, Canon, Bergus, Timberland, ect and other outdoorsy companies that would love to promote themselves through your incredible work. More about that soon, but for now, keep filming!
AdventureanimalsBBCbiodiversityCameraCanonFilmmakinggoproNational geographicphotographySummertravelTrek


This Kenyon Tool Pro-Grade All Steel Cultivating Mattock is one tough tool to include in your rockhounding gear. My favorite part is the 3/8'' diameter tines for raking through your prospect pile. Loosen up the soil and gravel with the 2'' wide by 3/16'' thick steel hoe end then rake through with the tines while watching carefully for your target specimens. It's very ''Heavy-Duty'' short handled tool for the serious rockhound. All steel construction with a generous handle diameter vinyl grip. The mattock has 14" overall length. You can also practice digging for gold by using it in the garden on those weekends when you can't get away.


January 10th 49 BC is widely known as the day that Gaius Julius Caesar, on crossing the Rubicon river with only one legion to trigger a civil war, said the historically famous phrase "the dice is thrown" or "The die is cast" ("Alea iacta est" in Latin).
event, crossing the point of no return.
We sometimes come across a "Rubicon River" situation in our lives, where we must simply move on.


text:
Q: Is there an automatic way to memoise global polymorphic values in Haskell? Polymorphic "constants", like 5 :: Num a => a, aren't really constants but functions of a dictionary argument. Hence, if you define
primes :: Num n => [n]
primes = ...

Bad example of course, there's no good reason here to have it polymorphic... what I'm really interested is if you try to globally memoise a nontrivial polymorphic function, with e.g. memo-tries.
then this sequence won't be shared between calls from different sites, which isn't nice in terms of performance. (Isn't this the main reason the Haskell standard blessed us with the Dreaded Monomorphism Restriction?)
The only way I can see how to enforce sharing is to have a monomorphic "tag" sitting around for every instance of the constraining class. E.g.
erastothenes :: Num n => [n]
erastothenes = ...

class (Num n) => HasPrimes n where
  -- | @'primes' ≡ 'erastothenes'@
  primes :: [n]

integerPrimes :: [Integer]
integerPrimes = erastothenes

instance HasPrimes Integer where
  primes = integerPrimes

... which isn't nice in terms of elegance.
Is there any nicer way to implement such a memoisation?

A: It's fairly impossible for a fairly technical reasons.  Type classes are open so, the polymorphic constant can't at compile time necessarily "see" how many types satisfy the constraint so it can't allocate that many monomorphic thunks.  On the other side, a type class certainly can't see all the possible constants that it might generate, so the monomorphic thunks cannot be allocated in the type class dictionary.
You will have to explicitly mention any types at which you want a monomorphic thunk allocated.

A: One could add Typeable constraint to n and use a different memoization table for every ground type n. You probably would need to exploit Dynamic and cast a lot for this, which is suboptimal. It also feels a bit hackish, too.
In a dependently typed language, of course, one can model a map (n : Num) -> [n] which would not require the castss from Dynamic. Maybe something like that can be simulated exploiting GADTs and some kind of reification machinery.

A: If you enable ConstraintKinds and ExistentialQuantification (or GADTs) you can reify type class dictionaries:
{-# LANGUAGE ConstraintKinds, ExistentialQuantification #-}

data Dict a = a => Dict

If we try this out
fibs :: Num n => [n]
fibs = 1 : 1 : zipWith (+) fibs (drop 1 fibs)

fibs' :: [Integer]
fibs' = fibs

fibsWithDict :: Dict (Num n) -> [n]
fibsWithDict Dict = fs
  where
    fs = 1 : 1 : zipWith (+) fs (drop 1 fs)

fibs'' :: [Integer]
fibs'' = fibsWithDict Dict

in GHCi we see
λ> :set +s
λ>
λ> fibs !! 29
832040
(2.66 secs, 721235304 bytes)
λ>
λ> fibs !! 29
832040
(2.52 secs, 714054736 bytes)
λ>
λ>
λ> fibs' !! 29
832040
(2.67 secs, 713510568 bytes)
λ>
λ> fibs' !! 29
832040
(0.00 secs, 1034296 bytes)
λ>
λ>
λ> fibs'' !! 29
832040
(0.00 secs, 1032624 bytes)

So fibs'' is the only implementation of the three that immediately memoizes.
Note that we have to pattern match on the Dict constructor. Otherwise, we will get an error about n not being constrained to have a Num instance (like you would expect if our signature was just fibsWithDict :: a -> [n]).
This is a full solution since you can consider fibsWithDict Dict to be an expression that memoizes immediately at any type you throw at it (as long as it's an instance of Num). For example:
λ> (fibsWithDict Dict !! 29) :: Double
832040.0
(0.00 secs, 1028384 bytes)

EDIT: It looks like this explicit dictionary passing isn't necessary here and can be done implicitly by using ScopedTypeVariables with a local binding:
{-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}

fibsImplicitDict :: forall a. Num a => [a]
fibsImplicitDict
  = let fs :: [a]
        fs = 1 : 1 : zipWith (+) fs (drop 1 fs)
    in
    fs

(Thanks to bennofs for the insight here!)

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text:
Conophorus validus är en tvåvingeart som först beskrevs av Friedrich Hermann Loew 1869.  Conophorus validus ingår i släktet Conophorus och familjen svävflugor. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Svävflugor
validus

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Stamford, CT- November 27, 2013- In a recent survey conducted on behalf of FreeScoresAndMore™, a provider of credit scores, credit monitoring and identity theft protection, a majority of consumers admitted to making purchases on websites with which they had no familiarity. Roughly 60% of consumers acknowledged having made this type of purchase.
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Stamford, CT- September 10th, 2013 - FreeScoresAndMore™, a provider of credit monitoring and identity theft protection, launched today to provide consumers with awareness of their credit scores, as well as real-time monitoring of their credit information based on information from the 3 major credit bureaus - Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.