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Welcome to the Wildlife Film School

Now in our 15th+ year we have gained unrivalled experience of taking students into remote parts of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland;  and teaching them all of the fundamental production skills of filming real wildlife living freely within its own natural environment that is required to produce a wildlife film out on location.

Our latest Wildlife Film Courses, on the Isle of Mull

Course A

June 2024

Course B

July 2024

Course C

August 2024

The ‘UK Wildlife Film School’ is now part of the ‘Wildlife Film Network’
The WFN is a growing online community for anyone interested in wildlife film production and wildlife orientated conservation work.
( Join the WFN for free today )

Our students latest film

Oli

Above is our latest film produced by Oli during his 4 week wildlife film course on the Isle of Mull in Scotland, August 2023. We had a great time filming Otters, White Tailed Sea Eagles, Red & fallow deer, with lots of drone shots in between.
(Oli was the only student on this course)

Oli’s After Course Testimonial
I enrolled in the Wildlife Film School with a deep curiosity about the natural wonders of the Isle of Mull, and I can confidently say it has been a transformative experience. Ric’s hands-on approach to wildlife filmmaking opened up a world of knowledge I could have never imagined.
Through his guidance, I’ve not only gained an in-depth understanding of the rich biodiversity on The Isle of Mull but also honed my filmmaking skills. The practical fieldwork allowed me to capture the island’s breathtaking wildlife on my own terms.
Witnessing some iconic animals from such close encounters was a real privilege and has made me a more conscious and responsible individual. The Wildlife Film School has not only fuelled my passion for Wildlife but has also helped me grow as a person. It’s an experience I’ll forever cherish, and I am grateful for the opportunities it has provided me.

I scored the course 10/10

Jasmine & Louis

Produced the above film on the Isle of Mull during October and November 2020, as part of their 16-week SCQF ‘Level 8’ HND Diploma Course

Tony, Jay & Thao

Produced the above film on the Isle of Mull during July and August 2018, as part of their 16-week SCQF ‘Level 8’ HND Diploma Course

Maria

Produced the above film on the Isle of Mull in during May and June 2017, as part of her 16-week SCQF ‘Level 8’ HND Diploma Course
(Maria was the only student on this course)

Luka & Daisy

Produced the above film in the Shetland Isles as part of their 3-month Wildlife Film Course, during June / July / August 2016

The ‘UK Wildlife Film School’ is now part of the ‘Wildlife Film Network’
The WFN is a growing online community for anyone interested in wildlife film production and wildlife orientated conservation work.
( Join the WFN for free today )

As you may well already know, wildlife Film-Making is one of the hardest subjects both to enter, and work in professionally.
•  You need to have real skills with reference to working in remote locations.
•  You need to be able to cope with the logistical requirements of getting all you equipment to the filming location each day.
•  You need to be able to live and work comfortably in this location for the length of your assignment.
•  You need to be able to bring home the footage required, at the standard required.
But… where do you go to experience all the ‘in the field skills’ necessary to become a professional Wildlife Film-maker ?

After 15+ years the UK Wildlife Film School still remains to be the UK´s leading provider of independent wildlife film-making courses, in reference to time spent working out in the field producing a finished wildlife film… and now, having being absorbed into the Wildlife Film Network, will only continue to give you better and better results.

The UK Wildlife Film School has spent over a decade giving our students the opportunity to learn practical ‘hands-on’ production skills & camera craft; whilst experiencing first-hand what it is like (and what is required) to film wildlife in remote and wild locations.
You will not waste any of your time with us sitting in a classroom staring out of the windows. Every day of your course will be spent out in the field.
We will equip you with a selection of 4k cameras, production & editing equipment, as well as all the camp equipment you need for your course; then we´ll take you out on location into some remote and beautiful locations filming ‘Real Wildlife’ living freely in their own natural environment. Here we will take you through all the logistical, camp-craft and camera skills you require to become a professional wildlife camera operator or a member of a professional wildlife production crew; so the practical experience you will gain from attending a course with us will give you a major advantage as you embark on your wildlife film career.

We all know employers like qualifications… but they prefer ‘real’ experience!

Whilst the Wildlife Film School has continued to excel in the world of wildlife film making, year on year; culminating with our internationally recognised SCQF 8 ‘Diploma in Wildlife Documentary Film Making’… we have reluctantly decided not to teach our Diploma course during 2024 (Which requires students to spend 8 weeks on location) due to the ongoing concerns with the ‘living crises’ and the overall increase in costs.
During 2024 we are planning to run two different length courses of  2-weeks and 4-weeks; during the summer months of June, July and August; and naturally, we will be bringing all our years of teaching skills and knowledge from our Diploma film courses to these shorter courses.

To further validate the worthiness of the WFN’s wildlife film courses; over the past 15+ years we have had a considerable amount of our students attended a course with us before then going on to study further with such establishments in the UK as the UWE, The National Film and Television School and the London Film Academy.

Several of our students that have been recommended to attend our courses by top level Universities (Such as the UWE in Bristol) for students wishing to study a Masters in Wildlife Film Production, to increase their individual levels and experience of ‘practical’ on-location, wildlife film work. We have unfortunately also had far too many students who have left University with the qualifications they wanted, only to discover they can’t actually find work as they do not hold enough ‘practical’ experience filming / working in the field.

To date we have taught every level of skill from a very basic ‘1-day course’ to our university accredited ‘Diploma in Wildlife Documentary Film Making’ (This qualification was the equivalent to a Higher National Diploma (HND) and the highest level of Diploma anyone is able to teach outside of a university setting) meaning that we were the only independent wildlife film school in the world giving its students an ‘internationally recognised Diploma qualification’ for attending its courses.

We are extremely proud to be able to say that some of our students have also gone on to gain employment with some of the largest wildlife and natural history production companies in the world such as the BBC Natural History Unit and Films@59 and have worked on such prestigious documentary series as ‘Our Planet’ with Sir David Attenborough.

Below are some questions we think you should seriously consider before booking a wildlife film course with anyone, anywhere !

Does your wildlife film course…
1. Supply you with broadcast quality cameras to film with ?
2. Supply you with Sony 4k broadcast cameras to film with ?
3. Supply you with all of the production equipment necessary to produce a wildlife film during your course, so you can attend your course without having to buy any of this equipment yourself first ?
4. Supply one camera for every student ?
5. Supply you with mobile editing facilities so you can edit 4k footage out on location ?
6. Film in remote locations whilst operating out of a fully equipped tented base-camp ?
7. Supply you with all of the camp equipment necessary to sucsessfully operate from this base-camp whilst out on location ?
8. Spend every day of your wildlife film course working or filming out on location ?
9. Actually last long enough for you to be able to film, edit and produce a short wildlife film, and not just be a weekend teaser course ?
10. Actually film ´Real Wildlife´ – that is roaming freely within its own natural environment, as appose to filming animals that are ´kept´ in fenced pens or enclosed areas, whilst you’re being told by your instructors that you are filming wildlife ?

If not, ask yourself again… ´Are you actually filming ´Real Wildlife´ ?

If you have answered ´No´ to any of the questions above, you really must ask yourself   “why are you going on that film course” ?
When you come on a wildlife film course with the Wildlife Film School; every answer to all the questions above, will become a YES !