Tomas Koeck

Much of the reason I do this work is to help advocate for animals, plants, and nature; however, I often find that I remember the people most. Even while on expeditions to far reaches of our planet, I find myself among the most inspiring and passionate people with an unstoppable love for protecting our planet. Even more inspiring is their willingness to share it with me and in-turn the audiences. Scientists, naturalists, conservationists work tirelessly, often with extremely limited resources, to bring value to their respective advocacy goals and research.

The people I work with lead with empathy for our natural world and this harks back to my attempts to capture their passion, their “lightning in a bottle”. Documenting the work of these individuals can inspire the next small acts of kindness which can snowball into something wondrous. These acts take many forms—from citizen scientists who support research in their communities, to advocates who speak up for the environmental causes they care about, to researchers who advance knowledge through rigorous scientific work and published studies. At their core, each of these efforts reflects a commitment to contributing to something the individual believes is important for all, not just for their own gain. All of these ventures contribute to our society as a whole and push us to be better, to be conscientious of the world around us, and most importantly, and, to circle back to my last response, lead with empathy. 

I got into film, media, and photography to help foster a sense of community locally which resonates globally, and to help spark empathy within us all to create meaningful change

I work to give wildlife a voice through photo and film, and work with scientists and conservationists to create a community within the production. In my eyes, the most effective and responsible way to produce a documentary is to have science lead my stories. By working with those who dedicate their lives to the study of our natural world, I can help build a story sown with authenticity.

At my film premieres, I work to build community through “symposium style” pre-events to bring people from all sides of the industry together. I hope that those who attend the events can walk away feeling connected, empowered and moved by the talks, film, and everything in between so that they may go on their own journey in helping our natural world, all while leading with empathy.