The National Geographic Society has been inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888. It is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology, and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical conservation. Over the years, National Geographic has given out more than 10,000 grants supporting nearly every major branch of science, as well as exploration and adventure. Through it’s Virtual Studios program, National Geographic collaborates with Montana State University and other film schools to create web-based media based on it’s mission and science, while helping to develop the next generation of digital filmmakers.
WITNESS is the global pioneer in the use of video to expose human rights abuses. We empower people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement, and policy change. Founded in 1992, WITNESS has partnered with more than 300 human rights groups in over 80 countries, trained over 3,000 human rights defenders, developed widely-used training materials and tools, and supported the inclusion of video in more than 100 campaigns, increasing their visibility and impact. Videos made by WITNESS and our partners have told dozens of critical human rights stories, and have galvanized grassroots communities, judges, activists, media, and decision-makers at local, national and international levels to action. www.witness.org
Filmmakers for Conservation is a non-profit organization dedicated the use of film and media to conserve our natural world, its peoples, and cultures. In 1999, when over one hundred conference delegates of the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival gathered to discuss the role of conservation in natural history films, and expressed frustration that very little funding and airtime were being made available for films that dealt with conservation and the environment, FFC was born. Today, FFC stands as a global community of passionate people formally united to reverse this trend. FFC offers annual conservation filmmaker awards; piloted the Great Ape Film Initiative with BBC; developed sustainability guidelines and a code of ethics for conservation filmmaking; and offers its members an opportunity to network; to keep abreast of new developments in the field; and to seek out potential sources of funding for conservation films. In 2011, FFC refined its strategic direction and continues to grow, to seek partners, and new opportunities to advance its mission. You can visit the FFC website to learn more about becoming a member and follow us on Facebook.
