For the full archive of the Katalyst Blog please click here. Some of the latest posts are replicated below, and we'll be writing new, relevant posts as we make new and important stuff!
Quick little #droning session thanks to @fifth.eye.motion & @directors_uk today in a very autumnal #RichmondPark. Time to brush up on those #drone skills! Lots of lovely wee #fallowdeer in the Park too - look like #Bambi! #girlswhodrone #womenwhodrone #director #filmmaker #wildlifeinthecity #deer #autumnvibes🍁
1 year ago
So this is where all the Geese on the Thames at strand-on-the-green go at night! They have a Sunday night meet up at the boat slip under Kew Bridge! 🦆🦆 Counted at least 60 geese … and one solo Heron - can you see it?? #wildlifeinthecity #wildlifeinlondon #mindfulnessmoment #geese #heron
1 year ago
With the increasing reports of hundreds of boats crossing the English Channel from Calais, here’s the short film we made back in 2015, inside "The Jungle" called #JoyintheJungle featuring the wonderful work of the Good Chance Theatre @goodchancetheatre
This is an unmixed audio version of the short film.
- Cinematography by #SharronWard @sharronwarddirects
- Produced, directed & edited by Sharron Ward @sharronwarddirects for @katalyst.productions
- Shot on the beautiful #Canon5d
@canonuk @canon.nz #shotoncanon #producer #director #filmmaker #refugees #migrants #calais #thejungle
1 year ago
#throwback to 2015 filming in the notorious #Calais #refugee & #migrant camp - “The Jungle” - making a short film profiling the amazing work of @goodchancetheatre 👍🎥 Filmed, directed & produced by @sharronwarddirects #tbt #flashback #thejungle #director #producer #selfshooter #cinematography #delvingintothearchives 📸 Sharron Ward @sharronwarddirects
1 year ago
Howdy folks, it’s been a hectic time here at Katalyst Towers, so I’ll be slowly catching up with some very long overdue updates on our projects filming in Aotearoa, plus I’ll be delving into the archives from some of my work over the last few years around the globe! 🌍#staytuned #bts #tbt #throwback #director #producer #getoutside #natureisamazing 🎥🎬
In the meantime, here’s a wee #throwback to May 2020 enjoying the #lockdown sunshine after filming in Denham Country Park! … ☀️🌱🌳
1 year ago
Happy 100th birthday #BBC! It’s been about 22 years since I first directed a film for the beeb, and I’ve been directing & producing films there off & on over the years ever since.
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The #BBC as we know makes amazing world-class telly from astonishing dramas, world news, incredible natural history & of course compelling & revealing docs. The beeb as an institution is not without it’s problems though, so I hope it gets it’s house in order so it lasts for another 100 years!
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Ironic to think that the first series I directed way back in 2000 for BBC2 - one of the films was about over-fishing & the depletion of fish stocks in #EU waters - how prescient. Sadly, the situation has of course only worsened since then!
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One of the best things to come out of my time at the beeb was all the amazing & enduring friendships I’ve made there - wonderful filmmakers, journos & producers such as @d_ianamartin_ @cara_swift @imoanderson @saraafshar @nicola.careem @mcalis10 @stuartdhughes @innesbowen @jeremy.bowen @lyse.doucet - plus the numerous freelancers I’ve worked with over the years - & all of you who are still risking your lives every day to bring us news from Ukraine, Yemen & everywhere in between. You guys are what makes the #BBC great. 👏👍
So #happy100thbirthday #BBC 🎥🎂🎉 #BBC100 #onlytwodayslate
1 year ago
This time 2 years ago … great to be able to say that the Pandemic *almost* feels like a distant memory … 🙏💚
#Repost @sharronwarddirector with @use.repost
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Covid-schmovid. Great to be out filming for the last couple of months. #autumnishere🍁🍂 #filmmaking #c300 #producer #director #selfshooter #recoilrig 🎥
1 year ago
100% yes to this. Please join us @ffwildlife_uk - all #wildlifefilmmakers & #storytellers need to act to communicate the urgency of the #biodiversity & #climatecrisis that is happening Right. Now. #conservation #climateactionnow🌏 #extinctionisforever #nofilmsonadeadplanet #thetimeisnow⏰
1 year ago
Yup! @wearedocwomen #wearedocwomen #5050pledge #morefemaledirectors #femalefilmmakers #timetochange #disruptthedominantnarrative #thedisrupters
1 year ago
And rolling on from my previous post, proud to be a member of @wearedocwomen who have been tirelessly lobbying for the #50/50pledge to ensure that half of UK factual output is directed by women. It had to happen to enact real change in the UK industry … & the latest news is that 67 networks & production companies have so far signed up to the pledge, which is very welcome news. I would thoroughly recommend everyone reads the #wearedocwomen #tvgendergapreport that exposed the shocking inequality. #greatnews #changeiscoming #femalefilmmakers #ifshecanseeitshecanbeit @geenadavisorg
#Repost @wearedocwomen with @use.repost
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‘ @primevideouk & @bbcstudios are the latest companies to sign up to @wearedocwomen’s pledge to commit to 50% female directors for their factual output… the pledge follows @wearedocwomen’s 2021 #tvgendergapreport which exposed large scale sex inequality across the factual television industry.’
Thank you @variety @kjyossman for bringing attention to the initiative.
1 year ago
Just got back from a very busy, exhausting but exhilirating week @wildscreenorg festival in #Bristol - the traditional home of #naturalhistory #wildlife #filmmaking. There were so many inspiring panels, films & masterclasses, but if there is one key takeaway from this year’s #wildscreenfestival2022 for me it’s that we need to stop *talking* about putting an end to extractive filmmaking & promoting “diversity” & really start to use in-country talent, hire & promote women directors, filmmakers, cinematographers, presenters & indigenous talent & crew as well as true diversity across the spectrum that isn’t just a tick boxing exercise.
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Too often diversity is seen as being “PC” or “woke” but if we truly want to harness the wealth of talent that is out there globally, we have to stop automatically going to our default production position of hiring white, male, middle class (& usually British) crew. I want to see women cinematographers on air for example, showing me how *they* make their wildlife films, indigenous talent telling us *their* stories etc … I hope that I can be part of that real change.
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I have a simple request for #documentary & #naturalhistory production companies, broadcasters, streamers & talent managers: the next time you’re crewing up for a production, instead of reaching for your default “tried & trusted” crew, ask yourselves, “what women directors, women drone ops, women cinematographers, women underwater specialists, or women experts/presenters, can we use on this?” “What in-country or indigenous talent can we use on our next production?” If you’re worried that they don’t have the experience or technical skills, then train them up, give them shadowing & mentoring opportunities! You will most likely find that they already have the talent & the skills - they just haven’t been given the opportunity yet. ☺️
It’s time to #disruptthedominantnarrative @wearedocwomen @wildlife.camerawomen @paula_kahumbu @lizziedalywild @newfcommunity @faimus_ @ella_alshamahi @christinakarliczek @thehelicoptergirls @womenwhodrone @insidenatgeo @ffwildlife_uk ✊🎥💚 #wearedocwomen #ifshecanseeitshecanbeit #natgeo #bbcnhu #lovenature #netflix #skynature #bbcnhu
1 year ago
Huge congrats to all the winners of the @jacksonwildorg Media Awards! Delighted to have been one of the judges in the #cinematography round - the calibre of films was incredibly high, it was extremely difficult to judge. Congrats to #MyGardenofaThousandBees that won in that category & a special whoop whoop to #theTerritory for winning the Grand Teton Award! So sorry to have missed the #jacksonwildsummit2022 - hopefully next year! 🎥💚🐝
1 year ago
Love kayaking on #thethames. 💚 First time back on the water here in my trusty inflatable in 2 years!! 🛶🦆🦢#takingtimeout #lovethewater #mindfullnessmoments🧘🏻♀️ #septembersunshine☀️ #sundayfunday
1 year ago
Unbelievably, my first dip in the #UK sea this summer. Thanks to the lovely Ellie for the hospitality. 👙🏊♀️☀️💕 Oh, & #southernwater - stop dumping sewerage in the sea, yeah? #hove #surfersagainstsewage #brightonandhove #augustbankholidayweekend2022 #vitaminsea🌊☀️ #loveouroceans💙🌊 #saveourseas @surfersagainstsewage #wherehaveallthetreesgone 🌳🌴
1 year ago