(Filming + Marketing) In Franklin, West Virginia, something magical is happening in the local streams! A native trout species pushed to the brink of extinction is making a remarkable comeback. Working with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife, local farmers, ranchers and the community at large are uniting behind this incredible restoration effort.
Strength in numbers.
For decades a quiet conservation revolution has been underway led by private landowners. With over 60% of land in the US owned by individuals/corporations, there is a massive opportunity for environmental initiatives on these private lands. In collaboration with the Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Dante served as a camera operator on this heartwarming documentary about the remarkable conservation efforts underway on private lands and waters in West Virginia. After production concluded Dante led the marketing campaign for the film, submitting it to over 50 relevant film festivals globally, gaining over a dozen official selection laurels and several high-profile awards at the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, Green Film Festival of San Francisco and the New York International Film Awards.
(Editor + Field Assistant) Rose Atoll Marine National Monument, a part of American Samoa south of the equator, conserves wildlife and marine resources in the Pacific Ocean. Just two tiny islands and bordering coral and coralline algal reef, Rose Atoll supports thriving communities of seabirds, more than 200 species of coral, vital green turtle nesting beaches, 200 species of fish, and other wildlife. The monument monitors, restores and protects what is there in keeping with the values of Samoan culture.
Conservation with context.
A film trip of a lifetime to an uninhabited wildlife refuge that less than 1000 people have ever stepped foot on, the journey to Rose Atoll is one of Dante’s formative experiences as a filmmaker. The atoll is a true paradise, home to ~97% of American Samoa's seabird population, the sound of nearly half a million nesting sooty terns is as awe-inspiring as it is deafening. However, Rose Atoll is a tale of two worlds because equally as captivating as the atoll’s beauty is the richness of culture on the major islands of American Samoa. While editing this piece Dante wanted to communicate the inherent connection between the people and the Pacific, the unwavering stewards of Rose Atoll. From traditional canoe (pa’ula) construction to traditional tattoo (tatau) symbolism, Rose Atoll’s current pristine existence is thanks to the conscious efforts of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Samoan people.
(Producing, Filming, Editing) Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge is about 20 miles east of New Orleans’ French Quarter between Lake Ponchartrain and Lake Borgne. “It’s a beautiful thing to commune with nature” at the refuge, says Louisiana jazz musician Ronell Johnson.
City meets sanctuary, the ‘other’ wild side.
Before any flights were purchased, production for this Louisiana nature refuge film began on Instagram. Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge stands out because it’s only 30 minutes from one of the most fun and musical cities in the US, New Orleans, and Dante wanted to connect the refuge with its local culture. After a couple of days combing through geotagged posts, he found the gregarious and musical, Ronell Johnson. Ronell was the perfect person to bring the visitor element to this piece because he had been fishing at the refuge since childhood with his father and was an active member of the world-famous Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Dante continued infusing the jazz theme throughout filming by accompanying Ronell to his nighttime gig playing a wedding parade in the French Quarter, showcasing New Orlean's “wild side.” With a middle school class already confirmed for an afternoon of immersive education at the refuge Dante researched/scheduled a local non-profit, Limitless Vistas, which creates job opportunities for disconnected young adults in conservation, to be filmed at the refuge doing trail restoration to boost their visibility. The result of this comprehensive preproduction strategy is a dynamic video that captures the ecological significance and cultural context of the refuge.
(Filming + Editing) Nearly 200 miles away from the hubbub of the State Capitol, Jim Bob Collins runs an 18,000+ acre cattle ranch near Mitchell, Oregon. His family has stewarded the land since 1883. Now he has joined forces with the Partners for Fish and Wildlife to complete restoration projects on his ranch, balancing the agricultural production of the land while improving the sensitive habitat for native fish and wildlife.
Living history.
It’s no secret that the people who are most familiar with an area of land are often its most vigorous protectors and that couldn’t be more true for Jim Bob Collins. The 4th generation rancher is responsible for nearly 20,000 acres of land in central Oregon, refuses to sell to developers and maintains a low-impact herd of 350 cattle on his ranch lands. As part of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife media campaign, Dante served as the lead camera operator and editor on this short film profiling Jim Bob and his progressive ranching ethos. Agriculture and environmentalism are often portrayed as at odds in today’s media landscape but there are many stories like Jim’s where ranchers are trailblazing a sustainable middle ground. Jim’s success is a testament to the fact that cultivation and conservation can coexist, often to the benefit of both.