Wildlife Filmmaking gives you that rare privilege to capture fleeting glimpses of the unique world of animals and witness extraordinary moments in the animal kingdom !

Aishwarya Sridhar, our next pathbreaker, Nat Geo Explorer and Wildlife Filmmaker, runs a full-service natural history production company that specializes in premier blue-chip wildlife and impact documentaries, in addition to being a Nat Geo Explorer !

Aishwarya talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about starting off as a hobbyist wildlife photographer at the age of 11, and continuing to tell stories of the wild, stories of people standing tall to protect our environment and stories of human exploitation of our planet.

For students, wildlife filmmaking is not a hobby, it is a form of visual storytelling that has potential to bring transformation in how we appreciate nature and its significance in our society !

Aishwarya, can you tell us about your background?

I grew up in a little green heaven called Panvel at the foothills of Matheran near Mumbai. During my childhood, I used to spend a lot of time outdoors. Wildlife was there in my backyard, and that meant I fell in love with nature at a tender age. My father is a Life member of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and I used to accompany him on his adventures. Those trips introduced me to the unique world of wildlife. I picked up the camera at the age of 11; my dad gifted me a small point-&-shoot camera for my birthday and that became my favourite travel companion. 

I studied Cambridge AS & A Levels and then completed my graduation in Mass Media from Mumbai university. I was always a studious child and was academically brilliant, topping the “World in Business Studies” while studying at Cambridge. In school, I engaged in a lot of extra-curricular activities including sports like badminton and basketball as well as public speaking activities. I owe my career to my early years as that is what shaped me to become who I am today!

What did you do for graduation/post-graduation?

I graduated in Mass media from Mumbai University. I studied BMM to be specific. 

Tell us, how did you end up in such an offbeat, unconventional and cool career?

I didn’t choose this career, rather the career chose me! I had decided that I wanted to walk down the path less trodden during my board exams itself. I did not want a conventional 9 to 5 job. I desired to create change in this world and shape people’s opinions and from an early age I have been dabbling in photography; so when the time came to pick a career, wildlife filmmaking was the obvious answer. Sir David Attenborough has been a huge inspiration! I picked up the camera to tell stories of the wild, stories of people standing tall to protect our environment and stories of the human exploitation of our planet. Through my documentaries and photographs, I aim to evoke emotions and inspire action; to bring policy level changes that support conservation of species and wild habitats. The knowledge that every film I direct/present will have a real-world impact, is what pushes me to get up every day and do my best. 

Tell us about your career path

I started off as a hobbyist wildlife photographer at the age of 11. So, photography has always been a key element of my life. When the time came to pick a career, I chose to divert a little and delve into wildlife filmmaking. I had no mentor when I entered the industry and in India, the industry is still at a nascent stage. So, I concentrated on making connections internationally as in the West, wildlife filmmaking is a fully developed industry. I worked hard and learnt all the different production roles on the job. All the skill sets I have acquired have been learnt on the job and by watching tutorials on YouTube. It was after my first film got aired that people started knowing me as a filmmaker. Then the opportunity came to present an 8-part digital series for WWF-India during the COVID-19 lockdown. That helped improve my on-camera skills. Since the origami series for WWF-India was well-received, we also collaborated on a digital masterclass series for Discovery Channel. ‘’Nature For Future’’ was an 8-part series with Discovery Channel India and WWF-India which focused on endangered species and the people standing tall to protect them. 

I then went on to work on my second film which focused on Tigress Maya from the forests of Central India. It was made from archival footage captured over 6 years and the film aired on National Geographic WILD during their 2021 Big Cat Week. 

My films have addressed various topics ranging from wetland conservation to illegal wildlife trafficking. Now, I have started my own full-service natural history production company headquartered in Mumbai that produces premier blue-chip natural films and impact documentaries. 

Though I have never been employed with National Geographic, my films have aired on the channel and now I am a National Geographic Explorer which means that the National Geographic Society has funded a project of mine. 

I am a Canon EOS Influencer and as a part of the Canon family, I am required to conduct workshops for emerging photographers and teach them the art of storytelling. I also have to engage regularly on social media. 

Also, being a part of the iLCP (International League of Conservation Photographers) is a dream come true. The organization stands for storytelling with a purpose; it encourages impact driven storytelling. It promotes conservation photography and I am the youngest photographer/filmmaker from India on their Fellowship. 

How did you get your first break?

I created my first break! The wetlands in my locality were disappearing due to unplanned development. I made my first film on this very topic which was selected to air on DD National. 

What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?

One of the biggest challenges I have faced is sexism and misogyny. Wildlife is male dominated and I have been harassed just because of my gender. It’s sad that India is still a patriarchal society and there are still some men who think that women cannot be in a position of power and such men exist even in the government. Dealing with such government officials is very traumatising and stressful. 

Can you tell us about your current role?

I have now founded ‘’Bambee Studios’’ which is a full-service natural history production company that specializes in premier blue-chip wildlife and impact documentaries. Here is a collection of some of my work

Amur Falcon female (Falco amurensis) against the setting sun at Lonavala, Maharashtra, India Date- Dec 2020

I am also in a full time role of a Nat Geo Explorer. Being a Nat Geo Explorer means that your project is funded by National Geographic Society. 

What are the skills required for your role? How did you acquire them?

I supervise the entire production process from start to finish. My skill sets lie in film direction, camerawork and on-camera presenting. I acquired these skills by learning online and from working on my own productions. 

What’s a typical day like?

I have two types of days- either a day completely in the field or behind my desk working on scripts and post-production. So, if it’s a typical day in the field, then I get up around 4am depending on when the shooting begins, and get my equipment ready. Once I am back from the field, data transfers happen and then I sit down with my team every night to review the footage before the next day’s shoot. 

If it’s a desk day, then too I get up early, workout a bit and then post-breakfast, sit down at my desk. Those days usually revolve around either researching for an upcoming project or sitting down with the editing team for post-production work. We have two films in the production stage including a series and one film in the post-production stage currently. 

What is it you love about this job? 

I love that my job allows me to get a sneak-peek into the unique world of animals. I get to witness rare moments in the wild and I feel privileged and honoured to meet people who endanger their lives every day to protect our endangered species. Every shoot gives my team and me a chance to connect with nature on a deeper level and it allows us to work with local communities who are at the frontlines of conservation. 

How does your work benefit society? 

The documentaries I produce help spread awareness and sensitize people on the issues our planet faces. My work also revolves around creating tangible impact post the documentary’s release on television. For an upcoming project on wildlife trafficking, we are also planning an elaborate impact campaign to reduce poaching of wild animals for illegal pet trade. 

Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!

I am extremely critical of my work! That said, I feel the firefly image titled ‘’Lights of Passion’’’ is very close to me as every time I see the image, it transports me to a magical land. Through the image, I wanted to highlight the impact of light pollution on these lesser known creatures and also drive home the message of protecting them. 

The firefly season in India begins just before monsoon and lasts for only a few weeks. As a child, I remember marveling at fireflies (Lampyridae) in my balcony and running to catch them. So, when an opportunity presented itself to capture them, I went along gladly. It was a cool summer night, under the starlit sky at Bhandardara. After a tiring hike through hills and evading snakes, I finally caught sight of these tiny yellow orbs sparkling under the stars. That night, I witnessed a million fireflies light up the darkness with their bioluminescent frenzy- a display of passion by male fireflies in an attempt to elicit a female’s response and propel his genes to the next generation. The species in India flash intermittently, and these flashes in patterns was spectacular to witness. It felt like being in a magical world like Narnia. I captured a few images of these flashes. But somehow, they weren’t exciting enough. So, I thought of using focus stacking to capture the fireflies (twinkling like earthy stars) as well as the stars that were shining bright in the sky. Putting the camera on a tripod and using a remote This image was made using a stack of 16 images. These stunning ambassadors of Earth’s natural magic are sadly perched on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and light pollution. Artificial light not only impairs our ability to see the stars but it also disrupts the lives of these beautiful specimens as they are extremely sensitive to light pollution as it obscures their mating signals.

I always believe that your images should tell a story and should inspire people to sit up and take action. Be it a single image or a film, the goal of my work is to make people fall in love with nature and create advocates for our planet. 

Your advice to students based on your experience?

Follow your passion and listen to your heart! And work hard, success will be yours. 

Future Plans?

To expand my production company and the scale of operations to a more global level in the next 5 years.