The South African trailblazers seeking to change how wildlife documentaries are made
In a world dominated by Western narratives, Pragna Parsotam-Kok and Noel Kok, a dynamic duo from South Africa, are on a mission to revolutionize wildlife documentaries. Their journey began in 2015 when they embarked on a wildlife series for South African TV, only to encounter a familiar hurdle: the struggle to access animals for filming and the scarcity of African wildlife documentary makers. This realization sparked a transformative idea.
The couple established the Nature Environment and Wildlife Conservation Trust (NEWF), a not-for-profit organization, and organized a groundbreaking conference for African wildlife filmmakers in 2017. However, their ambition knew no bounds. In 2018, they took on a new challenge: addressing the lack of African underwater filmmakers and marine biologists who could scuba dive. This led to the creation of NEWF's first dive "lab" in 2019, marking the beginning of a remarkable journey.
Noel Kok, with a touch of humor, remarked on the rarity of black African nature, environment, and wildlife filmmakers, a stark contrast to the species conservation efforts on the continent. This exclusion, he believed, deprived the world of authentic African wildlife stories, leaving them incomplete. The Koks' determination to bridge this gap led to the training of over 200 divers in Sodwana Bay, South Africa's northeast coast, renowned for its tropical coral reefs.
But their vision extended beyond diving. In 2021, NEWF introduced composition workshops, addressing the common issue of music not representing the region's culture. This led to a remarkable achievement: the music for a National Geographic film about Botswana's Okavango Delta, composed by NEWF fellows, won the best original score at the Jackson Wild film festival, surpassing Hans Zimmer's score for David Attenborough's 'Frozen Planet II'.
The Koks' impact extends beyond filmmaking. They met Silindile Mbuyazi, a local diver who embarked on a personal journey to find her brother's body in Sodwana Bay. Instead, she discovered a new world, including a green turtle she recognized as her grandmother, who had passed away in 2010. This experience transformed Mbuyazi, leading her to become a diving instructor with NEWF in 2022.
Recognizing the need for a dedicated base, NEWF established eKhaya, a center named after Mbuyazi's grandmother's Zulu name, "home." This center, opened in November 2023, features an editing suite, a dive pool, and 12 rooms for fellows. Mbuyazi's partnership with NEWF has been instrumental, teaching over 150 fellows to dive and contributing to the center's success.
The Koks' influence extends globally. Ethiopian filmmaker Elshadye Berhanu, who attended a NEWF workshop in November 2024, praised the program's impact on her creative process. She found joy in filming cheetahs, a story that delved deep into their lives, showcasing the program's ability to empower filmmakers.
As NEWF continues to evolve, the Koks negotiate new funding from National Geographic, with aspirations to purchase a dive boat and build a fellows' house in Bayala. Their journey is a testament to the power of passion, innovation, and cultural representation in wildlife documentaries, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.
