Collective Spotlight: Ana Luisa Santos

Ana Luisa Santos in the field during the production “Une vie de Renarde” for France Televisions (2017). ©Michael Sanderson

“Living at altitude in the freezing mountains might not be ideal but at least the view will be stunning.”

Wildlife filmmaker Ana Luisa Santos produced a film in 2017 about the lammergeier, also known as the bearded vulture. “It won my full respect,” she said about the species – her first pick if she could switch bodies with any animal on the planet. “This scavenging bird is able to fully close the cycle of life due to its incredible ability to eat and digest bones. Super beautiful, strong, unique, and sustainable.”

Lammergeier or Bearded vulture – the protagonist of the production Pyrenees Mountains for NHK (2017). ©AtelesFilms/NHK

There’s no one path to becoming a wildlife filmmaker, but Ana Luisa’s journey is particularly unique: she started her career as an engineer.

“To be trained and educated as an engineer gives me the possibility of understanding, analyzing, and telling a story from a different, more logical perspective,” she said about how her engineering background has influenced her storytelling. “I like building sequential blocks and simplifying the idea I want to transmit. The natural world is already a complex system. It is crucial for me to tell the story as simply as possible, ensuring a complete understanding of the message and information. The better that the viewer understands it, the more chances it raises awareness towards a better planet.”
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After settling in The Netherlands, Ana Luisa put her engineering career on hold to dedicate herself to filmmaking full-time. Spending considerable time in the field, her work covers all the stages of production from concept to delivery. Her mission is to tell stories about real animals with wild behavior. While she loves the thrill of seeing projects through to the finish line and changing minds across the globe, she faces her fair share of obstacles in the field.

Ana Luisa Santos in the cedar forests in Morocco during the NHK production – Atlas Mountain (2014). ©Michael Sanderson

“Finding and filming animal behavior in the wild is getting increasingly challenging. Human actions and choices are having a huge impact on the natural world. For example, there is always plastic in nature, regardless of how remote it is,” Ana Luisa shared about her struggles in the field and the effect of humans on the wildlife she captures. “The ecosystems are being damaged by our decisions and actions. We are all responsible, and we must act now.”

Ana Luisa uses the Jackson Wild Collective to stay connected to other filmmakers in the industry. “​​It opens the door for communication and inclusivity, making its content and resources available to all. A massive highlight is that it is free to sign up, giving a chance to academic individuals or industry professionals to be updated regarding new opportunities that might arise.”

Hard work and personal sacrifice were crucial to getting Ana Luisa to where she is now. As one of the only female Portuguese wildlife filmmakers, she had to pave the way for herself. “At this point on my journey, I am certainly proud of being able to find a level of stability that working hard allowed me to have. I found a balance in my life that helps me keep my feet on the ground always with my eyes on the future.”

Ana Luisa Santos in the snowy dunes in The Netherlands while filming for the production “Hidden Nature of Holland” for NHK (2019). ©Michael Sanderson

With almost a decade of experience in the industry, she provided some great advice for aspiring wildlife filmmakers: “It is a hard industry. Most likely, you will receive more negative than positive responses for that great idea you thought could change the world. It happens all the time. But keep this in mind: you don’t need to convince the entire world about what you can do. You just need the right person to believe in you and give you an opportunity. Keep fighting – the good things can happen!”

Ana Luisa stays busy running her production company Ateles Films, as well as working on other projects. She’s currently working on a feature-length blue-chip wildlife film about an underrepresented species that lives in Western Africa, highlighting its behavior, beauty, and importance in what remains of its habitat. She is also developing an IMAX project which explores the local fauna and flora of the Netherlands. “It’s a great opportunity to develop new creative skills and learn new techniques that are very different from producing or directing for TV broadcast.”

Keep up with Ana Luisa’s work at Ateles Films by following along on Facebook and Instagram, or visiting her website.

A male fox – one of the protagonists of the production “Une Vie de Renarde” for France Televisions (2018). ©Ana Luisa Santos

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