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An Interview with Environmental and Wildlife Film Producer Chris Palmer
 Chris Palmer is a mix of vibrant energy and patient calm. While such
opposing characteristics may seem at odds, they actually make the
perfect storm that led this environmental activist to bring his
passionate fight for conservation to film and eventually to the
classroom.
At age 63, Palmer is a 30-year veteran environmental and wildlife
documentary filmmaker and full-time professor at American University in
Washington, D.C. While Palmer officially teaches environmental
filmmaking nine months out of the year, he is never without students,
whether in the classroom, out in the field or on the road. Since the
publication in 2010 of his
exposé of wildlife films, “Shooting in the Wild: An Insider’s account
of Making Movies in the Animal Kingdom,” he has presented more than 100
lectures about the film industry, still starting many by standing on
his head to “wake up” the audience. He provides information on
everything from how to actually get the money to make films in this
ever-more-competitive business to the basics of how to network,
something that appears inherent in his genes. In spite of being divided
among so many tasks, he always seems to have a devoted ear and a bit
of encouragement for anyone appealing to him for advice, particularly
his students.
In the 20 years before becoming a film producer and then teacher,
Palmer was a naval officer, an engineer, a business consultant, an
energy analyst, the chief energy advisor to a senior U.S. senator, a
political appointee to the Environmental Protection Agency during Jimmy
Carter’s presidency and an environmental activist. Palmer has worked in
recent years on stunning IMAX productions, such as "Whales," "Cold
Coral Reef Adventures," "Dolphins," "Bears," and "Wolves." His next
project is bringing the mysteries of the ocean to IMAX screens.
SeaWeb recently talked to Palmer about his long-term perspective of
both the power and potential de-evolution of environmental and wildlife
filmmaking. Read the interview >>
Photographing Hope Spots
Hope Spots are places that ocean conservationist Sylvia Earle has designated as those places critical to the health of the ocean yet were not within protected areas. Networks of marine protected areas maintain healthy biodiversity, provide a carbon sink, generate oxygen, preserve critical habitat and allow low-impact activities like ecotourism to thrive. They are good for the ocean, which means they are good for us.
While about 12 percent of the land around the world is under some form of protection, such as being designated as national parks, world heritage sites or monuments, only about 1 percent of the ocean is protected. The Sylvia Earle Foundation is committed to changing this.
Some of the Hope Spots have become protected since their designation April 1, 2010, while others remain in need of further protection. As others are identified as Hope Spots, they may also be added to the list.
Please contribute your ocean conservation photos from the following Hope Spots and the Marine Photobank will work to support the efforts of the Sylvia Earle Foundation:
Gulf of California |
Outer Seychelles |
Kermadec Trench |
Chagos |
Sargasso Sea |
Mesoamerican Reef |
Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone |
Coral Sea |
Saya de Malha Bank |
Coral Triangle |
Gulf of Mexico Deep Reefs |
Ross Sea |
Patagonian Shelf |
Micronesian Islands |
Eastern Pacific Seascape |
Gulf of Guinea |
Salas y Gomez |
Bahamian Reefs |
Chilean Fjords & Islands |
Gakkel Ridge |
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