Hello there, I’m Laura!
I’m a Brazilian wildlife filmmaker based in Bristol, UK
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My story with wildlife and filmmaking started from a young age.
I grew up in the heart of Brazil, in the capital city - Brasilia. I remember visits to the national parks being the highlight of my childhood, and my biggest dream was to see a jaguar up close.
From as early as I can remember, I dreamt of becoming a biologist, much inspired by natural history documentaries I would watch. I had a small video camera which I took with me everywhere to make small ‘documentaries’ about the animals I could find in my garden and on family trips. I have always loved being outdoors, traveling, camping, or just observing animals. Everything about nature fascinated me, and this interest only grew as I got older.
WORKING AS A BIOLOGIST
In 2015, I started studying Biology at Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ). I wanted a better understanding of animals' behaviour, their ecology and the environment as a whole and be a part of the solution to rising environmental issues.
In 2017, I moved to the UK and continued my studies at Royal Holloway University of London, where I was awarded a scholarship due to my academic performance and won two academic prizes as “best student of the year”. I wrote my dissertation on ‘Bioluminescence in the deep sea”. My final research project on “The invasive potential of mosquitofish” resulted in two publications in the scientific journal “Ecology and Evolution”:
"Comparative gut content analysis of invasive mosquitofish from Italy and Spain"
"Resource competition explains rare cannibalism in the wild in livebearing fishes"
My favourite part about studying biology was being out in nature doing field research, and my biggest goal in life has always been to spread scientific knowledge and inform people about environmental issues. It all clicked for me during my last year of university - as I was applying for a science masters in Cambridge – that what I really wanted to do was to dive into the world of wildlife filmmaking and nature documentaries.
Photo credits: Beatriz Azevedo
GETTING INTO FILMMAKING
Natural history documentaries were a big part in sparking that initial interest in wildlife and conservation in my early years. I strongly believe that visual storytelling is a powerful tool for raising global awareness about conservation, and it can reach people from all different backgrounds.
In 2020, I moved to Manchester to study Wildlife Documentary Production at the University of Salford. The course has helped me apply my scientific knowledge onto documentaries using elements of storytelling, as well as developing skills in sequence building and technology. I had the opportunity to make two short films during the course, in partnership with Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and Formby National Trust. Exploring the creative side of filmmaking after being in academia for years was life changing to me!
In 2021, I had the chance to go back to Brazil and film an independent documentary in Brazil’s wetlands, the Pantanal, after months of research and pre-production. This is an extremely important ecosystem, close to my hometown, and it had always been my dream to visit.
I worked with local organisations and conservation charities to tell the story about the wildfires that affected this area on the previous year, as well as raising awareness about this incredibly diverse environment. My film won several nominations and awards, and marked the beginning of my career as a wildlife cinematographer.
Photo credits: Erin Ranney
WHAT I DO TODAY
I am now based in Bristol, England where I have established myself as a wildlife camerawoman.
This was founded on my previous experience working as a camera technician at Esprit Films and Television, where I helped prep and develop kit for major BBC NHU productions such as Frozen Planet 2 and Planet Earth 3. This gave me invaluable hands-on experience with the latest technology used in natural history productions, including cinema cameras, underwater housing, gimbals, sliders and jibs.
Following this, I moved on to working as a camera assistant, second camera and drone operator on natural history shoots. In 2023 I worked with Wildstar Films as an in-house camera operator for a new National Geographic and Disney+ wildlife series, spending almost 200 days on location across 5 continents. Learn more about my work as a camerawoman
My dedication to environmental conservation goes beyond my career. I am committed to animal welfare, follow a plant-based diet and do my best every day to minimise my carbon footprint.
Qualifications & Awards
Certifications
ALBERT + BAFTA "Applied Skills for a Sustainable Media Industry" (2021)
REDucation course (2022)
GATES STO Course (2023)
Remote First Aid course (2022)
Diving
PADI Open Water Diver (2022)
PADI Advanced Open Water (2023)
PADI Drysuit Training (2022)
Awards for outstanding academic achievements:
Blackwell (2019): Best Organismal Biosciences student
Joyce Pentelow (2020): Best Finalist in Organismal Biology
Drone
CAA A2 Certificate of Competency (A2CofC) - UK
CAA General Visual Line of Site Certificate (GVC) - UK
FAA part 107 commercial drone pilot - USA
Google Sites
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