Producer - Writer Nils Cowan lines up a shot
BIO
Nils has been writing and directing award-winning documentary features, short films and broadcast programming for almost twenty years. Born and raised in Calgary, Canada, he began his career in the dynamic documentary industry of Washington, DC before moving to Seattle in 2009 to found an independent production company and pursue more nature-focused work. Nils has produced long-form documentaries and short films for clients such as the National Park Service, PBS, The Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic and Red Bull Media; and has been recognized with multiple Telly and Cine Awards and five Emmys. He currently resides in Seattle with his wife, Jennie, and two kids.
Marc and Editor Zoe Furlong capture kokanee eggs being placed in incubator
Bio
Emmy award winning Director of Photography and Editor of “Vitch”, Marc Pingry, has been in the filmmaking business for over 40 years. He worked for Public Television stations 22 years and in 1999 formed his own production company. Marc has shot documentaries around the world.
In the last six years Marc has shot most of India by helicopter for the “I for India” theme park ride in Mumbai. Marc lived in India for a year and then moved on to Osaka for another Documentary following up the tsunami. One year later he was in Beijing for 6 months shooting two docs for CCTV’s movie channel. In the last few years he completed principal photography and editing on a feature length doc, “ Vitch”. Marc and his team shot on 4 continents. Currently Marc is working with Nils Cowan as the Director of Photography on his most recent doc, "Spawning Grounds".
ZOE FURLONG - EDITOR
Zoë visting a wolf preserve
Bio
Zoë is a film editor, writer, and director. Born and raised in Seattle Washington, she moved to the east coast to attend Dartmouth College, where she majored in Anthropology and Native American Studies and was heavily involved with film production. Since returning to the Pacific Northwest she has worked with mission-based startups, non-profit production organizations such Longhouse Media, and a Russell Wilson-founded media company. which she edited and managed various projects including original long-form episodic documentaries, mobile-first web series, and dynamic social media content reaching tens of thousands of viewers.
TRACY RECTOR - PRODCUTION CONSULTANT
Tracy’s portrait for Vison Maker Media
Bio
Tracy Rector is a mixed race (Choctaw/Seminole) filmmaker, curator, community organizer, and media activist. She is currently in production of her fifth feature documentary, Clearwater and has served as impact producer for the recently released and critically-acclaimed Dawnland about the first Truth and Reconciliation Commission between the US government and the Indigenous people of Maine. Tracy’s work has been featured on Independent Lens, National Geographic, ImagineNative, and in hundreds of Film Festivals including Cannes and Toronto, as well as in the Seattle Art Museum and the Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian.