2.2 Nina Constable: Celebrating Nature through Film-Making

In this interview, I speak with nature documentary-maker, Nina Constable.

Nina is an award winning self-shooting director based in Cornwall, UK. Her films have screened in festivals globally and her work has featured in a number of broadcasts including BBC Springwatch, BBC Countryfile, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, CNN,The Guardian Online & WWF UK and her photography has featured in BBC Wildlife Magazine, WWF Action Magazine, BBC News Online, ITV News online and in a number of other publications.  Journey to the Sea, a 6 part series directed, filmed and edited by Nina for WWF UK now sits on Sky NATURE and another short film produced for WWF on Basking sharks was shortlisted for the Global Sustainability Film awards. Nina was the Winner of Cornwall Film Festival's Golden Chough Film Award 2015 & was named as one of Cornwall's 30 under 30 businesses to watch class of 2018 by Cornwall's Chamber of Commerce.  From conservation filmmaking to social documentary, Nina has a keen eye for filming and a talent for storytelling. Often working completely independently Nina's work offers an intimacy and honestly that underpins her unique style.  Dedicated to capturing and exploring the world we live in Nina believes in the power of film and photography to educate and inspire and, ultimately, to protect.

The story behind her Wild World series and the things that have come out of it and the support she received for this zero-budget project How she cam got film-making Her process How she prepares for her shoots Her own creative practices The most frustrating thing about her job Her work with the Cornwall Beaver Project The power of saying no and giving a project its due time and space How she stays creative Her advice for budding filmmakers The power of listening Her hope for the future Sustainable filmmaking and the need for affordable transport The importance of just asking

This was one of those interviews that just flowed. Nina is naturally as keen to talk as I am and her experience, expertise and enthusiasm for her work shines through everything she talks about.

You can find more about Nina as well as view her freely-available series, Wild World, which we discussed in the interview, on her website www.ninaconstablemedia.co.uk and on her Instagram @ninaconstablemedia.

As always I’m over at www.promptedbynature.co.uk and on Instagram @prompted.by.nature and on facebook @promptedbynature and on my personal page on Insta @pbn_helen All being well I have a few spaces left for my October day retreats for women. Pop over to the events page on my website for more information about those.

Remember to stay around until the end of the interview to hear about the follow-up meditation and writing prompt I’ve created for you inspired by my chat with Nina. Enjoy the conversation and I’ll speak to you after.

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In this meditation and writing prompt, I guide you into stillness and then ask the following prompt questions to help you to create that creative space for yourself.

1.  Cast your mind back to a time in which you felt at your most creative.  See it in your mind vividly.

2.  What was the setting?  What were the circumstance?

3.  How did you feel in your mind?

4.  How did you feel in your body?

5.  What did you create as a result OR what were you in the process of creating?

6.  What do you now need to do in order to recreate those circumstances?  NB.  If you were pregnant at the time, this doesn't mean you have to get pregnant again!  This is just in terms of the state of creativity you were in ;-)

7.  What needs to be released within you that would help you to move towards this space of creativity?

8.  What can you let go of or minimise in order fro you to create time for that creativity to arise?  e.g. Less time on social media/watching TV etc.

9.  If you had a daily creative practice, what would that realistically look like?   What do you need to do to create and commit to this?

10.  What about a weekly practice?  A time for you to spend longer on your creativity.  What would that realistically look like for you?  What do you need to do to create and commit to this?

Once you have answered the questions, my only advice to you is to create!  Don't question your creativity or place judgement or expectation on it before you've even started.  Just create!

Remember I'm always over @prompted.by.nature on Instagram and on my website www.promptedbynature.co.uk

Sending you love.  Speak soon, Helen x