How to Become a National
Geographic Explorer
If
you’ve ever wondered how you might become an explorer for National Geographic,
believe it or not, it can start with attending a seminar.
During
the Banff Mountain Film Festival in a conference room at the Banff Centre in
Alberta, Canada, aspiring young explorers learned the ropes of turning their
dreams of adventure into an assignment for National Geographic. Their works may
land on television, on the web, or in the famous magazine with the bright
yellow border.
Carrie
Regan, Vice President of Specials Development at National Geographic Television
explained to young photographers, writers and filmmakers what she wants to see
and hear in a pitch.
“In
brief it’s basically looking for great adventures, adventures with great
payoffs, a great discovery,” Regan said. “Think about what the hook would be,
what would make viewers when they tune in for the first five minutes say, ‘Oh,
my God! I have to stick around and see if they’re going to solve this mystery
and they’re going to accomplish this quest’.”
For
many, like those at this seminar, the dream of exploration began between the
pages of National Geographic magazine. Who can forget the image of early human
ancestors discovered at Olduvai Gorge or the hunting eyes of the “Afghan girl”
Sharbat Gula? Those vivid pictures and compelling stories have inspired people
for generations to travel the world in search of adventure and scientific
discovery. Since 1888 National Geographic has supported more than 10,000
expeditions to the most remote corners of the globe. And those gathered here
want to be among the next group of explorers. In this seminar Regan encourages
them to keep a few things in mind.
"Really
think about how this is going to be visually different, what great characters
we have, and what’s that great payoff that will keep viewers tuned in,” said
Regan.
Developing
content across a variety of different media, National Geographic is looking for
new and exciting stories. Gregory McGruder, Vice President of Public Programs
at National Geographic, also sits on the Expeditions Council, as well as the
Young Explorers Grant Committee. He helps to pick from among the many projects
that apply for support and funding. But he warns new applicants not to force
the social and culture significance the magazine is known for into their
stories. He says just keep it real.
“We’ve
got really good radar for things that are shoehorned in kind of improperly,”
McGruder said. “If it’s something about adventure make it adventure. Don’t add
the cultural element as a tag-on. I mean the cultural element is fine, but it
just has to be authentic.”
It
is this authenticity that adventure filmmaker and past National Geographic
Younger Explorer Grant recipient Andy Maser brings to the magazine.
“I
got a Young Explorer Grant in 2009 for a project in Bolivia that blended
climate change with whitewater kayaking,” he said.
Maser’s
project for National Geographic proposed to demonstrate through a paddling
adventure how a warming planet might impact the availability of water in a
major city like La Paz.
“A
lot of their water comes from melting glaciers that are rapidly receding
because of climate change,” Maser said. “So we launched an expedition to study
these glaciers and then paddle the rivers that flow with the melt waters of
these glaciers.”
Maser,
who is now 26, pitched his expedition idea to National Geographic in
consideration of a Young Explorers Grant. Now he’s a professional adventure
filmmaker.
“Working
with National Geographic really opens doors. The Young Explorers Grant is a
small grant. It’s only between $2,000 and $5,000,” Maser said. “But it’s not
necessarily the money that’s the most valuable part of these small grants, it’s
the people you meet and people you get to collaborate with and just the
opportunities that you get by being associated with National Geographic.”
(Learn
more about Maser’s Kayaking Bolivia project online:
http://ngadventure.typepad.com/blog/2009/04/k.html)
“A
lot of people are familiar with the Jacques Cousteaus, the Jane Goodalls, you
know Diane Fossey, the Leakeys those are people we’ve funded throughout our
history,” said Rebecca Martin, director of the Expeditions Council. She says
National Geographic continues to fund groundbreaking, field-based scientific
research. And through the Young Explorers Grant Program, National Geographic
also encourages people aged 16 to 25 a the beginning of their careers to create
expeditions of their own.
“So
they either need to be producing some interesting scientific results, be making
discoveries, bring back a great story of adventure, think about the story
telling component and we showcase them throughout National Geographic Media,
our web in particular, but other media as well,” Martin said.
Young
explorers share their stories online, a few make it to television and some are
published in the coveted yellow magazine. With a little base funding and a lot
of professional guidance, National Geographic is helping to take adventure and
scientific discovery in a new direction.
“A
young woman anthropologist from Oxford University Emily Ainsworth joined and
studied Mexican family run circuses. She produced absolutely stunning imagery
and she has incredible stories to share about that,” Martin said. “A lot of the
young people are thinking way outside the box of what we would normally fund,
and we’re wanting to be creative with them and let them stretch the boundaries
for us. So it’s exciting to see with what the next generation has brewing and
it makes me feel really good about our future, too.”
After
more than 120 years of exploration, there is still much left to be discovered.
And though a lot of ground has already been covered, editors at National
Geographic encourage grant applicants to keep looking for that next great find.
What matters most is that young explorers bring a new and exciting angle to the
story. You can learn more about the Young Explorers Grant program on line.
“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.”
Greaat blog
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