Where did the idea come from?
From a growing sense of urgency, and asking an uncomfortable question – what happens if we do nothing? And how on earth would we face our children if that’s what we do.
What if habitats continue to be destroyed, wildlife keeps disappearing, and the wild we know today slowly fades away? What if entire iconic species vanish on our watch? And if that happens, how do we explain it?
The question became even more powerful when viewed through the lens of responsibility for the next generation. Whether we are parents, carers, aunts, uncles, or simply part of a society that shapes the future, how do we answer when young people ask about animals they can no longer see? Where did they go? Why weren’t they protected? Why didn’t anyone stop this from happening?
That line of thinking led directly to the heart of the film. Not a warning about the distant future, but a question about the present. Because this is not something that might happen one day, it is something unfolding right now, and something we still have a choice about.
What did you hope to achieve?
The film was created as a moment of reflection. Its purpose was not to alarm, but to gently surface the real consequences of inaction in a way that felt personal and immediate.
Emotionally, we wanted people to feel the sadness of loss and absence, unsettled by the idea of having to explain that loss to the next generation, and then to feel that flicker of possibility, that standing up still matters.
We wanted people to think about the easy assumption many of us make, that someone else will fix it, step in, save the wild.
And finally, we wanted people at our event to do something very practical and immediate. To bid, give generously, and to leave the room able to say, honestly, ‘I stood up.’ And on the night, that’s exactly what happened!
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How did you create the film on such a small budget?
‘What Will You Tell Your Children?’ was created entirely ‘in-house’. I came up with the concept, wrote the script, and filmed all of the project pieces to camera while already out in the field filming other Born Free work, using a DJI Pocket Osmo, at no additional cost to the charity.
The contributors’ words were captured over time, often between other shoots, in real locations. Having filmed with our exceptional field teams before, and learned a lot, I ensured the script was delivered to them well in advance, and that the lines for each contributor were short and easy to memorise and deliver.
And boy did they all perform brilliantly – these are, after all, conservationists, animal carers and educators! The Osmo really helps here – it is a very small camera that is unintimidating, yet produces outstanding 4k footage.
The children’s voices, which form the emotional opening of the film, are my amazing niece and nephew. They were recorded using the same Osmo, in the back of my car at a rugby match. They were paid £10 each in sweet money, which they were more than happy with. ‘The magic of movie making.’
And of course I couldn’t end the film with anything other than the voice of our Co-Founder Dame Virginia, who provided her sprinkle of magic with a voiceover recorded at home.
The film was then edited with the help of a brilliant freelance editor, David Davidian, who I’ve been working with for years. Together, we carefully shaped the pacing, the music, and the imagery, choosing each shot intentionally and allowing space and silence to do some of the emotional work.
In fact, the pacing is probably one of the most important of any film I have made recently. I was so particular about the timings I recorded a guide track with my voice over the music to ensure it was bang on.
A project like this would normally be handed to an agency and could easily cost tens of thousands of pounds. Instead, it was made for a fraction of that, keeping costs low without compromising quality, so more money could go directly towards our charity’s vital work protecting wildlife.
What happens to the film now?
Although the film was created specifically for the ball, it doesn’t belong to just one night.
We are now looking at using ‘What Will You Tell Your Children?’ across cinema advertising, here on our website, on the Born Free YouTube channel, in shorter versions on social media, and at future events and supporter gatherings. I like to get as much value out of any production as possible.
The question at the heart of the film doesn’t expire, and sadly, it is only becoming more relevant.
One last thought. This film is not really about Born Free. It is about responsibility, and legacy.
One day, the next generation will ask what the world used to be like, and what we did while we still had a choice. When that moment comes, what will you tell your children?
