Will Clothier

Will Clothier is a Bristol-based wildlife filmmaker and conservationist with a background in Southern African conservation management and wildlife reintroduction. With the support of On the Edge and Wildscreen, Will has Directed Ramfy, the story of a Temmnick's pangolin.

Tell us about your connection to nature, why is it important in your life?

I’ve always been fascinated by nature and wildlife, and knew I wanted to be a wildlife filmmaker from a very young age. I think it’s that sense of escapism that wild spaces give you that has always been important to me. Getting out in nature always helps you to hit the reset button and I feel extremely lucky that I’ve found a way of experiencing that through my work. And I think as a child, watching nature documentaries was always a way of getting that feeling at times where you must be at home or in a city for a while.

Tell us about why you landed on this topic. Why should people be aware of the stories or species in the film?

To be honest, this story found me! It really was a right place, right time moment. I was doing a conservation internship in 2019 and by complete chance Ramfy arrived as part of a new pangolin reintroduction project and before I knew it, I was looking after a baby pangolin. I always knew I wanted to tell this story, but the pandemic in 2020 stopped me from travelling back to South Africa to film it so I’m so thrilled that I’m finally able to share Ramfy’s story 5 years later. I really knew nothing about pangolins before this, and I can’t really describe the feeling of seeing one for the first time – they’re truly like nothing else - and I really wanted to share that feeling of amazement I got with other People.

What are you hoping people will take away and feel from watching your Film?

I think more than anything I want people to leave the film feeling hopeful. So many people still don’t know what a pangolin even is, and those that do know them as ‘the world’s most illegally trafficked mammal’, or as once falsely claimed, ‘the potential source of COVID-19’. So, I wanted the film to show a completely different side to pangolins that people hadn’t seen before, because behind all those headlines is one of the most gentle, unique and charming creatures on our planet. But it’s not just a story about a pangolin either, but also a story about people and the power of collaboration. Ramfy was just one pangolin, yet his story involved South Africans, Brits, Mexicans and Aussies alike, all with different expertise and backgrounds. And I think that’s a really important message to put out into the world right now – that when people from all walks of life pull together, we can find solutions to some of the complex problems currently facing the world of conservation, and we can begin to turn the tide on species extinction.

What do you think needs to change to help people reconnect with nature?

I know I said nature documentaries helped me to connect with nature as a child, but in reality, there really is no replacement for the real thing. We need to create more safe, green and biodiverse spaces and we need to make them accessible to everyone – in particular children. But I think it’s also really important that we think about how we can engage different kinds of audiences with nature content to inspire them to seek out those spaces. The impact we as natural world storytellers have on the world has always been measured by how many people watch something, rather than who watches it. And I think finding new, creative ways to target different audiences with what we make is essential in creating some of the changes we need to see in the world.

Biggest learning from the creative process?

Trust your gut. I think the film went through so many different iterations and strayed at times away from what the original goal and story was, but in the end we essentially ended up with the film we set out to make. So, I think while it’s so important to not be too rigid, and you must absolutely explore new ideas and try new things, if you feel confused it always helps to look back to your original idea and think; why did I want to tell this story in the first place? Whose hearts and minds am I trying to change? And why did I initially think this was the best way to do that?