Jackson Wild proudly presents Films with Impact, a curated virtual screening series that delivers inspiring and thought-provoking films directly to you. Featured films showcase the power of storytelling to deepen our connection to the natural world and motivate action to restore and protect our planet and all its inhabitants.
All proceeds from this screening will be donated to the California wildfire relief efforts or please consider making a donation to the underserved Black community impacted by the LA County fires at this Gofundme
About the Film: In an urban backyard on Canada’s West Coast, a window salesman has created a living laboratory for investigating hummingbird behaviour. The Bird in My Backyard follows citizen scientist, Eric Pittman, as he documents the journeys of two female Anna’s hummingbirds as they attempt to raise their young in his urban garden. It’s a story about the childlike curiosity in all of us, the wonders it can reveal and the doors it can open if we just lean in a bit closer.
About the Director: Ryan Wilkes is a multitalented storyteller whose passion for science, conservation and wildlife is reflected in his work as a documentary director, cinematographer and photographer. His diverse background, which includes a PhD in Bioengineering and experience as a materials scientist, gives him a unique perspective when it comes to communicating complex scientific topics in an accessible and engaging way. He regularly shares his work with a community of over 150k on @itsryanwilkes across various social media platforms.
Ryan has filmed on all seven continents and his cinematography can be seen in many nature and science documentaries made for major networks including CBC, PBS NOVA and ARTE. Most recently, Ryan produced, directed and filmed the short documentary, The Bird in My Backyard, for CBC which won the Wildlife & Environment category at the 2024 Jackson Wild Media Awards and Best Short Film at the 2024 Banff Mountain Film Festival. He was the cinematographer on Hunt for the Oldest DNA, written and directed by Niobe Thompson for PBS NOVA, which premiered at CPH:DOX 2024. Ryan is an alumnus of the Jackson Wild Media Lab and the Being Black in Canada filmmaking program, is a member of the Canadian Conservation Photographers Collective and an Associate Member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers. In 2024 Ryan was recognized with the Jackson Wild Rising Star Award.
Ryan is a published photographer and has received several awards for his wildlife photography. He has twice won Canadian Geographic’s Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year competition (2022 Aquatic Life and 2024 Flora & Fungi).
- Year2024
- Runtime20 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- ProducerRyan Wilkes
- Executive ProducerLesley Birchard
- CastEric Pittman
Jackson Wild proudly presents Films with Impact, a curated virtual screening series that delivers inspiring and thought-provoking films directly to you. Featured films showcase the power of storytelling to deepen our connection to the natural world and motivate action to restore and protect our planet and all its inhabitants.
All proceeds from this screening will be donated to the California wildfire relief efforts or please consider making a donation to the underserved Black community impacted by the LA County fires at this Gofundme
About the Film: In an urban backyard on Canada’s West Coast, a window salesman has created a living laboratory for investigating hummingbird behaviour. The Bird in My Backyard follows citizen scientist, Eric Pittman, as he documents the journeys of two female Anna’s hummingbirds as they attempt to raise their young in his urban garden. It’s a story about the childlike curiosity in all of us, the wonders it can reveal and the doors it can open if we just lean in a bit closer.
About the Director: Ryan Wilkes is a multitalented storyteller whose passion for science, conservation and wildlife is reflected in his work as a documentary director, cinematographer and photographer. His diverse background, which includes a PhD in Bioengineering and experience as a materials scientist, gives him a unique perspective when it comes to communicating complex scientific topics in an accessible and engaging way. He regularly shares his work with a community of over 150k on @itsryanwilkes across various social media platforms.
Ryan has filmed on all seven continents and his cinematography can be seen in many nature and science documentaries made for major networks including CBC, PBS NOVA and ARTE. Most recently, Ryan produced, directed and filmed the short documentary, The Bird in My Backyard, for CBC which won the Wildlife & Environment category at the 2024 Jackson Wild Media Awards and Best Short Film at the 2024 Banff Mountain Film Festival. He was the cinematographer on Hunt for the Oldest DNA, written and directed by Niobe Thompson for PBS NOVA, which premiered at CPH:DOX 2024. Ryan is an alumnus of the Jackson Wild Media Lab and the Being Black in Canada filmmaking program, is a member of the Canadian Conservation Photographers Collective and an Associate Member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers. In 2024 Ryan was recognized with the Jackson Wild Rising Star Award.
Ryan is a published photographer and has received several awards for his wildlife photography. He has twice won Canadian Geographic’s Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year competition (2022 Aquatic Life and 2024 Flora & Fungi).
- Year2024
- Runtime20 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- ProducerRyan Wilkes
- Executive ProducerLesley Birchard
- CastEric Pittman