OUR OCEANS
Film
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Off the Fence
Off the Fence is an award-winning producer of factual television and digital cinema content for a wide range of international broadcasters including History Channel, MTV, BBC, Channel 4, MSNBC, PBS, National Geographic Channel, Discovery, Smithsonian Earth, The Weather Channel and Netflix.
As well as producing high quality content Off the Fence are also the world’s leading independent factual distribution company.
They pride themselves on their long-term partnerships with wide-ranging global producer clients and have exclusive distribution arrangements with Smithsonian Channel, WEtv, Fox International Channels, and Nuvo TV.
WILDOCEANS
It is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. It is evident that because of our impact, marine ecosystems are drowning in waste, noise, oil, and carbon emissions. What we seem to forget is that covering more than 70 percent of the earth, our oceans are among the earth’s most valuable natural resources. Oceans govern the weather, clean the air, help feed the world, and provide a living for millions. Because of overfishing, populations of marine species are either becoming depleted or very underpopulated in certain parts of the ocean. If we want future
generations to enjoy the benefits our oceans provide, the time to act is now.
It is against this background that WILDOCEANS, a programme of the WILDTRUST, was born in the context of accelerated plans for development in the Southern African marine sector and the sustainable development goals of the Blue Economy.
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The African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP)
Building the capacity to sustain the processes which support life…
The work being done off the RV Angra Pequena, specifically conducting offshore MPA science, multi- disciplinary research and youth capacity building (through the Ocean Stewards), is in partnership between WILDOCEANS and ACEP (the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme).
The African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) is a research platform which aims to provide access to research infrastructure (e.g. ship’s time, coastal craft, remote operated vehicles, etc.) and associated funding to the research community to undertake multi-disciplinary marine research along the east and south coast of South Africa. ACEP is a flagship programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) and its key partners are the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA – Oceans and Coasts) and the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON). ACEP is managed by the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) which is a National Facility of the NRF.
KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission (KZNFC)
In 2018, WILDOCEANS partnered with the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission (KZNFC) to produce the “Our Oceans” film. KZNFC was established in accordance with a provincial Act passed in 2010. Their vision is to position KwaZulu-Natal as a globally competitive, diverse and sustainable industry and choice film destination. KZNFC’s overall mission is to facilitate effective support throughout the value chain to the local and international film industry stakeholders: to create opportunities and to grow the KwaZulu-Natal film industry
The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission is set to begin fulfilling its mandate to make the province a film production centre. In 2014/2015, the KZNFC developed systems and policies to support and attract national and international role-players in the film industry.
Nelson Mandela University
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) opened on 1 January 2005, the result of the merging of the PE Technikon the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE) and the Port Elizabeth campus of Vista University (Vista PE).
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The PE Technikon has its roots in the country’s oldest art school, the PE Art School founded in 1882; the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE), the country’s first dual-medium residential university, came into being on 31 January 1964; and the Port Elizabeth campus of Vista university, which opened up access to higher education for disadvantaged students.
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The union of these institutions came about as a result of government’s countrywide restructuring of higher education – intended to deliver a more equitable and efficient system to meet the needs of South Africa, the continent and the world in the 21st century.
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On 20 July 2017, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University was officially renamed Nelson Mandela University: the only higher education institution in the world to carry the name of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. The name change provided an opportunity for the institution to rebrand and position itself continentally and globally, while also allowing it to usher in a new era of renewed vigour towards meaningful transformation.
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Nelson Mandela University is today a sought-after educational destination and has South Africa’s first dedicated ocean sciences campus.