Seagrass documentary maker awarded La Societe bursary
A LOCALLY-MADE documentary on seagrass in the Bailiwick could be hitting the screens by the end of the year, with assistance from La Societe’s conservation bursary.
Anthony Ford-Marsland is this year’s £1,000 bursary recipient for his work on a seagrass conservation documentary with the aim of showing the Bailiwick the natural wonders that often go unnoticed.
‘The project started just before the second lockdown with Pierre Ehmann and Matt Stockreiter. We received some initial funding to create a biodiversity film but lockdown stunted the progress,’ he said.
‘When we had more time we started filming again and hopefully we can educate the Bailiwick on the incredible biodiversity we have here.’
The bursary is awarded to someone who is studying or researching a subject related to biodiversity and conservation research of the natural environment.
Mr Ford-Marsland studied filmmaking at the University of Plymouth, and during this completed a conservation module which fuelled the project.
‘The focus of the documentary is seagrass, and the role that it has in encouraging biodiversity,’ he said.
‘I think that there are little things we can do to make a conservationist out of everyone.’
The seagrass conservation documentary was also awarded the runner-up prize at this year’s Insurance Corporation Conservation Awards. The current bursary is in its third year and La Societe president Roy Bisson, presented the bursary cheque to Mr Ford-Marsland.
‘There was a stream of students who applied and could benefit from the bursary,’ he said.
‘The scientific committee reviewed the applications and decided that Anthony was the most deserving.’
Mr Bisson added that since receiving new funding, the organisation would be reviewing the bursary scheme for future years.
With the help of La Societe’s bursary, Mr Ford-Marsland hopes that a trailer for the documentary will be out in October and the film out in full by the end of the year.
His next project will be a travelling series around the Bailiwick to explore deeper into the island’s biodiversity and conservation which will take place next summer.
Mr Ford-Marsland regularly posts updates on social media of the group’s findings and filming, which can be found on his Instagram @wildislands or his website, www.wildislands.xyz.
