Activity
:
Tristan's
first production experience began at 2 weeks old
with his parents, a wildlife filmmaker team that
traveled to the far corners of the world making documentaries.
He never looked back. At age 2, Tristan was filming
in East Africa, learning about other cultures and
memorizing the Swahili names of animals while floating
above the African landscape in hot air balloons and
chasing elephants in Range Rovers. Although he was
small and young, his eyes were wide open to this
fascinating, and sometimes disturbing, but always
adventurous world. These experiences were the building
blocks for a unique point of view while growing up
in the small town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming on the
outskirts of Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.
Throughout his schooling, Tristan
took advantage of the opportunity to skip class to
work overseas as a crew member with his producer /
director / cinematographer father and mentor. They
made wildlife films for such companies as National
Geographic, Nature, Nova, Discovery and PBS. Tristan
started keeping written journals and sketches, then
took up still photography, and soon got his hands on
a video camera. He began shooting behind the scenes
video of his trips and would present his findings and
adventures to his classmates back in Wyoming. Now in
elementary school, Tristan found himself creating multi-media "show
and tell" presentations that entertained and educated
his peers and received academic credit. Occasionally
Tristan's work was published in magazines such as Ranger
Rick. In 7th grade Tristan was awarded the "Media
Student of the Year" award; for his still photography
and video achievements as well as his technical skills.
Although it may seem obvious now
as to what he wanted to be when, or if he grows up,
he still had a lot of soul searching to do. Finally,
in eighth grade, Tristan made up his mind that he wanted
to be a painter, a 3D animator, a biologist, a stuntman,
and an astronaut, of course. In his spare time he still
wanted to keep his hobbies as a photographer and videographer.
Little did Tristan know that these experiences would
spawn into the beginning of a career that combines
all his favorite disciplines into one.
Tristan now is the owner of EarthNative
Inc. a multimedia production company based in the entertainment
capital of the world. EarthNative is dedicated to pushing
the limits on the innovative communication of ideas
through creative storytelling and expression. In 1999
Tristan won the BBC/Time-Life Natural History Innovation
Grant and produced and directed a pilot episode that
shot on location in Borneo. He has been seen hosting
wildlife shows or traveling the planet as a freelance
director/cinematographer. He has worked on adventure
races in Brazil, shot behind the scenes of the Academy
Awards, directed music videos, worked as D.P. on a
digital feature, and is currently editing a feature
length film in which he co-directed with his father,
Wolfgang. In his spare time he is still developing
his new style of multimedia "show and tell".
Tristan regularly heads to beautiful Jackson Hole to
breathe fresh air and gain perspective on this fascinating,
and sometimes disturbing, but always adventurous world.
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