A Story in the Wild
Client
Martillo Island
Year
2024
A personal wildlife short film captured on Isla Martillo, Patagonia, where Magellanic and Gentoo penguins share the same habitat. Shot in 8K and from the air, the project combines documentary-style cinematography with an original narrative built around two penguins: Charlie and Flipper.
Rather than simply documenting wildlife, I used their real behaviors to create a playful story about two different species sharing the same island, turning spontaneous moments in nature into a character-driven short film.
Scope of Work
Turning real wildlife footage into a narrative experience
The project started as a personal exploration of wildlife cinematography during a trip to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Instead of creating a traditional nature video, I built a fictional narrative around two penguin characters — Charlie, a Gentoo penguin, and Flipper, a Magellanic penguin — using their different behaviors and environments to create a story about how two species coexist in the same ecosystem.
Capturing wildlife with a cinematic approach
The entire film was shot on location using a cinema-oriented workflow, combining 8K camera footage with aerial drone imagery. Working with unpredictable wildlife conditions required patience, observation, and a documentary mindset to capture authentic moments while maintaining a strong visual composition.
Combining documentary filmmaking with storytelling techniques
Beyond the cinematography, I developed the complete creative direction of the piece, including narrative structure, editing, pacing, and post-production. By adding a storytelling layer over real-world footage, the project explores how documentary images can be transformed into emotionally engaging experiences through creative storytelling.
