Our film critic and journalist Zoe Xu speaks to Ningjing Wang, a Chinese environmental filmmaker who has been working on the BBC’s wildlife programmes.

“ I’ve always found animals fascinating. The decisions animals make aren’t so different from humans – they face the same trade-offs.”

Ningjing Wang, a Chinese wildlife filmmaker with a background in ecology, is walking a path from science into cinema. From Zhejiang University to Yale, and then to the University of the West of England where she specialised in wildlife filmmaking, she has moved from academic fieldwork to visual storytelling about coexistence between humans and nature.

In her short film Immaculate, a critically endangered native species – Chinese immaculate treefrog – was captured mating on camera for the first time. Yet the other protagonist of the film is just as compelling: Amaël Borzée, a professor at Nanjing Forestry University in East China’s Jiangsu province who has spent years alone documenting the treefrog’s fragile existence.

Now working in the BBC’s Science Unit, Ningjing participates in the full production process inside one of the most structured ecosystems in nature and science media. She observes the wild but also the industry itself: how its structures, language, and hierarchies shape the question of who gets to be seen.

We spoke about her creative choices, her experience in the field, her perspective as an East Asian woman in the industry, and her vision for future projects. But perhaps most striking is her unwavering belief in storytelling – an irrepressible drive to give voice to the overlooked – and her deep, enduring love for wildlife. Together, they shape not only what she makes, but who she is.

Zoe: I’d like to start with the question I’m most curious about – which might also be the one you get asked the most. You studied ecology at Zhejiang University, then went to Yale, and later to Bristol in the UK to study wildlife documentary filmmaking. That’s quite a leap across disciplines. What led to such a big academic shift?

Ningjing: Actually, I don’t feel the shift was that dramatic. To me, going from ecology at Zhejiang University to eventually studying wildlife filmmaking in the UK has always been driven by the same core interest: a love of nature. The form may have changed, but the essence hasn’t.

Back in my undergrad days at Zhejiang University, I was still really drawn to academia. I did research related to biodiversity, and even at Yale – though my programme was in environmental health sciences – it was still about the relationship between humans and the environment. What I was truly interested in was our connection with the natural world. Like many kids, I grew up loving nature documentaries. It was always something I dreamed of doing, though I didn’t have the courage to pursue it earlier.

During this long academic journey, I started doing some scientific popularisations on platforms like Weibo. That experience made me realise that a lot of our academic research – like the biodiversity studies I was involved in – often remains stuck within academic circles. But in truth, these topics are incredibly relevant to everyone’s daily life.

One experience that really stuck with me was a field trip I did with my undergrad advisor in Guizhou. We were working on the conservation of traditional rice varieties and their relation to biodiversity. At the time, I was still quite new to the field and had a lot of doubts. I asked her, “If industrialized, modern agriculture is destined to replace traditional farming, what’s the point of what we’re doing now?” And my advisor didn’t give me a highly academic answer. She simply said, “Even if we can’t change that trend, at least we’ll have documented it.” That moment sparked something in me – an early awareness of how important it is to record things.

During my time at Zhejiang and Yale, I also started experimenting with scientific popularisation. I gradually became more and more interested in the idea of storytelling and how we share knowledge. I tried different jobs, some in tech-related companies, some in new media, but I always felt something was missing. Then I began filming things on the side – amateur videos during fieldwork, wildlife observations, outdoor internships – and I gradually realised that this is what I really wanted to do. If I were to pursue it seriously, I wanted to do it professionally. And I also felt this work was meaningful.

I’ve always talked about wildlife conservation, but many of those conversations stay within academic circles. They rarely reach people in a way that sparks real emotional connection. That’s when I searched online and discovered that in the UK, there’s an actual specialised programme in wildlife filmmaking. I applied, and luckily, I got in. What I love about working with visual storytelling is that it constantly brings me new topics and new material to explore. I think that’s why I enjoy it so much and why it feels like the right path for me.

Zoe: So you also believe that visual storytelling can give wildlife conservation greater impact. Can you elaborate?

Ningjing: I think it’s incredibly important, and actually, I think my own short film Immaculate (Yu Wa) is a great example of that. Before I made it, I honestly didn’t expect it to have such a wide impact.

When I was choosing a species to focus on, I knew I wanted to tell a story about a native Chinese animal. But filming something like a snow leopard or a panda was simply out of reach. And more importantly, I had no personal connection with them. Of course, these flagship species are important. But among all vertebrate groups, amphibians are actually the most affected by climate change. And yet, they’re small, not particularly human-like, not considered “cute” by mainstream standards, and are often seen as having no direct economic value. So they’re largely ignored.

Then I came across a post on Weibo – it was calling for help to locate what might be the last populations of immaculate tree frogs, in China. That post did attract some views, but the field is so niche that even as someone already passionate about nature, I had barely heard of the species. Let alone the general public.

So I knew immediately – I had to go and tell this story.

One advantage I had was my background in ecology, which allowed me to communicate effectively with Professor Borzée. What I hope to do is to act as a bridge between scientists and the public. Many researchers don’t have the time or means to translate their findings into a universally accessible story. But I think I can use my skillset to help tell those stories.

As for the film itself, we were likely the first to document the immaculate tree frog’s amplexus behavior on camera in any formal visual record. And the discovery of the mating pair also ended up being quite useful – it directly supported field-based conservation efforts.

After the film was released online last year, it actually attracted more attention than I expected – even organizations like One Planet Foundation, in partnership with WWF (World Wide Fund) took notice. Before that, research and conservation effort for the species had been struggling with limited funding, but since the involvement of these organizations, support and resources have increased significantly. So in a very real sense, it drew more public attention to this endangered frog, and I’m glad its impact extended beyond China. In fact, just a few days ago, Professor Borzée messaged me from India – he was attending a conference in the Western Ghats near the Himalayas, and told me people there had seen the film. That really surprised me, because I hadn’t even released the English version online yet. Then I realised that it must have been screened at a local film festival in India where I had submitted it.

So even though it’s a story about a native Chinese species, the context and relevance are much broader. I hope that by sharing stories like this, we can inspire people elsewhere too – to show that there is still something we can do.

Zoe: While watching your short film, I felt the professor Borzée was quite an interesting figure. It seemed like he really added something special to the film.

Ningjing: Yes, I think he’s a fascinating person, and a really important one for the story. Personally, I’m very much against overly anthropomorphising animals in documentaries. But at the same time, you need to keep your audience engaged, and that’s where the protagonist becomes crucial.

He has a very unique personal charm, and I was genuinely moved by him. If we hadn’t joined him on this project, he probably would’ve spent yet another year, just like the past five, driving alone out to the rice fields to carry on his work. That’s why I chose the Chinese title Yu Wa (literally “With Frogs”) – the “with” part is meaningful to me. It represents the many relationships that revolve around the frogs: my own connection with them, the professor’s obsession with them, and also the farmers who share the same ecosystem with the frogs in their rice paddies.

In nature-focused storytelling today, there is a growing trend toward narratives that highlight human interactions with the natural world. In the past, especially with traditional BBC-style documentaries, the goal was often to portray nature as majestic and pure. Shows like Frozen Planet or Planet Earth, particularly the first two seasons, focused on the wonders of animal behavior and the relationship between species and their environments.

But in today’s world where the boundary between humans and nature is increasingly blurred, that kind of  “untouched” nature simply doesn’t exist anymore. Think about it: when you see a polar bear walking across an endless icy landscape in a documentary, it feels so pristine. But in reality, if you go to Svalbard, you’ll find it filled with tourists, all pointing cameras at the bears. The same goes for Africa – when I visited recently, it was full of safari vehicles. There’s no way to completely separate humans from nature anymore.

That’s why many production companies are now using a new evaluation framework called impact – not just in terms of viewership, but asking: What actual effect does this story have? Does it promote conservation? Does it resonate emotionally with people?

The idea of impact really took hold after Blue Planet aired. The series’ coverage of ocean pollution played a major role in driving the UK’s plastic bag bans and encouraging supermarkets to reduce single-use plastics. Starting with Planet Earth III, you can also see this shift. The first few episodes still follow ecosystems – oceans, grasslands, forests – but the final episode is called Heroes, and it focuses mainly on human characters fighting to save the world’s wildlife. You see scientists, conservationists, anti-poaching units, and investigators. Their stories are now being included. And then of course, after My Octopus Teacher won the Oscar in 2021, this type of narrative exploded. People realised that this form of storytelling could really broaden the audience because not everyone is naturally interested in wildlife or the environment. But many will care about a disillusioned middle-aged man trying to process his emotional trauma. So this kind of emotional anchor becomes a powerful entry point, and I think that’s important. It’s definitely where the genre is heading.

Even David Attenborough’s recent work shows this shift. In Wild Isles (last year) and Ocean (this year), you can see that there’s less hesitation to tackle conservation topics directly. In the past, there was more concern about “objectivity,” about portraying a purely natural world. But in recent years, the landscape of the industry has changed. More films are emerging that may be smaller in scale, but their messages are sharp and clear, and that clarity is what really stays with people.

Zoe: That’s interesting. I hadn’t thought of it that way before. So Immaculate was your graduation project, right? When you started, was it already your intention to make both the professor and the tree frog co-leads in the film?

Ningjing: Yes, it was my graduation project. Because for a graduation film, we usually only get a month or maybe a month and a half for actual fieldwork. Filming pure animal behavior in that timeframe is really difficult. Having a human character in the story makes it more feasible to manage.

And second, I genuinely found the professor to be a fascinating person. At first, I wasn’t planning to include myself in the film. But during my research, I stumbled upon a preserved specimen of the tree frog in the biology building at Zhejiang University, where I used to study and do lab work. Aside from the Shanghai Natural History Museum, it was the only clearly labeled specimen I could find online.

Then I asked my family about it, and my uncle told me he used to catch these frogs in the rice fields when he was young. That’s when I realized that there’s actually a strong personal connection between me and this species. The professor later told me that the best population of this frog in Jiangsu is located near my hometown. I hadn’t been back there in a long time. But filming this story brought me home, and when I heard an old man speak in the local dialect, I suddenly felt this deep emotional resonance. So while I wouldn’t call myself a “protagonist,” I see myself more as a medium – connecting Professor Borzée and the tree frog’s story, threading the narrative together.

Zoe: So your interest in wildlife started when you were very young?

Ningjing: Yes, I loved nature documentaries as a child. I remember in kindergarten, when other kids wanted to be police officers or firefighters, I told people I wanted to be a biologist. Of course, my path shifted quite a bit later, but I feel lucky that I ultimately found my way back to what I truly wanted to do.

Studying ecology at Zhejiang really helped. It gave me chances to do fieldwork, which deepened my love for nature. Later I got into birdwatching. I’ve always found animals fascinating. My favorite class was animal behavior. The decisions animals make aren’t so different from humans – they face the same trade-offs. That’s actually my favorite word in ecology: trade-off.

Every trait, every behavior is the result of balancing limited resources – how much to spend on finding a mate, hunting, surviving. And sometimes that balance involves deception, just like humans. It really mirrors my own thinking: when I’m trying to decide what to pursue in life, I’m facing the same trade-offs an animal does in the wild.

Zoe: Was it always your goal to work at the BBC, or did that come by chance?

Ningjing: It was definitely a goal of mine, though not a permanent one, I guess. Ultimately, I want to make more independent films, like Immaculate. They may be small in scale, but they tell important stories. But right after graduation, I knew I needed experience, and a place like the BBC is ideal. The natural history film industry in the UK is highly professionalized and structured. So I wanted to get inside and understand the entire process – from development to post-production. And I’ve learned a lot, not just technically but also in storytelling and editing. I feel very lucky.

Although my official title is “researcher,” which often doesn’t involve going on location, I was trusted to join two shoots likely because of my language skills and background in ecology. I got to see how real-world problems are solved on set, especially when dealing with wild animals where so much is unpredictable. You have a fixed budget, a tight schedule, so how do you maximise your chances of getting the footage you need and minimise the risk of coming back empty-handed? That experience was incredibly valuable.

Zoe: Right, as you mentioned, the unpredictability is one of the biggest challenges. What’s been the biggest surprise while working on BBC shoots?

Ningjing: One surprise was that we actually managed to film some of the species we really wanted, like in one story about a new cave gecko species that hasn’t even been scientifically named yet. It felt meaningful to bring new scientific findings to a broader audience.

Because of the filming timeline, we were worried we’d miss the window – by November, most reptiles are torpid. The scientist wasn’t very optimistic, and we were already planning a return trip in April to try again. But then, we actually found it! Just like when I was filming the frog pair in Immaculate – I found them on the very last day, after I was ready to give up. My British cinematographer was about to leave, and I said, “Let’s try that one last spot where we saw the most frogs.” And we did. And we found them. It really felt like nature was rewarding us.

Also, just like Immaculate, the shoot wasn’t purely about animal behavior. There were human stories woven in. Meeting these scientists and helping them share their stories that would otherwise stay in academic papers felt important to me. Especially with animals like the cave geckos, which get very little public attention, but actually carry significant scientific importance. That gave me a real sense of purpose.

Zoe: People often say the BBC makes the world’s best nature documentaries. What do you think?

Ningjing: Many people think it’s because of fancy equipment, but I don’t think that’s the core reason. A lot of the BBC’s gear is actually made in China. The real secret lies in their storytelling structure.

Technically, they’re strong. BBC has roles like shooting researchers and producers who specialise in solving problems like: How do you shoot something in the canopy? How do you build a platform without disturbing the animal? It’s all based on deep knowledge of behavior and ethical filming methods.

But what sets the BBC apart is the narrative sequencing. Many nature docs look beautiful but don’t tell a cohesive story. You need narration to make sense of the footage. Remove the voiceover and music, and it’s some beautiful pictures or Power Point.

But BBC docs – take Planet Earth 3 as an example – can tell a story visually. There’s one sequence about a father ostrich caring for chicks. You don’t need to hear a single word. The editing, the framing, the expressions of the animals – they all build a clear emotional arc. That’s the core strength of BBC storytelling.

And of course, they’ve been doing this for so long. They have deep collaborations with scientists and can access new research early. That allows them to discover new behaviors and stories faster.

Zoe: Sounds really fascinating. Is working there very stressful?

Ningjing: At least in my department, I really like the atmosphere. Making a documentary is basically just solving problems together. And in our team, I’ve found the hierarchy to be quite flat. Even as a researcher, when we’re reviewing scripts, our executive producer genuinely listens to everyone’s feedback.

Another thing I respect about the BBC is their professionalism. We once considered hiring a DOP who had a history of inappropriate behavior toward women. Even though his work was good, our executive producer said, “He violated our code of conduct. Why are we even considering him?” I was impressed by that clarity. At the BBC, if someone doesn’t meet ethical standards, they’re simply not part of the team.

Zoe: Are there many East Asian women like you working at the BBC?

Ningjing: Not really. Especially in natural history, as far as I know, among Chinese women, it’s just me and another girl in Bristol, and one girl from Hong Kong. That’s about it. There are a few more people from India, but overall, it’s still a very male-dominated field, especially in camera roles.

And I do think this lack of diversity is an issue in the industry. For minorities, the first thing companies often look at is your language skills. Personally, I used to feel conflicted about that. I’ve studied in the States, and I’ve worked in many places. I’m interested in all kinds of wildlife around the world, and I have the background knowledge, too. But when companies hire me, they tend to want me to work on Chinese projects specifically, especially for a first job. What they value most is your language and your local knowledge.

But it also depends on how you look at it. This industry is hard to break into – it’s small and pretty saturated right now. Landing your first job is the hardest part. If your identity gives you an edge and helps you get in, then use it. Once you’re in, this industry runs heavily on word of mouth and reputation. If you’ve proven yourself reliable on one project, you’re more likely to be invited onto the next. You’ll build relationships with directors, get referred to new crews, and gradually broaden your scope.

The key is proving you’re not just a “language hire” – you’re good on location, you know how to shoot, you understand storytelling. Once people see that, you can expand your niche.

Zoe: Based on your experience, what advice would you give to others who want to enter this field whether at the BBC or elsewhere?

Ningjing: First, networking. It’s absolutely essential. And second, know your unique selling point – what sets you apart.

Bristol is like the global capital for natural history filmmaking. Every year, so many people come here looking for jobs. But the number of positions is very limited. I’ve met people from Spain, Australia – they bring their showreels, they spend a month here trying to meet directors, get their work seen. It’s a super competitive industry.

So you really have to know what your core strength is, and emphasize that in your CV, in conversations, everywhere.

And as I said, networking is crucial. Especially now, when the film and TV industry as a whole is struggling, natural history genre has been hit hard too. In this kind of climate, you need to keep reminding people you exist – so when an opportunity does come up, they’ll think of you.

Actually, I got my job through networking. Production companies often prefer to work with people they already trust, especially when going on location. The risk of bringing someone totally unknown is too high. So building those relationships is key. It also helps you understand where the industry is heading, what kind of roles will be needed next, and who the decision-makers are, like series producers or directors you might want to approach directly.

Zoe: Earlier you mentioned Immaculate was your first wildlife film. Do you already have a second project in mind?

Ningjing: I do have some ideas. I still want to shoot in China. Since coming to the UK, I’ve realised how little people here know about China’s native wildlife, even those who already work in this industry.

For example, I once mentioned pangolin conservation efforts in China to some colleagues, and they were shocked. They had no idea that China has native pangolin species, or that conservationists are actively working to protect them. Their understanding of pangolins was just: China is the market. They didn’t even realise we have pangolins in the wild. That’s frustrating.

If the global narrative is always controlled by others, and you’re always seen as the “problem,” not the solution, it hurts the people on the ground doing real conservation work. So in the future, I really hope to tell stories about China’s native species and how we’re protecting them.

This actually came up at the last Wildscreen event I attended. A Korean-Canadian female filmmaker, talked about how East Asians often feel marginalized – not just in the workplace, but in the stories being told. We’re underrepresented. That lack of visibility discourages others from entering the field.

So yes, I hope to see more great nature documentaries from China that can be seen by international audiences. And I think people are key to that. Even if we’re from different backgrounds, emotions like love, family, grief are universal. They’re what allow us to build empathy across cultures.

Zoe: One last question I’m really curious about. Since you started studying wildlife filmmaking and now working in the field, has there ever been a moment that made you think, “Yes, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life” or “This alone made it all worth it”?

Ningjing: I think the biggest one was probably Immaculate. But honestly, I have moments like that quite often.

When I first uploaded the film online and saw people’s comments, some of them were reminiscing about their own childhoods, hearing frogs in the rice paddies… that really moved me. That kind of emotional resonance, I realised, was exactly what I hoped to achieve.

Later, while filming for BBC, I met many people who do conservation work. Seeing what they do, how committed and idealistic some of them are, that was really inspiring.

There was one story that left a deep impression. We were filming the Chinese white dolphin, and one of the conservationists we featured has actually spent more time with dolphins than with his own family. I read his bio: he originally studied medicine, and chose that path because his father had cancer. But before he graduated, his father passed away. Later, he discovered the white dolphin and decided: I couldn’t save my father, but maybe I can help save this species. That really stayed with me.

There are so many people I’ve met on this journey who’ve made me feel like this path is meaningful and achievable. And also, here in Bristol, we have a small community of female wildlife filmmakers, and I’ve seen how hard they work. Some of them wanted to become camerawomen, but couldn’t afford the gear or the training. So they started out working in equipment rental, just to get access to the gear, to practice with it. Some of them have spent three years doing that. Slowly, deliberately building the skills and the experience they need. They’re not in a rush, but they’re determined. And seeing that kind of long-term perseverance really inspires me.

As for myself, I just genuinely love this work. I probably don’t have the temperament to be a deeply specialised scientist. But I love learning about different species, soaking up huge amounts of information, exploring their behaviors and their stories. That process brings me real joy.

Zoe: I see. At the end of the day, it’s about love for the work.

Ningjing: Yes. Though of course there have been struggles. The industry isn’t in great shape right now. And I’ve seen friends lose their jobs. One woman I know was laid off pretty quickly.

This field demands resilience and adaptability. But honestly, problem-solving in life and problem-solving on a shoot feel kind of the same. You’re constantly figuring things out.

And then, when you’re in the edit – putting all those moments together, watching the footage you captured finally come to life – there’s this feeling of: OK, it works. That moment makes it all worth it.

You can connect with Ningjing via Linkedin here.