DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Charles Runnette is a travel journalist and filmmaker who has made documentaries for Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, Vogue, GQ, WSJ as well as producing TV series for Viceland, IFC, MTV and more. He also developed an Emmy-winning LGBTQ narrative series that went on to be picked up by Netflix, Eastsiders. His travel assignments have taken him to over 50 countries, and one of those is how he came to the story of Rubondo — on assignment for The Wall Street Journal in 2015 (see right). He did not see the chimpanzees on his first trip to Rubondo, but has since been back several times and now has. He is based in D.C. and runs his own small production company, Makemake Media, and occasionally still writes about travel for outlets including WSJ, Bloomberg Pursuits, Condé Nast Traveller, etc.

He lives in Washington, D.C. with his husband, Nathan, and dog, Marco.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Paula Franklin has been working with Empowers Africa since 2015, when she established the non-profit conservation organization’s now robust fiscal sponsorship program. She served as its Executive Director from 2018-2020. Her passion for the continent began on a trip to Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa in 2007, when she joined a rhino-darting expedition. She has since traveled extensively in sub-Saharan Africa, including Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Her trips have brought her to some of the most remote camps and lodges, as well as given her deep knowledge of philanthropic projects such as lodge-funded schools, community gardens, women’s business collectives, and animal conservation initiatives.

Paula is a graduate of Howard University and currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Wildlife filmmaker, Keenan Ferguson has spent the better half of the last six years navigating the challenging conditions in which to create documentary content in Southern and Eastern Africa. He has worked with various production companies as an independent cameraman. It was a childhood dream to work in wild-open spaces and the natural environment. This led Keenan to film predominantly for nature conservation while building a commercial portfolio, too. Recent work has included documenting various conservation stories, ranging from community projects to anti-poaching films, as well as elephant and lion collaring stories and a documentary on human wildlife conflict in Tanzania.

He lives in a small fishing village in Cape Town, South Africa, called Kalk Bay, with his partner, Alexandra and their Welsh Terrier, Rupert.

EDITOR

Daniel Poler is an internationally-acclaimed filmmaker originally from Caracas, Venezuela. Daniel has directed and edited multiple documentaries including Yaguara for Smithsonian and I Love Giorno about John Giorno and Ugo Rondinone's last collaboration.

On the commercial side, he has helmed campaigns for brands like Carolina Herrera, Victor and Rolf, Prada, Showtime Channel, Disney, Intel, Snap Chat, Hearst, Michael Kors, Saks 5th Avenue, Jason Wu, Zac Posen, Marchesa, among others.

Daniel has also worked as a video director and editor at Condé Nast for the past 4 years, creating content for all their publications (Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Glamour, etc.).