Donfrey Meyer - Head of NHU Africa
Donfrey is passionate about filmmaking and has worked as an editor, producer and director. Before NHU Africa, Donfrey was manager and executive producer of the Values Campaign Unit of e.tv where he established the series ‘South African Heroes’. Prior to that he was an award-winning editor/producer in the Creative Services Department where he won a Bronze Loerie and Promax Africa Silver Muse for his work produced. He is currently completing an MBA at the University of Cape Town.
Vyv Simson – Commissioning Editor and Creative Director
Vyv is the Creative Director & Commissioning Editor for NHU Africa. He spent seven years as Executive Producer with the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol. In 2008 he joined Discovery Networks Europe in London where he was responsible for commissioning and delivering original programming for Animal Planet International.
Géta Palm - Head of Production
Géta started her career in film working as a production manager for DewClaw Productions back in 2005. Since then she has managed a long list of commercials including a 39 x 13 part educational children’s series called ‘Get Bushwise’, which included a Bush Safari, River Safari and Desert Safari elements.
Géta was present at the inception of NHU Africa and is now the Head of Production, where her role is integral to the successful production of all internal and external commissions. Géta also manages the Wildlife Film Academy and is an integral part of coordinating Wild Talk Africa film festival and conference.
Suffice to say that Géta's efficient and friendly presence ensures that NHU runs like a well-oiled machine.
geta@nhuafrica.com/+27 (0) 21 422 0154
Chris Mason - Marketing Manager
Chris loves nature, from the common house mouse to big, toothy sharks. He also loves working with words, film, people and conservation (and surfing). So it’s safe to say that he is chuffed at NHU Africa, where he is the Marketing Manager. This position gives him ample opportunity to relate his passions, (which luckily coincide with the work NHU does) to anyone that will listen. He wasn’t always this lucky though, and started out writing humble chunks for the Durban International Film Festival newsletter. This was followed by some lengthy travel through the jungles and beaches of Central America, until finding his way to Cape Town to work with the Wavescape Film Festival, which he co-directed for the last 3 years before moving to the NHU Africa. And you’ll have trouble budging him now. Rather large and hairy, he’s more liable to hug you than anything else, or so he claims.
Christopher.mason@nhuafrica.com/ +27(0) 21 422 0023
Lailah Orrie - Producer and Editor
Lailah Orrie completed her Bachelor of Journalism at Rhodes University in 2002. She has worked for Big World Cinema and National Geographic Television International. After returning to the sunshine after 5 years in London she is now working as a Producer and Editor at NHU AFRICA and is loving every minute. Lailah loves the great outdoors.
lailah@nhuafrica.com/+27 (0) 21 422 0154
Caroline Pryce - Senior Editor
Caroline has been in television for over 10 years starting out at the Discovery Channel UK in 2000. In 2004 she was reluctantly pushed into finishing a 13 part series and hasn’t looked back. The last few years are marked by the success of award winning programmes and series work such as A Kalahari Tail, Iceman - the Journey of Gordon Lewis Pugh and a Wild Walk with Swati Thiegerajan. Caroline works in conjuction with other editors and with internal and external producers for the NHU Africa. She has just completed Cheetah Diaries Series 2 and seeks to edit with integrity and sensitivity.
caroline@nhuafrica.com/ +27 (0) 21 422 0154
Shani van Straaten - Brand Manager and Wild Talk Africa Manager
After graduating from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in her hometown of Durban, Shani moved to Cape Town to work in film. After completing the Wildlife Film Academy she landed a job production managing for young, dynamic company Fly on the Wall Films where she worked on PSA’s, music videos, TV commercials for Discovery Channel, National Geographic and Samsung, as well as a two year long feature documentary. Shani joined NHU Africa in January 2010 and works as production manager and Wild Talk Africa coordinator. Her passion for travel, people, nature and wildlife motivates her work and keeps a smile on her face.
shani@nhuafrica.com/ +27 21 (0) 422 0154
Joyce Ntandama– Marketing Coordinator.
Joyce Ntandama is originally from Malawi. She moved to Cape Town in pursuit of her career and landed herself the opportunity of completing the Wildlife Film Academy course where she shot, produced and directed her first wildlife short film. She now works at NHU Africa as a Marketing Coordinator and plays a huge part in holding everything together administratively. Joyce brings infectious smiles and graceful calm to the workplace every day and is happiest when surrounded by nature.
joyce@nhuafrica.com/+27 (0) 21 422 0154
Khanyo Nzunzu – Operations Manager Wildlife Film Academy
Khanyo studied at City Varsity School of media and arts and majored in Directing and Scriptwriting. After City Varsity he went to work as an assistant producer on a few South African Music Videos which landed him a position as a production manager on Locally Produced movie “Glory to Victory”. He attended the Wildlife Film Academy to learn about wildlife filmmaking and within completion got offered a Job as an operations manager at the Wildlife Film Academy and has been with the Academy since. He is in charge of all operations at the Academy which entails Filming equipment, Location shoots for the Academy, Editing equipment and anything else of a similar nature.
khanyo@wildlifefilmacademy.com/+27 (0) 72 545 7977
Alice Clarke – Editor and Producer
Alice started working with Sophie and Geta before the days of NHU Africa. A solid member of any team, Alice is a hard working and enthusiastic producer and editor. Alice produced and directed NHU’s first two seasons of their reality-based series “The Cheetah Diaries” and has also turned her hand to scriptwriting and camera operating. After a short stint in the UK, Alice is back with the NHU Africa team taking on new projects whilst still making regular appearances at her second home Cheetah Outreach. Alice is still thrilled to be working with such a creative and dynamic production unit who’s programming can and will make a difference in South Africa’s future.
alice@nhuafrica.com/ +27 (0) 21 422 0154