Film
BEARPROOF
When a legendary Yellowstone grizzly meets a tragic end, a wildlife guide turned bear-conflict expert sets out to transform how small-town communities coexist with bears, before more are lost.
Director: Kyle Dudgeon Producer: Chelsea Jolly Director of Photography: Kyle Dudgeon Editor: Kyle Dudgeon Sound: Ben Sloan
In-production: Scheduled Release January 2027
To See the Sky
To See the Sky tells the story of ornithologist Lorenzo Sympson and his life-long relationship with the Andean condor. Sympson’s life history is complex and seldom spoken of, from growing up on thoroughbred ranches in some of the wealthiest regions of Argentina, to being exiled from his home country for over a decade by a political dictatorship; but despite these complexities, one constant has been his love for nature. Sympson began studying the Andean condor almost by accident, but found a deep curiosity in the way that they fly which would ultimately shape the rest of his life. What is considered to be the largest flying bird on Earth, the Andean condor rarely flaps its wings, meaning it relies on its knowledge of rising and falling air to navigate the vast landscape in which it resides. Sympson’s life work has attempted to understand this knowledge and how exactly it is acquired, while gathering decades of baseline information on the relatively unexplored species along the way. A heartfelt, character-driven story with its roots in conservation, To See the Sky promises a cinematic adventure through one of the world’s most cherished places.
Director: Kyle Dudgeon Co-director: Veronica Nelson Production: Kyle Dudgeon Creative Cover art: Mmethod Design Co. Music License: Artlist
Made possible by Gerry and Miram Scully, Mike Nelson, and the many wonderful people of Argentina who helped along the way.
The Trees With Orange Rings (2022)
The Trees With Orange Rings tells the story of a family of great gray owls in the Bridger Mountains of Montana whose habitat is threatened by a logging project. A beautiful, old-growth Douglas fir forest marked by the U.S. Forest Service with orange rings painted on trees provides a backdrop to this tale of passion, natural history and environmental issues. A project that began as an effort to inform friends of the logging occurring in the nearby mountains quickly developed into an all-hands-on-deck effort to save owls. After two years of documenting the owls and pleading to local contacts in the Gallatin National Forest to spare some trees, conservation photographer Kyle Dudgeon with the help of wildlife biologist Steve Hoffman managed to do just that. Although the long-term nesting success of these great gray owls remains to be seen, the additional trees that the loggers let stand provide a sliver of hope. The story aims to inspire others to get outside, find the issues worth talking about and make their voices heard.
Director: Kyle Dudgeon Editor: Jake Hewitt Cinematography: Kyle Dudgeon, Ronan Donovan, Jake Hewitt Music: Jesse Gallagher
A Wild Livelihood
Nestled on the remarkable doorstep of Yellowstone National Park, Montanans from all walks of life forge their livelihood. For some, the park is the direct source of their income - naturalist guides, tour operators - while others are drawn to the expansive and undeveloped spaces, healthy waterways and thriving natural ecosystem beyond the border of the park. Whether rancher, restaurant owner, fishing guide, or hunting outfitter, there is one thing that all can agree upon: it is the place itself that sustains this way of life, and the diversity of individuals in Paradise Valley that makes it so special. Together, they must work carefully, ensuring their voices are heard and that decisions for the future are made responsibly, balancing the needs of both the natural world and the human community.
Director: Kyle Dudgeon Production: Kyle Dudgeon Creative Music License: Artlist
Made possible by the Spruance Foundation, and the Wild Livelihoods Business Coalition.