How To Become A National Geographic Explorer (2024/2025)

[@travelexplorer]

I was Nat Geo collaborator in my early years of DP about 2006-2012 and then since I haven been close to them for a while, it does give you a plus when you say you used to work for them, is interesting what it does to your career

[@FilmshooterOH]

Great insights on grants. I have landed $80,000+ in grants for various historical documentary projects. I would encourage folks to check out their local and statewide granting organizations. As you point out, it's not easy and you will get rejected but learn from each rejection and keep applying.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Thanks for sharing your experience! Wow, sounds like you have had a ton of success with grants. Has a lot of that come from your local and statewide granting organizations? Any recommendations for how you have found those ones to apply for?

[@FilmshooterOH]

@@austinmeyerfilms All my grants have come from local and statewide granting agencies. Just as any grant, you have to tailor the film for the grant. Don't expect an Arts Council to fund your slasher film or history of slasher films. Look at the agency's mission statement and try to show that in your application. My advice is start small and build up your reputatation. Our last documentary is up for a regional Emmy and we'll hear on the 20th. Cross your fingers for us.

[@wildblueworld]

Definitely 👍 ​@@austinmeyerfilms

[@andrei-lazar]

One of the most informative video I ever seen on YT. Thanks!

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@andrei-lazar thank you! Really appreciate it 🙏

[@onelifekush]

Beautiful. Many congratulations for becoming an Explorer! And many thanks for patiently explaining and guiding upcoming filmmakers on the same. Much helpful ✨

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@onelifekush thank you! So glad you enjoyed it

[@katongobkampamba9808]

These are some great insights. I also found it inspiring that your project was in Zambia since I'm a Zambian. I'll be sure to watch your documentary. Thank you so much for the advice, I applied for a grant last year and was rejected your video has helped me see the areas where I made mistakes for my next application. I'm so glad you posted this before I submitted my application for this year's grants.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@katongobkampamba9808 thanks for watching! So glad it was helpful. I am so grateful for my time in Zambia. What a beautiful country 🙏

[@katutasichilongo3057]

This is so insightful! Thank you for making it and sharing it. It's also a great coincidence that the algorithm brought me here because I am Zambian! I'm right at the start of trying to break into getting funding for story telling and even just building a portfolio, I currently barely have any gear so I'm trying to see how i can build a small portfolio of sorts and how i can tell more Zambian stories about the people, the landscapes and the wildlife. Definitely saving this one and will return to it time and again. Looking forward to watching your short that you made in Zambia! Thanks again 🙏🏾🙌🏾

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Hi! Thanks so much for watching the video. Shoutout to the algorithm for bringing you here. I had an amazing experience in Zambia, and look forward to going back one day. Good luck as you build up your portfolio and skillset. I hope this channel can be of help along your journey. If you ever have any questions or ideas for topics I should cover in the videos, please let me know!

[@katutasichilongo3057]

@@austinmeyerfilms I will definitely reach out if anything! For now, I'll see more of your videos and pick what I can 💫

[@DANAMIONLINE]

Very clear insights and good pacing, not too fast or slow. Keep it up, Austin. 👊🏾

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@DANAMIONLINE thank you 👊

[@prathamniwal3434]

Thankyou so much for sharing the insights this definitely will be helping us in getting our dream come true ( working with or for natgeo) . Again thanks alot for letting out so much knowledge appreciated it.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@prathamniwal3434 I got you! Thanks for watching :)

[@DrKaushikRam]

Congratulations on your NatGeo grant. I applied to be an explorer back in 2003 when I was studying Animal Behaviour at University. Had no idea what the grant entailed let alone demonstrate any track record. Obviously, I did not get a grant, or any reply for that matter. Your video is certainly informative and has re-inspired old ideas.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Thanks for watching, Dr! 20 years later, I say you go for it once again if you're feeling inspired 💪

[@rajendradwivedi6396]

Thank you Austin for great information to work with Nat Geo

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@rajendradwivedi6396 my pleasure!

[@JasonLorette]

I am extremely intrigued by this, thank you for this video. There is something I've wanted to make for a long time but had no idea how I could accomplish it.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Thanks for watching! Good luck

[@Zakwildlife]

I'm aspiring to nat geo, the wildlife side of things. Awesome video, very helpful tips, keep up the good work.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Good luck, Zak! You got this

[@stanfordcardinal11]

This is amazing! Thank you for the taking the time to put all of these insights together. Super helpful 🙏

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Thanks for watching! So glad it was helpful!

[@johnandrew1680]

My God so much informativ so big thank you for that Austin. I wish you good luck for your future projects

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@johnandrew1680 wishing you good luck too!

[@jorgecampozanoalarcon263]

Hey!!! great videa very inspiring and nicely tips for other creatives in the world!! applicable to other creative carreers, greetings from Ecuador

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Greetings from Berkeley, CA!

[@Raykenn1]

Enjoyed your video thanks for posting 👍

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Thanks for watching!

[@danielmueller5284]

great video! Thanks so much for sharing! really have been enjoying your vids

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Thanks for watching!

[@caro_santamaria]

This videos is gold! It actually made it feel not so impossible to become a national geographic explorer which is something I dream of! Super inspiring 🐋✨

[@austinmeyerfilms]

You got this, Caro!

[@terryhope2074]

Excellent advice on applying far any grant or even corporate pitches. Thank you Austin.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@terryhope2074 thanks Terry! Really appreciate you watching

[@marin_real_estate_photography]

Very enjoyable video, Austin. I think that every film maker - even if they make commercials for shampoo and insurance - can benefit from having the skills to tell a good story. Beause you are such a good instructor, I would suggest you get in tocuh with your local high schools' video programs and see if you could come in and just talk to the students there about what makes a compelling story. Or... maybe make a video about that geared primarily towards high schoolers than schools across the country could use. You certainly have the teaching skills, experience and credentials to do it.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Really appreciate this! Thank you. It's a really cool idea. I completely agree that high schoolers could really benefit from story training. I know that high school Austin would have loved that opportunity! Now you've got me thinking of possibilities to make it happen :)

[@FeelingHuman]

Such an amazing video! I was wondering if it is necessary to have attended college to apply for the beginners grant.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@FeelingHuman that’s a great question! You’ll have to check their website because I am not sure about age/degree restrictions these days

[@David_Quinn1995]

Great information I know 1 person who works for natgeo but he is a full time employee night a freelancer so never understood what happens to the in the field people.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Thanks for watching, and so glad it was helpful. It's great that NatGeo works with so many of us freelancers!

[@benedettalongoni8969]

Hi Austin, thanks for your video! What does the shift to RFP mean and does it only involve Storytelling? I've been looking through the website, but I don't quite understand if there still are general grants available for conservation-education-research-technology?

[@austinmeyerfilms]

My understanding is that they are not doing general grants. Instead they are more specific. Right now on the website linked in the description you can see that their current grant opportunity is for "Freshwater Storytelling: Request for Proposals The National Geographic Society, in partnership with the Conrad Hilton Foundation’s Safe Water Initiative, invites proposals from storytellers to create and disseminate content that raises public awareness about sustainable freshwater use."

[@jiancarloulloaart]

Thank you very much for sharing this information and presenting it so clearly. This is precisely what I was looking for.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

My pleasure! Hope it helps you land the grant. You got this 💪

[@VictorAldana]

This was super educational!

[@austinmeyerfilms]

thanks for watching! so glad it was helpful

[@wildblueworld]

Hello Austin 👋. Super explanatory video, thank you so much. Now, I want to invite you to a project (nature/wildlife), a TV series that I believe can be a big hit on Nat Geo, or BBC Earth, or other organization that could put their name on a Netflix series, or the likes. I will need a small crew of talented filmmaker, thinker, visionary, etc.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Feel free to send me an email at [e-mail] if you got something with potential :)

[@DroseMr]

Sounds intresting. Noted. Def watch sone hopefully. Thank You

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@DroseMr you got it 💪

[@luis_film]

Really helpful dude! Thanks 😊

[@austinmeyerfilms]

my pleasure! thanks for watching

[@SadafBukhari-o5e]

can u tell , how a ungraduate student get a part of nat geo society, if he/she is from another country????

[@HowSo1055]

Thank you Jose Mourinho

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@HowSo1055 thank you Pep Guardiola

[@filmmakerevolution]

When you got rejected did you keep the same doc idea and just refine it or did you scrap that idea and start a fresh ??

[@austinmeyerfilms]

Great question. I followed up with the people who sent me the rejection and asked for feedback. From there, I was fortunate enough to get some feedback, so I continued to refine the idea. It was less of a 'refine' and more of an overhaul. But the seed of the idea was the same

[@filmmakerevolution]

@@austinmeyerfilms ok awesome thanks 🙏 great to know ! Unfortunately missed the recent window of applications so I’m going to aim for the next 😃

[@shajinjaleelartist]

thank you bro

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@shajinjaleelartist I got you!

[@Dwaynekdclarke876]

🤔 Interesting

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@Dwaynekdclarke876 indeed :)

[@souravdas5216]

its helpful thank you. if you visit INDIA again plz contact.

[@austinmeyerfilms]

@@souravdas5216 will do! Thanks for watching :)

[@03LilShaun]

I once made this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHiQk3aCq9hgjtEsi=slLaynX-cU29QC_g Then moved to Europe where I started my filming business now I wanna do more documentary, at the moment I’ve got one upcoming documentary which will take place in Suriname en Curaçao. Thanks for the information I’ll take a look since I always wanted to work for National Geographic