Media Awards
Nature film’s equivalent to the Oscars®
2025 Media Awards Call for Entry OPEN NOW
The Jackson Wild Media Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in nature, science, and conservation storytelling.
NOW ACCEPTING ENTRIES
FOR 2025 MEDIA AWARDS
Entries must have been completed after June 1, 2024.*
*Exception for the Impact Campaign category. See category info below for details.
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
Long form (22 minutes or longer)
Awarded to the film that most effectively examines animal behavior in an innovative and illuminating way.
Early Bird: $155
ECOSYSTEM
Long form (22 minutes or longer)
Awarded to the film that best examines a habitat and its unique web of life.
Early Bird: $155
CONSERVATION
Long Form (22 minutes or longer)
Short Form (under 22 minutes)
Awarded to the film that most effectively shines a light on a species or habitat in peril and efforts to protect it.
Early Bird: Long Form $155, Short Form $85
PLANET IN CRISIS
Long Form (22 minutes or longer)
Short Form (under 22 minutes)
Awarded to the film that most effectively highlights the environmental issues of our time, such as climate change, pollution, social inequity and environmental justice.
Early Bird: Long Form $155, Short Form $85
PEOPLE & NATURE
Long Form (22 minutes or longer)
Short Form (under 22 minutes)
Awarded to the film that best portrays our bond with nature and its ability to nurture the human soul.
Early Bird: Long Form $155, Short Form $85
SCIENCE & NATURE
Long Form (22 minutes or longer)
Short Form (under 22 minutes)
Awarded to the program that most effectively highlights the scientific understanding of any aspect of the natural world. Relevant disciplines include Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Oceanography, Geology, Paleontology, Astronomy and Meteorology. Films can be created with formal or informal education in mind.
Early Bird: Long Form $155, Short Form $85
LIMITED SERIES
Each episode longer than 20 minutes
Awarded to the limited series that most effectively advances a natural history theme. (special entry requirements)
Early Bird: $205
FEATURE
Feature-Length (75 minutes or longer)
Awarded to the feature-length film, 75 minutes or longer in runtime, factual or narrative, that best advances an understanding or appreciation of the natural world.
Early Bird: $205
TRAILBLAZER
No Length Restriction
Honors a film that breaks away from traditional natural history storytelling by embracing bold, unconventional approaches. This award recognizes innovative works that harness creative elements such as animation, comedy or satire, scripted or hybrid formats, dramatic reenactments, experimental cinematography, abstract or artistic visuals, music, and poetry.
Early Bird: Long Form $155, Short Form $85
INVESTIGATIVE
No Length Restriction
Honoring outstanding, in-depth reporting and powerful storytelling that expose critical truths and inspire meaningful change.
Early Bird: Long Form $155, Short Form $85
GLOBAL VOICES
No Length Restriction
For excellence in wildlife, conservation, science, social or cultural storytelling from less represented geographical and cultural perspectives. Prioritizing productions led by media makers in non-Western regions including but not limited to Asia, Africa, Central and South America, the Middle East, Micronesia and Indigenous communities around the world.
Films produced in any language are encouraged to submit, English subtitles must be provided for judging.
Early Bird: $42
STUDENT
No Length Restriction
For outstanding wildlife, environmental or natural science film produced by a student currently enrolled or no more than 2 years out of an academic program. Films created in association with a Film Lab or Fellowship program also qualify.
Early Bird: $42
ONSCREEN PERSONALITY
No Length Restriction
Awarded to the host, presenter, journalist or collection of expert onscreen commentators or characters who best engage the viewer while communicating the knowledge, message, mission and spirit of a film related to our natural world.
Early Bird: Long Form $155, Short Form $85
CONTENT CREATOR AWARD
Three samples of content
Recognizes an individual in the new media space— including social media, YouTube, and podcasts—who uses their platform to create influential content related to the natural world. Any length of content is eligible.
Submissions must include links to three samples of content and may be evaluated on both storytelling and audience engagement.
Early Bird: $42
SOCIAL MEDIA
Under three minutes
Awarded to the most compelling content created for social media under three minutes that best advances an understanding or appreciation of the natural world.
Early Bird: $42
BRANDED CONTENT
No Length Restriction
Recognizes films made in partnership with corporate or NGO brands that authentically integrate themes of nature, sustainability, or environmental appreciation. This award celebrates collaborations where brand alignment enables meaningful storytelling that aligns with Jackson Wild’s planet-forward ethos.
Early Bird: Long Form $155, Short Form $85
IMPACT CAMPAIGN
No Length Restriction
Jackson Wild recognizes innovative approaches to a film's active impact campaign that extend conservation beyond the screen to inspire measurable on-the-ground change through education, policy change and engagement and outreach.
Impact campaigns must have been active between June 2024 and June 2025 in order to be eligible, regardless of the film's release date.
Early Bird: Long Form $155, Short Form $85
INNOVATION IN GREEN PRODUCTION
No Length Restriction
For the best implementation of sustainable practices to reduce the environmental impact through the entire lifecycle of a production. The jury has the discretion to name one or more recognitions.
Free opt-in for entrants only - not an entered category
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Long form (22 minutes or longer)
Awarded for the cinematography that most enhances the nature related film or episode of which it is a part.
Judged by the American Society of Cinematographers
Early Bird: $155
EDITING
Long form (22 minutes or longer)
Awarded for the editing that most enhances the nature related film or episode of which it is a part of.
Early Bird: $155
ORIGINAL MUSIC SCORE
Long form (22 minutes or longer)
Awarded for the original musical score that most enhances the natural history story of which it is a part. At least 80% of the film's score needs to be original.
Early Bird: $155
WRITING
Long form (22 minutes or longer)
Awarded for the written narration that most enriches the natural history story it describes.
Entrants are required to submit a .pdf of the script.
Early Bird: $155
SOUND
Long form (22 minutes or longer)
Awarded for the combined contribution of sound editing, production mixing and post-production mixing that most enhances the nature-related film or episode of which it is a part.
Judged by Television Sound Peer Group by their own criteria.
Early Bird: $155