NATURAL WORLD FACTS
Mysteries of the Twilight Zone
Winner - Best Overall Film
Natural World Facts
Engaging Platforms - Finalist
About NWF
I'm Leo Richards, and Natural World Facts is my life's work and passion project; it's my vessel for wildlife film-making, science communication, writing, and beyond, and I'm keen for it to be as collaborative as possible!
On YouTube, my films have been viewed more than 74 million times and amassed 680,000 subscribers. In 2022, NWF was a finalist in the Engaging Platforms category of the Jackson Wild Media Awards; in 2023, my film Robots in the Deep was shortlisted as official selection in the International Ocean Film Festival.
Please get in touch if you would like to work with me on any nature-related film or project. Click below to view a portfolio of some of my previous collaborations.
WHO I WORK WITH:
Let's chat!
If you're a fan or potential collaborator, I would love to hear from you! I'm open to discussing anything, and will endeavour to reply to all messages. But here are my particular interests.
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Science Communication Projects
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Wildlife Film Production
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Deep-sea Content and Exploration
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Presenting and Narration
Rhinopias, Coral Triangle
Shot by Edi Frommenwiler for Underwater Paradise.
About Leo
Leo Richards is the founder and presenter of Natural World Facts. He is 21 years old, and currently studying Marine Biology at the University of Southampton.
A bit of background...
I set up Natural World Facts in 2012 with my brother when I was 9 years old, already with a passion for the natural world. More than a decade later, the project is still going, with frequent videos posted on a variety of natural history topics over on my YouTube channel. My fondness for nature began to grow when I was around 2 years old, for I spent my time digging around in our little London back garden (much to my mum's dismay), gathering what I found into little jars and matchboxes for later study. Worms, beetles, earwigs, you name it! But what fascinated me most were the woodlice - these captivating little crustaceans that seemed so out of place among the others. As I grew older, I became captivated by David Attenborough's films. The DVD for his series 'Life' had come free with mum's newspaper, and it opened my eyes to the natural wonders beyond the garden wall. The great migrations of whales crossing entire oceans, the conflicts of penguins and leopard seals in the frozen seas of Antarctica, and the wonders of coral reefs. That's when I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to see and protect these breathtaking creatures, and I wanted to talk about them on TV just like the man who'd inspired me! In 2010, my tech-whizz older brother helped me set up a blog where I published daily nature facts - my first ever foray into science communication! In 2011, I decided I didn't just want to write facts about animals, I wanted to present them! Remembering how captivating I'd found Attenborough's films, this felt like a natural step. We re-branded as Natural World Facts, set up a new website, and on the 8th of August 2012, I released my first ever video. I kept on making these films. While I wrote and presented, my brother would film and edit, releasing the videos on our YouTube channel. When he left for University, I took over everything. The channel grew slowly, gathered a small but friendly community of followers who believed in me and encouraged me to keep going! It wasn't until 2021 when everything changed. After an almost 3-year absence from YouTube, I created a film about a species of deep-sea shark which had captivated me! I'd seen it on an episode of River Monsters, where Jeremy Wade hauled a great hulking Greenland shark out from the depths of the Arctic Ocean! I don't know what spurred me to make a film about it, but it was the moment I developed my fascination for the deep sea. Since then, I've created over 50 documentaries about deep sea topics, covering everything from hydrothermal vents to deepwater brine pools and coral gardens! I set up an interactive Deep Sea Hub on this website to compliment those films, including a scale vertical model of the ocean allowing users to scroll through successive zones. In late 2021 I began studying Marine Biology at the University of Southampton, and through my course I made connections with deep-sea scientists, exploration organisations, and science communicators who shared my passion to communicate the wonders of the natural world and deep sea with a wider audience. It's my hope that someday I might be able to work on wildlife documentaries for television or streaming services, in particular with the BBC Natural History Unit. In 2022 I joined the youth council of Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, which aims to create youth-funded nature reserves around the globe, and is nearing its first goal to protect 1,050 acres of Cloud Forest from mining in Ecuador.
WHAT I DO:
Narration & Presenting
Working on a documentary film, podcast, or other project that requires voice-over talent? Get in touch and let me know - I'd love to get involved!
Along with narrating my own NWF films, I have narrated several other online documentary series, as well as Brazen FM's podcast Wonder, a 'stop and breathe' show covering natural history topics and natural phenomena! Follow links to projects I've been involved in, or sample excerpts from some of my work below. Projects are unfinished, links coming soon.
Voice samples:
My projects:
Client work:
