Leadership for me is all about inspiring people and motivating people to do their best. As a leader you have to provide the tools for them to perform to the best of their ability. Be inclusive, advise and inspire.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Philip Hamilton.
Following a successful 25 year career in international finance, Philip decided to dedicate his time to the world of marine conservation, producing impactful and inspiring documentaries. His award winning debut documentary, Ocean Souls, united over 100 filmmakers, many scientists and experts. In just two years, the team produced an emotive cetaceans documentary which has received a number of awards as well as being listed as a 2021 finalist in several prestigious film festivals around the world.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
So, I have run parallel lives for most of my professional career. I was an investment banker, in charge of financing emerging market countries and large operations and I was lucky enough to travel the world doing that but I reached a certain point in my life when I was in a position to make a decision about the next 20 or 25 years. So when I say I was running parallel lives, it’s because whilst I was in investment banking I was also diving and sailing the planet, something I have done for the last 30 years. I had also published a large coffee table book called Call of the Blue which took 5 years of work and involved hundreds of scientists. So, the day I decided to move on from the financial sector into different fields, it was only natural to me as a photographer, film maker and author to get more involved. Today, clearly I feel there is a massive need for us through both social media and filmmaking to show, not only the wonders of this world but also the important topics which need raising so we can react, amend, repair and protect.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
To be honest, there isn’t one specific story. Every single time we are in the field and in production, we encounter amazing nature events. However, I would say that having come from the finance world of large corporations, full of powerful and successful people, who fight all day long for more power and money, it was very refreshing and interesting when I moved into ocean conservation to meet individuals who actually strive for better standards and quality of living. They genuinely care about the future of our planet and people. They are more altruistic. What really surprised me was that they are all very happy and they feel a great sense of achievement, more than I had ever seen in the large corporate sector. For me, the big change was to get into this industry and get to know those people who want to make a difference, I love them. They are so real and they care in a much more selfless way. Those who work in my organisation not only have a passion for photography, filmmaking or story telling but they are all conservationists at heart, which is very unique. There are those out there, whose photography earn them a lot of money or help raise their own public profile but that is not the profile of those involved in my team. We share other passions first and if we do it well, the rewards will come later.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
We always make mistakes! When you work with nature and in particular with large animals you simply can’t plan too far ahead because they plan for you especially the timing. A frequent issue was when we were out at sea looking for whales. We would be in the middle of the ocean miles and miles away from the shore and we would get no whale sightings for hours and hours so we would leave our equipment on the side and break for lunch. By let’s say, the second bite of our sandwich, every single time, a whale would appear right next to us! It happens so frequently that there is now a joke when we are on board a boat, that if there is no activity in the sea, we suggest getting our lunch out so that they appear right away. In terms of real mistakes we make, one is when we might rush into the water without weights. When you are in a 5mm wetsuit which floats like a real life jacket, you can’t free dive. Trying to dive 10 or 20 metres down with cameras and equipment proves impossible without a weight belt and you are left bobbing like a cork! The next thing you know, the animal has passed under you and you miss the close up shot or footage. The lesson is simple, always be ready and prepared but at the end of the day, the ocean decides for you.
Can you describe how you or your organization is making a significant social impact?
The social impact is clear, we get to see it every day. For every film we release we receive feedback from individuals on social media and those who contact us directly. However, we also get to see the impact our work has on the larger institutions and corporations. For example, our documentary The Blue Forest which is possibly the most comprehensive film and the only existing documentary on kelp forests. The film highlights just how crucial these ecosystems are to the planet but very few people highlight this or talk about it. The film very quickly became mandatory in the curriculum of Master degrees in Marine Biology in three universities, two in Europe and one in Latin America. The interest is there, people want to learn and we are highlighting new science as well as trying to raise awareness of these issues. We have had people who have changed their routine, are now more aware of their carbon footprint and even how they dispose of their plastic waste. We see the impact not only on individuals but also on larger corporations.”
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
Most of what we do at Ocean Souls Films is media for conservation and we tend to produce films on a pre funded basis so we don’t look at future profits. If any film generates profit then this goes back to a non profit organisation in the US which then channels funds into NGO’s and scientists. We work very closely with scientists and we know how difficult it is for them. The list of those individuals we have donated funds to is very long and varied. For example, we have been able to buy an engine for a boat and we have paid the last few bills of a struggling NGO to keep them afloat. Also, for one of our ongoing productions, we have funded two scientific projects, projects relating to whales and which have never been done before. The funding has meant that the lead scientist now has a realistic chance to discover new information which can then be released and shared with the world.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
We tend to address society on social media regularly and they often ask us what they can do to help solve the problem. We tell them that whilst they can’t fix all the issues on their own, they can think about what they do on a daily basis. Firstly, their right to vote in democratic elections. By voting for the right candidate who through their policies will not pollute the oceans and the planet is a good first step. Secondly, of course the reduction of single use plastic and microplastics. Also the elimination of using shark products which are in everyday items. Lastly, educate people, spread the word.
Our film, The Blue Forest, which I mentioned earlier was also released in Spanish, primarily because the Senate in Chile was about to legislate the exploitation of wild kelp, an issue which is hugely detrimental to the planet. From their carbon absorption capabilities to their amazing nutritional properties, we simply can’t sit back and allow the devastating threats these ecosystems face to continue. It was so important to us to get the politicians and even the President of Chile to watch our film so they truly knew the damage being caused.
The more people who know and who are therefore more mindful, the better chance we have at preserving our oceans and planet.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
Leadership for me is all about inspiring people and motivating people to do their best. As a leader you have to provide the tools for them to perform to the best of their ability. Be inclusive, advise and inspire.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
I don’t think that the hardest task here is to produce a film, the hardest part is to distribute it. Most filmmakers find that the most challenging issue is to secure the funding, the financing of the production but given my background that has fortunately not been an issue. Definitely the most challenging is making sure that the entire planet gets to view it. This is a very very important aspect that we need to consider. How are we going to ensure that everyone gets to see the film, especially if it is so relevant and crucial to our existence? Another thing I would say is that I wish I had realised just how quickly technology changes. When we are filming year after year, we change everything from drones, cameras to underwater film droves. Technology is moving so fast that a lot of production companies tend to rent the equipment but for us it is too complicated to rent so we tend to operate our own equipment and the problem we have is that very very quickly new and cheaper system become available so you really need to stay on top of your game and make sure you dispose of or sell or do something with the existing equipment before acquiring the new one. If not, you risk having boxes and boxes of equipment at home that are worth pretty much nothing.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I simply say that having more money, power and assets does not necessarily buy you happiness. I gave up investment banking, where I was earning a large salary, staying in 5-star hotels, flying in First Class around the planet and driving fancy cars. Now I ride an electric bicycle, I fly in Economy and I no longer fly across an ocean for just 24 hours and I am happy. I do think it is important to find the right balance for you and to be happy with what you have and yes it is good to have ambition but not to the point where you are very stressed, tired and disregarding your own wellbeing as well as your family and friends. What I believe will bring the most good to the most people is saying that believe it or not, most of what you have, you don’t really need to be happy. Freedom is about being able to live without so many of those things. I very very quickly realised that I didn’t need to fly in business class or as I said drive a fancy car or earn a big salary. You quickly realise that you didn’t need all that stress. What is the point of turning totally grey when you are 40 years old because you are working 12 to 14 hours a day to make a career in the corporate world or elsewhere? It is not about cutting ambitions, but placing your ambitions in the right direction and then not necessarily thinking that money or power will make you happy.”
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My favourite saying comes from an African proverb and is actually on my email signature. It is very representative of what I think, particularly when we talk about conservation, when we talk about nature and when sometimes we feel that we are too small within a big society. The saying is, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, it means you have yet to spend the night with a mosquito in your room.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Yes of course I would like to meet the US president or a Prime Minister somewhere, but the problem is that whatever I tell them, they are not likely to make a difference or encourage a major change. I know how the corporate world operates, the lobbying, the policy making, the legislation, so I have no hopes of a breakfast or a lunch meeting with one particular person to try to trigger change. So I would have to be very selfish and maybe think of myself. For instance, having breakfast with the Dalai Lama would make me pretty happy. I think I would learn plenty and it would help me for the years to come.”
How can our readers follow you on social media?
I would recommend our two Instagram accounts.
@philip.hamilton.photography
@oceansoulsfilms
My personal Instagram account @philip.hamilton.photography includes all my travels, great if you’d like to know which ocean I am in! At present I am travelling a lot and on the move all the time so people like to follow my travels and keep up to date with our ongoing productions and experiences.
@oceansoulsfilms documents pretty much everything. From our ongoing productions to available film screening opportunities as well as highlighting science and certain species.
On Twitter, readers can follow @oceansoulsfilms where we inform followers how to view our films and also highlight newsworthy conservation stories and efforts.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Philip Hamilton of Ocean Souls Films Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.