our stOry
Wild Commons was created to give important stories a wider, more equitable path to audiences.
As traditional outlets for natural history film shrink and competition for distribution intensifies, many powerful environmental documentaries struggle to find an audience. Wild Commons emerged as a response: a filmmaker-led distribution platform dedicated to cinematic storytelling about science, nature, and conservation.
Built on a profit-sharing model that keeps film ownership with independent artists, Wild Commons brings diverse voices and styles together under one shared home, while expanding access to films that deepen understanding, inspire care for the planet, and help shape a new future for natural history storytelling.
Wild Commons is a filmmaker community and collective distribution platform for short and feature-length films that reveal the beauty, complexity, and incredible emotional significance of life on Earth.
how to submit your film
Do you have a nature documentary ready for distribution? Submit today!
Wild Commons is seeking cinatic short and feature-length environmental documentaries that explore science, nature, conservation, and our relationship with the living world.
We welcome a range of storytelling styles, as long as the work is grounded in science, nature, conservation, or environmental experience. We are especially interested in films that bring fresh perspectives, underrepresented voices, and a strong sense of place or purpose.
Films are submitted through our FilmFreeway portal and reviewed by the Wild Commons curatorial team.
Films are released on the Wild Commons YouTube channel and promoted through our collective marketing and distribution efforts. Filmmakers retain full rights to their work and receive 75% of the ad revenue generated, while benefiting from shared visibility, audience growth, and a growing community dedicated to the future of natural history documentary film.
Films must be completed works, suitable for digital release and online distribution (HD or higher, clear audio, and rights secured for music and footage). To be considered for Wild Commons, your film must be:
01 | Cinematic and story-driven
02 | Emphasis on connection to the natural world
03 | Fully licensed & Upload-ready
Special thanks to our Supporters
Meet the Team
-
Matthew Podolsky
CO-FOUNDER
Filmmaker, Podcaster, and Educator. Founder of the Wild Lens Collective.
-
Kika Tuff, Ph.D.
CO-FOUNDER
Scientist, Filmmaker, and Herp Nerd. Founder of Impact Media Lab.
-
Hannah Mulvany
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Social Media Manager, Podcaster, and Visual Storyteller. Founder of Song & Dance Communications
-
Jackson Perkins
CONTENT CREATOR
Filmmaker, Producer, and Editor. Freelance cinematographer for nature documentaries.
ouR MissiOn
Wild Commons offers a new distribution platform for independent environmental filmmakers.
As traditional outlets for natural history films shrink and online algorithms shift, meaningful stories often struggle to find an audience. Too many powerful films never achieve the impact they deserve.
Wild Commons was built to change that.
We are a creator-owned YouTube channel for short and feature-length documentaries about science, nature, and conservation. Our channel curates powerful stories from diverse voices, styles, and perspectives.