Seetsele has film credits in productions like Surviving Paradise, Living With Leopards and Big Cats 24/7, which have aired on international platforms like Netflix, BBC and PBS. Through his camera lens, he is sharing stories about Botswana's wildlife to the world.
BW TechZone caught up with the accomplished filmmaker to learn more about this niche industry, what potential it holds for Botswana, and how he achieved international accolades for his work.
In your own words, please tell us who Seetsele Nthomiwa is
Gaokgonwe Seetsele Nthomiwa is a passionate storyteller. A lover of the outdoors and I love travelling. I am an impact storyteller and Botswana's first native wildlife long-lens camera operator.
Please share a brief background of your professional life.
My career started off a couple months after my graduation. I graduated with a Bachelor's of Media Studies from the University of Botswana in 2019. In January 2020 I interned for the BBC during their Dynasties production. In February I joined the Natural History Film Unit (NHFU). Under the NHFU, I got the opportunity to work with international wildlife film companies.
What stoked your interest in documentary-making?
I love listening to stories from people, I grew up listening to stories from my uncles and aunts, sitting around a fire. It then evolved from loving to listen to stories to wanting to help people tell their stories. To let their voices be heard. I figured if I loved listening to these stories then someone out there would share the same sentiments.
I watched a lot of documentaries growing up. Firstly on VHS tapes, I'd watch Savage season on repeat. When my parents got DSTV, I'd mostly Nat Geo Wild for hours. There was something about watching animals in their natural habitat that intrigued me. I'd never get bored at any point watching them.
Documentary-making is not a popular profession in Botswana. What challenges did you have when starting?
Documentary filmmaking, like any other subgenre of film, is very labour-intensive. Getting funding is another hurdle we have.
And it also takes a lot of time for you, the filmmaker, to unearth the gem in that particular story. We're still battling a lot of prejudices from Batswana about the purpose of documentaries.
And to be honest, the Botswana market prioritised talk shows, soapies and narrative films when calling for content. The television and film industry was responding to the needs of the viewers.
How did you address those challenges?
If you really believe is something you take initiative. That's all there is to it really. Even if you have to do it alone. And with the financial aspects, you end up resorting to self-financing to get the projects started. That's the only way to ensure traction. You pretty much have to become a resourceful entrepreneur to follow your heart.
Your specialisation is particularly in wildlife. Why this particular specialisation?
I grew up loving wild animals, watching them on Nat Geo wild and on VHS tapes. I remember before my parents got us DSTV, they bought us a lot of wildlife films on VHS, I loved one in particular, ‘Savage Season ‘. I still have the VHS to date. There was something about seeing the ecosystem of nature interact with each other. How there's a hierarchy in nature and seeing the beauty of wildlife. It still doesn't get old for me.
Wildlife filmmaking is a very niche subgenre of film. I gravitated towards it because I love the outdoors. camping, hiking, you name it. It became a no-brainer for me to venture into this career. I've always been involved in wildlife, I was in the Cheetah Conservation Club at Maikano CJSS, and a member of the University of Botswana Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society (UBWECS). At UBWECS, I was the treasurer, public relations officer and the President of the club for 4 years I studied at UB
Your work has been featured on international platforms including Netflix. How did you achieve such milestones?
Working for the NHFU awarded me the opportunity to get international film credits and to also work with international film crews. That is where I've sharpened my wildlife filmmaking skills, including tracking and understanding animal behaviour. It goes beyond just filming.
I've got film credits for ‘Surviving Paradise ‘ on Netflix, ‘Living with Leopards ‘ on Netflix, and Big Cats 24/7 seasons one and two (BBC and PBS). Big Cats Season is airing on BBC IPLAYER AND PBS platforms, season 2 is scheduled for release this year (2025)
What advice would you give to young people looking to also achieve such milestones in such a niche industry?
The international market is very competitive. First, this is an insatiable competitive spirit. In this industry, you have to fight to get your opportunities. You are constantly fighting prejudices and injustices of race and finances. So you need to make yourself visible, find a way to start filming, borrow equipment, and start sharpening your skills. Collaboration is also key. Because of the high barrier to entry into the industry, you cannot do it alone. Find a team and grow together.
What is the best advice you have received in your career?
The best advice I got is “Keep your head down and put in the work”. Wildlife filmmaking takes years of dedication to become proficient, patience is your biggest asset. You don't get stardom overnight in this industry, it took me almost 4 years to get recognition. The more work you put in, the more results you will get.
What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
Being the first native (black) Motswana wildlife filmmaker with international credits is one of my proudest moments.
It has been a huge honour to share my story with the world and mostly to my country. Being the first black Motswana in this industry was a great achievement that inspired me to keep pushing. Sharing my journey with Batswana has been motivating, I have been showered with love and gotten motivating messages from people who now look up to me.
My wish is to have more native Batswana involved in this industry, for us to share our voice with the world.
What is the future of documentary-making in Botswana in your opinion?
We need to invest more in documentaries as a country. Documentaries become the voice of our people to the world. Documentaries are our link to the past and serve as archives for our nation. Wildlife is part of our identity as a nation. There are more industries that we can inhabit apart from the traditional hospitality sector.
The Wildlife film industry is interesting and lucrative. Wildlife documentary filmmaking has been dominated by Europeans and Americans since the beginning, even within Botswana. Seeing more people like me, who share my cultural and spiritual connection to our fauna and flora will unearth more than anything we can imagine.