Profile: Sally Snow

Why did you pick this subject for Fresh?

The Philippines is an incredible country... I wanted people to see another side apart from the devastation.

I'm a zoologist from Wales, but now spend my time between the UK and the Philippines, where I mainly work with sharks. The Philippines is an incredible country and when it got plastered all over the news in November 2013 following Typhoon Haiyan, I wanted people to see another side apart from the devastation. Fresh was an opportunity to share a personal adventure with my peers, an age range that has the potential to do anything if they put their mind to it.

What motivated you to make this film?

I was at home when Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines and I watched the media go into a frenzy over the disaster. I was due to fly out ten days later to the Philippines, where I help run an NGO called Physalus, which specialises in Marine Conservation. A friend of our organisation works with the communities on the Caluya Islands and when she told me and Steve De Neef, who shot the film, what had happened to the seaweed farmers, we wanted to raise awareness of some of the effects of the typhoon which we don't see on the news. The Philippines is made up of over 7,000 islands, and many more islands were affected than what was reported in the news. Many didn't receive aid for a long time.

Our trip to the Caluya Islands was to deliver aid. We were some of the first to reach the people of Panagatan. Talambang is a glimpse into the lives of the seaweed farmers of the islands, revealing the benefits of their sustainable alternative livelihood while reporting what they lost during the storm and how the communities are rebuilding their lives.

What camera did you use to shoot your film?

Steve shot the film on a Canon 5D Mark III

Who/what inspires you?

People. For the things they do everyday, the ideas they have, the bravery they show, the love they give, the creativity they master. There is so much to be inspired by when you take the chance to look.

What are your plans for the future?

To make a full-blown documentary film on the work of our NGO.

What is the most important thing you have learned so far?

Work as a team. Different people have different talents, and when combined they can make something truly great. Recognising what your own talents are can be difficult and sometimes they are not always exactly where you might like them to be. However, once you find your place, and that of your friends and colleagues, then you have your own little power team! Oh... and never be scared to try.