Brent Lewin – associate producer, videographer, photographer

Brent Lewin is a documentary photographer who splits his time between Toronto and Bangkok. His photographs portraying Asian elephants in Thailand have been profiled in publications such as National Geographic, The New York Times, Time Magazine, and Newsweek. His elephant photos have received many awards and he was featured in PDN-30 magazine as one of the top thirty photographers to watch in 2010. Brent has worked with us since the early stages of the film's development, creating images that portray the modern human-elephant relationship in Thailand. Some of Brent's photos are featured in the "When Elephants Were Young" branding, including the film's poster design.

 

Tewan “Ten” Chatdamrong – unit production manager

Ten brings his savvy coordinating and translation skills to the team as the unit production manager and fixer. With several years of working with international production teams in Thailand under his belt, Ten has been involved with many types of projects – but always holds a special place in his heart for elephants. He is dedicated to helping find solutions that improve the conditions for both elephants and mahouts in Thailand.

 

Jesse Holth – production coordinator

Jesse brings a diverse background in writing and editing to the team, managing social media, communications, and marketing. Her in-depth research and fact-checking for our elephant story have been invaluable, and her skills extend to website design and management as well as digital asset management. Jesse is passionate about elephants, conservation, and social justice issues, and was the 2014 and 2015 Campaign Coordinator for World Elephant Day, which reaches millions of people each year through this global awareness campaign.

 

Kattika “Poy” Tanjad – producer’s assistant, translator

Poy has grown up around elephants in Surin province, where much of our story is filmed. Since our first trip to Surin, Poy has been an enthusiastic, passionate, and dedicated supporter and friend who has helped us with local logistics and insight into the Surin way of life for people, and their elephants. With degrees in English and Ecotourism, Poy is a talented columnist, teacher, and project manager who has worked with provincial government, international NGOs, and Thai celebrities on campaigns that educate people about the importance of care and conservation for Asian elephants in Thailand.

 

Manwe Darcy – camera

Manwe is a Canadian-born cameraman and sound recordist who lives in Thailand. His filmmaking skills range from news reporting to dramatic features. Manwe has a keen eye for detail that has enabled him to document extraordinary and memorable moments in the elephants’ lives during our filming.

 

Nattinee Ao Buapong – production coordinator (Thailand)

Based in Chiang Mai, Ao has worked on dozens of international film and television productions in Thailand as production coordinator, fixer, translator, and assistant production accountant. Her credits range from Hollywood productions such as Rambo (IV) and Scorpion King 3, to popular US television series such as House Hunters, to independent documentaries. Ao's impeccable organizational skills and attention to detail make her a valued and notable addition to our production team.