By Catherine Woo
Welcome to NYWIFT, Gaelin Rosenwaks!
Gaelin is a multitalented scientist, explorer, photographer, filmmaker, and author of Sperm Whales: The Gentle Goliaths of the Oceans. A lifelong fascination with the marine world inspired her to start diving at age 14. She began her career at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and earned her Master’s Degree from Duke University. She founded Global Ocean Exploration Inc in response to alarming changes to our oceans. Her projects inspire people to connect and care for our oceans.
Her aptitude for science and storytelling brought her on a journey that spans from appearing as an expert and host on many TV networks to being one of the few women to be featured on the cover of Outside Magazine. She is currently working on a documentary.
Gaelin shares more about her fascinating journey here!
NYWIFT Member Gaelin Rosenwaks
Describe yourself. Give us your elevator pitch!
I am a marine scientist and ocean storyteller. I use film, photography, and writing to inspire people to care about the ocean and our planet. Currently, I have taken a deep dive into the world of sperm whales.
NYWIFT Member Gaelin Rosenwaks
What brings you to NYWIFT?
I joined NYWIFT to meet other amazing women in the film industry with hopes of collaborations in the future.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I ever received was to “make myself indispensable” whenever I was part of a team.
Gaelin Rosenwaks swimming with a whale
Congratulations on your book Sperm Whales: The Gentle Goliaths of the Oceans! How was your approach to storytelling through still photographs different from your approach to storytelling through film?
The first medium that I worked with as a storyteller was photography so for me, it was a wonderful return. My approach was different as I had to capture the one perfect frame that encapsulated what was often a longer encounter, and to ensure that the movement and dynamic nature of these interactions were captured in one still frame. It was a challenge, but also an opportunity to allow the viewer’s imagination to wander.
You are currently working on Finding Physty, a story about sperm whales and their family dynamics. In the trailer, you take on part of this exploration with your own mother. What was that experience like for you?
It has been wonderful to bring my mother on these expeditions and have her join my team. She introduced me to the ocean and art as a child, so introducing her into my world of expedition film and photography has been a privilege. She taught me so much growing up and now we have come full circle and I have been able to teach her new skills.
Gaelin Rosenwaks photographing a shark
In Finding Physty, were there any moments or memories that didn’t make the final cut of the project?
Too many to list here! Every moment in the water with these whales is unique so choosing the best of the best moments is very difficult! Fortunately, the moments that have ended up on the cutting room floor for the film are mostly covered in the book so they are great companions to one another.
Gaelin Rosenwaks taking photos on ice
What’s next for you? Are there any upcoming projects that you’re excited about?
Right now, I am excited to be finishing up my film and looking forward to sharing it with the world! I have a few new projects in the pipeline, but mostly am focusing on sharing my book with new audiences through talks and lectures around the country, with great anticipation of the film premiering in the not-too-distant future!
Connect with Gaelin Rosenwaks on Twitter and Instagram @GaelinGOExplore or through her website www.gaelinrosenwaks.com.
Catherine Woo
Catherine Woo is an intern at NYWIFT and an aspiring screenwriter. She will graduate from NYU Tisch with a BFA in Dramatic Writing in 2024. She has interned at Rattlestick Theater and Protozoa Pictures. She has done production photography for PrideFest 2023 at The Tank and Broke People Spring 2023 Play Festival at NYU.
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Joyce Hills
Welcome to NYWIFT, Joyce Hills! Joyce Hills is a recent graduate of NYU Tisch, where she co-wrote and directed the culturally-rich epic Viking short film The Feather, featuring out-of-this-world SFX hair and makeup, practical stunts, and generative workflows on a virtual production volume. She was the First Assistant Director and VFX Supervisor on the Seed & Spark-awarded short film Night of Melancholia, interned in Virtual Production at Gum Studios in Brooklyn, and performed as Sugarsop, The Widow, and assorted household servants in Will Kempe’s Players’ The Taming of the Shrew. Joyce is developing her first feature film, a dark fantasy inspired by mystical quests, heroes’ journeys, and time and destiny in popular culture. She is also developing a science fiction feminist short, and is pursuing additional education in XR mediamaking and STEM. In our interview, she discussed her childhood inspirations, emerging technologies, and the future of storytelling.
READ MORENYWIFT Member Spotlight: Kelcey Edwards
NYWIFT Member Kelcey Edwards found her way into documentary filmmaking through Iron Gate Studios, a nonprofit gallery and artist workspace she cofounded in her early twenties in Austin, Texas. At the time, she was making small narrative films alongside many other Austin-based filmmakers involved in the “mumblecore” scene; her first film, Letter, screened at SXSW in 2006. Since cameras and equipment were always present in the gallery, she began interviewing many of the artists who visited the space. Over time, the habit of recording conversations and documenting artists’ lives became a steady part of her practice. That interest eventually led her to pursue an MFA in Documentary Film at Stanford and later to move to New York, where she continued developing their work. About a decade later, she directed The Art of Making It, a feature documentary about the art world, which won the Audience Award at SXSW in 2022. It’s currently available on most streaming platforms. Kelcey’s films have received support from the MacArthur Foundation, Sundance, and Tribeca Film Institute, among others, have been broadcast internationally, and have screened at top-tier festivals including SXSW, Berlinale, and Hamptons International. In our interview, Kelcey discussed her teaching philosophy, approach to filmmaking, and upcoming projects.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Therese Cayaba-Jones
Welcome, Therese Cayaba-Jones, to NYWIFT. Therese is a filmmaker with over 15 years of experience with films, documentaries, and series across the Philippines, Singapore, and the U.S. She just finished the feature screenplay for UnMarry, which was recently announced as one of the entries for the Metro Manila Film Festival 2025. Currently, Therese is producing the film Tales My Father Told, and raising money through NYWIFT fiscal sponsorship. Read on to see Therese’s story of moving to New York, her role in the 48 Hour Film Project, and her take on the state of independent filmmaking in the Big Apple.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Farah Otero-Amad
Welcome to NYWIFT, Farah Otero-Amad! Farah Otero-Amad is a trilingual video producer and host for The Wall Street Journal, where she writes, shoots, and edits short-form vertical videos that reach millions across platforms. She recently directed and produced her first award-winning short documentary, Breaking the Cycle, which follows a hip-hop school in Medellin, Colombia, where students compete for the title of the city’s top breakdancer. Previously, Farah worked for The New York Times, Apple TV’s The Problem with Jon Stewart, and NBC News. She is a graduate of Columbia’s Journalism School, a Fulbright Scholar, and a former Division I athlete.
READ MORE
Comments are closed