Introducing: Out in the Wild
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Queerness in nature is something that has existed longer than humans have been on this earth, yet through global colonization, Queerness has been erased from what we perceive as “natural”. Out in the Wild is a hosted travel wildlife series featuring nonbinary wildlife filmmaker Angel Morris, who travels the globe to learn exactly how our wild planet transcends our societal norms. Along the way, we meet local researchers who study these animals' behaviors and learn why it’s essential to the health of our ecosystems to understand and protect the natural ubiquity of queerness in the animal kingdom.
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Host Angel Morris introduces the audience to their edit bay in the pilot of Out in the Wild.
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A few species proposed to feature in episodes of Out in the Wild.
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Imagine waking up one day and seeing the color blue for the first time. Take a step further, and imagine everyone telling you that the color blue didn’t exist despite the evidence. From giraffes to hyenas, dolphins, and even lions, wildlife breaks the boxes of what Western society deems as 'natural,' yet these stories rarely make it to the big screen. It is no secret that Queer stories have specifically been omitted from wildlife filmmaking, regardless of their scientific evidence and documented prevalence. Out in the Wild tactfully addresses this critical gap between groundbreaking scientific information and the media that is digesting it.
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Angel looks into a tide pool as they tell the audience about diversity in invertebrate species.
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The pilot episode of Out in the Wild follows Angel as they begin their journey to uncover the untold stories of Queerness in nature. Their first stop: their own back yard. After hearing multiple rumors about a peculiar fish, Angel travels to the kelp forests of Anacapa Island in search of the infamous California sheephead. This curious fish is known to hold many unique characteristics, including the ability to transition from female to male. Along their journey, Angel meets with reproductive evolutionary biologist Dr. Caitlin McDonough-Goldstein and marine biologist Dr. Lyall Bellquist to get the scoop on what exactly makes this special ability so critical to the health of the kelp forests.
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The pilot of Out in the Wild was officially released in September of 2025. You can watch it below!
The Team
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The pilot for Out in the Wild was developed under Nova's National Geographic Explorer Grant project and with contributions from Ocean Culture Life and Conservation Nation. As Project Lead, Nova has developed, pitched, filmed, and directed the project while assembling a team of Queer filmmakers and allies to make a splash.
After being awarded the Explorer grant in October of 2023, the pilot was produced across 2024 and released in June of 2025. As of now, the team is considering further development and distribution plans for Out in the Wild. If you are interested in discussing a possible collaboration, please contact Nova via the 'Contact' page! |
The Out in the Wild project team.
Left to right, front row: Jenny Baumert, Nova West.
Back row: Brady Valashinas, Criss Ririe, Angel Morris, Nathan Van Hala, Té Diaz Fernández, Lyall Bellquist.
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Impact
Integrated into the core of the series is an impact campaign designed to equip Queer creatives with the tools and platform to tell their own stories. As a nonbinary wildlife filmmaker, Nova has found that Queer stories told without Queer people behind the camera can often become problematic and spread misinformation. Through this impact campaign, they have developed two branches designed to tackle this issue by developing Queer talent. Here’s how it works:
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Each episode of Out in the Wild is assigned one mentee, where applications are open to adults 18+ across the US. The selected mentee receives one-on-one mentorship from Nova throughout the duration of production, which includes at least one opportunity to join their team in-person for hands-on field work. Supplementing field work opportunities are 101 skill building sessions that span all areas of film development and production, and skill tracking worksheets to measure program impact and expansion. Throughout the program, former mentees have the opportunity to connect with present mentees, building a network of Queer creators who can meet, support, collaborate, and grow with one another.
Interested in applying to be a mentee? Applications are open now until November 12th. Apply here!
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Té Diaz practices using an underwater camera ahead of the shoot on Anacapa Island. Photo by Nova West.
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In addition to being a filmmaker, Nova is an artist who believes that all forms of visual storytelling are important in communicating with diverse audiences. With infinite possibilities for Out in the Wild to paint across the arts, creating the series poster became just the beginning.
As a global travel-based TV show, each episode of Out in the Wild will feature an episode poster created by a Queer artist local to the wildlife featured in the episode. Although these posters can be utilized for marketing and merchandise, the ultimate purpose of the series is to symbolize - both in subject matter and stylistically - the vast diversity of nature. Collectively, this body of artwork has grand potential for art exhibits and installations to further showcase the untold stories of our wild planet. Ultimately, this artistic effort in combination with mentorship is designed to broaden the reach of Out in the Wild and highlight untapped talent from across the globe. |
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Special thanks to our funders, collaborators, and contributors!
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