Welcome to The Swell
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Swell Connections began as a vision to connect humanity with nature, community, and spirit around a common cause. Today, the Swell can provide you with end-to-end production including cinematography, photography, editing, logistics and connect you with some of the most talented people working together to protect our planet. Creative ConsultingThe Swell is aimed at providing creative consulting that brings together people, projects, ideas, fundraising, and spirit around a common cause. Our team will align you or your organization with a mission towards a sustainable future.
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Film & Photography
Storytelling is our passion. We want to create a specialized message for your mission that will inspire, educate and raise awareness.
Recent Assignments
2025 SUNDANCE PREMIER: FREE LEONARD PELTIER
Providing cinematography and drone cinematography in a collaboration with directors Jesse Short Bull and David France on this urgent and powerful documentary. It was a profound experience being invited onto sacred land, welcomed by indigenous communities, and entrusted to film their stories. It was an honor to contribute to such an important cause while also filming the recreation of the infamous Pine Ridge shootout and working alongside Secret Level to develop ethical generative AI.
This documentary is more than just a film, it’s a call to action. To expose the brutal mistreatment of indigenous people in the U.S. and the relentless, decades-long fight to free Leonard Peltier. Nearly 50 years of unjust imprisonment. Fifty years of stolen freedom.
Peltier, a leader in the American Indian Movement (AIM), was part of a rising wave of Indigenous activism in the 1970s—one that was met with ruthless government retaliation. In 1975, a violent confrontation with FBI agents ended in tragedy. What followed was not justice, but a travesty: a nationwide manhunt, forced confessions, fabricated evidence, a sham trial, and two life sentences. The truth eventually surfaced—proof of FBI misconduct, coercion, and outright lies. And yet, despite the tireless efforts of activists, human rights organizations, world leaders, and even the Pope, Peltier remained behind bars.
Decades passed. His name became a symbol of resistance. And now—finally—change is within reach. With the world watching, and with millions of Indigenous people across six continents sharing in this fight, the demand for justice has never been louder.
It’s time. #FREELEONARDPELTIER
UPDATE: Leonard Peltier's life sentence was commuted and he returned home on February 18, 2025!
Providing cinematography and drone cinematography in a collaboration with directors Jesse Short Bull and David France on this urgent and powerful documentary. It was a profound experience being invited onto sacred land, welcomed by indigenous communities, and entrusted to film their stories. It was an honor to contribute to such an important cause while also filming the recreation of the infamous Pine Ridge shootout and working alongside Secret Level to develop ethical generative AI.
This documentary is more than just a film, it’s a call to action. To expose the brutal mistreatment of indigenous people in the U.S. and the relentless, decades-long fight to free Leonard Peltier. Nearly 50 years of unjust imprisonment. Fifty years of stolen freedom.
Peltier, a leader in the American Indian Movement (AIM), was part of a rising wave of Indigenous activism in the 1970s—one that was met with ruthless government retaliation. In 1975, a violent confrontation with FBI agents ended in tragedy. What followed was not justice, but a travesty: a nationwide manhunt, forced confessions, fabricated evidence, a sham trial, and two life sentences. The truth eventually surfaced—proof of FBI misconduct, coercion, and outright lies. And yet, despite the tireless efforts of activists, human rights organizations, world leaders, and even the Pope, Peltier remained behind bars.
Decades passed. His name became a symbol of resistance. And now—finally—change is within reach. With the world watching, and with millions of Indigenous people across six continents sharing in this fight, the demand for justice has never been louder.
It’s time. #FREELEONARDPELTIER
UPDATE: Leonard Peltier's life sentence was commuted and he returned home on February 18, 2025!
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Life Antarctica with Leo Soibelzon: Dr. Leo Soibelzon’s work in Antarctica focuses on studying phytoplankton—the vital, microscopic foundation of the Southern Ocean food web. His research reveals how these delicate organisms respond to a rapidly changing climate, offering crucial insight into the future of marine ecosystems. Antarctica itself is the last wild frontier, a continent without political boundaries, where nations cooperate under a shared mission of science and preservation. In this place, survival is an all-hands-on-deck effort. The environment is unforgiving, where a single mistake can become life-threatening and every action—from collecting samples to simply stepping outside—demands meticulous planning. For Dr. Soibelzon and his team, the harshness of the continent underscores both the fragility of life and the profound importance of the work they’ve come to carry out.
Ivy Yin dived straight into these extreme conditions—both above the ice and beneath it—to capture a firsthand glimpse of some of the most important scientific research happening on our planet. His perspective brings audiences closer to the raw, humbling reality of Antarctica and the critical work unfolding there, revealing a world few will ever experience but all depend on. This is a short series in the making.
Ivy Yin dived straight into these extreme conditions—both above the ice and beneath it—to capture a firsthand glimpse of some of the most important scientific research happening on our planet. His perspective brings audiences closer to the raw, humbling reality of Antarctica and the critical work unfolding there, revealing a world few will ever experience but all depend on. This is a short series in the making.
With diverse, global collections and research in art, culture, and natural history, the Royal Ontario Museum is ideally positioned to help address humanity's urgent, multidimensional environmental challenges, such as climate change and biodiversity loss. ROM contributes, in part, by facilitating transdisciplinary collaborations between artists and scientists. The 'Art of the Expedition' illustrates such a collaboration, in which ROM's Curator of Fishes Dr. Nathan Lujan work's closely with New York-based artist David Brooks to bring their respective expertise to bear on the issues of species discovery, classification, and loss in Peru's western headwaters of the Amazon Basin, Earth's most biodiverse freshwater ecosystem. Throughout Nathan's career, he has discovered and described as new to science over three dozen fish species and has worked to understand the ecological and evolutionary relationships among Amazonian fishes more broadly. David Brooks is a recent Rome Prize recipient whose work explores the interaction between humans and their natural and synthetic environments. Several of his works have been influenced or inspired by his participation in scientific expeditions led by Nathan, this being the sixth that they have conducted together. Environmental Filmmaker Ivy Yin is a third collaborator who has now joined Nathan and David on two expeditions to the Amazon Basin.
Imagine a meter-long catfish with a large mouth like a suction cup, and a body covered in bony plates like an armadillo and spines like a cactus – a fish so rare that even life-long indigenous inhabitants of the Amazon have never seen one. This was one of several landmark discoveries recently documented for the first time in Ecuador by an international team of biologists from Ecuador’s University of the Americas and Canada’s Royal Ontario Museum. For this expedition, the Our Children’s Earth Foundation provided a filmmaker, Ivy Yin, to document the ongoing research efforts being conducted by this team.
The biodiversity within the Ecuadorian Amazon is immense, yet scientific research on the region’s rivers and fishes is immensely scarce. So much so that discoveries of species unknown to science are still quite common. Dr. Luján needs more time to examine the specimens the team collected, but he’s confident that at least four of the fish species they collected are new to science.
The biodiversity within the Ecuadorian Amazon is immense, yet scientific research on the region’s rivers and fishes is immensely scarce. So much so that discoveries of species unknown to science are still quite common. Dr. Luján needs more time to examine the specimens the team collected, but he’s confident that at least four of the fish species they collected are new to science.
Mozambique Initiative: A multi-year expedition series led by scientists Dr. Sylvia Earle and Dr. Andrea Marshall, dedicated to collecting crucial data on vulnerable and critically endangered species to support the conservation of Mozambique's biodiverse coastline.
Photo: Ivy Yin & Dr. Sylvia Earle
During this time we created a Virtual Reality (VR) experience for the local communities. VR surpasses the limitations of aquariums and captivity by offering an immersive, authentic, and ethical educational experience. Its ability to provide access to inaccessible marine environments, foster empathy, enhance learning, and promote conservation efforts positions VR as a superior tool for marine life education. By embracing Virtual Reality, we can inspire individuals of all ages to appreciate, protect, and preserve marine ecosystems for generations to come.
Benefits of VR:
1. Immersive and Authentic Exploration: Virtual Reality allows users to embark on immersive journeys into the underwater world, providing an authentic experience that replicates the sights, sounds, and sensations of marine environments. Unlike aquariums, VR enables users to explore diverse ecosystems, from coral reefs to deep-sea trenches, without constraints imposed by physical boundaries. Users can freely interact with virtual marine life, observing their natural behaviors and gaining a deeper understanding of their habitats.
2. Access to Inaccessible Locations: One of the significant limitations of aquariums and captivity is their inability to showcase inaccessible or endangered marine environments. Virtual Reality overcomes this limitation by granting individuals access to remote or protected areas that would otherwise be off-limits. Users can explore rare and fragile ecosystems, including pristine coral reefs and marine sanctuaries, without disturbing the delicate balance of these habitats. VR offers an unrivaled opportunity to witness marine life in their natural habitats, fostering a greater appreciation for their conservation.
3. Enhanced Learning and Educational Potential: Virtual Reality provides an innovative educational platform that surpasses traditional methods used in aquariums or captivity. With VR, learning becomes interactive and engaging, enabling users to dive into detailed educational modules, virtual field trips, and simulations. Users can learn about marine species, their behaviors, ecological interdependencies, and the impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems. The immersive nature of VR enhances knowledge retention and creates lasting impressions, facilitating a deeper understanding of marine life and environmental conservation.
4. Ethical Considerations and Animal Welfare: Captivity in aquariums raises ethical concerns regarding the well-being and natural behaviors of marine animals. Virtual Reality eliminates the need for animal captivity while still offering comprehensive educational experiences. By promoting VR as an alternative, we can prioritize animal welfare, ensuring that marine life remains undisturbed in their natural habitats. VR experiences can be developed in collaboration with marine biologists and conservationists, ensuring accurate representations of marine environments without causing harm to animals.
5. Cost-Effective and Scalable Solution: Creating and maintaining aquariums can be financially burdensome and limited to specific locations. In contrast, VR offers a cost-effective and scalable solution for marine education. Virtual Reality experiences can be developed once and accessed by users worldwide, regardless of their physical location. This scalability promotes inclusivity and ensures that a broader audience can engage in marine education, breaking down geographical and financial barriers.
1. Immersive and Authentic Exploration: Virtual Reality allows users to embark on immersive journeys into the underwater world, providing an authentic experience that replicates the sights, sounds, and sensations of marine environments. Unlike aquariums, VR enables users to explore diverse ecosystems, from coral reefs to deep-sea trenches, without constraints imposed by physical boundaries. Users can freely interact with virtual marine life, observing their natural behaviors and gaining a deeper understanding of their habitats.
2. Access to Inaccessible Locations: One of the significant limitations of aquariums and captivity is their inability to showcase inaccessible or endangered marine environments. Virtual Reality overcomes this limitation by granting individuals access to remote or protected areas that would otherwise be off-limits. Users can explore rare and fragile ecosystems, including pristine coral reefs and marine sanctuaries, without disturbing the delicate balance of these habitats. VR offers an unrivaled opportunity to witness marine life in their natural habitats, fostering a greater appreciation for their conservation.
3. Enhanced Learning and Educational Potential: Virtual Reality provides an innovative educational platform that surpasses traditional methods used in aquariums or captivity. With VR, learning becomes interactive and engaging, enabling users to dive into detailed educational modules, virtual field trips, and simulations. Users can learn about marine species, their behaviors, ecological interdependencies, and the impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems. The immersive nature of VR enhances knowledge retention and creates lasting impressions, facilitating a deeper understanding of marine life and environmental conservation.
4. Ethical Considerations and Animal Welfare: Captivity in aquariums raises ethical concerns regarding the well-being and natural behaviors of marine animals. Virtual Reality eliminates the need for animal captivity while still offering comprehensive educational experiences. By promoting VR as an alternative, we can prioritize animal welfare, ensuring that marine life remains undisturbed in their natural habitats. VR experiences can be developed in collaboration with marine biologists and conservationists, ensuring accurate representations of marine environments without causing harm to animals.
5. Cost-Effective and Scalable Solution: Creating and maintaining aquariums can be financially burdensome and limited to specific locations. In contrast, VR offers a cost-effective and scalable solution for marine education. Virtual Reality experiences can be developed once and accessed by users worldwide, regardless of their physical location. This scalability promotes inclusivity and ensures that a broader audience can engage in marine education, breaking down geographical and financial barriers.
A marine conservation model that is working. Rangers patrol day and night protecting the 300,000 acres/1220 sq km Misool Marine Reserve and ensure it remains a balanced and healthy NO-TAKE Zone. Rampant shark finning and unchecked destructive fishing were destroying some of the most important and bio-diverse reefs on earth. In 2005, a powerful partnership between local communities and the @misoolfoundation resulted in the creation of the region's first No-Take Zone. A scientific survey analyzed fish biomass at several sites within the Misool Marine Reserve, comparing data from 2007 and 2013. On average, the biomass increased by 250% over just 6 years. On some key sites, recovery surpassed 600% while Oceanic Manta sightings also increased 25-fold between 2010 and 2016. A separate 2012 study established that there are 25 times more sharks inside the Misool Marine Reserve than directly outside of it.
Mark Erdmann, Ph.D. is the Shark Conservation Director at Re:wild. Dr. Erdmann describes this region as the epicenter of marine biodiversity—a dynamic cauldron of evolution—and emphasizes the critical need to protect our planets evolutionary origins. Andrew Miner underscores the vital role of enforcement in defending marine parks from threats like shark finning and the devastating practice of dynamite fishing, which can destroy coral reefs that have taken over 10,000 years to grow. On the front lines, courageous enforcement rangers like Mato Husain are committed to protecting their stretch of ocean for future generations.
"I feel profoundly fortunate to have spent the past eight years filming beneath the surface, bearing witness to one of the most vibrant and resilient reef systems remaining on Earth. Even more rewarding is the opportunity to share the vital stories unfolding above the water—narratives that not only define what effective marine protection looks like today, but also set a lasting precedent for how marine parks must be safeguarded for generations to come." - Ivy Yin
"I feel profoundly fortunate to have spent the past eight years filming beneath the surface, bearing witness to one of the most vibrant and resilient reef systems remaining on Earth. Even more rewarding is the opportunity to share the vital stories unfolding above the water—narratives that not only define what effective marine protection looks like today, but also set a lasting precedent for how marine parks must be safeguarded for generations to come." - Ivy Yin
Founder of Akashinga, military-trained sniper Damien Mander lives on a vegan diet along with all of his female rangers. Mander first turned to veganism when he felt the "hypocrisy" of protecting one group of animals and coming home and eating another. The team members have embraced the change. Field rangers say, "It's great... we don't miss meat at all and we're mentally and physically stronger by choosing to adopt this diet". A nutritious diet is vital for the work being done, as training for Akashinga is modeled around strenuous special-forces training. While working with rather than against the local population, the aim is to protect wildlife and their habitat. The project provides an alternative to poaching and at the same time, empowers women and supports local communities.
Content captured by Ivy Yin for an upcoming Shark Exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum
Content captured by Ivy Yin for an upcoming Indian Ocean Exhibit. A collection of hundreds of hours filming underwater capturing natural behavior and sound in the Indonesian Throughflow. The Throughflow, connects the Pacific and Indian Ocean and is home to the most biodiverse reefs on the planet.
Mamta Verma lost her leg a year ago after being hit by a truck in Rajasthan India. The accident did minor damage to her foot but when her husband refused to get her medical care her entire leg became infected and it had to be amputated. Mamta now works for Dhonk, a socially responsible enterprise aimed at creating sustainable job opportunities for local villagers through art and crafts. “I feel empowered, I’m now financially independent and can make my own decisions”. Manta now has a bank account and is working towards a new prosthetic leg. Dhonk is an open door for any villager who wants to learn and earn. When I visited Mamta today, she was working with sustainably sourced fabric and natural dyes to make clothing and textiles for homes. Dhonk has trained more than 150 villagers, has created a medical policy which would assist the team members in times of crisis, and continues to support the daughters of all team members in getting an education. Since Dhonk is located on the boundary of Ranthambore National Park (home to some of the few remaining Endangered Bengal Tigers), they also provide an alternative livelihood that helps in decreasing the villagers dependence on wood and cattle grazing on the forest and its resources. Dhonk is the only organization that is working with the ex-poachers families belonging to the semi-nomatic Mogya and Bawariya tribes.
Weaving her way through the patterns of the human condition, The Catskill Kiwi illustrates
the entanglements that make up our lives. Her quiet meditation on the vicissitudes of life
allow us to contemplate our experience as witness rather than judge.
the entanglements that make up our lives. Her quiet meditation on the vicissitudes of life
allow us to contemplate our experience as witness rather than judge.
CinematographySwell Connections can provide travel consulting and bookings as well as provide specialized itinerary's to enhance your journey and connection with nature.
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Expedition
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DivingAs a certified Safety Diver & Dive Master, Ivy Yin can lead expeditions, provide safety support, teach underwater photography, videography, and assist with introducing new divers in exploring the underwater world through a Discover Scuba Diving course.
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