ABOUT US
At Viewfinders , we have more than three decades of experience fixing and managing wildlife, environment ,social culture and Kenyan history productions. We have had the opportunity to work with some of the worlds leading production crews including BBC natural history unit from the UK and National Geographic from USA. We have had the chance to meet and learn from Great names, such as Sir David Attenborough, Gordon Buchanan and Ade Adepitan to name but a few. We have worked alongside Hollywood greats like Nikolaij Waldau Coster.
We have helped produce more than 1700 documentaries filmed in Kenya. Amongst these have been award-winning documentaries such as Planet Earth, dynasties, seven worlds, one planet, ivory wars, and more recently, our great national parks, narrated, by Baraak Obama to name a few.
As Kenyas most experienced fixers and local production managers, let us use our local expertise in both flora, Fona and local culture to help you complete your production. We are here to help you conceptualise your idea and turn it into a story because we believe that a good positive story has the potential to change the narrative for the good of the planet, the people and its biodiversity.
PRODUCTION MANAGER/FIXER
SAJID DARR
Sajid is a third generation Kenyan. Born and bread in the country. He started his love for Kenya’s bush, and it’s Wildlife at an early age. After completing his studies, he started his career by working within the tourism industry as a camp manager in the Masai Mara. This gave him the opportunity to learn the service industry and how to deal with the many expectations of visitors. Most importantly how to organise Camp logistics in the bush. He then went on to work as a general manager for one of Kenya’s most reputable tour companies. This afforded him the chance to hone flawless logistics, managing a fleet of more than 12 vehicles that were out on safari simultaneously at any given time.
During this period, he understood that he would like to contribute more towards conservation.
He met the late Jean Hartley, who founded Viewfinders. As chance would have it, she was looking for someone to train to take over her position as the head of the company. Having a strong belief in the power of storytelling to change peoples perceptions, Sajid strongly believes that film can contribute and enhance conservation. What was a job turned into passion and a Creed.
OUR FOUNDERS
JEAN HARTLEY
(1943 - 2017)
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
TILL 2017
In 1985, Jean made history as the first person to formalise fixing as a sector in filmmaking within East Africa. Jean put her heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears into Viewfinders for over 30 years.
Some of the major productions which she supervised in Kenya include: Ivory Wars, Warlords of Ivory and Big Cat Diaries. Viewfinders is her baby and over the years, she watched the company engage in new diverse projects and watched her trusted team grow too.
Jean’s ‘baby’ is now Kenya’s oldest fixing agency. Her legacy will be carried on by Sajid and the team who intend to go the full distance to maintain it.
ALAN ROOT
(1937 - 2017)
CO-FOUNDER
Alan was a true pioneer in the world of wildlife documentary filmmaking. He was one of Jean’s closest friends and they worked on many productions together over the years. Alan was a member of the Viewfinders board until 2016.
He was best known for his contributions to Anglia Television’s long-running series Survival.
His 1978 film, Mysterious Castles of Clay which is about the hidden life of a termite mound was nominated for an Academy Award. In 2008 he was appointed Order of the British Empire (OBE), and during his career he received more than 60 other awards, including two Emmys and a Bafta.