Sabine M. Probst Saavedra, BA MA

What are you working on at the moment? 

I work in storytelling and environmental protection. The aim of my work is to inspire people to protect the oceans and waterways with authentic stories – whether through my films, my podcast or the articles that my team and I write for our organisation and publish in our online magazine. We mainly share stories from researchers, organisations, and environmentalists. We place particular emphasis on highlighting our interviewees’ personal passion for nature in the stories. Scientific content is often very complex and rarely reaches the general public. That’s why we work closely with scientists to transform their research into engaging and emotional stories. The same applies to my podcast: I talk to international marine biologists, filmmakers, artists, and heads of organisations about their journey that led them to water conservation and share their work with listeners. I am very grateful to have built a global community and to be able to talk to successful, inspiring people – from National Geographic explorers, nature filmmakers for Disney, the BBC, and Netflix to award-winning scientists and heads of organisations.

How did this passion for the subject come about? 

My passion for nature documentaries began during my Bachelor’s degree. When I planned and first directed a short documentary for a seminar project, it sparked a fire in me. The following semester, I went to the University of Plymouth in England, where I studied photography – not only because of the curriculum, but also because of its location by the sea. There, I quickly realised how heavily polluted the oceans are. Rubbish and sewage were obvious problems, and swimmers and surfers were getting sick from the polluted water. I couldn’t get this environmental damage out of my head. So I decided to address this issue in my photographic work and shoot my first marine conservation film alongside my studies. The film won an award at the university, and my professor encouraged me to submit it to festivals. As a result of this, my first film was shown at international festivals and I was invited to industry events. Since then, I have been making films about the protection of the oceans and waterways. My Bachelor’s thesis was another short documentary titled Deep Blue Connection, about a young female marine biologist in Australia who surfs and dives. That was the film in which I found my cinematic signature – it was also my first award-winning film. During my Master’s studies, I then realised my first major project: Maydayterranean.  

To do this, I travelled to six different countries with the support of my university, for which I am very grateful. The film shows the diversity of life in the Mediterranean – and that it is not just “beige”, as many believe. It points out how threatened this diversity in the Mediterranean is. Towards the end of my Master’s studies, a fellow student and I founded the organisation Seen Blue Conservation to bring more environmental stories to life and to inspire people to protect the oceans.

What skills do you need in your job? 

For me, the ability to put your own creative expertise at the service of a cause is key. It’s not about promoting yourself, but about conveying a message effectively. This requires empathy, strategic thinking, a good feel for language and images – and the ability to adapt to different target groups and contexts without losing sight of your own values.

Can you describe the process of how you create a film project? 

My films always start with intensive research and planning. Depending on what the film is ultimately intended for, this process can vary. One example is Guardians of the Chandelier Coral, which I shot in Spain for Coral Soul. The goal was to show potential new donors the important work of the team that protects and restores cold-water corals. During the planning phase, it was important for me to find out what Marina Palacios Miñambres, the head of the organisation, wanted to showcase — because she’s the one who best knows her work, the corals, and the local communities. It’s essential not to shape everything according to your own ideas once you arrive in a foreign country. Collaboration with local people shows respect and is crucial for telling an impactful story. My films are usually 5–10 minutes long and mostly planned out from start to finish. Even though I know things won’t happen exactly as planned, it’s this kind of structure that helps both me and the protagonists. I avoid traditional interviews and instead use voice-overs — because I find interviews often pull the audience out of the story. Underwater shoots require special preparation: Since time is limited and the delicate corals must be handled carefully, you’ll need specialised equipment, proper training, and precise planning. 

There are also challenging conditions like cold temperatures, currents, or depth. To make the film as impactful as possible, I worked closely with the organisation, from planning through to the final edit. Parts of the film were also broadcast on French television and shown at festivals in Spain.

What are your criteria for good storytelling? 

We humans are evolutionarily programmed to understand and remember stories. Compared to abstract facts or pure information, stories stay in our memory much more effectively. This is because they trigger emotions, activate our brains, and engage multiple areas at once. That’s why it’s important to me to wrap scientific research in emotional stories and to deliver them to the right target audience. In the end, I include a call to action to motivate viewers to protect the environment.

When you think back to your time at the FH, what has stayed with you the most? 

I found it incredibly valuable that during my studies we gained insights into so many different fields. That’s a real advantage for my current role as the head of an organisation, because I work with an interdisciplinary team and it helped me to better understand and contextualise the various disciplines. And of course: The introduction to documentary filmmaking. Without that, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today.

So you already started moving toward your current job while you were still at the FH? 

Exactly – ever since the documentary film project during my bachelor’s studies, I knew what I wanted to do. I put every free minute into building my portfolio – and it paid off. 

Towards the end of my studies, I was invited as a Summit Fellow to Jackson Wild – the “Oscars of nature films”. There, I met top filmmakers and gained insight into impact storytelling through the National Geographic Impact Lab. I was also selected as a media fellow for the Austrian National Parks. 

Thanks to my portfolio work, I received job offers even before graduating – without having to apply in the traditional way – and today I’m invited to festivals to speak about my expertise in environmental storytelling.