Not a Pet: A Wildlife Documentary That Matters

At The Big Sky, we believe some of the most powerful stories are the ones we pursue for passion alone. Our wildlife documentary Not a Pet is one of those stories, a project driven by creativity and collaboration, with an important conservation message.

Written and produced by Andrea Walji, and co-directed by Andrea Walji and Jack Wylson, co-founder of The Big Sky, Not a Pet began with a striking discovery. While travelling in the Middle East, Andrea saw cheetahs in captivity being kept as luxury pets, a status symbol for the wealthy. Many owners believed their cheetahs were bred in captivity, not realising the truth: these cheetahs had been taken from the wild. Instead of conserving the species, the exotic pet trade was pushing them closer to extinction.

Andrea shared the idea with Jack, our co- founder, and together they began wildlife filmmaking in South Africa and Namibia to uncover the reality behind these practices. What started as one documentary about cheetah conservation grew into a five-part wildlife documentary series exploring other animals affected by the pet trade: Reptiles & Amphibians, Primates, Tigers, Birds, and Cheetahs.

After the world premiere at the prestigious Jackson Wild Film Festival in the USA , where it was shortlisted for ‘Best Micro-Movie Film’, Not a Pet went on to gain international recognition, winning multiple awards and screening around the world . For us, it was not only an honour but also validation that passion-led filmmaking can create awareness and inspire change.

Why Passion Projects Matter

Passion projects like Not a Pet are not always easy. They demand time, resources, and emotional energy. But they remind us why we picked up a camera in the first place: to tell stories with purpose, impact, and truth.

At The Big Sky, we thrive on creating more than commercial campaigns. Our team loves diving into projects that have heart, from documentaries about wildlife conservation to independent film production that sparks conversation. Alongside Not a Pet, we’ve produced other passion projects including films such as The Missing Lynx, and we’re always looking for the next story that moves us.

Contact The Big Sky to start your next project: https://www.thebigsky.co.uk/contact-us/