In Jane's Footsteps: The Hopeful Path to Gombe (working title)
San Diego, California | Film Short
Documentary, Nature
This film brings Jane Goodall’s legacy to life through a new generation of environmental storytellers. Your support will fund our post-production costs and share a story that inspires continued conservation efforts and hopeful action at a time when our planet needs it most.
In Jane's Footsteps: The Hopeful Path to Gombe (working title)
San Diego, California | Film Short
Documentary, Nature
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $12,245 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
128 supporters | followers
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This film brings Jane Goodall’s legacy to life through a new generation of environmental storytellers. Your support will fund our post-production costs and share a story that inspires continued conservation efforts and hopeful action at a time when our planet needs it most.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Planet People Productions was founded on a simple belief: that storytelling can reconnect us to the natural world and inspire meaningful action. "In Jane’s Footsteps: The Hopeful Path To Gombe" follows the story of a young girl in pursuit of her own conservation dreams and desires to protect both people and the planet. This is our first step into filmmaking -- and now more than ever, we feel called to tell this story.
This short documentary follows conservation biologist Natalie Jane Cibel as she journeys to Gombe Stream National Park, retracing the path of Jane Goodall and exploring how her legacy continues to shape modern conservation.
Natalie’s journey began with seeking out the beloved chimpanzees across the Gombe Mountains, then quickly progressed by meeting and interviewing many of Jane’s colleagues. With a stroke of luck and perfect timing, Natalie serendipitously met Jane Goodall herself.
This film documents the call Natalie felt to bridge science and communication to wide audiences, just as Jane did, and the action they both took to answer that call.
With Jane’s recent passing, this film is more important than ever to remind us we must carry the torch of hope in our daily action, community, and throughout the next generations to protect our irreplaceable wildlife and Mother Earth.
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At a time when environmental challenges can feel overwhelming, this film offers something different: hope rooted in action.
We are crowdfunding to complete post-production and share this film with the world. Your support helps us elevate stories that matter and bring them to audiences who need them most.
Jane Goodall once said, “You are making a difference.” This is your chance to be part of that difference. Together, we can turn inspiration into impact.
INTERVIEWEES
We filmed exclusive interviews with colleagues of Jane’s past like Dr. Anthony Collins, Dr. Stan Rullman, and Guide, Ahadi Boazi. These interviews consist of touching stories of their past with Jane and the mission they helped build to study and protect chimpanzees, baboons, countless other wildlife and their homes.
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Dr. Anthony Collins has spent much of his career researching many other species that make Gombe one of the most extraordinary ecosystems on Earth, including Baboons.
As Director of Baboon Research at the Gombe Stream Research Center, Anthony has helmed one of the longest-running primate studies in the world — more than fifty years of unbroken observation into the complex social lives, family dynamics, and survival strategies of Gombe’s baboon population. His work sits quietly alongside Jane Goodall’s legacy, deepening our understanding of what it means for any species to adapt, endure, and belong to a place.
Natalie sits down with Dr. Collins at Gombe to talk about a lifetime spent in the forest with Jane, what baboons have taught him about resilience, and why Jane lived such an extraordinary life.
.png)
A lifelong champion of the wild places where science and wonder converge, Earthwatch Research Director Dr. Stan Rullman has spent over thirty years turning ordinary people into extraordinary field scientists. From tracking raptors along Seattle’s urban-wildland edge to stewarding a global network of citizen science expeditions, Stan has made it his life’s work to pull the public from the sidelines and into the heart of conservation.
Natalie sits down with Dr. Rullman to explore what it truly means to democratize science — and why handing a volunteer a data sheet in the field might be one of the most powerful acts of environmental stewardship there is.
.png)
Born and raised in Kigoma — the gateway town to Gombe Stream National Park — Ahadi carries with him a lifetime of intimate knowledge of the chimpanzee families that Jane Goodall first introduced to the world. He arranged every detail of Natalie’s stay, led her through the forest each day in search of the chimps, and quietly, profoundly, changed the course of her life — opening the door to a meeting with Jane Goodall herself.
Natalie sits down with Ahadi to talk about growing up in the shadow of Gombe, what it means to be a steward of one of conservation’s most sacred landscapes, and the kind of guidance that goes far beyond knowing which path to take.
.png)
This isn’t just a story about the past. It’s about what that legacy means today — for wildlife, for communities, and for the next generation of environmental stewards. It shows what it means to follow someone's courage into your own life — the chimpanzees, the scientists, and the national parks still carrying Jane's remarkable research forward despite every pressure threatening to undo it.
Natalie Jane Cibel is a conservation biologist, ornithologist, and independent biological consultant based in San Diego, California. She conducts nesting bird surveys, pre-construction wildlife assessments, and biological monitoring for HOA and municipal clients throughout Southern California.
Natalie is the founder and host of Planet People, a conservation podcast reaching listeners across the country, featuring interviews with scientists, activists, and storytellers from across the globe. Her work sits at the intersection of field biology, science communication, and advocacy-driven storytelling.
In 2024, Natalie traveled alone to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania — filming interviews, trekking for chimpanzees, and documenting the living legacy of Jane Goodall's research. She met Jane Goodall twice: once in California at a Wildlife Conservation Network event, and once in Tanzania during World Chimpanzee Day.
In Jane's Footsteps: The Hopeful Path to Gombe is her debut short documentary.
Coral Carson (pictured screen left) is the Creative Director of this film, a visual artist, and co-host of Planet People. She brings a visual storytelling lens to the podcast and to this film — shaping the aesthetic and emotional language of the project alongside Natalie. Coral's background in design and community-centered art informs the way Planet People tells conservation stories: with warmth, beauty, and intention.
This film was shot by Cameron Franco (pictured below on screen left) with Mind Over Matter Media. Cameron, with his adventurous spirit and camera at the ready, trekked with Natalie to Gombe Stream National Park to capture the breathtaking shots featured in this short documentary. His experience as a videographer with his company, Mind Over Matter Media armed him with the ability to memorialize their incredible journey. Without him, this story would be just a memory!
Jane Goodall passed away in 2025. Gombe's chimpanzees face mounting threats from habitat loss, disease, and climate change. The window to tell this story and carry her torch of hope is now — with living witnesses, active researchers, and footage from inside Gombe itself.
This film is for every person who has ever needed a reason to hope. For every scientist who has ever wondered if their work matters. For everyone who grew up with Jane's story and felt, somewhere deep down, that they were supposed to do something with that feeling.
HOW YOUR SUPPORT HELPS
Your contribution goes directly toward:— Post-production editing, sound design, color grading and finishing, festival submission fees, and getting this story in front of the audiences who need it most.
We are crowdfunding through Seed & Spark — the platform built for independent storytellers — because we believe this film deserves to exist, and because we cannot do it without you.
Together we can bring this story to the world. Together we will carry Jane's message of hope forward. Together we must — because the chimps, the forests, and the people fighting to protect them are counting on us.
We hope you come along with us on this journey!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Post Production Crew
Costs $5,000
Our post-production crew shapes the film. They are master puzzlers marrying each piece of the story into a wonderful final picture.
Colorist
Costs $2,000
Our colorist will unify the look and feel of the film visually.
Film Composer - Score
Costs $2,000
Our film composer will make this film sing! They bring every moment to life by the sound of the music created.
Additional Filming
Costs $3,000
We have a few dream shots we'd like to get and need the extra budget for it to pay our production & camera crew, locations, etc.
Film Festival Submission Costs
Costs $2,000
Film festivals have fees to apply! Having this cost covered and more allows us a wider reach for our inspirational film.
Marketing & Legal
Costs $1,000
Misc. marketing & legal costs to get our film out there and make sure it's protected!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
We are lucky to have a team with a wide net of skill sets to showcase this important story.
Like Jane said, "Gather people into your network and see what kind of difference they can make."
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Planet People Productions was founded on a simple belief: that storytelling can reconnect us to the natural world and inspire meaningful action. "In Jane’s Footsteps: The Hopeful Path To Gombe" follows the story of a young girl in pursuit of her own conservation dreams and desires to protect both people and the planet. This is our first step into filmmaking -- and now more than ever, we feel called to tell this story.
This short documentary follows conservation biologist Natalie Jane Cibel as she journeys to Gombe Stream National Park, retracing the path of Jane Goodall and exploring how her legacy continues to shape modern conservation.
Natalie’s journey began with seeking out the beloved chimpanzees across the Gombe Mountains, then quickly progressed by meeting and interviewing many of Jane’s colleagues. With a stroke of luck and perfect timing, Natalie serendipitously met Jane Goodall herself.
This film documents the call Natalie felt to bridge science and communication to wide audiences, just as Jane did, and the action they both took to answer that call.
With Jane’s recent passing, this film is more important than ever to remind us we must carry the torch of hope in our daily action, community, and throughout the next generations to protect our irreplaceable wildlife and Mother Earth.
At a time when environmental challenges can feel overwhelming, this film offers something different: hope rooted in action.
We are crowdfunding to complete post-production and share this film with the world. Your support helps us elevate stories that matter and bring them to audiences who need them most.
Jane Goodall once said, “You are making a difference.” This is your chance to be part of that difference. Together, we can turn inspiration into impact.
INTERVIEWEES
We filmed exclusive interviews with colleagues of Jane’s past like Dr. Anthony Collins, Dr. Stan Rullman, and Guide, Ahadi Boazi. These interviews consist of touching stories of their past with Jane and the mission they helped build to study and protect chimpanzees, baboons, countless other wildlife and their homes.
Dr. Anthony Collins has spent much of his career researching many other species that make Gombe one of the most extraordinary ecosystems on Earth, including Baboons.
As Director of Baboon Research at the Gombe Stream Research Center, Anthony has helmed one of the longest-running primate studies in the world — more than fifty years of unbroken observation into the complex social lives, family dynamics, and survival strategies of Gombe’s baboon population. His work sits quietly alongside Jane Goodall’s legacy, deepening our understanding of what it means for any species to adapt, endure, and belong to a place.
Natalie sits down with Dr. Collins at Gombe to talk about a lifetime spent in the forest with Jane, what baboons have taught him about resilience, and why Jane lived such an extraordinary life.
A lifelong champion of the wild places where science and wonder converge, Earthwatch Research Director Dr. Stan Rullman has spent over thirty years turning ordinary people into extraordinary field scientists. From tracking raptors along Seattle’s urban-wildland edge to stewarding a global network of citizen science expeditions, Stan has made it his life’s work to pull the public from the sidelines and into the heart of conservation.
Natalie sits down with Dr. Rullman to explore what it truly means to democratize science — and why handing a volunteer a data sheet in the field might be one of the most powerful acts of environmental stewardship there is.
Born and raised in Kigoma — the gateway town to Gombe Stream National Park — Ahadi carries with him a lifetime of intimate knowledge of the chimpanzee families that Jane Goodall first introduced to the world. He arranged every detail of Natalie’s stay, led her through the forest each day in search of the chimps, and quietly, profoundly, changed the course of her life — opening the door to a meeting with Jane Goodall herself.
Natalie sits down with Ahadi to talk about growing up in the shadow of Gombe, what it means to be a steward of one of conservation’s most sacred landscapes, and the kind of guidance that goes far beyond knowing which path to take.
This isn’t just a story about the past. It’s about what that legacy means today — for wildlife, for communities, and for the next generation of environmental stewards. It shows what it means to follow someone's courage into your own life — the chimpanzees, the scientists, and the national parks still carrying Jane's remarkable research forward despite every pressure threatening to undo it.
Natalie Jane Cibel is a conservation biologist, ornithologist, and independent biological consultant based in San Diego, California. She conducts nesting bird surveys, pre-construction wildlife assessments, and biological monitoring for HOA and municipal clients throughout Southern California.
Natalie is the founder and host of Planet People, a conservation podcast reaching listeners across the country, featuring interviews with scientists, activists, and storytellers from across the globe. Her work sits at the intersection of field biology, science communication, and advocacy-driven storytelling.
In 2024, Natalie traveled alone to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania — filming interviews, trekking for chimpanzees, and documenting the living legacy of Jane Goodall's research. She met Jane Goodall twice: once in California at a Wildlife Conservation Network event, and once in Tanzania during World Chimpanzee Day.
In Jane's Footsteps: The Hopeful Path to Gombe is her debut short documentary.
Coral Carson (pictured screen left) is the Creative Director of this film, a visual artist, and co-host of Planet People. She brings a visual storytelling lens to the podcast and to this film — shaping the aesthetic and emotional language of the project alongside Natalie. Coral's background in design and community-centered art informs the way Planet People tells conservation stories: with warmth, beauty, and intention.
This film was shot by Cameron Franco (pictured below on screen left) with Mind Over Matter Media. Cameron, with his adventurous spirit and camera at the ready, trekked with Natalie to Gombe Stream National Park to capture the breathtaking shots featured in this short documentary. His experience as a videographer with his company, Mind Over Matter Media armed him with the ability to memorialize their incredible journey. Without him, this story would be just a memory!
Jane Goodall passed away in 2025. Gombe's chimpanzees face mounting threats from habitat loss, disease, and climate change. The window to tell this story and carry her torch of hope is now — with living witnesses, active researchers, and footage from inside Gombe itself.
This film is for every person who has ever needed a reason to hope. For every scientist who has ever wondered if their work matters. For everyone who grew up with Jane's story and felt, somewhere deep down, that they were supposed to do something with that feeling.
HOW YOUR SUPPORT HELPS
Your contribution goes directly toward:— Post-production editing, sound design, color grading and finishing, festival submission fees, and getting this story in front of the audiences who need it most.
We are crowdfunding through Seed & Spark — the platform built for independent storytellers — because we believe this film deserves to exist, and because we cannot do it without you.
Together we can bring this story to the world. Together we will carry Jane's message of hope forward. Together we must — because the chimps, the forests, and the people fighting to protect them are counting on us.
We hope you come along with us on this journey!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Post Production Crew
Costs $5,000
Our post-production crew shapes the film. They are master puzzlers marrying each piece of the story into a wonderful final picture.
Colorist
Costs $2,000
Our colorist will unify the look and feel of the film visually.
Film Composer - Score
Costs $2,000
Our film composer will make this film sing! They bring every moment to life by the sound of the music created.
Additional Filming
Costs $3,000
We have a few dream shots we'd like to get and need the extra budget for it to pay our production & camera crew, locations, etc.
Film Festival Submission Costs
Costs $2,000
Film festivals have fees to apply! Having this cost covered and more allows us a wider reach for our inspirational film.
Marketing & Legal
Costs $1,000
Misc. marketing & legal costs to get our film out there and make sure it's protected!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
We are lucky to have a team with a wide net of skill sets to showcase this important story.
Like Jane said, "Gather people into your network and see what kind of difference they can make."