Out in the Wild  is a hosted travel wildlife series featuring nonbinary wildlife filmmaker Angel Morris, who travels the globe to learn exactly how our wild planet transcends our societal norms. Along the way, we meet local researchers who study these animals' behaviors and learn why it’s essential to the health of our ecosystems to understand and protect the natural ubiquity of queerness in the animal kingdom.
This pilot episode follows Angel as they begin their journey to uncover the untold stories of Queerness in nature. Their first stop: their own back yard. After hearing multiple rumors about a peculiar fish, Angel travels to the kelp forests of Anacapa Island in search of the infamous California sheephead. This curious fish is known to hold many unique characteristics, including the ability to transition from female to male- an ability that is critical to the health of the kelp forests.
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After the episode will be a virtual Q & A portion with the filmmaker, Nova West! Join us for some light refreshments and learn what it means to be "out" in the wild!
Nova West is an award-winning filmmaker, published photographer, creative artist, and environmental educator originating from southern Minnesota. As a National Geographic Explorer and founding Co-Chair of the National Geographic Pride Board as well as a member of the Jackson Wild Queer Collective Board and International League of Conservation Photographers, they are dedicated to crafting a more diverse and holistic landscape for wildlife storytelling.
Nova’s work focuses on a blend of visual arts, science communication, and camera operation, specializing in wildlife, expedition, and underwater documentary filmmaking and photography. In 2023, Nova released their first independent documentary, ‘Diving for Rays’, and has since produced an additional short documentary titled ‘Project Lemon Aid’. Their most recent project, a pilot for a TV show titled Out in the Wild, premiered in 2025. Several other independent projects are currently in production and post-production stages and are slated to release in 2027 and 2028. Complementing this work, Nova routinely collaborates with scientific organizations as a Video Engineer, Expedition Documentarian, and Science Communication Lead aboard deep-sea exploration vessels.
