#Madetoday Profile: Alasdair Brooke on Capturing Watamu Snake Farm

Why did you create this project? What was the purpose behind this project? 

The motivation behind this project was to help raise awareness for what the team at Watamu Snake Farm (WSF) are doing. When I visited Watamu in December 2025 I was introduced to the owner of WSF, and after chatting for a while they mentioned that they were desperate to produce media to help keep the farm afloat. I was keen to help whilst on my travels and offered to commit my free time to their cause.  The objective of the project was to create three videos which will be used on their social media pages, in their audio/ visual room, and for promoting themselves for potential government and council funding initiatives. Their mission is to educate local communities, tourists and businesses about snakes, demonstrate that snakes play an integral part in the local ecosystem, and are a valuable commodity in supplying lifesaving antivenom - the availability of which in coastal Kenya is patchy at best. For me this sounded like a fantastic opportunity to gain some valuable working experience, as well as support a worthy cause free of charge. 

How did you discover The Edge?

I discovered the edge about two years ago, I needed a quite space to work and I had walked past it a few times and eventually popped in one day to check it out! It quickly became a space that I regularly visited for script writing and video editing. This is where things really changed for me, having access to the editing suite helped me take the first steps toward filmmaking, giving me the confidence to make the career change from my previous line of employment to becoming a freelance filmmaker. 

How often did you visit The Edge to create this project? 

This video took me about four days to piece together, however overall, across the three videos, I have spent two and half weeks working on the editing from sequencing the shots, music selection, SFX design, animations and so on.   

Why do you like visiting The Edge? 

It's a great place to work, the facilities are fantastic and the ability to use the Mac suite is essential for me, as I currently do not own a computer which can run the editing software which I rely on. The staff are always friendly and helpful, and it is a great space to work in, surrounded by others who are all working towards learning and building on their creative skills. Plus, the coffee is great too! 

What new skills have you learned since starting this project?  

I'd say that I've improved on existing skills throughout this project, such as, making better decisions with SFX, visual cuts and and motion graphic animations. But these were all skills built through using the Mac suite at the edge, particularly over the last year. I can confidently say that the videos I have made for WSF are a culmination of skills gained and built through using the facilities at the Edge. 

Do you plan to use any of the other resources at The Edge in your creative process? 

At this current time, I don't see myself using other resources, but who knows? I often see others using the wide range of facilities and perhaps I could learn more skills to enhance my story telling, or even just to try out a new hobby! 

Tell us about your background as an artist/maker/designer?

I wasn't always making videos, my journey to this point started many years back. I graduated from university with a degree in Geology, and from there I went on to work as a contaminated land consultant for several years in the UK, and then as a FIFO geologist here in QLD. However, I realised these roles weren’t for me, and after a turbulent period of not knowing what I wanted to do with myself, I decided instead of trying to chase a stable corporate career, I was going to pursue a passion which I had since I was a teenager, and that was video making. I've always had a passion for photography, filmmaking and the natural world, so I figured why not take a leap of faith in myself and my interests, and work towards a career in documentary filmmaking. I'd say that after a year of trying with earnest, I have made a lot of progress, but I can see that ahead of me there is still a lot to learn. But right now, I am excited to see where this chapter in my life with go! 

Please let us know how we can find out more about you and your work.

So, I have a website that people can visit, and a little YouTube channel (@alibrookechannel) where I share short videos of interesting things which I come across in nature. But for those who wish to watch the short snake farm videos the best place to view them is on my website.  

Interested in creating your own video projects like Alasdair? Gain FREE access to industry-standard creative software and computers in the Digital Media Lab at The Edge.