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Open Planet launches new footage collection to power storytelling for ocean recovery

Open Planet announces the launch of its new ocean collection, featuring thousands of cinematic clips themed around marine issues and environments, including world-class footage captured during the filming of Ocean with David Attenborough.

This release marks a major step in Open Planet’s mission to build the world’s largest open-source collection of ocean footage. The content will empower voices everywhere (including storytellers, educators, campaigners and changemakers) with the tools to tell compelling stories that inspire change for the ocean.

In an unprecedented production collaboration, the collection features world-class footage from Open Planet Studios and Silverback Films, captured during the filming of Ocean with David Attenborough. Launched ahead of the UN Ocean Conference and now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, the film has ignited a global conversation around the health of our ocean and the urgent need to protect it.

Now, extraordinary visuals captured by the film’s award-winning production team, together with footage contributions from Open Planet’s global community of cinematographers, have been made freely available for education and impact – opening up access to some of the highest-quality footage ever captured above and beneath the waves.

This initial release of content will be followed by a second release in September 2025, expanding the library to cover a broader spectrum of ocean environments, issues and stories. From coral bleaching and destructive bottom-trawling, to community-led solutions and coastal resilience, the library will grow to reflect the full complexity and beauty of the ocean, as well as the challenges it faces.

“We’re not just opening the vaults from one of the most ambitious ocean productions ever made – over the next decade, we’ll be documenting the biggest changes in our ocean and releasing this content to the world. We’ve seen firsthand the power of visual storytelling in shifting hearts, minds and policies, and are actively seeking support to gather and share new footage that will supercharge the volume and diversity of ocean stories being told.”

— Colin Butfield, Co-Founder and Director of Open Planet; Director of Ocean with David Attenborough

By removing traditional barriers to access, Open Planet enables storytellers across geographies, generations and sectors to respond to the powerful messages of Ocean with David Attenborough with stories of their own, told in their voices, for their audiences.

Whether it’s a classroom presentation in a coastal school, a social media campaign in a small island nation, or a community film screening to engage local leaders, this open-access approach ensures the content can be used where it’s needed most.

Amelia Crews, Young Ocean Leader and Communicator, Earth Minutes, said: “Democratising storytelling ensures every voice and story is heard – not just those backed by big budgets. By providing open-source, high-quality footage, Open Planet is mobilising storytellers without access to expensive camera equipment to share their own authentic narratives. This ultimately means that we get a full, representative story of the state of our planet and the people within it.”

The launch of this collection on Open Planet comes halfway through the UN’s Ocean Decade, following closely on the heels of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, where global leaders reaffirmed their commitments to marine protection and sustainable ocean governance.

Martina Donlon, Spokesperson for the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, said: “Powerful visuals are indispensable communications tools to carry forward the momentum of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference and advance the goals of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development through impactful storytelling.”

As momentum builds toward the 2030 deadline for the Global Biodiversity Framework’s 30×30 target – protecting 30% of land and sea by the end of the decade – the need for informed public engagement has never been greater.

Alongside the release of content on Open Planet, Ocean with David Attenborough has been made freely available to educators and organisations for non-commercial screenings. Coordinated by National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas program and Revive Our Ocean, the global screenings initiative aims to engage young people, coastal communities, NGOs and other organisations with the issues raised in the film and inspire greater action for marine protection.

“The ocean is a big unknown to most people – even feared. But images of the ocean can open people’s minds and hearts and inspire them to act,” remarked Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and founder of Pristine Seas. “I hope this new collection of free footage will help those looking to protect the ocean,” said Sala, who served as an executive producer of Ocean with David Attenborough and one of the film’s scientific advisors.

Kristin Rechberger, Founder of Revive Our Ocean, a co-producer of the film, said: “We need to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 but for most people it is out of sight, out of mind. The first step is to inspire coastal communities to protect their ocean backyard, and these images will help make the case.”