{"id":7646,"date":"2025-10-30T14:18:16","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T14:18:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/?p=7646"},"modified":"2025-10-31T09:26:51","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T09:26:51","slug":"enterprise-that-fuels-progress-nikki-dodds-creative-journey-at-uwe-bristol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/enterprise-that-fuels-progress-nikki-dodds-creative-journey-at-uwe-bristol\/","title":{"rendered":"Enterprise that fuels progress: Nikki Dodd\u2019s creative journey at UWE Bristol"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7647\" style=\"width:362px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box.png 400w, https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 85vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After nearly a decade working on documentary productions in New York City, <a href=\"https:\/\/nikkidodd.com\/about\">Nikki Dodd <\/a>brought her passions for filmmaking and environmental advocacy together through the <a href=\"https:\/\/courses.uwe.ac.uk\/D4P31\/wildlife-filmmaking\">MA Wildlife Filmmaking programme at UWE Bristol<\/a>, delivered in partnership with the BBC Natural History Unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Holding strong working experience and a deep commitment to environmental storytelling, Nikki\u2019s time at UWE Bristol reshaped not only her final project, but also her understanding of filmmaking as a tool for community engagement and meaningful change. Supported by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uwe.ac.uk\/study\/innovation-and-enterprise\">UWE Enterprise<\/a>, she developed a venture to take her film<a href=\"https:\/\/www.onelastfarm.com\/\"> <em>One Last Farm<\/em> <\/a>into local communities. This earned her the <a href=\"https:\/\/infohub.uwe.ac.uk\/students\/infopages\/detail\/276\">The Pryde of Women in Business Award<\/a> and helped turn her thesis into a platform for public dialogue and impact within the local communities she worked with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"One Last Farm Trailer\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HlMHCE4G8Xg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finding Stories That Matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a filmmaker, Nikki is drawn to stories that explore our relationship with the planet. A passion that started while growing up in &#8220;one of the most city-est cities that there is&#8221; New York City. That urban upbringing left her feeling a deep disconnection from nature that she struggled to articulate for years.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-2.png\" alt=\"&quot;It wasn't until I was maybe in my early 20s and was reading eco-feminist literature that I understood I wasn't alone in feeling that,&quot; she shares. &quot;A lot of the built society has created this disconnection that we feel from the planet and from the resources that we rely on and our own inherent connection with the natural world.&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-7653\" style=\"width:358px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-2.png 400w, https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-2-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-2-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 85vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This experience shaped her approach to storytelling, leading her to character-driven stories that express our connection to nature. When she read about Yew Tree Farm facing development pressure, it immediately sparked her interest. It was a small farm within a city that addressed interconnected challenges of local food security, healthy food production, and creating vital green space for both wildlife and people. Catherine Withers, the farm&#8217;s guardian and the film&#8217;s subject, embodies the kind of passionate storytelling Nikki gravitates toward.&#8221; I was able to find a little bit of expression for my own desire to really highlight our connection as people with the planet.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From Thesis Film to Community Impact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Winning the UWE Enterprise Pride of Women in Business award enabled Nikki to transform her project into something with community legacy. The enterprise team provided crucial funding, coaching, and mentoring that helped her develop a venture for community driven screenings across the city. The enterprise support also fundamentally shifted how Nikki thought about her work as a filmmaker.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-3.png\" alt=\"&quot;It's one thing to make a film, but it's quite another to get it out into the world and have it really connect with audiences,&quot; she reflects. &quot;It made me consider what's the life for the film after the cameras shut off when the film is done. What impact did I want the film to have in the world?&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-7660\" style=\"width:355px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-3.png 400w, https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-3-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-3-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 85vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the enterprise team behind her, she worked to connect with community organisations to produce five screening events across the city. The highlight was a sold out audience of over 300 people at the Bristol IMAX theatre, featuring panel discussions and a Q&amp;A on wildlife-friendly farming and the importance of community focused green space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now based in New York City, Nikki remains deeply engaged with the wildlife filmmaking community she first connected with at UWE Bristol. Her film <em>One Last Farm<\/em> has earned recognition both as a finalist at the Jackson Wild Summit, and winning the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bafta.org\/programmes\/bafta-student-awards\/meet-our-winners\/\">BAFTA Student Award for Best Documentary,<\/a> underscoring how the right support can elevate student work into meaningful, real world impact. Through screenings, partnerships, and discussions, Nikki\u2019s project has sparked vital conversations around food security, conservation, and the role of urban farms in reconnecting people with nature. It is an inspiring testament to what\u2019s possible when passion, education, and entrepreneurial support align.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advice for Future Student Entrepreneurs<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-4.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7662\" style=\"width:351px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-4.png 400w, https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-4-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/RISE-Blog-Quote-box-4-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 85vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nikki encourages people to embrace the all the opportunities at UWE Bristol, even when self doubt creeps in. She knows first-hand how easy it is to question your own capabilities, wondering if your idea is good enough or whether you belong in an entrepreneurial space. But her experience with UWE Enterprise helped shift that mindset, offering a supportive and non-judgmental environment where she could incubate and develop ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Nikki, that environment made all the difference, turning uncertainty into confidence and creativity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her advice? Don\u2019t wait for the perfect idea&#8230; you just need to take the first step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Interested in developing your own enterprise venture? Visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uwe.ac.uk\/study\/innovation-and-enterprise\/advice-and-business-support\">UWE Innovation and Enterprise<\/a> team to learn about funding opportunities, mentoring support, and awards available to current students and recent graduates.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After nearly a decade working on documentary productions in New York City, Nikki Dodd brought her passions for filmmaking and environmental advocacy together through the MA Wildlife Filmmaking programme at UWE Bristol, delivered in partnership with the BBC Natural History Unit. Holding strong working experience and a deep commitment to environmental storytelling, Nikki\u2019s time at &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/enterprise-that-fuels-progress-nikki-dodds-creative-journey-at-uwe-bristol\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Enterprise that fuels progress: Nikki Dodd\u2019s creative journey at UWE Bristol&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":7671,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":92,"footnotes":""},"categories":[92],"tags":[29,1500,1407,100,75],"class_list":["post-7646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-enterprise","tag-enterprise","tag-nikki-dodd","tag-rise","tag-university-enterprise-zone","tag-uwe-bristol"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/78"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7646"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7675,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7646\/revisions\/7675"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7671"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}