Exposing the Trade Secret: A Conservation Paradox

Exposing the Trade Secret: A Conservation Paradox brings director Abraham Joffe and investigative journalist Adam Cruise into conversation after the screening of Trade Secret. From the first minutes, the discussion digs into investigative wildlife filmmaking and its impact on modern conservation. Crucially, it shows how the film was built under pressure. In doing so, it maps the path from field reporting to final cut, where journalism and cinematic craft collide.

Joffe and Cruise walk through moments when the investigation tightened and the stakes rose. Along the way, they unpack the choices that shaped the narrative in the edit. At the same time, they explain how they verified claims, handled access, and protected sources. Then the panel turns to the ethical fault lines that open when a camera enters fragile ecosystems and contested industries. Ultimately, one question drives the room: what happens when the truth threatens the story, or the story threatens the work.

As the conversation unfolds, the panel follows a trail that starts with conservation messaging and leads into uncomfortable territory. In particular, power, profit and influence come into focus, and the discussion tests how each can bend outcomes. Because of that, the speakers examine what filmmakers owe their subjects, their audiences and the facts. Finally, the panel lands on responsibility, risk and consequence, with lessons for anyone making impact driven work.

What you will take away:
• First, how to translate investigative reporting into documentary storytelling without losing rigour
• Next, practical approaches to ethics, consent and accountability in wildlife and conservation films
• Finally, ways to balance narrative drive with verification, context and truth

Who this is for:
• Documentary filmmakers working in conservation, investigative, or impact led projects
• Journalists developing long form visual storytelling and on screen investigations
• Producers, editors and students who want to sharpen ethical judgement under pressure