youtube-video-thumbnail

Art House Extra | Wildlife Filmmaker Andrew Wegst

Art House Extra

September 4, 2020  |  John G. McGrath  |  1 min read

It’s a wild, wild life for filmmaker Andrew Wegst.

Wegst moved from Kansas City to San Francisco as a young man and latched on as a filmmaker with WildAid, a conservation group that focuses on reducing consumer demand for wildlife products. He’s been making films about wildlife ever since.

“Honest to God, I had no idea I would be doing celebrity-hosted wildlife films for 20 years,” Wegst laughs.

He’s done everything from short public service announcements to award-winning full-length documentaries, such as “Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air,” which aired on PBS a few years ago. His latest project took him to China to film sea turtles. “Between the Sea and Shore” is now streaming on YouKu, the Chinese version of Netflix, and has been viewed more than 30 million times.

The secret to his success: Patience.

“It’s a great job if you like sitting alone in silence,” Wegst says.

To see more of his work, watch the attached video.

Reading these stories is free, but telling them is not. Start your monthly gift now to support Flatland’s community-focused reporting.

Nick’s Picks | Messi, Jail, Buses, and More …

June 1, 2026

World Cup Team(s) Arrive It’s starting to feel real. The first World Cup team has landed in Kansas City. Defending champions Argentina touched down at KCI airport on Sunday and will begin practicing today at Sporting KC’s training facility in Wyandotte County. Much of the attention, of course, is focused on Lionel Messi. The soccer…

Related Stories

A view of the Crossroads and the downtown skyline from a nearby office.

Art House | The Hard Work Behind Hearty Laughter

Kansas City filmmakers Lolo Loren and Patrick Poe discuss how to provoke laughter in comedies such as "Almost, Sorta, Maybe" and "Vegan Apocalypse."

Read More >
A scene from "Nelly Don: The Musical Movie."

Art House | ‘Nelly Don’ Sparks a Fashion Revolution

"Nelly Don: The Musical Movie" tells the story of dressmaker Nell Quinlan Donnelly Reed, one of the great female entrepreneurs in Kansas City history.

Read More >
Jim Kane, right, films with Amy Walker "The Spirit Gardener" for an episode of "The Food Principle" on PBS.

PBS Docuseries Puts KC Creator at the Intersection of Food and ‘Transformational Travel’

Kansas City-based food travel producer Jim Kane explores big issues such as climate change, biodiversity, health and social justice on "The Food Principle."

Read More >