Summary
Neela Eyunni is a filmmaker, conservationist and news journalist. She is the producer, writer and presenter of the award-winning documentary “On the Brink: Uncharted Waters.” Neela has partnered with various nonprofit organizations in the Philippines to promote sustainable tourism practices and the preservation of marine biodiversity in the country. She has spoken about shark conservation and responsible ecotourism at various institutions, including Harvard University and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Neela was awarded the Conservation Award by the 2016 San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival and the Grand Jury Activist Award by the 2016 Awareness Film Festival in LA. Her production company, Roja Earth Productions, is dedicated to creating documentary films with a message about conservation.
This award-winning journalist also has extensive news media experience, having worked in print, online and broadcast journalism for the past 12 years. Neela possesses an in-depth knowledge of Asia. She anchored the flagship program “Asia Today” on China Central Television for several years and wrote for publications including FORTUNE China. Prior to working in China, Neela covered politics and law in the U.S., receiving a Colorado Press Public Service Award.
Professional Experience
Director of Communications, The Prusten Project (Present)
Dallas, Texas (Part-time Remote Contractor)
Responsibilities include the following: Develop and implement strategic communication strategies that reflects the project's mission. Pitch and create press releases and media alerts. Serve as a media liaison; Create content for The Prusten Project's multiple social media platforms and website. Monitor and review social media analytics. Drive social media and website growth and engagement.
Founder, Roja Earth Productions (Ongoing)
Philippines and U.S.
Created Roja Earth Productions (“REP”), a production company dedicated to producing documentary films with a message about conservation, including On the Brink: Uncharted Waters. REP is prompting new national legislation to regulate the marine ecotourism industry in the Philippines by exposing the negative impacts that provisioning (in Oslob, Cebu) is having on whale sharks. Working with our official partner Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines to standardize marine wildlife interaction guidelines in the Philippines.
Promoting greater awareness and conservation of the Verde Island Passage in the Philippines with our official partner the SEA-VIP Institute. This includes cooperating to put on conservation events in the Philippines and the U.S. and supporting educational outreach programs.
Filmmaker, On the Brink: Uncharted Waters
March 2015 - January 2016
Philippines and U.S.
Currently in change of marketing and distribution of the documentary, which includes creating and managing the film’s website and social media sites, speaking publicly at film festivals and educational institutes, drafting legal documents for co-productions, writing articles, and pitching to various media outlets.
Produced, wrote and narrated the award-winning documentary film On the Brink: Uncharted Waters, which won the Conservation Award at the 2016 San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival, was part of the Philippine’s Shark Conservation Summit 2016 and will air on National Geographic Philippines on January 31st.
Conducted extensive shark research, interviewed marine biologists as well as local government officials, and worked closely with leading conservation NGOs.
Edited sections of the film and created the 30-second trailer. Led a post-production team and oversaw all aspects of post-production, from shot selections to color grading and music scoring.
News Anchor, CCTV News
August 2013 – December 2015
Beijing, China
Anchor of the flagship program Asia Today.
Responsibilities include planning, creating content and producing daily segments for the show. Role also includes in-studio interviews with high-level experts in government and industry as well as live hits with news correspondents around the world.
News Editor/Reporter, CCTV News
2012 – 2015
Beijing, China
The first foreign reporter in the CCTV News' Reporting Team. Responsibilities include writing and editing news packages, reporting live and hosting programs. Projects include special reports for CCTV News and CCTV America’s in-depth series.
Successfully anchored the 5-hour live news coverage of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, the most watched program in the world with more than 700 million viewers worldwide.
Related tasks include conducting interviews in both Chinese and English, pitching story ideas and researching news topics.
Freelance Journalist, FORTUNE China and Global Times
2012 – 2012
Beijing, China
Pitched topics and wrote in-depth stories for major publications including FORTUNE China and Global Times.
Producer/Host, Blue Ocean Network
2010 – 2012
Beijing, China
Worked in news, editing and production. Wrote and edited in-depth news stories for the program Beyond the Headlines. Served as a temporary host for the programs Media Watch and Biz Wire. Created the show format for China Price Watch. Wrote, hosted and produced the daily show China Price Watch. Related tasks included generating topics for the show, conducting interviews, carrying out research, creating titles and managing a team of production assistants and interns.
Reporter, Law Week/State Bill Colorado
August 2008 – August 2009
Denver, Colorado
Wrote stories for both print and online publications. Covered district trials and conducted in-depth research on legal trends. Reported on legislation in the Colorado House of Representatives and received a Colorado Press Association public service award for one of my packages.
Reporter, Fresh Magazine, Circuit Media
2008 – 2009
Denver, Colorado
Conducted interviews, wrote articles and pitched story ideas for a women’s magazine focusing on overall wellness. Wrote material for the magazine’s website including a weekly dating blog.
News Intern, The Aurora Sentinel
December 2007 – May 2008
Aurora, Colorado
Pitched story ideas, conducted research and interviews, and wrote feature news stories.
Education
University of Denver
BA, journalism
Denver, Colorado
Beijing Foreign Studies University
Chinese Language and Literature
Fall 2006
Beijing China
Volunteer Experience
Appointed Board Member, Social Media and Marketing Coordinator, St. Croix Animal Friends
Advocate for China Breast Cancer Awareness Month, sponsored by Trends Health Magazine
Honors & Awards
Grand Jury Activist Award - Awareness Film Festival (2016)
Select Panelist - One World: Our Earth's Fate Captured Panel, Awareness Film Festival (2016)
Speaker - Conservation and Ecotourism in the Philippines, Harvard University (2016)
Conservation Award - San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival (2016)
Select Panelist, Ocean Conservation Through Media SFIOFF (2016)
Colorado Press Association Public Service Award (2010)
Cherrington Global Scholar (2006)
Hornbeck Scholar (2004-2008)
Provost’s Academic Scholarship (2004)
Publications
Children's Book: "Cee Cee's World Adventures: Beijing Bound" (published 2014)
Neela Eyunni is a filmmaker, conservationist and news journalist. She is the producer, writer and presenter of the award-winning documentary “On the Brink: Uncharted Waters.” Neela has partnered with various nonprofit organizations in the Philippines to promote sustainable tourism practices and the preservation of marine biodiversity in the country. She has spoken about shark conservation and responsible ecotourism at various institutions, including Harvard University and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Neela was awarded the Conservation Award by the 2016 San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival and the Grand Jury Activist Award by the 2016 Awareness Film Festival in LA. Her production company, Roja Earth Productions, is dedicated to creating documentary films with a message about conservation.
This award-winning journalist also has extensive news media experience, having worked in print, online and broadcast journalism for the past 12 years. Neela possesses an in-depth knowledge of Asia. She anchored the flagship program “Asia Today” on China Central Television for several years and wrote for publications including FORTUNE China. Prior to working in China, Neela covered politics and law in the U.S., receiving a Colorado Press Public Service Award.
Professional Experience
Director of Communications, The Prusten Project (Present)
Dallas, Texas (Part-time Remote Contractor)
Responsibilities include the following: Develop and implement strategic communication strategies that reflects the project's mission. Pitch and create press releases and media alerts. Serve as a media liaison; Create content for The Prusten Project's multiple social media platforms and website. Monitor and review social media analytics. Drive social media and website growth and engagement.
Founder, Roja Earth Productions (Ongoing)
Philippines and U.S.
Created Roja Earth Productions (“REP”), a production company dedicated to producing documentary films with a message about conservation, including On the Brink: Uncharted Waters. REP is prompting new national legislation to regulate the marine ecotourism industry in the Philippines by exposing the negative impacts that provisioning (in Oslob, Cebu) is having on whale sharks. Working with our official partner Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines to standardize marine wildlife interaction guidelines in the Philippines.
Promoting greater awareness and conservation of the Verde Island Passage in the Philippines with our official partner the SEA-VIP Institute. This includes cooperating to put on conservation events in the Philippines and the U.S. and supporting educational outreach programs.
Filmmaker, On the Brink: Uncharted Waters
March 2015 - January 2016
Philippines and U.S.
Currently in change of marketing and distribution of the documentary, which includes creating and managing the film’s website and social media sites, speaking publicly at film festivals and educational institutes, drafting legal documents for co-productions, writing articles, and pitching to various media outlets.
Produced, wrote and narrated the award-winning documentary film On the Brink: Uncharted Waters, which won the Conservation Award at the 2016 San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival, was part of the Philippine’s Shark Conservation Summit 2016 and will air on National Geographic Philippines on January 31st.
Conducted extensive shark research, interviewed marine biologists as well as local government officials, and worked closely with leading conservation NGOs.
Edited sections of the film and created the 30-second trailer. Led a post-production team and oversaw all aspects of post-production, from shot selections to color grading and music scoring.
News Anchor, CCTV News
August 2013 – December 2015
Beijing, China
Anchor of the flagship program Asia Today.
Responsibilities include planning, creating content and producing daily segments for the show. Role also includes in-studio interviews with high-level experts in government and industry as well as live hits with news correspondents around the world.
News Editor/Reporter, CCTV News
2012 – 2015
Beijing, China
The first foreign reporter in the CCTV News' Reporting Team. Responsibilities include writing and editing news packages, reporting live and hosting programs. Projects include special reports for CCTV News and CCTV America’s in-depth series.
Successfully anchored the 5-hour live news coverage of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, the most watched program in the world with more than 700 million viewers worldwide.
Related tasks include conducting interviews in both Chinese and English, pitching story ideas and researching news topics.
Freelance Journalist, FORTUNE China and Global Times
2012 – 2012
Beijing, China
Pitched topics and wrote in-depth stories for major publications including FORTUNE China and Global Times.
Producer/Host, Blue Ocean Network
2010 – 2012
Beijing, China
Worked in news, editing and production. Wrote and edited in-depth news stories for the program Beyond the Headlines. Served as a temporary host for the programs Media Watch and Biz Wire. Created the show format for China Price Watch. Wrote, hosted and produced the daily show China Price Watch. Related tasks included generating topics for the show, conducting interviews, carrying out research, creating titles and managing a team of production assistants and interns.
Reporter, Law Week/State Bill Colorado
August 2008 – August 2009
Denver, Colorado
Wrote stories for both print and online publications. Covered district trials and conducted in-depth research on legal trends. Reported on legislation in the Colorado House of Representatives and received a Colorado Press Association public service award for one of my packages.
Reporter, Fresh Magazine, Circuit Media
2008 – 2009
Denver, Colorado
Conducted interviews, wrote articles and pitched story ideas for a women’s magazine focusing on overall wellness. Wrote material for the magazine’s website including a weekly dating blog.
News Intern, The Aurora Sentinel
December 2007 – May 2008
Aurora, Colorado
Pitched story ideas, conducted research and interviews, and wrote feature news stories.
Education
University of Denver
BA, journalism
Denver, Colorado
Beijing Foreign Studies University
Chinese Language and Literature
Fall 2006
Beijing China
Volunteer Experience
Appointed Board Member, Social Media and Marketing Coordinator, St. Croix Animal Friends
Advocate for China Breast Cancer Awareness Month, sponsored by Trends Health Magazine
Honors & Awards
Grand Jury Activist Award - Awareness Film Festival (2016)
Select Panelist - One World: Our Earth's Fate Captured Panel, Awareness Film Festival (2016)
Speaker - Conservation and Ecotourism in the Philippines, Harvard University (2016)
Conservation Award - San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival (2016)
Select Panelist, Ocean Conservation Through Media SFIOFF (2016)
Colorado Press Association Public Service Award (2010)
Cherrington Global Scholar (2006)
Hornbeck Scholar (2004-2008)
Provost’s Academic Scholarship (2004)
Publications
Children's Book: "Cee Cee's World Adventures: Beijing Bound" (published 2014)