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Elena Jean is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, writer and creator

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Pen to paper,

paper to screen

I'm a passionate filmmaker, writer, creator and explorer. From remote locations to the edit – immersed in wild worlds with diverse characters – I live to inspire an enduring sense of wonder and curiousity.

COMING SOON

Here it is: My Top 3 Ways To Limit Your Screen Use 📺

Idunno about you but I’m so over this short-form content and screen addiction culture we’ve normalized. I want to start talking about this, and other ideas to improve our wellness and reduce overconsumption. Instead, let’s find ways to go deeper, live more alive, and fuel our creativity and curiousity! 🔥

Also: Longer form content for the win 🏆 Hope you find this video insightful!

And yes, not an ad, just love their product, check out @withopal 📵

#staycurious #screentime #phoneaddiction

Here it is: My Top 3 Ways To Limit Your Screen Use 📺

Idunno about you but I’m so over this short-form content and screen addiction culture we’ve normalized. I want to start talking about this, and other ideas to improve our wellness and reduce overconsumption. Instead, let’s find ways to go deeper, live more alive, and fuel our creativity and curiousity! 🔥

Also: Longer form content for the win 🏆 Hope you find this video insightful!

And yes, not an ad, just love their product, check out @withopal 📵

#staycurious #screentime #phoneaddiction

Coming to screen near you 📲💻 My top 3 ways to limit your screen use 📵

I’ll post the full video tomorrow, so stay tuned 🗓️

This is a follow up to my last video and something I’ve wanted to talk about for long time!

#staycurious #screentime

Coming to screen near you 📲💻 My top 3 ways to limit your screen use 📵

I’ll post the full video tomorrow, so stay tuned 🗓️

This is a follow up to my last video and something I’ve wanted to talk about for long time!

#staycurious #screentime

This is Irwin 🐈‍⬛ 🤶 ❤️  He’s been with me for about two months and he’s growing fast! 🙀

I’d never planned to get a cat, or any pets for that matter, until I was “properly settled”. That is… Until one day I picked him up for $35 off a sidewalk from some random lady in Vancouver 🫢  He was (is) a handful. And, honestly, I was ashamed to think I’d made a big (little) hairy mistake… Not to mention he likes to bite my face 👹  Then the dust settled. Things got easier between us. And I realized that there were actually some compelling reasons for keeping him around (besides him being unfairly cute).

What I’ve always hoped for is a home to work and live that felt safe, but also *alive and meaningful*. A place I can focus, but also not get too in my head. Mess, character, creatures, curiousity, love, nonsense — it’s all good for us. These are the perfectly imperfect characteristics of what makes a “good home” in my books 📚

Irwin’s a wonderful, evolving character I get to connect with every day. He’s energetic, hectic, needs a lot of attention… But, he’s also been a great friend and teacher. I love watching him develop his spots, his eyes shifting from blue to green. I love watching him explore — from being only just vaguely aware of his surroundings, to trying to literally climb up the walls 😂
 Irwin was named after Steve Irwin, of course. A reminder to embrace the adventure that life is. To live a life true to one’s values. And, trust that everything is figure-outable with enough chutzpah ;)

Happy holidays and New Year everyone, from my little family, Steve, Irwin and I ❤️ xx🐾

This is Irwin 🐈‍⬛ 🤶 ❤️  He’s been with me for about two months and he’s growing fast! 🙀

I’d never planned to get a cat, or any pets for that matter, until I was “properly settled”. That is… Until one day I picked him up for $35 off a sidewalk from some random lady in Vancouver 🫢  He was (is) a handful. And, honestly, I was ashamed to think I’d made a big (little) hairy mistake… Not to mention he likes to bite my face 👹  Then the dust settled. Things got easier between us. And I realized that there were actually some compelling reasons for keeping him around (besides him being unfairly cute).

What I’ve always hoped for is a home to work and live that felt safe, but also *alive and meaningful*. A place I can focus, but also not get too in my head. Mess, character, creatures, curiousity, love, nonsense — it’s all good for us. These are the perfectly imperfect characteristics of what makes a “good home” in my books 📚

Irwin’s a wonderful, evolving character I get to connect with every day. He’s energetic, hectic, needs a lot of attention… But, he’s also been a great friend and teacher. I love watching him develop his spots, his eyes shifting from blue to green. I love watching him explore — from being only just vaguely aware of his surroundings, to trying to literally climb up the walls 😂
 Irwin was named after Steve Irwin, of course. A reminder to embrace the adventure that life is. To live a life true to one’s values. And, trust that everything is figure-outable with enough chutzpah ;)

Happy holidays and New Year everyone, from my little family, Steve, Irwin and I ❤️ xx🐾

A POV behind the scenes from the film I’m currently deep in post production on, about “slow travel” in Nepal and beyond 🌎

Despite how insanely beautiful and awesome this journey was, I didn’t share much of the production period because I got quite sick while shooting (which continued for a few months afterwards, as I proceeded to also get lice and then a really nasty bout of Covid 😂). It was an absolute grind of a shoot for me personally. It’s tough to be a one-woman camera crew when you can barely hold a the camera up some days 😂 But, we made it through! And, I’m sifting through some stunning visuals right now 🎞️✂️ Nepal is breathtaking — I’d love to go back one day ❤️ I’d also love to go back and shoot more, it truly is a cinematic playground!

Looking forward to delivering this one for the @rolwalinglegacyproject in 2025 ✨🏔️

#documentary #filmmaker #wilddocs #staycurious

A POV behind the scenes from the film I’m currently deep in post production on, about “slow travel” in Nepal and beyond 🌎

Despite how insanely beautiful and awesome this journey was, I didn’t share much of the production period because I got quite sick while shooting (which continued for a few months afterwards, as I proceeded to also get lice and then a really nasty bout of Covid 😂). It was an absolute grind of a shoot for me personally. It’s tough to be a one-woman camera crew when you can barely hold a the camera up some days 😂 But, we made it through! And, I’m sifting through some stunning visuals right now 🎞️✂️ Nepal is breathtaking — I’d love to go back one day ❤️ I’d also love to go back and shoot more, it truly is a cinematic playground!

Looking forward to delivering this one for the @rolwalinglegacyproject in 2025 ✨🏔️

#documentary #filmmaker #wilddocs #staycurious

Thank 🧀s for easy rigs 🎥 I’ll shoot all day I’ll shoot all night up down round the town in this lil getup!

Lovely week of shooting in my fave place… before going deep into an edit grind this festive season 🫠🎞️✂️

🎥 for @tourismtofino @destinationthink

Thanks @steve.hendo for the fab BTS picys ❤️

Thank 🧀s for easy rigs 🎥 I’ll shoot all day I’ll shoot all night up down round the town in this lil getup!

Lovely week of shooting in my fave place… before going deep into an edit grind this festive season 🫠🎞️✂️

🎥 for @tourismtofino @destinationthink

Thanks @steve.hendo for the fab BTS picys ❤️

Life the last bunch of months… ✨

1 — Got the @gooverlandcanada rooftop tent up and running! It’s maiden voyage to the Sunshine Coast and waking up to some epic views was 🙏 I’m excited to try it out in colder weather too with winter insulation installed 🥶😁

2 — View out the window in our new place in Squamish. Settling into coastal mountain town life 🙂🌧️⛰️

3&4 — After a trip to Washington DC, I popped over to my parents place in Ontario and spent some time shooting there. This was a really special experience for me. It somehow felt like spring 🐝 despite the leaves starting to turn 🍂

5&6 — Motorcycling the country roads with my Dad and hanging with the new puppy.

7&8 — New board who dis?! Bought an actually new board for once (not some random dinged up one I found on marketplace 😆)! Very stoked to have a LibTech (one of the first boards I surfed on when I was learning to surf!).

9-11 — @steve.hendo and I ❤️ Getting up to some trouble 😈

12&13 — Started trail running, got myself a running coach, annnd may have signed up for my first ultra race, oops! Hopefully I’m not insane 🤪 Really though, I need to run or I start to go insane so it’s kinda the other way around ;)

14 — Did someone say easy rig? Oh yes, very excited to have this in the arsenal (my arms are for sure 😆)

15&16 — Halloween is my favourite holiday obviously. This year, I botched some prosthetic brows in a rushed attempt to turn Steve and I into cave people 😂🧌

17 — I may or may not have gotten a kitten… Can’t wait to introduce him to the world soon! 😌

On a more personal note, if you’ve gotten this far, these are my highlights ✨Lately, I’ve been feeling very detached from social media because it’s often sooo unrealistic. What I didn’t share, and largely why I’ve been so quiet this year, is that I’ve been dealing with some serious downs along with the highlights. Looking back on these pics & vids I was reminded of all the amazing moments that happened when I tried a little bit harder to “get out there, and get after it” despite the lows. Grateful for be here ❤️🌎 Excited for what’s to come! We’re back baby! 🎉

Onwards 🗺️🧭!

Life the last bunch of months… ✨

1 — Got the @gooverlandcanada rooftop tent up and running! It’s maiden voyage to the Sunshine Coast and waking up to some epic views was 🙏 I’m excited to try it out in colder weather too with winter insulation installed 🥶😁

2 — View out the window in our new place in Squamish. Settling into coastal mountain town life 🙂🌧️⛰️

3&4 — After a trip to Washington DC, I popped over to my parents place in Ontario and spent some time shooting there. This was a really special experience for me. It somehow felt like spring 🐝 despite the leaves starting to turn 🍂

5&6 — Motorcycling the country roads with my Dad and hanging with the new puppy.

7&8 — New board who dis?! Bought an actually new board for once (not some random dinged up one I found on marketplace 😆)! Very stoked to have a LibTech (one of the first boards I surfed on when I was learning to surf!).

9-11 — @steve.hendo and I ❤️ Getting up to some trouble 😈

12&13 — Started trail running, got myself a running coach, annnd may have signed up for my first ultra race, oops! Hopefully I’m not insane 🤪 Really though, I need to run or I start to go insane so it’s kinda the other way around ;)

14 — Did someone say easy rig? Oh yes, very excited to have this in the arsenal (my arms are for sure 😆)

15&16 — Halloween is my favourite holiday obviously. This year, I botched some prosthetic brows in a rushed attempt to turn Steve and I into cave people 😂🧌

17 — I may or may not have gotten a kitten… Can’t wait to introduce him to the world soon! 😌

On a more personal note, if you’ve gotten this far, these are my highlights ✨Lately, I’ve been feeling very detached from social media because it’s often sooo unrealistic. What I didn’t share, and largely why I’ve been so quiet this year, is that I’ve been dealing with some serious downs along with the highlights. Looking back on these pics & vids I was reminded of all the amazing moments that happened when I tried a little bit harder to “get out there, and get after it” despite the lows. Grateful for be here ❤️🌎 Excited for what’s to come! We’re back baby! 🎉

Onwards 🗺️🧭!

My first time climbing an old growth tree was a profound (and exhausting, lol) experience! Getting the aerial shots first I then tried to rush up the tree before dark 😂 But, wow, truly I’ve never felt more connected to a tree than being that close and tactile to one. We HAVE to protect these last standing beauties 🌲

🌲🚨 It’s the last chance today to send in your public comment to help protect old growth in American forests at ➡️ www.protectourforests.org ⬅️

An amazing day and evening in the canopy I’ll never forget with @treeclimbingatsilverfalls, @alex.haraus @aidan.kranz @vwingell_ and @helenaluvv

Follow along for updates on this 🌲 story on @alex.haraus’s account!

Thank you @aidan.kranz for these shots, you’re awesome dude!

#oldgrowth #forest #documentary #filmmaker #exploremore #staycurious

My first time climbing an old growth tree was a profound (and exhausting, lol) experience! Getting the aerial shots first I then tried to rush up the tree before dark 😂 But, wow, truly I’ve never felt more connected to a tree than being that close and tactile to one. We HAVE to protect these last standing beauties 🌲

🌲🚨 It’s the last chance today to send in your public comment to help protect old growth in American forests at ➡️ www.protectourforests.org ⬅️

An amazing day and evening in the canopy I’ll never forget with @treeclimbingatsilverfalls, @alex.haraus @aidan.kranz @vwingell_ and @helenaluvv

Follow along for updates on this 🌲 story on @alex.haraus’s account!

Thank you @aidan.kranz for these shots, you’re awesome dude!

#oldgrowth #forest #documentary #filmmaker #exploremore #staycurious

Did you know trees (especially old and mature growth) play an integral role in capturing and filtering our drinking water? 🌲💧 It’s amazing to visualize it. We shot it happening, in real time, while exploring the beautiful Flat Country old growth forest in Oregon last spring.

This forest was protected only because of years of hard work by forest advocates and activists like @clegue @vwingell_ and countless others.

If you’d like to help protect your drinking water 💧 and old growth forests, go to ➡️ protectourforests.org ⬅️ a very important public comment period closes tomorrow!! 😮 Join over 240K letters to the US Forest Service @u.s.forestservice and counting! 🌲

A beautiful day with friends in the woods :) Hopefully to many more!

Voiceover @clegue
Direction @alex.haraus
🎥 me & @aidan.kranz; edit 🤚
Sound @mad_barrowksy
Excerpt from Crown Jewels

Did you know trees (especially old and mature growth) play an integral role in capturing and filtering our drinking water? 🌲💧 It’s amazing to visualize it. We shot it happening, in real time, while exploring the beautiful Flat Country old growth forest in Oregon last spring.

This forest was protected only because of years of hard work by forest advocates and activists like @clegue @vwingell_ and countless others.

If you’d like to help protect your drinking water 💧 and old growth forests, go to ➡️ protectourforests.org ⬅️ a very important public comment period closes tomorrow!! 😮 Join over 240K letters to the US Forest Service @u.s.forestservice and counting! 🌲

A beautiful day with friends in the woods :) Hopefully to many more!

Voiceover @clegue
Direction @alex.haraus
🎥 me & @aidan.kranz; edit 🤚
Sound @mad_barrowksy
Excerpt from Crown Jewels

I’ve spent a lot of time walking around condemned forests the last few years — amongst cut blocks and fields of stumps — where the branches crunch under your feet and it smells of sap and needles. Sometimes, like this particular forest, it’s a real mess.

I’m not against cutting trees, but I don’t believe in cutting all the old and mature growth trees for immediate $ gain. It’s hard to believe it still happens but, oh yes, it’s constantly happening in North America.

In 2023/4, @alex.haraus had me on to shoot and work on a project to help protect America’s oldest and biggest trees. There’s a unique opportunity, unprecedented really, happening right now to protect old growth forests in the USA. The US Forest Service asked the public if we want them to end commercial logging in mature & old growth forests on federal land. Yes, they’re considering putting a full stop on it!

Public weigh in is only open until Friday at midnight (EST)! No matter where you live, you can write in a public comment.

Over 215,000 letters have been sent and counting. It’s been awesome to be a part of this truly impactful and massive campaign! I love to see it!

➡️ protectourforests.org ✍️

This clip is from Wisconsin where we shot a segment of the film last winter, featuring Andy Olsen (a forest policy expert).

North America’s old growth trees act as massive carbon sinks… Need I say more?! Go write your letter. Link in bio.

I’ve spent a lot of time walking around condemned forests the last few years — amongst cut blocks and fields of stumps — where the branches crunch under your feet and it smells of sap and needles. Sometimes, like this particular forest, it’s a real mess.

I’m not against cutting trees, but I don’t believe in cutting all the old and mature growth trees for immediate $ gain. It’s hard to believe it still happens but, oh yes, it’s constantly happening in North America.

In 2023/4, @alex.haraus had me on to shoot and work on a project to help protect America’s oldest and biggest trees. There’s a unique opportunity, unprecedented really, happening right now to protect old growth forests in the USA. The US Forest Service asked the public if we want them to end commercial logging in mature & old growth forests on federal land. Yes, they’re considering putting a full stop on it!

Public weigh in is only open until Friday at midnight (EST)! No matter where you live, you can write in a public comment.

Over 215,000 letters have been sent and counting. It’s been awesome to be a part of this truly impactful and massive campaign! I love to see it!

➡️ protectourforests.org ✍️

This clip is from Wisconsin where we shot a segment of the film last winter, featuring Andy Olsen (a forest policy expert).

North America’s old growth trees act as massive carbon sinks… Need I say more?! Go write your letter. Link in bio.

400 Million years ago, flying insects evolved.
Flowers, which we think of as going hand-in-hand with flying insects, didn’t evolve until 275 Million years later. With the dawn of flowers, some species of moths evolved into flower-loving, daytime creatures: Butterflies. These butterflies developed fascinating, long tendril-like snouts that are actually their tongues (called proboscis) used to siphon sweet nectar from flowers. This shift meant these insects shed their earth tones in favor of bright, beautiful colours, often to attract mates or warn predators that they’re poisonous.

Walking around Washington D.C. the last few days, this was my favourite sight-seeing moment 🦋 Life is so incredibly beautiful, simultaneously delicate and enduring.

Butterflies have been a recent fascination of mine, both real and symbolic. What do butterflies mean to you?

Just shot on my iPhone 11 :)

#butterflies #naturalhistory #staycurious

400 Million years ago, flying insects evolved.
Flowers, which we think of as going hand-in-hand with flying insects, didn’t evolve until 275 Million years later. With the dawn of flowers, some species of moths evolved into flower-loving, daytime creatures: Butterflies. These butterflies developed fascinating, long tendril-like snouts that are actually their tongues (called proboscis) used to siphon sweet nectar from flowers. This shift meant these insects shed their earth tones in favor of bright, beautiful colours, often to attract mates or warn predators that they’re poisonous.

Walking around Washington D.C. the last few days, this was my favourite sight-seeing moment 🦋 Life is so incredibly beautiful, simultaneously delicate and enduring.

Butterflies have been a recent fascination of mine, both real and symbolic. What do butterflies mean to you?

Just shot on my iPhone 11 :)

#butterflies #naturalhistory #staycurious

Running towards some new adventures 🏃🏼‍♀️💨

Super stoked to have just partnered with @gooverlandcanada, specializing in overland adventure and rooftop tents! A rooftop tent will change the game for my doc work and upcoming projects. Can’t wait to do more surf trips and spend more nights under the stars ✨

See you outside :)

Running towards some new adventures 🏃🏼‍♀️💨

Super stoked to have just partnered with @gooverlandcanada, specializing in overland adventure and rooftop tents! A rooftop tent will change the game for my doc work and upcoming projects. Can’t wait to do more surf trips and spend more nights under the stars ✨

See you outside :)

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