About Explore Get Involved Technical Questions

About Explore

What is explore?

explore is a multimedia organization that uses the visual arts — film, photography, and music — to capture the great work being done by leaders who have devoted their lives to extraordinary causes.

What is the purpose of explore?

The purpose of explore is to champion the selfless acts of others, to create a portal into the soul of humanity, and to inspire lifelong learning. Read explore's mission.

What does the explore team do?

Led by Charles Annenberg Weingarten, the explore team ventures to places in the world that are rarely seen and tries to understand the issues, particularly those with both local impact and global relevance.

These fact-finding missions serve two purposes: to identify potential grant recipients for the Annenberg Foundation, and to find the real, personal stories of those engaged in acts of selfless giving.

Above all, the team begins each journey with an open mind and open heart, ready to listen to the problems that plague a region and to document the story as it unfolds. The team does not begin with a point to prove, and there is no manipulation of footage or dialogue. Everything you see, therefore, is 100% authentic. There are no "second takes" in explore films.

The media (films, photography, and interviews) gathered from these trips is then organized, catalogued, and shared with others, so that everyone has the opportunity to meet the incredible people and to learn more about distant cultures and places.

Who watches explore films?

explore is for everyone. Kids. Parents. People who might be bored with their daily routine, andlonging to travel to far-off places. Their co-workers, who perhaps have just returned — but want to learn more. The hordes of young, enthusiastic college students unleashed each year upon the world, seeking to make a difference through non-profit work. Their peers who are already doing so. You.

Why should I watch an explore film?

explore films bring to life the colorful faces, places, and experiences that you may dream of experiencing firsthand. You'll get to travel without leaving your chair, learn without setting foot in a classroom, and communicate with the courageous leaders — and others just like you — without picking up a telephone.

And most importantly, an explore film is not a final destination: it is a jumping-off point. Each video or image is an introduction to a place or issue you may not have otherwise discovered. By using explore's Related Content links, and reading more about each organization through our interviews, you can dig as deep as you'd like into each new subject. (You might even become an expert!)

Never stop learning™…

Who is this Charlie character I see in the films?

Charles Annenberg Weingarten, or Charlie, is the founder of explore, and very much its heart and soul, and his innate curiosity and interest in both people and global issues is its driving force.

You will see Charlie in many of the explore films because he is the leader of the team on the fact-finding missions, and he acts as the host, or interviewer, of the leaders highlighted in our films. Charlie is also the narrator of our films.

In some ways, Charlie's lifelong journey for knowledge is everyone's journey. With each question he asks, with each moment he shares, he opens up viewers to new ideas and experiences.

How do I apply for a grant?

While we do not accept applications for grants, we are always interested in learning about organizations that are doing great work. Please email more@explore.org if you work for or know of an organization that we should know about. If the organization fits in with an upcoming fact-finding mission, we may set up a meeting with them.

I am a teacher. Can I use explore films in my classroom?

Absolutely. Our video library is a collection of educational "pearls" that are well suited to supplement many types of lesson plans, from presentations on multiculturalism to interactive classes on environmental and wildlife preservation.

Films range in length from minute-long segments to longer documentary pieces on a particular region (e.g., China, India, the Arctic).

The explore team is currently developing a set of academic curricula that incorporates some of our content. Please contact us for access to this educational material.

Get Involved

Can I make a donation?

explore, as part of a private family foundation, does not accept donations directly. But we do encourage you to make donations directly to any of the non-profit organizations featured in our films. In the meantime, if you simply follow the link we provide to the organization's website, there are often instructions on how to make a direct donation, along with other information on how to get involved.

I heard that the explore team is going to be in my area on a fact-finding mission and I'd like to share my knowledge. How can I be in touch?

Please contact us at research@explore.org.

Can I see explore on the big screen?

Yes! explore films are available for theatrical viewing. Many of our short documentaries are screened at popular U.S. film festivals, such as the Maui Film Festival and Jackson Hole Film Festival.

explore may be coming to a festival near you, so check our headlines for announcements.

How can I volunteer for one of these organizations?

If you follow the link to the organization's website, you will usually find a section in which they explain how to volunteer your time and energy to their organization. If the organization does not have a website, or a very limited one, email us at more@explore.org and we'll see if we can help point you in the right direction.

How can I contribute to your efforts?

There are three things you can do to contribute to explore.

1. JUST DIVE IN. Pick a cause or place, like "Animals," "Environment," or "China." Watch one film. If you like it, watch another. Or, view one photo gallery, read one interview, or check out related research, and start clicking on links that you think might be interesting. Again, just see where your interest takes you.
2. PARTICIPATE. Share your thoughts on what you've learned with a comment on the film or photograph, and respond to what others are saying.
3. SPREAD THE WORD. Post your favorite explore video on your website or blog, and share links on Facebook, MySpace, and other social networking sites. Find a cool photo? Email it to a friend or family member. There are so many ways that you can share what you've found on explore.

Is explore hiring?

explore is always on the lookout for fresh faces to add to our team. Please see Jobs.

How can I get updates on new explore releases?

explore has RSS feeds, where you can subscribe to the latest films, photography and news. You can follow explore on Twitter, and you can also visit our Facebook page.

If you'd like to get weekly notifications of our featured films and photo galleries, sign up for our newsletter.

Technical Questions

Can I use your photography?

explore has more than 30,000 photographs in its digital archive of photography — and you are free to use any of them, as long as it is not for commercial purposes. Common uses of explore photos are school or educational projects, fundraising (for non-profits), and personal use (e.g., desktop wallpaper, printed posters).

We do ask that you leave our explore.org watermark intact.

Do you send DVDs? Whom should I contact about getting a hard copy of an explore film?

explore does send out DVDs to non-profit organizations that would like to use our films to spread awareness of their causes, and also to teachers for classroom viewing.

You can request a hard copy of a film or films using the contact form on the website. Please include your name, title, and organization, and don't forget to specify which selections you would like to receive.