Naveendran Jayabalan, known as Naveen Jay, is a Kuala Lumpur–based documentary cinematographer and editor with over nine years of experience in factual and documentary filmmaking. His work is driven by a strong interest in the relationship between people and the natural world, with a particular focus on conservation and environmental issues.

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Naveen’s experience ranges from filming wildlife behaviour in Malaysia’s dense rainforests using camera traps and long-lens cinematography, to fly-on-the-wall filming alongside researchers and scientists in the field. He has also documented large-scale infrastructure projects, from skyscrapers shaping Kuala Lumpur’s skyline to underground railway tunnels.

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He has worked across broadcast and digital platforms, with cinematography and editing credits for National Geographic, Apple TV, ARTE, and ASTRO. Naveen has also collaborated with leading conservation organisations, including WWF Malaysia, RIMAU (a Malayan tiger conservation NGO), and Malaysia’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), creating purpose-driven films that raise awareness of urgent environmental and wildlife issues.

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In 2024, Naveen received a full scholarship from the BBC and was the only filmmaker from Southeast Asia selected for the Master’s in Wildlife Filmmaking at UWE Bristol through the BBC’s Project Songbird initiative. During the programme, he was mentored by the BBC Natural History Unit, gaining hands-on experience and training in industry-standard wildlife filmmaking practices.