NATURAL HISTORY
I may be one of the few producers in Bristol who hasn't studied zoology or marine biology, but I do have a deep interest in the natural world and am regularly called on for my remote expedition experience and camera skills to film in the wild.
For shows including Earth's Natural Wonders (BBC1), Survive the Tribe (Nat Geo), River Monsters (Animal Planet) and Kings of the Wild (Discovery) I have been fortunate enough to film whales, polar bears, seals, lions, elephants, grizzlies, great whites and Greenland sharks, needlefish, saltwater crocs, porcupines and more, in their natural environments.
TV expeditions have also taken me all over the world: the wilds of Mexico; into the Kalahari desert; on to Greenlandic sea-ice; to far flung volcanic islands in the Pacific and the dusty plains of Kenya. All these trips brought me face to face with some of the richest flora and fauna on the planet.
One of the highlights of my career has been to film in Svalbard - not once, but twice. On land and out on the sea-ice, the extraordinary landscape was simply teeming with Arctic wildlife. Coming close to over a dozen polar bears in the wild was something I'll never forget. Two shoots in Borneo - including the Kinabatangan wetlands - and a photographic trip to the Galapagos also blew me away.
My love of landscape and animals has motivated plenty of trips outside of TV too. Recently I spent five weeks walking 300 miles of Cornish coastline - every beach, every cliff (sadly no choughs). I have spent 12 weeks of my life trekking in the Indian and Nepali Himalaya, voyaged to the island of Komodo in search of dragons, been on the trail of the endangered Asiatic lion in Gujarat, searched for dugongs in western Australia and photographed big game across southern Africa. But nothing quite beats those polar bears.
For shows including Earth's Natural Wonders (BBC1), Survive the Tribe (Nat Geo), River Monsters (Animal Planet) and Kings of the Wild (Discovery) I have been fortunate enough to film whales, polar bears, seals, lions, elephants, grizzlies, great whites and Greenland sharks, needlefish, saltwater crocs, porcupines and more, in their natural environments.
TV expeditions have also taken me all over the world: the wilds of Mexico; into the Kalahari desert; on to Greenlandic sea-ice; to far flung volcanic islands in the Pacific and the dusty plains of Kenya. All these trips brought me face to face with some of the richest flora and fauna on the planet.
One of the highlights of my career has been to film in Svalbard - not once, but twice. On land and out on the sea-ice, the extraordinary landscape was simply teeming with Arctic wildlife. Coming close to over a dozen polar bears in the wild was something I'll never forget. Two shoots in Borneo - including the Kinabatangan wetlands - and a photographic trip to the Galapagos also blew me away.
My love of landscape and animals has motivated plenty of trips outside of TV too. Recently I spent five weeks walking 300 miles of Cornish coastline - every beach, every cliff (sadly no choughs). I have spent 12 weeks of my life trekking in the Indian and Nepali Himalaya, voyaged to the island of Komodo in search of dragons, been on the trail of the endangered Asiatic lion in Gujarat, searched for dugongs in western Australia and photographed big game across southern Africa. But nothing quite beats those polar bears.
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CENTRAL AFRICAN FOREST - CONGO
Earth's Natural Wonders (60 mins / BBC1 / BBC Scotland / 2018) Director / 2nd Camera Ep.3 Surviving With Animals. A five day journey by plane, truck and dug-out canoe took us to the heart of the Central African Rainforest where we filmed a hunting story with the semi-nomadic Bayaka or pygmy community. We witnessed how the bayaka live in complete harmony with the forest - cultivating yams, gathering forest fruit, singing and dancing for the spirits of the forest, and hunting sustainably as a community with giant nets. BAFTA Awards 2019: Photography Factual - Nominated RTS Scotland Awards 2019: Documentary and Specialist Factual - Nominated Camera: Danny Etheridge Series Producer: Jobim Sampson Executive Producer: Jane Aldous |
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SECRET BRITAIN: KENT (60 mins / BBC1 / BBC Bristol / 2015)
Producer / Director Seeking hidden gems in the county of Kent, Ellie Harrison visits the Romney marshes where she uncovers a funny story behind the arrival of the marsh or 'laughing' frog in the UK, and makes old-fashioned sweets from the marsh mallow plant; Chris Hollins shreds his hands hop-picking before discovering an 'ornathological Heathrow' in the North Kent Marshes; and Denise Lewis hangs off the white cliffs of Dover in search of a rare and forgotten local delicacy - rock samphire. Camera: Will Edwards / Duncan Fairs / Bala Bailey Series Producer: Hannah Corneck Executive Producer: Bill Lyons |
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SECRET BRITAIN: NORTHERN IRELAND (60 mins / BBC1 / BBC Bristol / 2015)
Producer / Director On the hunt for lesser known nature stories in Northern Ireland, Ellie Harrison investigates a red squirrel release programme on a top secret British army base, before canoeing Strangford Lough in search of swimming hares; Denise Lewis heads off in seach of the secrets of the stunning Mourne Mountains; and Chris Hollins, in Fermanagh, disappears down the country's longest cave system. Camera: Will Edwards / Duncan Fairs / Bala Bailey Series Producer: Hannah Corneck Executive Producer: Bill Lyons |
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GREENLAND SHARK - GREENLAND / NORWAY
River Monsters: Ice Cold Killer (60 mins / Animal Planet / ITV / Icon Films / 2016) Producer / Director After learning of a 10 foot shark being washed up on a Northumberland beach, Jeremy Wade heads to the Natural History museum in London where he identifies it as a Greenland shark. There begins his quest to learn more about this elusive creature, which are believed to live for over 400 years. His first port of call is Uummannaq in Greenland itself, where he joins local fishermen out on the sea-ice. And crossing to the other side of the Atlantic, he teams up with Danish marine scientist, Julius Nielsen, who takes him out off northern Norway to study specimins from more than half a mile down. Other fish encountered include mackerel, halibut, ling, wolffish, coal fish and tusk. Camera: Duncan Fairs / Ross Hamilton Series Producer: Nick White |
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NEEDLEFISH - SULAWESI, INDONESIA
River Monsters: Coral Reef Killer (60 mins / Animal Planet / ITV / Icon Films / 2016) Producer / Director On his hunt for the killer of an unfortunate snorkeller in northern Sulawesi, Jeremy snorkels the coral reef himself, looking for clues. After speaking with local fishermen and divers, he considers the spear like bill of game fish and heads into deeper water to hand-line for marlin. Once he can rule out big game fish, Jeremy considers the barb of the common spotted lagoon ray he stumbles upon. With that dismissed he closes in on the needlefish. After many near misses, on the line and on camera, Jeremy adopts a crudely effective local fishing technique and finally lands his prey. Camera: Rory McGuinness / Ross Hamilton Series Producer: Nick White |
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CLOUD FOREST - CHIAPAS, MEXICO
Kings of the Wild: Cloud Forest (60 mins / Discovery / Betty / 2015) Series Director Two weeks recce and filming in both temperate and tropical cloud forest in Chiapas, southern Mexico. Following a mammoth trek into this ancient ecosystem, up, over and through densely forested valleys where the flora and fauna of northern and southern hemispheres mix, our two presenters stop and make shelter by a stream. Striking out from this base, they then have to fend for themselves. Fresh water crabs initially provide protein, but they go on to catch iguana and wild boar, with locally foraged greens to accompany. Camera: Danny Etheridge Executive Producer: Tom Sheahan |
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TROPICAL JUNGLE - MALAYSIA
Kings of the Wild: Tropical Island (60 mins / Discovery / Betty / 2015) Series Director Two weeks recce and filming in a forest reserve on an uninhabited island two hours off the coast of Borneo. The two presenters from the outset have to contend with dense tropical jungle and sourcing brackish water back to fresh. Once they have secured a source of drinking water, they move on to spear fishing in the surf, catching and boiling hermit crabs, foraging for edible plants, collecting and cooking with coconuts. All the while they share this beautiful habitat with reef sharks, banded sea kraits, hornbills, macaques and monitor lizards. Camera: Danny Etheridge Executive Producer: Tom Sheahan |
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COPPER CANYON - CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO
Kings of the Wild: River Canyon (60 mins / Discovery / Betty / 2015) Series Director Two weeks recce and filming high above, and then deep inside, the Copper Canyon in northern Mexico. After a long trek in, and a treacherous descent, the two presenters hunt squirrels, deer, racoons and turkey - with varying degrees of success - and fish in the canyon. Foraging for edibles doesn't bring much reward beyond pine needle tea and acorn coffee. Sleeping under the stars, they regularly check their belongings for snakes and scorpions. Camera: Danny Etheridge Executive Producer: Tom Sheahan |
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MANGROVE SWAMP - KINABATANGAN, BORNEO
Kings of the Wild: Mangrove Swamp (60 mins / Discovery / Betty / 2015) Series Director Two weeks recce and filming in the wetlands of Kinabatangan, on the north coast of Borneo. This is probably the toughest terrain encountered by our 'odd-couple' presenters. Being the rainy season, and surrounded by waterways teeming with saltwater crocodiles, they never stray far from the sturdy shelter they've built on raised land out of local materials. Foraging eventually comes up trumps with wild ginger and galangal. Bamboo traps bring them freshwater fish and prawns between tides. Add to this mud crabs and clams, and the presenters are in for a treat - if only they could get a fire started. Camera: Danny Etheridge Executive Producer: Tom Sheahan |
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AMAZON RAINFOREST - BAMENO, ECUADOR
Survive the Tribe: Rainforest Masters (60 mins / Nat Geo / Icon Films / 2014) Series Director / 2nd Camera Ten days spent following presenter Hazen Audel travelling deep into the Ecuadorian rainforest to join the Huarani tribe on a monkey hunt. Along the way he picks up vital forest survival skills and learns how to use a blow gun, before taking one for the team in collecting honey from a wild bee hive. Eventually Hazen is ready for the hunt, and joins the local men chasing monkeys for two long days, getting himself lost in a swamp, but returning to the village victorious without a monkey but with a peccary over his shoulder. I stuck with Hazen and shot second camera during hunting. Camera: Duncan Fairs Series Producer: Nick White Executive Producer: Harry Marshall |
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KALAHARI - NAMIBIA
Survive the Tribe: Desert Hunters (60 mins / National Geographic / Icon Films / 2014) Series Director / 2nd Camera In an effort to learn some of the ancient bush skills of the San, presenter Hazen Audel spends ten days with bushmen in Namibia. Having learned something of their tracking and survival skills, Hazen eventually progresses to join them in constructing a hide next to a watering hole, where he spends many hours waiting for kudu and other animals to stray within reach of his bow and poison arrow. However he, the San (and I) make a quick exit on being charged by a herd of angry elephants. Eventually Hazen helps dig out a porcupine and spears it in the subsequent chase. I stuck to Hazen's side throughout hunting / action sequences shooting second camera. Camera: Duncan Fairs Series Producer: Nick White Executive Producer: Harry Marshall |
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CORAL REEF - REEF ISLANDS, SOLOMON ISLANDS
Survive the Tribe: Solomon Shark Hunters (60 mins / Nat Geo / Icon Films / 2014) Series Director / 2nd Camera Travelling to the Reef Islands, way out in the Solomon Islands on the cusp of Micronesia and Polynesia, presenter Hazen Audel has to learn local skills necessary to catch a shark using a hand-line. This includes hollowing out and shaping a canoe. He succeeds in landing a white-tip reef shark in deep water beyond the reef, but releases it as it's a juvenile. Hazen also takes part in a community fishing event using a length of vines; comes into close contact with a banded sea krait and catches (then releases) coconut crabs at night. I filmed second camera, shooting underwater footage at the surface during the reef and shark fishing sequences. Camera: Rory McGuinness Series Producer: Nick White Executive Producer: Harry Marshall |
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FROZEN SEA ICE - SVALBARD
Newsnight's Arctic Adventure (2 x 15 mins / BBC2 / BBC News / 2008) Director / Producer / Cameraman As the lone producer / cameraman, I shot a half-hour special for Newsnight embedded in a month long Arctic sea-ice expedition. On the British Antarctic Survey ice-breaker James Clarke Ross, I joined teams from the Scottish Association for Marine Science and the Arctic University of Tromso in the frozen waters around Svalbard, documenting the measuring of sea-ice thickness, taking samples of sea life, mud cores, measuring ocean currents, and surveying the sea floor. Two additional days with presenter Susan Watts for PTCs and interviews. Wildlife included polar bears, whales and seals. Camera: George Pagliero Presenter: Susan Watts Producer: Ming Tsang |
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AMBOSELI / MASAI MARA / LAKE NAKURU - KENYA
Edward VIII: The Lion King (60 mins / Channel 4 / Tigress Productions / 2013) Producer / Director / 2nd Camera Telling the story of how big game hunting spiralled out of control in the 1920-30s, this film also highlights the nascent conservation movement in East Africa, and how the future Edward VIII was persuaded to put down his hunting rifle in favour of a 16mm movie camera and became a champion for the establishment of National Parks. Featuring Edward's extraordinary never-before-seen home movie footage of big game - some of the earliest wildlife film ever shot in Kenya, Tanzania and the Congo - this film visited some of the same locations, where we camped in the bush and filmed wildlife in the footsteps of the Prince of Wales some 85 years before. FOCAL International Archive Awards: Best Natural History - Nominated Camera: Mike Craven Todd / George Pagliero Executive Producer: Dick Colthurst |
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GALAPAGOS ISLANDS - ECUADOR
This two week photographic safari on and around the northern and western Galapagos islands (Isabela, Santiago, Fernandina, Floreana, Santa Cruz) was like nothing I've ever experienced before or since. Filming and photographing from a live-aboard boat, a rigid inflatable, snorkelling in the water and walking on land, I captured from close quarters vivid images of Galapagos penguins, seals, giant tortoises, marine iguanas, white tip sharks, blue and red footed boobies, manta rays, American oyster catchers... and that was day one. |
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ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK - NAMIBIA
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK - SOUTH AFRICA Photographic safaris in Etosha National Park in Namibia and Kruger National Park in South Africa on a three month trip across southern Africa in 2004-05. Both involved camping out within the parks, and filming and photographing wildlife for my own portfolio. It was an extraordinary ABC of African wildlife: antelope, baboon, crocodile, dik-dik, eland, flamingo, gemsbok, hyena, impala, jackal, kudu, lion... you get the picture. |