Attenborough at 99

I think it’s safe to say that no other person alive or dead has had more influence on natural history filmmaking than David Attenborough, if he didn’t invent the genre he definitely established the template for blue chip natural history, he is the main reason that myself and many others picked up a camera to begin with and is one of the few people that are universally loved.

While Attenborough is definitely the name that comes first to mind when you think of wildlife films he’s also worked in many different facets of production over his career which is perhaps one of the reasons why the work from the people behind the camera is so often celebrated in his programs. Although I’ve never worked with him in person I’ve been lucky enough to work on two programs that he has hosted, both of which had unexpected outcomes for me.

My Attenborough origin story is that when I was in grade three I had a copy of the book that accompanied his latest series at the time “The Trials of Life”, a somewhat appropriate title as I’d only really just begun mine! When he came to my hometown to do a book signing I wasn’t allowed to leave school to get my book signed so my Grandma went and got it signed for me. It was probably an early sign of things to come although it would take me many years to find my way back to that path.

The first Attenborough film I worked on I was straight out of my second stint at Uni, I’d decided to pack in my barely started graphic design career and chase something that I thought was far more appealing, but also more risky, natural history film making! My first break was a right place right time kind of situation. There was a huge bioluminescent algae bloom in Tasmania that a friend alerted me to, I went out and filmed it without any real idea where it would lead, I just knew that it was something special.

I can’t remember exactly how she found out but late one night my friend Lisa got in touch to tell me that she’d been contacted by a company making an Attenborough program about bioluminescence and they were looking for footage! After a chat with the production company where I convinced them that I totally knew what I was doing! I rounded up a few of my friends and we went out and filmed the Noctiluca bloom, glow worms and bioluminescent fungi. The production went on to be nominated for a Bafta, two Emmys and won the Dauphin d’Or at Cannes that year. One of the Emmys was for Cinematography, which the small camera team (including me) shared.

Recently I worked on “Ocean with David Attenborough” It’s a departure from his usual style of documentary, the spectacular imagery and inspiring beauty of the natural world is still there, but there is there is much stronger messaging around human impact and a sense of urgency. It calls for greater protection of the marine environment for the sake of the natural world and for the sake of ourselves.

I shot a sequence of lobsters releasing their eggs and the journey of baby lobsters as they float through the ocean as plankton before settling on the ocean floor as adults.

I didn’t realise at the time but Ocean would be a big deal, instead of the normal TV or Streaming premiere Ocean had a black tie premiere at Royal Festival Hall in London, in attendance were Attenborough, the King and a host of other billionaires and celebrities, to see my work presented in an environment like that was an opportunity that I’m glad I took up!

Meeting the rest of the crew, reconnecting with assistant producer Alex and meeting producer Toby in person was great and getting to share it with my wife Helen was so special. Sitting in the theatre with people who I have admired for years, Attenborough and the King while my work was up on the big screen wasn’t something I’ll ever forget. I felt very proud to be in the room and to have played a small part in a production like this.

So far the film has been released in cinemas globally and generated a lot of discussion about ocean protection, the footage of bottom trawling and krill fishing is particularly confronting, I’m sure when it comes out on Nat Geo later this year it’ll provoke more discussion and hopefully make a real difference!

It’s amazing that after a career spanning so many years Attenborough still has the power to amaze and inspire audiences and individuals, I’m sure that there will be some kids watching Ocean that will one day go on to work in Natural History, maybe one of them will take up Attenborough’s torch and continue his legacy.