Director / Lighting Cameraman / Producer
Full Member

Mike works as a freelance cameraman, director and producer and frequently gets hired as a director-cameraman for both wildlife and documentary.

I have worked in the film-making industry for the last 13 years. Since completing my BSc (Hons) degree in zoology, I have experienced nearly all aspects of programme-making. I enjoy editing and always shoot with sequences in mind. I’ve filmed a lot of observational documentaries as well as some presenter-led shows and am as comfortable handheld as I am with macro (including set-building), long lens and patient hide work. I like the challenge of working in difficult environments. Whilst I love filming natural history subjects most of all, I’ve also worked in busy and socially sensitive situations in developing countries, with hospital patients and the emergency services. I enjoy rock climbing and have been trained in tree canopy rope access by James Aldred (BBC-recognised BCAP course).

Skills

Adventure, Animal Behaviour, Extreme Locations, Hand-held Documentary, HD, Long Lens, Macro/Studio, Stills Photography, Sync Shooting, Video, Working at Height

Credits

Wild Britain with Ray Mears

in production - wildlife and sync

Haiti's Killer Quake: Why it happened

Pioneer Productions (for Channel 4 and Discovery). Sync camerawork in Haiti soon after the 12th January 2010 earthquake.

Snow Watch

BBC. Wildlife cameraman - mainly long lens work

Bill Bailey's Birdwatching Bonanza

Sky One HD. Wildlife cameraman with some sync shooting. Celebrity birdwatching series hosted by Bill Bailey

Autumnwatch

BBC. Wildlife cameraman filming barnacle geese, Solway Firth, Scotland.

Baby Planet series 2

Parthenon Entertainment. Director-camerawork. Wildlife and sync sequences for this show about baby animals.

Animal Cops Philadelphia

ITV Anglia for Animal Planet. Director-cameraman, sync. High-rating, gritty observational documentary following the work of animal welfare officers and the stories of animals they rescue.

Game Ranger Diaries

Channel 5 & National Geographic. Producer, Director and Cameraman for this 10 part series about Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. Observational documentary following the varied work of game rangers including darting and treating injured animals and confronting poachers. Filming large mammals often on foot in the bush, also from 4x4 vehicle, planes, helicopter. Identifying and following stories. I worked on the series from pre-production to delivery (including editing, grading and final mix)

Baby Planet

Animal Planet. Director-cameraman, sync. Following the stories of baby animals and their keepers in various zoos and wildlife parks

The One Show

Icon Films for BBC. Cameraman. Sync wildlife features with presenter Steve Backshall

Ben's Zoo

Tigress Productions for BBC. Director-cameraman. Observational documentary about a family who took over a run-down zoo.

In Search of the Giant Octopus

Parthenon Entertainment for National Geographic. Director. Location filming and interviews for reversioning the programme

Creatures Like Us

BBC. Cameraman (Sync and animal behaviour) Zoo series with talking animals

Animal Crime Scene

BBC. Cameraman. Baboons and antelope at a UK safari park plus interview with scientist

The Really Wild Show

BBC. Cameraman. Presenter-led children's series