‘Be bold and don’t be afraid to try something new’: Dr Mike Gunton on his career in wildlife filmmaking

Dr Michael Gunton (BSc 1979) is a television producer and senior executive at the BBC Natural History Unit. He has worked as an executive producer on a range of award-winning BBC series including Dynasties, Planet Earth II, Galapagos and Green Planet. Mike’s career has seen him travel the globe – often with legendary presenter Sir David Attenborough – and push creative boundaries to further natural history education. We caught up with Mike to learn more about his time at the University of Bristol and his fascinating career.

On the Bristol student experience

In the late 1970s there was a lot going on in Bristol, and it was exciting to be in a city that was undergoing a significant physical change. Bits of the city were quite wild (in a good way!) and I loved being a student here. Education is all about growing up and learning how to be a citizen, and I enjoyed the independence that came with living in the city rather than on a campus, as it gave me the opportunity to engage with local people.

I loved the multidisciplinary nature of my course at Bristol. The University was very flexible and made it work so that I could study both zoology and geology for the first couple of years of my degree. That emphasis on breadth of education really speaks volumes for the student-focused mindset of the University.

On the lasting impact of supportive education

I had some really inspiring professors at Bristol, many of whom went above and beyond. I love words, but could never understand spelling and grammar. I remember handing in a mycology essay written in blue ink, and it came back completely red due to the amount of corrected spelling.

But what made all the difference was that the professor had taken the time to explain why he’d corrected it and what the rules were. I learned more about grammar, punctuation and spelling from that essay feedback than I did in seven years at school. I suspect that professor has no idea the positive impact his time and patience had. Now I’m an obsessive speller!

On his journey to the BBC

My professors at Bristol encouraged me to think about postgraduate research. I applied for a scholarship to Cambridge and did my PhD there. It was a fantastic experience, but I started to realise that research wasn’t really for me and that filmmaking was much more fun!

I started making films, had a couple of lucky breaks, and ended up doing a small expedition film for the BBC while I was still in Cambridge. I’m so grateful for the encouragement from my Bristol professors, because none of that would have happened if I hadn’t had that launchpad. I got to understand how the industry worked, and in due course I applied for a job with the BBC.

On the challenges of wildlife documentary filmmaking

I’ve always felt that our job is not just to tell people information, it’s to share an experience. This adds a level of understanding beyond simply acquiring information. The main challenge with that is an ongoing one: showing audiences something they haven’t seen before. But it’s an exciting challenge – it’s not just about a new location or animal, it’s about a new story or perspective. Filming Green Planet from the perspective of plants was exciting, because we got to go through a portal into a different timeframe and provide a unique experience for our viewers.

Inevitably, if you care about the natural world and you’re a witness to its destruction, that can also be a challenge and really disheartening. But conversely, although it’s a very difficult balance we also have the opportunity to seek out the positive stories of wonder and the extraordinary, through which we can inspire people to care and to act.

On the most rewarding aspects of his job

The pleasure these programmes bring to people is so rewarding. Our society is becoming more and more urbanised and physically disconnected from nature, so inevitably the role of wildlife documentaries as a conduit for connection and engagement becomes that bit more important.

Being able to reach millions of people and share such an important message with them is an absolute privilege. Wildlife documentaries form an important part of public education – they open up the opportunity for deep learning outside of the classroom. Whether someone just enjoyed a distraction for an hour, or whether it inspired them to change careers and become a researcher, it all matters. It has a ripple effect that is so rewarding to witness, and that’s the great power that these programmes can have if you get it right.

I also just love telling great stories about nature – it’s so dramatic! Mother Nature does a lot of the hard work for you in the script writing. Really, I’m just an editor of her scripts, which is great fun.

On his most memorable filming experience to date

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had many remarkable experiences and moments that made me realise the insignificance of our lifetimes in the grand scheme of the universe, but at the same time made me feel proud to be a part of it all.

The first time I directed Sir David Attenborough has to be up there as one of the most memorable moments of my career. It was back in the late 1980s, and I was still directing him up until a few years ago. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been on many journeys with him. Coming across people whose lives are entirely dedicated to studying, understanding and conserving some part of nature leaves me feeling truly humbled.

A message for the next generation of wildlife filmmakers

Wildlife filmmaking is not for the faint-hearted. It’s physically, logistically and financially demanding. But don’t be disheartened. Be bold and don’t be afraid to try something new. Things don’t always work out the way you thought they would, but I’ve learned so much more from my failures than from my successes. Surround yourself with people who encourage you to take those risks and aren’t shy about pushing boundaries. I look forward to seeing new perspectives and creativity shine through from future generations.

On his hopes for the future of the planet

My hope is that it continues to be diverse in every sense of the word. That it has a broad range of healthy, happy living creatures on it – the bigger the variety, the better.

On receiving an honorary degree from the University of Bristol

I’m very honoured, and frankly a little flabbergasted. I feel so fortunate for the opportunities I’ve had and grateful to all the people who have guided, encouraged and enabled me to get to where I am today. The icing on the cake is that it’s a Doctor of Letters (DLitt), because I love the idea that I’m being recognised for the art of what I do as much as the science. I can finally get rid of the ‘he’s just a boring old scientist’ label I’ve had for years!