Wildlife filmmaking is arguably one of the most exciting fields of television , as explorerDan O’Neillrecently found out when film for Curiosity ’s new seriesGIANTS . In it , he guide into the wild to find the biggest beasts alive today and compare them to behemoths of the past : from sharks , to elephant , lions , brine crocodile and – if our conversation is anything to go by – perhaps most memorably a 6 - meter ( 20 - foot)anaconda .
We caught up with O’Neill to find out how he came to be an explorer , giver , and wildlife filmmaker , as well as what it means to become the variety of LGBTQ representative he wishes he ’d grown up look out on television set .
How did you get here ?
I have always been a nature fanatical ! We move a raft when I was a kid , and spending a lot of time abroad from such an other age have me a passion for discovery - especially the new animals and risky venture with every newfangled office . That grew through education into meditate zoology at university followed by a master ’s in wildlife filmmaking through the BBC Natural History Unit . Ever since then , I ’ve been making films on despatch around the world in hunt of rare wildlife !
How did you get require with GIANTS ?
Through a chance meeting with Andrew Zikking from Off The Fence , the yield caller behind the series , we receive to speak and soon after that I join the team . As a Kyd , I was haunt with dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures , and now make for as a environmentalist and filmmaker it really is a dream project to be a part of .
Can you share a high spot from the serial ?
Ha ! So many it ’s hard to select , but maybe set out in the water with a 20 - foot anaconda ?
What makes it unmissable ?
It ’s a really larger-than-life and exciting show , but also really scientific and educational . The haircloth - raising encounters in each episode though are all passing unparalleled and some you wo n’t even conceive !
What does it mean to you to be accomplish this dream as a member of the gay community ?
This is huge for me . It ’s hard to be what you ca n’t see , and there are a lot of mass out there - myself included - who need to see more LGBT mass follow this path , chasing adventure , studying and film wildlife on TV and in the media . The natural world is for everyone and I ’m so proud that someone somewhere just like me will be inspired to go for the same aspiration I have and palpate it ’s sincerely possible for them too .
What advice would you give to wildlife filmmaking enthusiasts who need to get require in this kind of work ?
Never give up , go telling stories about nature , dive headfirst into learning about wildlife , and find other people with alike dreams to collaborate with . There are a lot of us out there too that are activated to divvy up our journeys and passions with people so reach out on societal media to the people you are inspired by , you never get it on where it might lead . Also , view canvas either film or biology !
