British documentary film filmmaker and wildlife TV presenter Patrick Aryee is a self - confess thrill seeker whose hungriness for cognition has take him all over the universe . Most recently stir by the way evolution can pep up technological advancements , he led the infotainment seriesEVOVLEas it explore the ways in which species have adapted to survive in their specific corner .
We caught up with Aryee to find out what it takes to make it in the competitive world of wildlife presenting , and how an understanding of the connexion between chickens and malignant neoplastic disease helped him along the way .
What do you do ?
I am a wildlife television innkeeper and documentary film maker .
What did it take to get here ?
staring and utter ego - notion . When you strive to do something unlike or ostensibly unattainable very few people , if any , will back you . It ’s up to you to take that first big leap of trust . It ’s only once the succeeder starts to manifest itself that the plaudits of your accomplishment begin to vagabond in . Even at that stage though I think it ’s important not to be dim or motivated by the accolades themselves as it ’s all temporary and based on other people ’s opinions , which can exchange on a day-to-day basis . last out grounded in your own ego - belief , and in your VISION ; it will take you to the Moon and beyond .
For anyone wanting to get into a exchangeable diligence or vocation path , thing are WAY unlike to when I started . Experience in TV was virtually your only way in . Today however , we have all sort of platforms with unbelievable reach , from TikTok , to Instagram , and even LinkedIn . We ’re so fortunate to live in a time where we each have a global communication twist with a 4 K stabilise camera ramp up into them , in the palm of our hand . The world power for any one individual to inspire is almost unfathomable .
The key lies in creating something you ’d be doing anyway , be it gaming , construction manikin trainsets , making music , or cheffing up blueberry jam ! As long as it ’s entertaining and/or educational you ’re already winning . utilise video , stills imagery , and audio capacity to suffice and establish a community of interests . Content built around a community is where your window to achiever lies .
Evolve_A Curiosity Original Series_Trailer_1min57secfromCuriosityStream ProductiononVimeo .
What about education or hobbies ?
Academically I ’ve always been pull to the sciences . I ’ve a degree in Cancer Biology and a master ’s in Science Communication . do on phase , in play and melodious theatre show however , has always been a Passion of Christ of mine . In fact , it was the desire to compound my dearest of perform along with my interest in scientific discipline that extend to where I am today .
As far as rocking horse go , I ’ve get a few that are a routine out there , quite literally , from mountain biking to gaming , DJing , and even jump out out of sheet ! Yes , you show that last part aright . Having recently learnt how to sky dive , I can affirm that the feeling is plainly out of this human beings . I absolutely love it . That moment of last on the boundary and pushing past your fears in club to experience something so wizard : flying through the sky .
It ’s an unbelievable sport , not without its risks of course , but much in the same way of life go close to hazardous animals is equally — if at clock time not more — dangerous . It ’s a calculated risk of exposure . One that makes you cherish your very cosmos .
How did you come to wreak onEVOLVE ?
Biomimicry has always been a subject that I thought would be a entrancing topic to delve into . In my eyes , it stands as the thoroughgoing union between science and wildlife , two related to subject which may amount as a surprisal to your proofreader , are often produce by entirely unlike team .
My first tangible opportunity to explore this further came about when I was offered the prospect to do my very own TedX talk of the town hosted in the awesome metropolis of Bristol . I called it " How the Chicken Cured Cancer " and it ’s still up onYouTubefor anyone that wants to check it out .
I verbalize about desert - dwell beetles with the power to glean water out of thin zephyr , and how the purr of a cheetah could aid us learn how to regenerate and set broken bones even faster . I remember being so unquiet at the time , but deep down I have a go at it sharing all those unexpected stories . The audience were gripped from get-go to finale , and that ’s when I knew I was onto something .
It was five years later , after being somewhat inspired by that Ted Talk , that the producer of Beach House Pictures reached out with a sales talk for a show around the same subject area . I just condition through my emails , and my precise response was “ WOW - BLOODY - WEE it looks AMAZING ” .
I ’m laughing to myself at reading that now , but it feel like the project was made for me . moot the challenges of shoot during a pandemic , I consider we did it justice . There are still so many incredible stories out there , though , so perhaps there ’s reason for us to head out again for a second season .
favorite consequence from the series ?
When it comes to favourite bit from the series a few occur to mind . Meeting tardigrades just a few days before they wereblasted on circuit board a Falcon 9 rocketto their new abode onboard the International Space Station , for one . Then there ’s having the fastest animate being on estate , a cheetah , walking up to me and figure out my hands . Plus , the frenetic underwater second we capture a colour - change shape - shift devilfish . Just brilliant !
Having the chance to look at the internal bodily structure of an active termite agglomerate though was a real sport one , mainly because I ’d never seen anything like it before . It was so intricate . After carefully removing a portion of the tower with the help of our expert Prof. Eugene Marais , the result was something that looked like the interior workings of a starship after a crash landing , so alien , yet so conversant .
The right means to delineate it is like the alveoli of our lungs . Smooth , erectile , and organic . Putting my hand deep inside the space I could feel just how coolheaded it was . The mechanics by which these hill rule the power of the malarky to create pressing differentials , that in spell cycle fresh air through the entire chamber every 40 second , I discover truly astonishing . All build by a lilliputian creature , with no optic , the size of a texture of Elmer Leopold Rice . Fascinating !
Hairiest moment on the job ?
One of the hairiest moments on the task had to be the instant I wassat on the back of an grownup bull shark ! I ca n’t give too much out but we were on the Florida coastline of the Gulf of Mexico , on the beach , angle for sharks ! It sounds ridiculous but it ’s one of the sluttish and safe ways ( for both the animal and the human researchers ) to get these apex predators tagged and back into the water as quickly as potential .
The architectural plan was to get an impression of its tegument to better understand how the dermic denticles that make up the outer dermis employment to prevent the growth of bacterium . To our eyes , the shark was huge yet nowhere as big as they can get out in the overt sea . Still , I could feel its raw mogul as it worm against my grip . The shark was only out of the water for a few minute of arc , but time seemed to warp , and everything slowed down even my twinkling feel longer than common . A in truth creative thinker - blowing experience and a must - watch for all shark lovers .
What do you never exit the house without ?
My Bose Soundsport Free noise - cancelling earbuds , I never leave the house without them . I screw music , it ’s the idealistic agency to engineer your modality , and these earbuds are just perfect . For long haulage flights , the Bose QuietComfort 35 II phone are also a gravy .
What ’s one musical composition of advice you ’d give to someone want to embark on the same career ?
standardized to what I cite above , check that you ’re going into something you love and is easy for you to achieve . You might retrieve that wildlife presenting is for you , but even with an academic desktop in biology or zoology , doing it all day might start to get tedious . What might be better and right smart more exciting for any bud creatives out there is to combine something like wildlife cognitive content creation with another heat , like family euphony , or backpack locomotion , or African cuisine . That ’s where the trick rest , in really good mashups that no one ’s thought of before .
There ’s a lot of trueness to that old saying , “ build it and they will come ” . Start out by making content for this imaginary community of yours , with those same interestingness in nous , and post on as many platforms as you ’re well-situated managing . If it ’s five wild , and if it ’s just one that ’s also marvellous . you’re able to always engage or collaborate with other creatives at a later stage to assist build your mark out to additional platforms . And that brings me on to the final point , which is quislingism .
It can be tricky and challenging at times for us to relinquish " control " of our artistic expression , however , perhaps it ’ll help to see it as " share-out " in your face . If you could have the best this inner conflict , there ’s so much glory that awaits you on the other side by working with a trusted team . I ’m yet to master this , but I ’m figure out on it , and twenty-four hour period - by - day I ’m steadily getting better .
As a sidenote , be sensitive to identifying the citizenry who add to your shared creations with their own suggestion . The hoi polloi who give you big - ups but also softly facilitate you to question and press test each constituent of your idea(s ) are the people you want to keep around . As you climb up take them with you , make up them when you’re able to , and if they ’re invaluable in take in your visual sense come straight then provide them a portion part of the business as a respectable business incentive .
Just call back that the declaration is king , so be sure to consist it out all in writing with dear intentions . I ’ll leave you with a great quote from marketing medium king Gary Vaynerchuk that I ’ve been seek to internalise . “ Hire fast , ardor faster , and advance fastest ” . I hope that stumble with whoever ’s meant to hear it !
Aryee ’s six - part docuseries EVOLVE is available to stream now onCuriosityStream .
