Pete Cayless: from studying Film Arts in Plymouth to filming landmark wildlife series

<p dir="ltr">A few years after studying in Plymouth, Pete Cayless found himself living and working in Africa with wildlife filmmakers Mark Deeble and Victoria Stone.</p> <p dir="ltr">That chapter became a turning point in his career. Living and working in the field gave him the chance to learn through doing, developing the storytelling instincts and practical skills that would shape the work that followed. One of the major projects from that time was <em>The Elephant Queen</em>, the feature-length wildlife documentary released by Apple TV+ in 2019 and directed by Mark Deeble and Victoria Stone.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pete said: “Living and working in Africa with the crew was an unbelievable experience. It was where I really learned how to craft stories and develop skills across all aspects of filmmaking.”<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Since then, Pete has worked across a wide range of wildlife and documentary productions, including <em>Planet Earth III</em>, <em>Frozen Planet II</em>, <em>Mammals</em>, <em>Wild Isles</em>, <em>Prehistoric Planet</em>, <em>Night on Earth</em>, <em>Life on Our Planet</em> and <em>Parenthood</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">One of the moments he looks back on most proudly is filming part of the elephant sequence for the <strong>“Extremes”</strong> episode of <em>Planet Earth III</em>, using ground tracking and aerial filming to help tell the story. The episode later received a 2024 Emmy nomination for <strong>Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pete said: “One of the proudest moments for me was filming part of the elephant sequence for the ‘Extremes’ episode of <em>Planet Earth III</em>. Those are the kinds of stories that stay with you.”<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">More recently, Pete’s work has included <em>Parenthood</em>, the five-part natural history series made by Silverback Films for BBC One and iPlayer. Silverback describes the series as capturing never-before-seen animal behaviours across six continents, and coverage at launch singled out its African social spider sequence as one of the programme’s most striking moments.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pete’s career demonstrates a level of patience and precision that reveals more than scale or spectacle, his work allows viewers to stop and look more closely at the natural world.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Pete credits Arts University Plymouth with giving him space to experiment and learn by doing. He says the course suited him well as a dyslexic learner, helping him build confidence and develop creatively.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pete said: “The course gave me the freedom to explore and learn in the most creative and full way possible. As a dyslexic student it was a breath of fresh air and it suited me down to the ground.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Arts University Plymouth helped Pete towards the beginning of his creative journey, offering time to experiment, room to develop, and a way of learning that helped him find his footing. Now viewers all around the world can experience the way that Pete sees the natural world.<br /></p>

<p>This story is part of Arts University Plymouth’s 170th anniversary series, celebrating the artists, designers and makers whose journeys began here and continue to shape creative life in Plymouth, the South West and beyond.</p>