Video Editor
I’m very pleased to share the news that Secret Lives of Orangutans has been nominated for no fewer than eight awards for the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmys, including ‘Single Camera Editing’. It’s a real pleasure to see the feature length documentary garner the attention that it deserves after so much work from a small but fantastic team.
Secret Lives of Orangutans is available to watch on Netflix.
Silverback Films for Netflix – Yet to Be Released
My role: Principal storyboard and pre-visualisation editor across all episodes and main editor for one episode. On-location editing and media management.
‘Netflix has given the green light to what it calls the “next iteration” of its Emmy-contending documentary series Life on Our Planet, with Morgan Freeman set to return as narrator and Steven Spielberg as executive producer.’ – Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29/05/2024.
More details to follow at a later date!
Silverback Films for Netflix – 2024
My role: Co-Editor
Follow a multi-generational orangutan family through their treetop triumphs and travails in this immersive documentary narrated by David Attenborough. – Netflix
Secret Lives of Orangutans is a feature-length documentary directed by Huw Cordey. The film follows the same orangutans that appeared briefly in the Jungles episode of Our Planet, as they navigate the trials and tribulations of life in the jungle. It was edited in Avid Media Composer.
In July 2025, the feature was nominated for eight Daytime Emmy awards;
…the latter nomination of which I share with co-editor Khara Stibbons.
Following a week of great reviews and press coverage, David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet is now available to stream on Netflix.
https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/80216393
Some of the reviews so far (sourced from Rotten Tomatoes)…
‘Environmental catastrophe can be hard to convey in emotional ways. The scale of it can be deadening. Hearing it from Attenborough, however, gives the message stirring intimacy as well as authority.’
– Times (UK)
‘Attenborough’s stark documentary is essential viewing.’
– Common Sense Media
‘This incredibly important documentary pulls no punches – and will have you reaching for a reusable cup or joining the Greta Thunberg fan club the moment the credits roll.’
– The Sun
‘An incredibly important and moving document, and a warning to us all.’
– HeyUGuys
One man has seen more of the natural world than any other. This unique feature documentary is his witness statement. In his 93 years, David Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and documenting the living world in all its variety and wonder. Now, for the first time he reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime as a naturalist and the devastating changes he has seen. Honest, revealing and urgent, DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: A LIFE ON OUR PLANET is a powerful first-hand account of humanity’s impact on nature and a message of hope for future generations. Created by award-winning natural history filmmakers Silverback Films and global conservation organization WWF, the film is Directed by Alastair Fothergill, Jonnie Hughes and Keith Scholey and Executive Produced by Colin Butfield. Celebrated British naturalist Sir David Attenborough has a broadcasting career spanning over eight decades. He has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and bringing the wonders of the living world to audiences worldwide through groundbreaking natural history series. His work includes: Life on Earth, Planet Earth and more recently the Netflix original documentary series Our Planet.
– IMDB
An exclusive world premiere event for David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet was intended take place at the Royal Albert Hall on 16th April 2020, where Sir David was to be joined live on stage by guests to discuss some of the most prevalent and pressing issues raised in the film. However, after a certain pandemic set in, these plans were abandoned in favour of an almost entirely online release.
Nonetheless, David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet went on to garner a great deal of attention and awards, including an Emmy nomination for outstanding picture editing.
The feature was edited entirely in Avid Media Composer.
We’re still making content to accompany the Our Planet series that was released earlier this year, but some of our first films just picked up awards at the prestigious Jackson Wild Festival (previously the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival).
How To Save Our Planet – Winner of ‘Best Changing Planet Film – Short Form’
‘Awarded for the best examination of our changing planet, including human impact, the environment, sustainability and climate change. Sponsored by Smithsonian Channel.’
How To Save Our Planet – Winner of ‘Best Limited Series Film – Short Form’
‘Awarded to the mini-series with episodes shorter than 20 minutes in length, that most effectively advances a natural history theme. Sponsored by ARRI.’
…and if that weren’t exciting enough, the main series (for which I was edit assistant) also scooped up some great awards as well;
Our Planet: High Seas (main series episode) – Winner of ‘Best Ecosystem Film’
Our Planet: Frozen Worlds (main series episode) – Winner of ‘Best Changing Planet Film’
Never have I worked on a project that has been announced with such fanfare and excitement as Our Planet. The series, four years in the making, finally launched on Netflix on Friday 5th April 2019, marked by a special event at London’s Natural History Museum the night before.
Appearing at the event was, of course, Sir David Attenborough, the narrator of the series. Standing on stage before a huge projection screen, he proudly introduced the series to the small audience.
“What really makes Our Planet stand out is the clear driving story that runs through the entire series and the wider communications project. This has been a true labour of love for hundreds of film makers, cinematographers, conservationists, editors, musicians and production teams, all of whom have brought their best work to the most important story that there is – a story that could not be more universal or more timely.”
– Sir David Attenborough
Amongst those attending the launch were some other well-known faces, such as singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding (who sang the music that features on the closing credits) composer Steven Price (the composer for the series) and world-famous footballer David Beckham and his son, Brooklyn.
Perhaps most headline-grabbing, however, was the attendance of not one, but three members of the royal family – The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex. Once Sir David had finished his introductory speech, he humbly handed over to Prince Charles, The President of WWF UK, who made the following thought-provoking ten-minute address.
All eight episodes of Our Planet are available to stream on Netflix.
Silverback Films for Netflix – 2019
My role: Editor for additional online content and Edit Assistant for the main series and
In addition to working on the main series as an edit assistant, I edited (and graded) a large collection of online content which accompanied the series. These were published on the official website of Our Planet (ourplanet.com), as well as the social media channels of WWF and Netflix.
The online material that I edited went on to win a number of awards, including…
The website, ourplanet.com, also won the People’s Voice award at the 2020 Webby Awards.
For more about Our Planet, please visit ourplanet.com, or view the relevant entries in my blog.
Charles Dyer 