The Secret Lives of Animals

The Secret Lives of Animals

Apple TV+

My Role

As part of the editorial team on The Secret Lives of Animals, I served as offline editor and sequence editor on Episode 9, Mastering Talents, working closely with producer Mags Lightbody, series producer Mark Flowers and executive producer Roger Webb.

In addition to shaping the structure and narrative of this episode, I contributed sequences across the wider series, supporting the overall editorial language and ensuring consistency of tone, pacing and storytelling approach. The work focused on revealing intelligence, skill and adaptation in animal behaviour, crafting scenes that balanced scientific clarity with emotional engagement.

Editorial Approach

Mastering Talents explores the extraordinary abilities animals develop to survive and thrive. The editorial approach centred on clarity of behaviour and precision of rhythm, allowing complex actions and learning processes to unfold without over-explanation.

Pacing was designed to give space for observation and comprehension, letting performance and problem-solving play out in real time where possible. The cut emphasised cause and effect, building tension through anticipation and release rather than overt manipulation, and supporting Hugh Bonneville’s narration with a measured, confident editorial flow.

Why This Project Matters

The Secret Lives of Animals offers a contemporary perspective on natural history, focusing on cognition, learning and adaptation rather than spectacle alone. Episode 9, Mastering Talents, highlights the ingenuity and problem-solving abilities of animals, encouraging audiences to reconsider intelligence across species.

For an editor, the series is an exercise in restraint and respect — allowing behaviour to drive story, trusting in duration, and shaping sequences that invite curiosity rather than dictate interpretation.

Credits Block

Platform: Apple TV+
Production Company: BBC Studios Natural History Unit
Executive Producer: Roger Webb
Series Producer: Mark Flowers
Producer: Mags Lightbody
Narrator: Hugh Bonneville
Episode: 9 — Mastering Talents
Role: Offline Editor & Sequence Editor
Software: Avid Media Composer
Year: 2024