‘Nature belongs to everyone’: Toby Nowlan on his work with David Attenborough and being out in filmmaking
With his BAFTA long-listed Ocean with David Attenborough documentary, filmmaker Toby Nowlan - who leads the 'Media & Broadcast' category of Attitude 101, empowered by Bentley - has sparked change in European environmental policy, while behind the camera, he’s keen to encourage diverse voices to tell nature’s stories
By Callum Wells
In the vast, untamed world of wildlife documentaries — where jagged mountains meet hidden reefs and endangered species steal the spotlight — Toby Nowlan has carved out a career that’s as bold and boundary-pushing as the stories he tells. As the leader of the Media & Broadcast category of Attitude 101, empowered by Bentley, this 38-year-old filmmaker, director and expedition leader isn’t just capturing nature’s raw beauty; he’s part of a new era where queer voices help shape the narratives that move us.
From helming Netflix’s Ocean with David Attenborough to producing Our Planet II, Nowlan’s lens has brought the world’s wonders (and warnings) to millions. In this interview — conducted while he’s hurtling through China’s stunning Sichuan mountains in a cab — Nowlan opens up about his career journey in wildlife filmmaking that now sees him lead global expeditions, all while navigating industry evolution and enjoying the quiet power of being out and proud.
Speaking to me fresh from an adventure spotting “gorgeous, gorgeous animals” in forests he “didn’t even know were in China”, Nowlan sounds exhilarated yet reflective — his mind, he admits, is “a bit spongy” from being on the road. “I’ve never been here before and it’s actually been amazing,” he shares. “It’s really beautiful. I’ve been in the mountains of Sichuan — just amazing forests and lots of green space.”
“What’s the coolest job? Being part of the teams that made Planet Earth” – Toby Nowlan on his career in filmmaking
His fascination with the natural world began as a child. Nowlan recalls pond-dipping, picking up woodlice, and being hooked on birds by the age of 11 or 12. At university, he led funded expeditions for rare species.
In 2012, he was faced with a quandary: continue his studies by doing a PhD, or take a three-week-long, lowly paid research and field assistant job for Bristol-based Icon Films, working on the Nigel Marven series Jaguar Adventure in Costa Rica’s Tortuguero National Park. He remembers, “My parents said, ‘Take the PhD.’ I said, ‘No, the three-week job!’” That sparked 18 years of “amazing” adventures in wildlife filmmaking, including as part of BBC Bristol’s Natural History Unit. “I’ve met incredible people, been to the most amazing places, seen the most incredible things,” he enthuses. “What’s the coolest job? Being part of the teams that made Planet Earth,” he says.
For Nowlan, the boundary between work and wonder is blurred — even his personal trips turn into work recces.
“Wherever you go, you’re always thinking, ‘Is there a documentary here?’” I ask.
“Yes, 100 per cent,” he replies.
“What’s amazing about David is there’s almost no ego” – Nowlan on his long-running partnership with David Attenborough
Story is Nowlan’s north star — the “core, spine of every decent film”. He has spent the past eight years producing and directing wildlife documentaries for both TV and film. “What stimulates me is being as creative as possible and thinking of the very best story,” he says. “It drives the very best film. Without it, even the most beautifully shot work falls apart.”
His inspirations blend natural history icons and cinema’s “masterful storytellers” like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve. “Nolan’s overlapping storylines are just incredible — the greatest challenge, telling stories in such complex, interlaced ways,” he says. This informs his TV-to-features pivot: “Feature film does something TV doesn’t — a bigger creative challenge. If you pull it off, it’s a big thing.”
In the world of wildlife filmmaking, David Attenborough naturally stands out. “What’s amazing about David is there’s almost no ego,” says Nowlan. “It’s never the David Attenborough show — it’s all about the subject.” Nowlan remembers seeing Attenborough in person for the first time through studio glass during a commentary recording: “I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, that’s David Attenborough! What the hell? How did life come to this?’”
The full feature and Attitude 101 list appears in issue 369 of Attitude magazine, available to buy now in print, on the Attitude app, or through Apple News+.
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