Ted Oakes is a Canadian-born filmmaker and biologist who worked at the BBC Natural History Unit for 20 years. He founded Oak Island Films in 2017 and has been managing director since. He has collaborated with BBC, TVO, Smithsonian Channel, Discovery Channel and Merit Motion Pictures.
Education Oakes completed his MSc. in biology, at Queen's University, Canada in 1989 and a PhD. in zoology at Oxford University, UK in 1996
Film career SeriesYearTitleProduction companyPositionRefs2022Great Lakes UntamedOak Island FilmsDirector, Executive Producer2021Cheetah Family & MeBBC2Executive Producer2019Snow Cats & MeBBC2Executive Producer2018Grizzly Bear Cubs & MeBBC2Executive Producer2017Tribes, Predators & MeBBC2Executive Producer2016Elephant Family & MeBBC2Executive Producer2015Gorilla Family and MeBBC2Executive Producer2015This Wild LifeBBC2Executive Producer2014The Snow Wolf Family & MeBBC2Series Producer2013Operation Snow TigerBBC2Series Producer2013The Polar Bear Family & MeBBC2Series Producer2012Planet Earth LiveBBC1Consulting Producer2011The Bear Family & MeBBC2Series Producer2005Amazon AbyssBBC2Producer2005Apes in DangerBBC2ProducerDOCUMENTARIES2020The Hunt for Escobar's HipposCH5Series Producer2009(Ep. 3) Life: MammalsBBC1Director, Producer2009(S.28 Ep.1) Natural World: Bearwalker of the NorthwoodsBBC NHUDirector, Producer
Honours, Awards & Nominations
Honours Front Cover Radio Times for Operation Snow Tiger 2013, BBC2/Discovery 2021 Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society
Awards and nominations AwardYearTitleDistributorCategoryResultRTS Scotland2023Snow Dogs - Into The WildBBC2/Animal Planet'Best On-Screen Personality'Won'Best Camera Craft'Won'Best Sound Craft'Won2021Gordon Buchanan's Cheetah Family & MeBBC2'Best Science & Natural History'WonIVOR NOVELLA2016Elephant Family & MeBBC2'Best Music'NominatedThe Observer2017Tribes, Predators & MeBBC2'Best TV Show of 2017’WonRTS West'Best Presenter' & 'Best Natural History Program'NominatedBBC NHU2014The Snow Wolf Family & MeBBC2/Animal Planet'Gierson Award'NominatedPrimetime Emmy2010Life SeriesBBC1/Discovery'Best Cinematography’WonJackson Hole2003Monsters We MetBBC2/Animal Planet'Best CGI'WonJackson Wild (2003). "Winners 2003" (PDF). Jackson Wild Media Awards. Retrieved 2023-09-19.RTS2001VenomBBC1‘Best Graphics’Won
Writing career 2003 Monsters We Met — BBC Books 2009 Life — BBC Books
Mentoring Oakes has been a mentor for Wildscreen since 2023 and he has mentored Youth Ambassadors through the Ocean Pathways placement programs at Ocean Wise since 2021.
References