Russell Clark, Documentary Filmmaker
Russell Clark is a natural history and documentary filmmaker whose work has taken him from Pacific kelp forests and Newfoundland shipwrecks to Spanish cork woodlands and Indonesian coral reefs, and onto screens at CBC, PBS, Netflix, and Crave. He was the Producer, Director, and Cinematographer of the Atlantic episode of the forthcoming series Life at the Edge for CBC, PBS, and Arte, and Assistant Producer and Field Director on Shared Planet for CBC/PBS. An Emmy Award-winning cinematographer and Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Russell is also a commercial diver, founder of the Canadian Underwater Film Network, and a Jackson Wild Award winner.
With more than 25 years of experience across film, publishing, and digital media, Russell has worked on multi-million-dollar broadcast productions as well as a decade of small-scale, run-and-gun projects. That range has shaped him into an independent filmmaker equally comfortable directing, interviewing, producing, and shooting, from above and below the water, whether working as part of a larger production team or as a self-contained field unit. His work has included filming with Indigenous communities, and his passion is telling stories about people, their communities, and their place within the natural world.
Directing & Producing
Russell is a freelance director and producer focused on character-driven storytelling. His recent credits include episode Director and Producer for CBC/PBS’s forthcoming Life at the Edge series, director on Shared Planet for CBC/PBS, and the Jackson Wild Award-winning Tadpoles: The Big Little Migration.
Cinematography
While Russell strives for striking visuals, advancing the story is always at the heart of his creative decisions. His experience as a director, producer, and writer has given him a unique, hard-earned skill set that makes him a stronger camera operator, visual storyteller, and a more efficient, self-reliant cinematographer.
Visual Communication
Russell has a 26-year history in visual communication, spanning newspapers, magazines, digital media, and interactive projects, photography, and branding. He was an Adobe ambassador, has won numerous publishing awards, is a published photographer and writer, and knows how to bridge visual storytelling with community.
Diving & UW Video
Russell is the founder of the Canadian Underwater Film Network, served as Dive Advisor for CBC’s Shared Planet and Life at the Edge series, and collaborates with documentary productions across Canada including the BBC. He is also a certified commercial diver, an experienced dive supervisor, and UW videographer.
Russell has worked with:
Natural History & Documentary Filmmaking
DIRECTOR / PRODUCER / CINEMATOGRAPHER / DIVE SUPPORT
Russell Clark is a natural history documentary producer and director based in Canada, focusing on stories that take place in, under, or around the water. His experience includes roles as episode Producer, Director, and Cinematographer for the upcoming CBC/PBS series Life at the Edge, work on the CBC/PBS series Shared Planet, and membership of the Emmy Award-winning cinematography team behind Netflix’s Island of the Sea Wolves. His accolades also include a Jackson Wild Award for the acclaimed film Tadpoles: The Big Little Migration, which continues to be screened in schools across North America.
​
A Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Russell led the 2022 Great Island Expedition documenting WWII shipwrecks and served as Editor of Canada’s DIVER Magazine for nearly a decade. He is also the founder of the Canadian Underwater Film Network, an initiative dedicated to improving safety and professional standards in underwater filmmaking. Russell’s lifelong mission is to inspire a deeper appreciation for Canada’s coastlines, the culture of coastal living, freshwater ecosystems, and underwater natural history.
Two years ago, Russell began producing the Atlantic episode of Life at the Edge, a series he originally pitched to CBC and PBS. He spent a year on the Atlantic coast producing and directing the episode while also working as its cinematographer. The experience had a profound effect on him and, at the end of 2025, he made the decision to move to Halifax and build the next chapter of his career in Atlantic Canada.
Initially captivated by the grandeur of Hollywood blockbusters, Russell has since discovered that the most powerful stories and visuals are often found in the natural world, and that the most interesting characters are the people amongst us every day. When not behind the camera or exploring the depths, he harbours an unexpected fondness for rats.
Life At The Edge
CBC / PBS / Arté (post-production)
Producer, Director, Cinematographer, Dive Advisor & Supervisor
​​​
Shared Planet
CBC / PBS / Arté
Assistant Producer, Director, Cinematographer, Dive Supervisor
​
To Be Announced
CBC
Development for new three-part series 2026/27
​
To Be Announced
PBS
Development for documentary feature
​​​​
West Harbour Heroes
CRAVE
Cinematographer, Director
​​​
Island of the Sea Wolves
Netflix
Cinematographer, AC, Diver Safety
Emmy Award for best cinematography
​
The America's S2
BBC / NBC
Dive supervisor for episode sequence
Ceremony
Banchi Hanuse
Camera Operator
​​
Tadpoles: The Big Little Migration
Seaproof.tv
Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, B-cam
Jackson Wild Award winner
​
TerraX
ZDF
Safety Diver
​
Mountains on the Moon
Las Vegas Sphere
Dive Supervisor
Part large format, part theatrical documentary​
​
La Mer
Pachamama
Underwater Cinematographer, Dive Supervisor
Secrets of the Octopus
Disney+ / Nat Geo
Dive Supervisor
​
Islands: Natures Wild Laboratories
SkyTV
Safety Diver, AC
​​​​
Call of the Coastal Wolves
Seaproof.tv
Writer, Director, Producer, Editor
Award winning short
​
Exploring Bell Island
Seaproof.tv
Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, Cinematographer
Award winning short
​
Absolutely Canadian
CBC
Underwater Camera Operator​
Rustlings.
Now on Substack! Tales from production, on-location commentary, and observations from a documentary filmmaker roaming the world.
Directing & Producing
Russell is an experienced freelance broadcast television producer and director. He served as Producer and Director on the forthcoming CBC/PBS series Life at the Edge, overseeing research, production, and episode director for the Atlantic episode of the landmark series. He is well-versed in producing shoots in remote locations, with wildlife or human subjects, and specializes in underwater and in-water operations. Russell excels at implementing safe, productive, and creative shoots tailored to different budgets and project goals.
Cinematography
Russell is happiest roaming land, or sea, with a camera in hand. He has filmed from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts for the upcoming CBC and PBS series Life at the Edge, following earlier work on Shared Planet, and earning an Emmy Award for Island of the Sea Wolves. From science and research, to Indigenous stories, macro, drone and underwater, Russell operates as a fully self-sufficient unit. Having put in his ten thousand hours across a decade of small-scale, run-and-gun productions, his experience has shaped him into an independent filmmaker equally comfortable directing, interviewing, producing, and shooting stories from above and below the water.
Production
For over 15 years Russell has operated a successful small scale production company focussing on ocean related organizations and businesses. Seaproof produced the award winning minimentaries; Tadpoles: The Big Little Migration, Call of the Coastal Wolves, Exploring Bell Island, and The Great Bear Swim. Before shorts, it was one of the first companies producing HD underwater video for the scuba industry, tourism industry, competitive freediving, education and entertainment avenues - from concept to full delivery.
Diving Operations
Russell is a certified commercial diver, meeting CSA Z275 requirements. He works as a safety diver and dive supervisor, and advises production companies on in-water operations, including the CBC series Wild Canadian Waters. He is also an underwater operator and AC. Russell understands how productions function and how to integrate that knowledge into safe and efficient diving practices. He founded the Canadian Underwater Film Network and is a PADI Divemaster with extensive cold-water diving experience. In fact, he prefers a drysuit over a wetsuit. Weirdo.
Immersive Content
Russell has worked on multiple productions for IMAX, the Las Vegas Sphere, and various underwater 360 projects. He understands immersive, large format shooting and storytelling - from logistics, to framing. He often collaborates with Canadian filmmaker Maxwel Hohn, a fellow large format enthusiast and filmmaker. Ever since he saw his first IMAX feature in 1989, Russell has been enthralled at the giant screen experience, and is genuinely excited to see where immersive filmmaking takes us.
RED Camera Rental
Russell has a RED Komodo camera package available to rent, consisting of:
​
-
RED Komodo 6K Stormtrooper
-
Sigma 18-35mm, Canon 24-105mm, Rikinon 35mm and 85mm
-
Canon RF to EF variable ND
-
SmallHD monitor with camera control
-
PortKeys EVF
-
Diety shotgun mic
-
4 x V-locks and charger
-
Mutiny expander module for timecode
-
Rails and accessories
Fellow RCGS
Russell was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society following the success of the minimentary Exploring Bell Island, and his work in promoting British Columbia’s underwater environment. Russell was Expedition co-leader (along with Jill Heinerth) of The Great Island Expedition, a flag-carrying expedition supported by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, uncovering a sunken 1942 Liberator bomber that made international news, and documenting WWII shipwrecks around the coast of Newfoundland. Russell continues to serve the RCGS's mandate of "Making Canada better known", ow focussing on Atlantic Canada and Nova Scotia.
Photography
While he's always been obsessed with movies, Russell has had a stills camera in hand since a young age. He has been published in tons of magazines and websites, including front covers and feature articles. He won the Top 100 Art Prize in London in 2008, and has work displayed in the Jealous Gallery, Christies, and private galleries across France, Canada and England. Russell's love for photography continued underwater after his move to Canada, where he focuses on submerged environments.
DIVER magazine
Russell was Editor of this glossy newsstand magazine for over 8 years. He was also Staff Writer and Art Director for 12 years. Founded in 1974, DIVER was North America's longest established scuba diving publication until its closure in the Fall of 2023, after the passing of Publisher and ocean legend Phil Nuytten. The magazine covered exploration, adventure and underwater wildlife content from all around the world. International contributors included Jill Heinerth, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Brandon Cole, Michael Menduno, and many more diving industry luminaries.
Publishing
Prior to natural history, Russell had a very successful career in publishing based in London, England. Starting on newspapers then moving into print magazines, before pioneering digital and iPad magazines. Russell was an Art Director working across all mediums; print, digital, video, interactive and UI design, and brand art direction for multiple titles. He had an iTunes number 1 app, an Adobe Max Award for a project with David Attenborough, multiple other awards, talks and university lectures, publications, and lots of beer. He also launched Earth Periodical - the world's first exploration and conservation digital magazine for the iPad.
Email: russell@seaproof.tv
5% of profits are donated to wildlife rehabilitation centres, especially those without charitable status. Please consider donating to smaller family run organizations - even if they can't offer you a tax receipt.