Wildlife Filmmaker Shares Her Adventures with Students

Saints graduate Maaike Middleton ’97 told some wild stories—literally—when she connected virtually with current Digital Media and Videography students to reflect on her adventurous career as a wildlife filmmaker. Hailing from the Netherlands and raised in Montana, Maaike has filmed animals in their natural habitats around the world, from pumas in Patagonia to the elusive Amur tiger in the Russian Far East to grizzlies in her own backyard. 

Her impressive filmography includes documentaries such as the award-winning The Beast of Our Time: Climate Change & Grizzly Bears and Return of the Grizzly, both narrated by actor Jeff Bridges. Maaike has contributed to high-profile projects for networks like Smithsonian, National Geographic, Netflix, BBC, PBS, and ARTE throughout her career.

During the Zoom session, Maaike recounted her journey from the classrooms of Canterbury School to the frontlines of wildlife filmmaking. “I was involved with theater at Canterbury, and my mom suggested I attend our local university, Montana State University-Bozeman, because they offered film studies there. I loved it and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts,” she said. “But afterward, I was kind of lost. Everybody in my class was moving to Los Angeles, but that was the last place I wanted to go.”

Instead, she moved to Florida, traveled around Southeast Asia, and ultimately earned a master’s in Documentary Filmmaking at Royal Holloway, University of London. “That is where my film career started to take off,” she recalled. “I have had some amazing opportunities and experiences as an independent filmmaker in Montana. I love my snow, elk, deer, and all the stories I can tell here with Yellowstone Park just 30 minutes away.”

And, of course, the grizzly bears. “I spent six weeks filming a family of grizzlies in the Tetons for a National Geographic series,” she shared. “We followed a mother and her two cubs, and they would come to her every four hours for feeding. Over the six weeks, we watched those little cubs grow up and discover the world. It was incredible!”

The timing of Maaike’s presentation was ideal, said the class’s instructor, Robert Roffe P ’12, ’15, Canterbury’s Director of Academic Technology and Innovation and Co-Chair of Digital Communication, Design, and Innovation. “We were finishing up a unit on cinematography and starting a documentary project, so students could connect with her work and get their minds around what it takes to film a documentary,” Rob said. “She talked about the importance of shooting extra B-roll footage, asking the right interview questions, and the planning that goes into the process. You need to have a purpose and know what story you want to tell in advance.”

The response from the students, Rob said, was overwhelmingly positive. They appreciated Maaike’s firsthand accounts of what it takes to pursue a career in film—and what that career can look like. “It was great to see a Canterbury graduate following her passion for filmmaking,” said Alexander Avedisian ’25. “I gained insight into some of the hidden challenges of the industry. Hearing about her accomplishments was truly inspiring.”

Maaike concluded with a simple message for students. “Have fun with art, and don’t give up! If this is something you want to do, it is so worth it.”

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