Nat Geo Explorer Bertie Gregory shares experience working with hero, making 'Animals Up Close'

LOS ANGELES -- BAFTA and Emmy Award-winner Bertie Gregory stepped onto ABC's On The Red Carpet Storyteller's Spotlight stage at this year's D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Fresh off the plane from a shoot in South Africa, he was happy to share insights from Season 2 of National Geographic's "Animals Up Close" with the audience.

Gregory's first opportunities in wildlife filmmaking came from meeting photographer Steve Winter through a youth photography contest. Winter invited the National Geographic Explorer to work with him on his upcoming shoots, later leading to a run-in with Gregory's creative idol, Sir David Attenborough, renowned British wildlife documentarian.

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"You know how people say, 'Don't meet your heroes?' Those people haven't met Sir David Attenborough" Gregory told ABC Owned Television Stations Executive Producer Nzinga Blake.

After that stint, Gregory worked as a cinematographer for the BBC program, "Seven Worlds, One Planet," a series about the formation of the Earth's seven continents, with Attenborough serving as the series opener. As a member of National Geographic and the Disney family, Gregory finds it rewarding to continue the tradition of making animals the stars of his work, the same way he and Attenborough are.

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"It's amazing to see Star Wars and Marvel and all the Disney greats," Gregory said. "But it's just great that wildlife and the natural world can be showcased alongside those other things. Marvel has its superheroes. And at National Geographic, the animals are the superheroes."

On the Red Carpet's Storytellers Spotlight Creator Conversations took place daily at D23, highlighting creators from film, TV, theater, music, and Walt Disney Imagineering. The chats focused on their storytelling journeys and how their own fandom has influenced their work with The Walt Disney Company.

"Animals Up Close" is now streaming on Disney+.

Watch the video player above for our full Storytellers Spotlight interview with Bertie Gregory.

Jason Honeycutt and Andres Rovira contributed to this report.

Disney is the parent company of National Geographic, Disney+ and this station.