Academic Animals - Behind The Scenes

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, 'tis the season to be jolly!

Can you imagine him dressed up as Father Christmas or an elf just to be close to the animals? We sure do! Welcome to the Christmas episode of Academic Animals in which Roger looks back into his experiences with reindeers during projects for this joyful and lovely season.

Roger met one of his longtime friends in a dog agility competition. This episode is about an experience with his friend Jan and his Saint Bernard dogs, a yogurt commercial, towels drenched in ice-cold water, and a trip from the Italian Alps all the way to Tel Aviv in Israel. Indeed, too many adventures!

Roger recalls the ups and downs of his journey in the film industry working with different animals.

Sometimes things go really well, exceptionally well, while others… don’t. But you know, it is just another day in the office!

The film industry is all about having secrets and tricks up our sleeves.

Hair, makeup, and special effects need them the most. In this episode, Roger reflects on how these three can work together with animals. Fast thinking is required to create these items for dogs, wolves, and monkeys! But also, taking care of animals while doing so, is a must!

In this episode, you will know when and under what circumstances Roger’s wife gave birth to her daughter and how their baby ended up in a supermarket trolley. Roger also shares some of his first experiences working with mice, how he ingeniously created a rubber stamp for autographs, and how tricky dreams can be! Being a professional animal handler can sometimes feel like a roller coaster!

After working for almost 3 decades with animals, there is still one thing Roger can’t quite prepare for, the unexpected. This is the story of a one-eyed bald ostrich that looked more like the turkey you’d see in a supermarket! Roger’s experience has brought him to resolve everything so creatively, in ways that you could not even imagine!

This week’s episode will have you on the edge of your seat!

Roger recalls a near-death experience with one dog. He could’ve had his last day in the office, but fortunately, he ended only with two torn biceps, but with a life-changing lesson.

Some things aren’t what they seem. In this episode, Roger shares two very dodgy experiences he’s had in the industry. Yeah, you read that right! Fortunately, Roger knows how to drive through these awkward situations.

Midas would turn out to be a character with naughty habits but a few funny ones too.

This is Roger’s story with this bird, tune in to have a laugh! Oh, and listen up for Midas’ party trick.

Roger was scared, really scared.

This episode comes just in time for Halloween because Roger recalls three very scary accidents with his animals. Two of them involve a dog and the other one a reindeer. Fortunately, Roger knows how to deal with the unexpected, and the animals and himself were fine.