Caption: Myke Clarkson in the Solomon Islands while filming "The Real Sharkano" for Disovery Channel's Shark Week.

Myke's story

Myke's journey into television was anything but conventional. Originally aiming for a career in herpetology, he aspired to earn his PhD studying Yellow-bellied Sea Snakes (Hydrophis platurus). However, his aspirations took an abrupt turn after a severe bite from a stiletto snake left him hospitalized. Six surgeries, a heart attack, and the loss of half a thumb later, Myke found himself drowning in debt. To make ends meet, he started freelancing as an animal handler and consultant for shows on Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. It was during this time that he discovered a passion for television production, which sparked thoughts of a career pivot. When the opportunity arose to work as an associate producer on The Speed of Life, Myke seized it—and the rest is history.
Myke’s career continued to expand and diversify, building a strong foundation across various roles in television production.

​During his eight years at Gurney Productions, he honed a wide range of skills, from operating high-speed cameras for two seasons of American Guns (Discovery) to serving as an Assistant Editor on I'm Alive (Animal Planet). His versatility also saw him working as a topside camera operator for Shark Week (Discovery) and producing the pilot and first season of Duck Dynasty (A&E).

Despite his multifaceted experience, Myke's true passion lies in Development and Natural History-adjacent programming, where he thrives on reinventing and pushing the boundaries of the genre.
Myke’s creative journey also led him to collaborate with Kevin Bartel at Love Productions, where they worked on an impressive range of projects. Their collaborations included Bad Chad Customs (Discovery), Dead By Dawn (National Geographic Wild), Westside (Netflix), Master and Apprentice (History), and The Great American Baking Show (ABC), among others.

When Myke isn’t on set, you’ll likely find him immersed in the natural world—either at his jungle property in Costa Rica, capturing stunning photographs of reptiles, diving alongside sea snakes, or dedicating his time to conservation. He is deeply committed to his conservation work and serves on the board of two non-profits, Herpetological Conservation International and the International Herpetological Symposium, where he currently holds the title of President of both. organizations.