Filmmaker and self-described ‘oddball’, Beau Miles has been sharing short films on YouTube for a total of four years now. From running long distances to up-cycling waste, Beau appears to have mastered the art of storytelling; bringing intrigue to ideas which are seemingly simple. He joined us from his home in Victoria, Australia where it had been heavily raining all day.

Often nicknamed ‘Australia's Bear Grylls’, Beau is an adventurer with a difference. After spending years travelling across the globe, he has now developed a new lifestyle as a ‘backyard adventurer’ and shares his exploits publicly through film. His down to earth nature and indomitable spirit makes his films compelling; adding a whole new meaning as to what it takes to be an adventurer.

Having built up an impressive following of over 300,000 subscribers on YouTube within a relatively short period of time, we wondered what Beau’s early days uploading videos were like. “I started putting films up which had been around for about ten years and it flatlined. So I was pretty excited when I’d get 100 views a day,” he reflected, “Now my videos are levelling out with around 30 to 50 thousand views a day.” Currently, his biggest following is in the US, followed by the UK and Canada.

One of his first uploads ‘Africa by Kayak’, which was originally filmed back in 2007, follows him on a 2000 km journey around the southern tip of Africa. This expedition saw Beau battling huge waves and paddling alone for six weeks after his friend was forced to leave due to sickness. Forced to travel solo, days would pass where he wouldn’t speak to anyone, so he talked to his camera like it was a friend. Looking back, Beau believes it was during this period that he “cracked the code”, learning the difficult art of being authentic: “I look back at my 20-year-old self in front of the camera and I’m still trying to be something. I would shoot what I thought showed hardship or the adventure that I’d read about in books. You’ve just got to be yourself.”

“To be truly authentic to myself comes easy, but not in front of a camera. You’ve got to learn it.
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After doing most of his camera work himself for years, Beau now has a small crew that helps him film. Together, he and his team have developed a consistent style of filming which provides continuity to all of the work they produce. Their help is especially beneficial because it allows Beau to be more engaged in what he is doing, rather than having to also think about production. However, there are instances where he is happy to work solo, such as one of his more recent videos ‘Junk Cabin’, which is “a bit more methodological and within one space.” This video saw Beau construct his wife a ‘Covid office’ using materials that he already had after years of collecting.

Having spent 11-12 years in the university sector, Beau was recently made redundant from his work as the director of an outdoor education course after it was cut. He first got involved in the subject at school; intrigued by the opportunity to participate in adventurous challenges and outdoor activities, like “hiking and building campfires.” After this, he went on to take it at university and received a PhD in the subject: “I loved the course - still do. I miss teaching it,” he said, “Now I’m doing filmmaking full-time though, I thought if I’m going to do it, I should commit fully and go for it.”

We were keen to find out more about Beau’s upbringing to get an idea of the influence it may have had on his filmmaking. “I grew up with a really practical, pretty out-there family,” he said, “My father was a sort of cross-dressing artist. He wore mum’s clothes like his own and didn’t give two hecks about it. My mother was a nurse and a real carer. I had a great, weird upbringing.” He went on to add that he grew up five-six km from where he was sitting now - on the farm, surrounded by green pastures that he has now made his own and started a family on. His attraction to home’s space is reflected in his films which are mostly set in places which are familiar to him. For example, ‘Big Gums’, where he spends the night 30ft high in his backyard gum tree looking past its utility and relishing in its beauty. The insight he shares with viewers offers a refreshing perspective on life by proving that you can find wonder and even excitement in the ‘smaller’ things close to home.

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Beau’s new book ‘The Backyard Adventurer’ will be released at the start of March. The book is based on how he manages to satisfy his adventurous spirit from home and the curious mindset behind him. He told us that one topic he touches upon is the idea of talking to inanimate objects: “When I’m in the garden I’m talking to a shovel, tree, or magpie that flies past. If anyone was onlooking they’d think I’m bonkers, but I’m happy with that. I like the idea that you are bold enough to talk to these things that don’t talk back.”

At this point in time, Beau is busy retraining for an alpine run that he first took in December. “I’ve run my whole life,” he told us, “I get so many ideas from it because it's a time where your one job is to think.” With three of his documentaries being based around running and making experiences out of it, it seems as though he has a natural affinity for it. In his most highly-viewed video, ‘A Mile an Hour’, he sets out to have a day of complete productivity; running a lap around his mile-long block every hour and doing as many jobs as possible in between.

“I’m a homebody but I didn’t realise it for 20 years as I was gallivanting across the globe.
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Beau’s aim is to release a new film on his YouTube channel every month for the rest of the year. As teased in a recent release, these will include two commutes, a run, a walk and more junk projects. Whilst it might be true that he does not upload videos as much as a typical YouTuber would, his focus for quality over quantity is paying off.

You can follow Beau on YouTube and Instagram @Beauisms.