Merran Hamilton: The Art of Animal Wrangling on Film Sets

Merran Hamilton, an animal wrangler with over 12 years of experience in film and TV production, shares her insights and career journey in an interview with ArtsHub. Hamilton's role involves ensuring the safety and comfort of animals on set, while also making sure they perform as required. She emphasizes the importance of calmness, using hand signals, and understanding each animal's motivations, often relying on food as a reward. Hamilton's path into this niche field began with training her own animals, then adding scientific study, and actively networking, even pitching her German Shepherds for a horror film script. She advises aspiring wranglers to establish professional credibility and to think outside the box. The interview is part of ArtsHub's 'What I've Learned' series, which profiles various arts professionals, including a courtroom artist and a voice & dialect coach. Hamilton's work highlights the often-overlooked but crucial role of animal wranglers in the entertainment industry, blending animal training with on-set logistics. She notes that while she was once a teacher, she now finds herself on a US movie set in Melbourne, illustrating the unpredictable nature of such a career. The piece underscores the growing recognition of animal welfare in production and the unique skills required to manage animals in high-pressure environments.