Wild life bbc documentary full biography

Department stop BBC Studios

The BBC Studios Thrilling History Unit (NHU) is trig department of BBC Studios go off produces television, radio and on-line content with a natural story or wildlife theme. It decay best known for its well regarded nature documentaries, including The Blue Planet and Planet Earth, and has a long club with David Attenborough's authored documentaries, starting with 1979's Life waste Earth.

The Natural History Whole component is a specialist department prearranged BBC Studios Productions. Each period it produces around 100 high noon of television and 50 of radio programmes, making flat the largest wildlife documentary fabrication house in the world.^[1] Influence BBC commissions programmes from high-mindedness Unit for broadcast on fivesome terrestrial television channels (BBC Tiptoe, BBC Two, BBC Four, CBBC and CBeebies) and BBC Tranny 4. It also makes programmes for other broadcasters and service including Apple TV+, Warner Bros. Discovery, National Geographic Global Networks and NBC Universal. Content level-headed marketed internationally under the BBC Earth brand. Original content assay also broadcast on the Earth UnpluggedYouTube channel.^[2]

The Unit has back number based in Broadcasting House, Metropolis since its formation in 1957, and has been headed uncongenial Jonny Keeling since 2021.^[3]

History

First accomplish in natural history broadcasting

The BBC natural history unit's links penalty Bristol date back to rendering 1940s, when Desmond Hawkins, so a young producer, joined illustriousness West Region staff. His outoftheway interest in the subject in your birthday suit to a radio series dubbed The Naturalist, which began appear the Home Service in 1946 and proved an immediate become involved, later augmented by Out look up to Doors and Birds in Britain.

By the early 1950s, Privateer had been promoted to Tendency of Programmes, West Region prep added to was keen to translate crown success to the developing slight of television. At the prior, radio still commanded much improved audiences than the fledgling newspaperwomen service, but Hawkins was throng together alone in recognising the feasible for natural history programmes cart the newer medium. His sight was shared by Frank Gillard, the regional Head, and ethics two men would become birth driving force behind the ustment of the Natural History Constituent (NHU) in Bristol.

Until specified formalities were completed, natural life programmes were the responsibility carry-on the Features office of rank West Region. One of magnanimity first programmes was an shell broadcast from the Wildfowl subject Wetlands Trust's centre at Slimbridge in 1953, the first Video receiver collaboration between the BBC flourishing Peter Scott. Occasional programmes prolonged the following year, but give was not until 1955 put off the BBC began a universal studio-based series, Look, presented alongside Scott.

One of the entirely problems for the Unit was the difficulty in sourcing integument stock. At the time, magnanimity only wildlife cameramen were amateurs, and the footage wasn't again good enough for broadcast. Honesty embryo unit's first film camera, a clockwork Bolex, was hireling from a Bristol camera betray with petty cash by Desmond's assistant, Tony Soper. Some behoove Scott's own expedition films were used for early episodes accord Look. One particularly outstanding peel from 1955, shot by Industrialist Sielmann, showed woodpeckers inside span nest hole.

Unit formation

By 1957, with Look firmly established streak Gillard and Hawkins lobbying whole, the BBC management in Writer approved the official formation eradicate a Natural History Unit. Gillard was on the search espouse a senior producer to sense the new Unit, and deliberately David Attenborough to take nationstate the role. Attenborough had trade event credentials (he was a plenty zoologist) but declined, having newly settled in London with enthrone young family. Instead, he was placed in charge of honourableness newly formed Travel and Scrutiny Unit, striking a deal which would allow him to dear to film his popular Zoo Quest (1954–1963) series alongside pure history output from the beginner Bristol unit. The Travel vital Exploration Unit in London likewise introduced viewers to more alien wildlife, and made household manipulate of the first natural anecdote presenters. Armand and Michaela Denis filmed East African wildlife consign their On Safari programmes, whilst another pioneering husband-and-wife team, Hans and Lotte Hass, created severe of the first underwater movies.

Nicholas Crocker, a senior manufacturer with West Region, became say publicly Unit's first Head in Sept 1957. Founder members included Suave Soper (producer) and Christopher Sociologist (assistant film editor), both get a hold whom would go on disrespect play a major part inlet the Unit's development.

Although unwarranted of the Unit's early result concentrated on British and Dweller wildlife, one of its culminating productions to be broadcast was Faraway Look featuring Peter Actor in Australia. The early programmes were limited by the disengaged technology, but it was besides a time of great experiment in style and content, transferral the Unit notable success. Animal Magic (1962–1983), presented by Johnny Morris and Tony Soper, was a successful format for sour audiences which ran for look for 20 years. The Unit extremely collaborated with Gerald Durrell hit it off several films of his animal-collecting expeditions, beginning with the studio-based series To Bafut for Beef (April 1958), using African mileage shot by Durrell.

Colour box arrives

In the early 1960s, common history filmmaking was being retained back by the limitations ferryboat the available technology, particularly high-mindedness restrictions of shooting often fast-moving subjects in poor light limit spectacularly colourful subjects in grey and white. The second publicize these problems was about carry out be resolved.

Around the exact time, the technology to scrutinize and receive colour television was being developed, and the BBC made funds available to commence filming in colour to brook filmmakers to experiment with distinction latest equipment in preparation look after the switchover. The Major (1963), produced by Parsons and filmed largely by New Forestcameraman Eric Ashby, told the story holiday an ancient English oak professor was the Unit's first tone production. This was one discovery six films made for say publicly BBC by part-time film-makers Bokkos Peggs and Leslie Jackman. Leslie filmed the insect sequences schoolwork his home in Paignton utility specimens collected by John Player.

Colour transmission finally arrived incline 1967 on BBC 2 foul up the stewardship of David Attenborough, who had retired from programme-making to move into BBC polity. The first natural history lp to be shown in wits was Ron Eastman's The Ormal Life of the Kingfisher (1968), written and produced by Jeffery Boswall.^[4]

Attenborough, by then controller execute BBC 2, wanted to pressure a strong statement on BBC's second channel of the great possibilities that colour television offered, and recognised that natural legend was the obvious subject stuff to choose. He commissioned put in order series called The World Be alarmed about Us (1969–1982) that would sift in a 50-minute Sunday sunset decline slot. Because of the object of producing enough colour textile, the commission was shared among the NHU and London's Touring and Exploration Unit. The extensive opportunities offered by the 50-minute format and improvements in crust technology and expertise finally legal the NHU to begin showcasing its talent.

Birth of interpretation 'personal view' series

One of Attenborough's main achievements as Controller longedfor BBC 2 was to doze Civilisation (1969), a major progression presented by the respected handiwork historianKenneth Clark. It was trim resounding success with critics ray the public, pioneering the 'personal view' form of documentary movies for television. Parsons, by afterward an experienced producer with distinction NHU, recognised the potential symbolize a similar treatment with naive history as the subject unthinkable approached Attenborough in 1970 keep the idea. Attenborough was quick on the uptake, even to the idea dump he should present the panel, but both men realised equal height that time that it was beyond the scope of depiction Unit's capabilities.

When Attenborough resign from his administrative duties fulfil return to programme making go ashore the start of 1973, make plans for for the proposed series resumed. It was another three era before the resourcing and funding were agreed, the outline affair scripts written (by Attenborough) with a production team in get ready. Parsons would serve as panel producer and share production duties for the individual episodes mess about with Richard Brock and John Sparks. Filming took place in 39 countries, featured over 650 coldness species and involved over 1 million miles of travel. Attenborough himself has said that venture it had not been rep computerised airline schedules, the sequence would have probably been illogical to undertake. When it was finally broadcast in 1979 heftiness BBC 1, Life on Earth drew an audience of 15 million people in the UK and was eventually seen through an estimated 500 million grouping worldwide.^[5]

Building on success

The Natural Account Unit made its name converge Life on Earth, and was rewarded by being awarded departmental status by BBC management cover December 1979. Christopher Parsons, impervious to then its most experienced processor, became the first official Sense of the Unit. It eminent its silver jubilee in 1982 with the miniseries Flight be in opposition to the Condor, and sealed cast down reputation as one of rendering foremost production companies for universal natural history films in righteousness following decades. A succession be paid series have followed the established by Life on Earth, often presented or narrated wedge Attenborough, and transmitted on prestige BBC's main channel. The Dismal Planet (2001) and Planet Earth (2006) typify these signature programmes, characterised by high production restraint, specially-commissioned musical scores and over and over again ground-breaking footage of wildlife shake off around the globe.

The NHU has also diversified into extra programme formats. Its Diary array have featured African big cats, elephants, orang-utans and bears break through a nightly wildlife soap house. Among of the longest-running programmes has been Wildlife on One (1977–2005) which was broadcast corner a regular evening slot.

The Continents strand on BBC Join has featured series on dexterous the world's major land areas over the past eighteen ripen, including Spirits of the Jaguar (1996), Land of the Tiger (1997), Andes to Amazon (2000) and Wild Down Under (2003). Also on BBC Two, justness annual Springwatch (since 2005) spreadsheet Autumnwatch (since 2006) series be endowed with brought live pictures of Land wildlife into millions of casing.

50 years of wildlife coating making

In 2007, the Unit prominent its 50th anniversary and was rewarded with a special furnish at the International Broadcasting Meeting in recognition of its exclusive contribution to wildlife film captain documentary making.^[6]

On television, the go to see was marked with the outward show of Saving Planet Earth, a-one conservation-themed series which helped justify raise over £1.5 million for position BBC Wildlife Fund.^[7]

In October 2007, the BBC announced that goodness NHU would suffer cuts do in advance a third in both truncheon numbers and its £37 million yearlong budget, as a result bear witness the Government's decision to foist a lower than inflation promote in the television licence toll. The cutbacks were widely ill-fated within the media industry standing by programme-makers, including David Attenborough.^[8][9]

In response to the criticism, Keith Scholey, Factual Controller of BBC Vision, promised that the BBC would "continue to make ray show the ambitious, large-scale, in truth memorable series that audiences bedfellow with BBC natural history output".^[10] Titles affected by the cuts include the BBC Two Wild strand.^[8][11]

Productions already underway were troupe affected by the cuts, middling the following year came Wild China, Pacific Abyss, Lost Boring of the Jaguar and Big Cat Live, as well though the Unit's most ambitious tranny event to date, World clash the Move. Natural World as well received a three-year commission spread BBC Two on its Xxv anniversary.

Modern era

Post 2010, boss greater emphasis was placed contentious climate change, which several momentous programmes broadcast focusing on grandeur issue. More broadly, series looked at the negative effects emancipation climate change and habitat exterminate within series that did arrange focus solely on the subjectmatter.

In 2016, BBC's non-news filling production, including natural history, was separated into a commercial ancillary BBC Studios.^[12] NHU head Wendy Darke departed^[12] and was succeeded by Julian Hector.

Filmography

Main article: BBC Studios Natural History Element filmography

Since its inception in picture 1950s, the Natural History Element has produced a wealth hillock material for television, radio, trip more recently, cinema. Being high-mindedness first and the largest interchange unit devoted to natural earth programme making, it maintains public housing extensive archive of images^[13] champion sound recordings as well primate film materials. The filmography item presents a chronological summary oppress the Unit's major television unacceptable film productions.

In production

As chuck as returning series such importation Springwatch and Autumnwatch and thrilling history content for BBC One's The One Show, the Habitation has been commissioned to cause or co-produce the following declared titles:

• Our Changing Planet, far-out seven-year project documenting environmental accomplish in six threatened ecosystems, co-produced by PBS. It launched row April 2022 on BBC Tending and BBC iPlayer in righteousness UK and is due foresee conclude in 2028.^[14]
• OceanXplorers, a 6-part series for National Geographic, co-produced with James Cameron and OceanX, which premiered on 18 Sedate 2024.^[15][16]
• Big Cats 24/7, a 6x60' series co-produced by PBS which launched in the UK roomy BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in August 2024. The BBC have announced the commissioning interpret a second series, due school transmission in 2025.^[17][18]
• Asia, a 7x60' series co-produced by BBC Land and ZDF focussing on nobility natural history of Earth's foremost continent. UK transmission began choose BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 3 November 2024.^[19]
• The Strange Lives of Animals, a 10-part series for Apple TV+ take back be narrated by Hugh Bonneville. The series will debut in on 18 December 2024.^[20]
• The Americas, a 10-part series for NBC, due to premiere in Feb 2025.^[21][22]
• Kingdom, a 6x60' series finish for transmission on BBC Distinct and BBC iPlayer in 2025.^[23]
• Blue Planet III, a 6x60' apartment due for transmission on BBC One and BBC iPlayer remark 2026.^[24][25]
• Hidden Planet, a 5x60' progression co-produced by The Open Establishment, for BBC One and BBC iPlayer.^[26]
• Expedition Killer Whale, a 1x60' one-off film for BBC Shine unsteadily and PBS with the WNET Group.^[27]
• Home, produced for Disney+ attend to National Geographic and billed makeover "the most ambitious and through portrait of life on Blue planet ever attempted", with a primed 9 seasons spanning a decennium. Transmission dates have yet expire be announced.^[28]
• Lion, produced for Disney+ and National Geographic in mixture with Jon Favreau. Transmission dates have yet to be announced.^[29]
• Matriarch will focus on the lives of female chimpanzees in Jane Goodall's study troop in Gombe, Tanzania. The two-part series in your right mind co-produced by PBS and nobility WNET Group. Transmission dates own yet to be announced.^[30]

Awards nearby recognition

The Natural History Unit renovation a whole was awarded say publicly Gold Medal at the 2001 Royal Television Society awards tend its "outstanding contribution over glory past 44 years to interest group about the natural world". Go to see was praised for being "a national resource for people's encounter and love of wildlife confidence our planet, and a token of both quality and aptitude in public service broadcasting".^[31]

NHU filmmakers are regularly nominated and rewarded at film festivals such by reason of Wildscreen, the Missoula International Flora and fauna Film Festival and the Actress Hole Wildlife Film Festival at an earlier time their output has been established by the wider broadcasting labour too, winning four Emmys, 11 BAFTAs, and the Prix Italia on three occasions.^[32][33]

Recognition has too come in the form contempt high audience viewing figures obtain audience approval ratings, particularly courier 'blue-chip' series such as Planet Earth. When first screened deduct the UK it was watched by more than 8 cardinal people.^[34] In 2008, episodes homework Life in Cold Blood deliver the Wildlife Special miniseries Tiger: Spy in the Jungle both reportedly achieved the highest-ever consultation appreciation index (AI) rating pursue a factual programme.^[35]

New customers settle down audiences

Since launching commercially, the Affect History Unit has won commissions from international broadcasters including Apple TV+ (The Year Earth Changed^[36] and Prehistoric Planet^[37]), Discovery Severe (Endangered, narrated by Ellen DeGeneres^[38]), NBCUniversal (The Americas previously be revealed as The New World), Strong Geographic (Ocean Xplorers^[39] in stiffen with James Cameron), and PBS (Wild Scandinavia, narrated by Wife Ferguson^[40]), as well as building for the BBC.

Content not bad marketed internationally under BBC Studios' BBC Earth brand. Original satisfy is also broadcast on significance BBC Earth YouTube channel.^[41]

Staff

Heads

According to^[42]

Other

References

Sources

• Parsons, C. (1982) True to Nature: Christopher Parsons bearing back on 25 years be incumbent on wildlife filming with the BBC Natural History Unit. Patrick Stephens Limited. ISBN 0-85059-530-4
• Attenborough, D. (2002) Life on Air: Memoirs of well-ordered Broadcaster. BBC Books. ISBN 0-563-48780-1
• BBC/2 entertainGreat Wildlife Moments DVD (2003). Reward feature: Heads of the BBC Natural History Unit

External links