NHNZ dives into “Abalone Wars” for Discovery

September 12, 2012 by Kelly Anderson

Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific has tapped NHNZ to produce Abalone Wars, a three-part factual series on the divers who face great white sharks in order to harvest green and black abalone gold.

The series order was the result of the Discovery Ignite initiative, which the company launched in 2007 to partner with independent filmmakers in Australia and New Zealand for coproduction of local programming.

Abalone Wars follows six dive crews as they set out into the Southern Ocean off South Australia, where the waters are home to more sharks per square kilometre than almost anywhere else on earth. The series will premiere on November 7 on Asia-Pacific’s Discovery Channel.

“We do know what we’re doing in this kind of environment; we’ve worked in these volatile type conditions many times. And we’re also used to working with divers,” said NHNZ executive producer John Hyde. “Although, these abalone divers are something else; our film crew have a great admiration for them and the conditions they have to endure.”

“We were once again overwhelmed with submissions for our Discovery Ignite local production initiative and are thrilled to have uncovered yet another extraordinary story in Abalone Wars,” said Mandy Pattinson, Discovery Networks SVP and GM, Australia and New Zealand. “These fearless men and women have allowed us a never before seen insight into the world of abalone diving, where going to work each day requires putting your life on the line.”

Tags: Abalone Wars, Discovery Asia-Pacific, NHNZ