BBC Earth developing a trio of 3D projects

September 19, 2012 by Kevin Ritchie

BBC Earth is developing three giant screen 3D projects that will begin rolling out in 2014.

The films, Africa 3D: The Wildest Place on Earth, Amazing Bugs! 3D and Sharks! Rulers of the Seas 3D, aim to build on the success of One Life, the company’s 2010 family feature.

“Giant Screen is a platform that demands the most spectacular cinematography. It’s one of the biggest production challenges that we’ve undertaken and we’re incredibly excited about creating new films on an epic scale,” said Amanda Hill, BBC Earth’s managing director, in a statement.

The BBC Worldwide natural history arm will push into the new theatrical space when Amazing Bugs! 3D is released in 2014, and is working with Giant Screen Films to bring new content to institutions worldwide, such as major museums and visitor attractions.

Africa 3D will take viewers on a journey across Africa’s equatorial planes and raging rivers to capture dancing flamingos, a family of gorillas, a pool of giant crocodiles and a herd of swimming elephants. Amazing Bugs! 3D, meanwhile, will use new 3D lenses, slow-motion, time-lapse and micro and macro photography to zoom in on the tiny worlds of insects. The film is a collaboration with Phil Streather, producer of Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure, and Peter Parks.

Sharks! is billed as the definitive story of the oceanic predators’ evolution over 400 million years. The filmmakers will use advance filming techniques, such as underwater Time Slice, specialist slow motion photography and remote on-board cameras to capture “never before seen” behavioral sequences.

BBC Earth Films also has two further features in production with Evergreen Films and Reliance BIG Entertainment – Walking with Dinosaurs 3D, which will have its global release in December 2013, and Enchanted Kingdom 3D, due out in 2014.

Both are distributed by IM Global.

“For any filmmaker it’s exciting to see your content presented on such a grand scale, and for a natural history cinematographer this has to be the ultimate canvas to display Earth’s wonders – it’s a fantastic opportunity,” said BBC Earth creative director Neil Nightingale.

Tags: Africa 3D: The Wildest Place on Earth, Amanda Hill, Amazing Bugs! 3D, BBC Earth, Neil Nightingale, Sharks! Rulers of the Seas 3D