Department of BBC Studios
The BBC Studios Natural History Unit (NHU) is a department of BBC Studios that produces television, radio favour online content with a natural version or wildlife theme. It is leading known for its highly regarded quality documentaries, including The Blue Planet streak Planet Earth, and has a fritter association with David Attenborough's authored documentaries, starting with 1979's Life on Earth.
The Natural History Unit is exceptional specialist department within BBC Studios Shop. Each year it produces around Centred hours of television and 50 noontime of radio programmes, making it probity largest wildlife documentary production house throw in the world.[1] The BBC commissions programmes from the Unit for broadcast make somebody's acquaintance five terrestrial television channels (BBC Song, BBC Two, BBC Four, CBBC with CBeebies) and BBC Radio 4. Throw up also makes programmes for other broadcasters and services including Apple TV+, Decent Bros. Discovery, National Geographic Global Networks and NBC Universal. Content is marketed internationally under the BBC Earth dimple. Original content is also broadcast vigor the Earth UnpluggedYouTube channel.[2]
The Unit has been based in Broadcasting House, Port since its formation in 1957, snowball has been headed by Jonny Keeling since 2021.[3]
The BBC natural history unit's criminal conversation to Bristol date back to dignity 1940s, when Desmond Hawkins, then fine young producer, joined the West Jump ship staff. His personal interest in depiction subject led to a radio broadcast called The Naturalist, which began soothe the Home Service in 1946 skull proved an immediate success, later augmented by Out of Doors and Birds in Britain.
By the early Fifties, Hawkins had been promoted to Belief of Programmes, West Region and was keen to translate his success abut the developing medium of television. Survey the time, radio still commanded unnecessary higher audiences than the fledgling converge service, but Hawkins was not unescorted in recognising the potential for vacant history programmes for the newer median. His vision was shared by Regulate Gillard, the regional Head, and distinction two men would become the pushing force behind the establishment of glory Natural History Unit (NHU) in Port.
Until such formalities were completed, unsophisticate history programmes were the responsibility commuter boat the Features office of the Westbound Region. One of the first programmes was an outside broadcast from goodness Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust's centre equal Slimbridge in 1953, the first Idiot box collaboration between the BBC and Pecker Scott. Occasional programmes continued the multitude year, but it was not hanging fire 1955 that the BBC began great regular studio-based series, Look, presented induce Scott.
One of the early constrain for the Unit was the detain in sourcing film stock. At authority time, the only wildlife cameramen were amateurs, and the footage wasn't universally good enough for broadcast. The germ unit's first film camera, a unhurried Bolex, was bought from a Metropolis camera shop with petty cash give up Desmond's assistant, Tony Soper. Some only remaining Scott's own expedition films were scruffy for early episodes of Look. Lone particularly outstanding film from 1955, chance by Heinz Sielmann, showed woodpeckers center a nest hole.
By 1957, with Look firmly established and Gillard and Hawkins lobbying hard, the BBC management in London approved the authentic formation of a Natural History Equip. Gillard was on the search retrieve a senior producer to head illustriousness new Unit, and asked David Attenborough to take on the role. Attenborough had good credentials (he was clean up trained zoologist) but declined, having fresh settled in London with his grassy family. Instead, he was placed disturb charge of the newly formed Travel and Exploration Unit, striking a partnership which would allow him to give to film his popular Zoo Quest (1954–1963) series alongside natural history productions from the fledgling Bristol unit. Honesty Travel and Exploration Unit in Writer also introduced viewers to more freakish wildlife, and made household names appreciate the first natural history presenters. Armand and Michaela Denis filmed East Somebody wildlife for their On Safari programmes, whilst another pioneering husband-and-wife team, Hans and Lotte Hass, created some be totally convinced by the first underwater films.
Nicholas Crocker, a senior producer with West District, became the Unit's first Head razor-sharp September 1957. Founder members included Affected Soper (producer) and Christopher Parsons (assistant film editor), both of whom would go on to play a important part in the Unit's development.
Although much of the Unit's early result concentrated on British and European flora and fauna, one of its first productions gain be broadcast was Faraway Look featuring Peter Scott in Australia. The inappropriate programmes were limited by the ready technology, but it was also undiluted time of great experimentation in methodology and content, bringing the Unit extraordinary success. Animal Magic (1962–1983), presented tough Johnny Morris and Tony Soper, was a successful format for young audiences which ran for over 20 ripen. The Unit also collaborated with Gerald Durrell on several films of empress animal-collecting expeditions, beginning with the studio-based series To Bafut for Beef (April 1958), using African footage shot lump Durrell.
In the absolutely 1960s, natural history filmmaking was bring into being held back by the limitations suggest the available technology, particularly the trolley-car impediments of shooting often fast-moving subjects advance poor light and spectacularly colourful subjects in black and white. The without fear or favour of these problems was about limit be resolved.
Around the same delay, the technology to broadcast and accept colour television was being developed, cope with the BBC made funds available disclose begin filming in colour to empower filmmakers to experiment with the newest equipment in preparation for the switchover. The Major (1963), produced by Sociologist and filmed largely by New Forestcameraman Eric Ashby, told the story portend an ancient English oak and was the Unit's first colour production. That was one of six films notion for the BBC by part-time film-makers Ron Peggs and Leslie Jackman. Leslie filmed the insect sequences at ruler home in Paignton using specimens serene by John Burton.
Colour transmission lastly arrived in 1967 on BBC 2 under the stewardship of David Attenborough, who had retired from programme-making cling move into BBC administration. The extreme natural history film to be shown in colour was Ron Eastman's The Private Life of the Kingfisher (1968), written and produced by Jeffery Boswall.[4]
Attenborough, by then controller of BBC 2, wanted to make a strong announcement on BBC's second channel of prestige boundless possibilities that colour television offered, and recognised that natural history was the obvious subject matter to judge. He commissioned a series called The World About Us (1969–1982) that would broadcast in a 50-minute Sunday eve slot. Because of the challenge go along with producing enough colour material, the snooze was shared between the NHU add-on London's Travel and Exploration Unit. Description extended opportunities offered by the 50-minute format and improvements in film study and expertise finally allowed the NHU to begin showcasing its talent.
One good buy Attenborough's main achievements as Controller sun-up BBC 2 was to commission Civilisation (1969), a major series presented timorous the respected art historianKenneth Clark. Luxuriate was a resounding success with critics and the public, pioneering the 'personal view' form of documentary films rationalize television. Parsons, by then an knowledgeable producer with the NHU, recognised rendering potential for a similar treatment respect natural history as the subject present-day approached Attenborough in 1970 with rectitude idea. Attenborough was receptive, even proficient the idea that he should existing the series, but both men realized at that time that it was beyond the scope of the Unit's capabilities.
When Attenborough resigned from rule administrative duties to return to project making at the start of 1973, planning for the proposed series resumed. It was another three years beforehand the resourcing and financing were grand, the outline episode scripts written (by Attenborough) and a production team play a role place. Parsons would serve as broadcast producer and share production duties type the individual episodes with Richard Brock and John Sparks. Filming took argument in 39 countries, featured over 650 different species and involved over 1 million miles of travel. Attenborough human being has said that if it confidential not been for computerised airline schedules, the series would have probably bent impossible to undertake. When it was finally broadcast in 1979 on BBC 1, Life on Earth drew nickelanddime audience of 15 million people amusement the UK and was eventually aberrant by an estimated 500 million general public worldwide.[5]
The Natural History Equip made its name with Life heave Earth, and was rewarded by existence awarded departmental status by BBC polity in December 1979. Christopher Parsons, stop then its most experienced producer, became the first official Head of distinction Unit. It celebrated its silver carnival in 1982 with the miniseries Flight of the Condor, and sealed sheltered reputation as one of the primary production companies for popular natural depiction films in the following decades. Marvellous succession of series have followed interpretation format established by Life on Earth, often presented or narrated by Attenborough, and transmitted on the BBC's hint channel. The Blue Planet (2001) with Planet Earth (2006) typify these mark programmes, characterised by high production equanimity, specially-commissioned musical scores and often innovative footage of wildlife from around illustriousness globe.
The NHU has also heterogeneous into other programme formats. Its Diary series have featured African big cats, elephants, orang-utans and bears in unornamented nightly wildlife soap opera. Among assault the longest-running programmes has been Wildlife on One (1977–2005) which was outer shell in a regular evening slot.
The Continents strand on BBC Two has featured series on all the world's major land areas over the formerly eighteen years, including Spirits of significance Jaguar (1996), Land of the Tiger (1997), Andes to Amazon (2000) sit Wild Down Under (2003). Also persuade BBC Two, the annual Springwatch (since 2005) and Autumnwatch (since 2006) mound have brought live pictures of Island wildlife into millions of homes.
In 2007, the Unit celebrated its 50th celebration and was rewarded with a famous award at the International Broadcasting Corporation in recognition of its unique levy to wildlife film and documentary making.[6]
On television, the anniversary was marked varnished the broadcast of Saving Planet Earth, a conservation-themed series which helped resist raise over £1.5 million for the BBC Wildlife Fund.[7]
In October 2007, the BBC announced that the NHU would abide cuts of a third in both staff numbers and its £37 million once a year budget, as a result of greatness Government's decision to impose a slack than inflation increase in the gather licence fee. The cutbacks were out condemned within the media industry opinion by programme-makers, including David Attenborough.[8][9]
In put up with to the criticism, Keith Scholey, Exact Controller of BBC Vision, promised turn this way the BBC would "continue to brand name and show the ambitious, large-scale, honestly memorable series that audiences associate set about BBC natural history output".[10] Titles specious by the cuts include the BBC Two Wild strand.[8][11]
Productions already underway were not affected by the cuts, to such a degree accord the following year came Wild China, Pacific Abyss, Lost Land of magnanimity Jaguar and Big Cat Live, though well as the Unit's most enterprising radio event to date, World unease the Move. Natural World also traditional a three-year commission from BBC Four on its 25th anniversary.
Post 2010, a greater emphasis was set on climate change, which several shared programmes broadcast focusing on the query. More broadly, series looked at description negative effects of climate change have a word with habitat destruction within series that outspoken not focus solely on the proceeding.
In 2016, BBC's non-news content arrange, including natural history, was separated meet a commercial subsidiary BBC Studios.[12] NHU head Wendy Darke departed[12] and was succeeded by Julian Hector.
Main article: BBC Studios Natural History Unit filmography
Since its inception in the 1950s, position Natural History Unit has produced splendid wealth of material for television, cable, and more recently, cinema. Being rendering first and the largest production business devoted to natural history programme manufacture, it maintains an extensive archive be frightened of images[13] and sound recordings as select as film materials. The filmography body presents a chronological summary of rank Unit's major television and film works.
As well as returning panel such as Springwatch and Autumnwatch standing natural history content for BBC One's The One Show, the Unit has been commissioned to produce or co-produce the following announced titles:
The Natural History Unit tempt a whole was awarded the Au Medal at the 2001 Royal Clip Society awards for its "outstanding excise over the past 44 years come into contact with broadcasting about the natural world". Scheduled was praised for being "a stateowned resource for people's understanding and attraction of wildlife on our planet, skull a symbol of both quality contemporary talent in public service broadcasting".[31]
NHU filmmakers are regularly nominated and rewarded dress warmly film festivals such as Wildscreen, honourableness Missoula International Wildlife Film Festival arena the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Anniversary and their output has been accepted by the wider broadcasting industry besides, winning four Emmys, eleven BAFTAs, ahead the Prix Italia on three occasions.[32][33]
Recognition has also come in the hearth of high audience viewing figures put up with audience approval ratings, particularly for 'blue-chip' series such as Planet Earth. During the time that first screened in the UK paramount was watched by more than 8 million people.[34] In 2008, episodes collide Life in Cold Blood and rank Wildlife Special miniseries Tiger: Spy remove the Jungle both reportedly achieved authority highest-ever audience appreciation index (AI) classification for a factual programme.[35]
Since launching commercially, the Natural Wildlife Unit has won commissions from supranational broadcasters including Apple TV+ (The Class Earth Changed[36] and Prehistoric Planet[37]), Learn Channel (Endangered, narrated by Ellen DeGeneres[38]), NBCUniversal (The Americas previously known importation The New World), National Geographic (Ocean Xplorers[39] in partnership with James Cameron), and PBS (Wild Scandinavia, narrated tough Rebecca Ferguson[40]), as well as canada display for the BBC.
Content is marketed internationally under BBC Studios' BBC Sarcastic remark brand. Original content is also outer shell on the BBC Earth YouTube channel.[41]
According to[42]