Presteigne Charter was delighted to be contacted by the BBC to discuss an ambitious, BBC self-funded, project to broadcast a live multi-location wildlife programme. Companies were invited to Tender for the business which involved linking sites in the Masai Mara and Minnesota with Bristol, UK. Never having been done before for a wildlife programme, the project represented a huge investment for the BBC and, during discussions with the team at Presteigne Charter, it became obvious that the brief was challenging but entirely achievable.
Alan Bright, Director of Engineering at Presteigne Charter commented: We have worked extensively and successfully with the BBC Natural History unit on programmes such as Springwatch and Big Cat Diaries. We embraced the complexities of Planet Earth Live knowing both parties were united in their drive to make the vision a reality.
Alan, who started his career with the BBC, drew on his considerable experience of working with satellites and found that both remote sites posed quite a challenge. Ely in Minnesota was surrounded by 100' trees and mountains thereby impeding access to the satellite which sat quite low on the horizon and to compound matters, the site was within a protected area with weight restrictions in place meaning the standard American OB trucks were too heavy to use. In Kenya, limited capacity and high demand for satellite space meant it was necessary to use two different satellites and hence two dishes at both the Masai Mara site, and also at the Bristol hub, to send and receive signals.
The programme was fronted by popular household-name presenters, Richard Hammond in the Masai Mara and Julia Bradbury in Minnesota. The Kenya unit was based in a tent, with Presteigne Charter staff including: Engineer-in-Charge, Vision Mixers, Sound Supervisors and Assistants, and Riggers. In addition, Presteigne Charter supplied all flyaway (camera, lighting and sound) as well as all post production kit, satellite links, comms, Avid and EVS support and generators.
Presteigne Charter built a central satellite hub and transmission gallery at Broadcasting House, Bristol, with all post-production work also carried out here. This limited the need to have extra kit and crew on location. Transmission for BBC One and the BBC HD Channel from Bristol to London took place via satellite with fibre optic cables as a back-up. Highlights were edited overnight and sent via satellite again for National Geographic in the U.S. to broadcast the next day.
Colin Jackson, Series Producer of Planet Earth Live commented: Planet Earth Live was the most ambitious live wildlife event ever undertaken by the BBC Natural History Unit. For us, the best technology available was critical to delivering this ambition in High Definition to the BBC and to over 140 countries around the world on BBC Worldwide Global Channels truly no mean feat!
Presteigne Charter; whatever and wherever in the world your broadcasting requirements.
CONTACT:
SARAH LEGGETT sarahl@presteignecharter.com 01293 651300 ext 1001
Presteigne Charter Ltd, Units 2 & 3 Manor Gate, Manor Royal, Crawley West Sussex RH10 9SX UK
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Presteigne Charter was delighted to be contacted by the BBC to discuss an ambitious, BBC self-funded, project to broadcast a live multi-location wildlife programme. Companies were invited to Tender for the business which involved linking sites in the Masai Mara and Minnesota with Bristol, UK. Never having been done before for a wildlife programme, the project represented a huge investment for the BBC and, during discussions with the team at Presteigne Charter, it became obvious that the brief was challenging but entirely achievable. 
