Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Keeping a watch during lockdown

03/06/2020

Philip Stevens looks into producing live nature series Springwatch in extraordinary times

By Philip Stevens

Published: June 3, 2020

Philip Stevens looks into producing live nature series Springwatch in extraordinary times

target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> Philip Stevens looks into producing live nature series Springwatch in extraordinary times

https://www.tvbeurope.com/production-post/keeping-a-watch-during-lockdown title=Share via Email class=share-email>

Springwatch returned to BBC Two on Tuesday 26th May for a three-week run. The series, produced by BBC Studios, is broadcast Tuesdays to Fridays until 12th June, along with three daily live digital shows every weekday, in addition to the 24-hour live streams.

Now in its 15th year, this educational, entertaining, live, nature series is designed to give audiences a fascinating insight into the science behind the UK's wildlife.

However, as with many other programmes, production has been affected by the restrictions required to cope with Covid-19.

We are continuing to provide best of British wildlife viewing with expert presenters, hidden cameras and, this year, stories from special guests' presenters based all over the UK, explains BBC Studios executive producer Rosemary Edwards. At a time when many UK residents may be suffering a sense of isolation, this year's Springwatch is helping to alleviate some feelings of loneliness as it joins the nation through stories of our doorstep wildlife. The series is offering people a chance to join in the celebration of our native wildlife during this period of lockdown.

Rigging for bird's nests requires a head for heights Edwards goes on to say that because of the coronavirus crisis the BBC needed to find an innovative new way to ensure the series' core USP (Unique Selling Point), to stream live on social media, BBC iPlayer and the Springwatch webpages continued for a month - alongside the live BBC Two broadcasts. In addition, with the presenters no longer able to gather together at a Springwatch hub, they are filming on home-turf and broadcasting live from their local areas, across the country.

Across the UK The presenters broadcast live from around the UK. Chris Packham is in the New Forest, Iolo William is in the west Wales, and Gillian Burke is at the Cornwall Beaver Project near her home.

Chris Packham, Gillian Burke and Iolo William present this year's Springwatch In addition to this, we have three guest presenters - wildlife presenter Steve Backshall joins the team from his home patch on the Thames, ecologist Ellie Harrison from her Cotswold base and wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan covers nature stories from Loch Lomond and The Trossochs National Park, Scotland, explains Edwards. Michaela Strachan, who is in lockdown in South Africa, also appeared in the first episode, calling in from South Africa to present some of her favourite moments from past series. There are very small camera crews with each of the presenters, that includes guest presenters.

Throughout the making of this series the Springwatch team followed all the advice laid out by the UK government to ensure no one was put at any risk. These guidelines include maintaining the appropriate social distance at all times, only travelling to film when necessary, and constantly interrogating the distance people needed to travel.

The series also features a number of pre-recorded films, captured prior to the Government restrictions on social distancing. More recent content being shot in accordance with official guidance.

The habitats Part of the appeal of the series is the live shots of various wildlife habitats. So, has this been possible to the same extent with the revised format?

Yes. We have a highly experienced wildlife and nest camera team who have been working together for over a decade, says Edwards. This year the extra guidelines on social isolation and travel have been considered when choosing locations where remote cameras could be sited. Together they have successfully rigged cameras in two key wildlife areas of the UK, one in the Mendip Hills and the other in Monmouthshire, Wales. Using new technology, we have been able to ensure the team that monitor these cameras 24 hours a day are able to individually view them remotely in a safe environment. The output is then fed into the live gallery in London where staff are also following strict social distancing measures.

Specialist teams install cameras to capture 24-hour coverage. A small team of key production workers are required to travel to this centralised gallery. The BBC has ensured that the same team has been kept together to further avoid multiple contacts and has travelled to the studio location independently. As the gallery environment is large this can accommodate crew across multiple rooms to ensure social distancing.

There are currently no government guidelines on wearing of face masks. However, should that advice change then they will be provided. We are constantly reviewing government guidance, says Edwards.

World class Julian Hector the head of BBC Studios Natural History Unit added, We are so proud to be able to share the wonderful wild characters of British wildlife to the nation. Live natural history television is testing at the best of times, so to broadcast Springwatch during a global pandemic is driving our teams' imagination, innovation and technical expertise to a new level - and all within the social distancing instruction of the UK government. The world class Springwatch team bring the joy of our natural world to everyone in a surprising and utterly brilliant way.

Edwards concludes, In these extraordinary times, we have found ourselves engaging with the wildlife in our nearby surroundings like never before. We're thrilled at how well Springwatch is do
LINK: https://www.tvbeurope.com/production-post/keeping-a-watch-during-lockd...
See more stories from tvb

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

12/05/2026

Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026

Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...

12/05/2026

G&D and CT Square Establish Joint Venture for India and Middle East Distribution

Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...

12/05/2026

Telemundo Reports Record Advertiser Demand for FIFA World Cup 2026 Coverage

With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...

12/05/2026

NHLs Stanley Pup Returns for Third Year on June 8

The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...

12/05/2026

NBCUniversal Outlines Ad Technology and Content Strategy at 2026 Upfront

NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...

12/05/2026

FOX Sports Funds Fandom Research Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School

FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...

12/05/2026

TNDV and Live Media Support NCAA Final Four Weekend for 13th Consecutive Year

TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...

12/05/2026

European Football Alliance Signs Distribution Agreement with Fubo Sports Network

The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...

12/05/2026

ESPN, TelevisaUnivision Ink Deal to Produce Additional Spanish-Language Super Bowl LXI Telecast

For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...

12/05/2026

CP Communications Manages RF Spectrum for Kentucky Derby Week

CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...

12/05/2026

LiveU and DRONERESPONDERS Announce Partnership for Public Safety Drone Video Transmission

LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...

12/05/2026

BMC TV Selects Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway for Horse Racing Transmissions

Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...

12/05/2026

NEP Europe to Deliver Broadcast Solutions for Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna

NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...

12/05/2026

Grass Valley Expands Collaboration with Ravensbourne University London on Media Production Education

Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...

12/05/2026

Stats Perform Launches Opta Pulse AI-Assisted Video Creation Platform

Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...

12/05/2026

FOX Sports and Sesame Workshop Announce Collaboration for FIFA World Cup 2026

FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...

12/05/2026

Little Show, Giant Heart: NHL in ASL Earns Two Sports Emmy Nominations in 2026

To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...

12/05/2026

At Its Annual Brandcast, YouTube Aims To Show Why Sports Is No Longer Just the Game

Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...

12/05/2026

Your Next Double Feature: Old Joy and Past Lives

A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...

12/05/2026

It's Your Party of the Year(s): A Look Back at Your Entire Music History on Spotify

Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...

12/05/2026

Black Lion Audio introduce the Auteur 8DAT

Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...

12/05/2026

Reason 14 now available

New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...

12/05/2026

One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pitch

One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...

12/05/2026

Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at PCIM Expo 2026

Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...

12/05/2026

Ad-Hoc News: aconnic AG announces improved fund raising plan to support business and refinance debt

aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...

12/05/2026

CNN Pushes Into Lifestyle Products with CNN Weather' App Launch

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/05/2026

Marshall Electronics Cameras Elevate Elite Equestrian Com...

Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...

12/05/2026

IBC2026 registration opens as international media industr...

Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...

12/05/2026

Ross Video Showcases Unified Production Workflows at Broa...

Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...

12/05/2026

With over 50bn euros in assets under management and recor...

500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...

12/05/2026

Randy Koeman Joins CVP as Part of Continued European Expa...

CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video and broadcast solutions, has appointed Randy Koeman as Sales Manager, Netherlands, marking anot...

12/05/2026

Taiwan Television selects PlayBox Neo Suite multi-channel...

Taiwan Television has expanded its HD content ingest workflow capabilities by investing in the PlayBox Neo Suite - a leading multi-channel multi-server UHD/HD/S...

12/05/2026

Jigsaw24 Appoints Tom Laker and Ashish Chauhan to Support...

Jigsaw24 is strengthening its media team with the appointment of Tom Laker as Client Director and Ashish Chauhan as Project Manager. These strategic hires bring...

12/05/2026

Pebble brings future-ready playout innovation to Broadcas...

Broadcast playout leader showcases hybrid IP infrastructure and workflow automation with Videoland deployment as regional benchmark...

12/05/2026

dzjinius to Showcase All-in-one Production Management Pla...

dzjinius, the all-in-one production management platform for the media and entertainment industry, will showcase its centralised approach to production workflows...

12/05/2026

G&D and CT Square Launch New Joint Venture in India

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/05/2026

Congress Urged to Protect Live Sports on Broadcast TV

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/05/2026

Roku to Stream Inaugural Enhanced Games in North America

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/05/2026

Austrian Broadcaster Selects Lawo, SLG Broadcast for Studio Upgrade

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/05/2026

NUGEN Audio Debuts Enhanced DialogCheck at MPTS 2026

NUGEN Audio will debut Version 1.1 of DialogCheck, its intelligent dialog intelligibility and compliance tool, at the 2026 Media Production & Technology Show (S...

12/05/2026

Disguise Powers Interactive LED Castle for Laura Pausini

The reactive visuals can adapt to any stage or screen setup and comprise 50 layers of Notch content Today, Disguise announced that its high performance GX 3 m...

12/05/2026

DoPchoice Intros Light-Shaping Accessories for ARRI Omnib...

Snapgrid , Snapbag & Airglow Expand Creative Control for the ARRI Modular LED BarFollowing the launch of the ARRI Omnibar, DoPchoice introduces a dedicated li...

12/05/2026

Tribeca Festival Unveils 2026 Games Program

May 12th, 2026 Press Materials Available Here TRIBECA FESTIVAL UNVEILS 2026 GAMES PROGRAM Tribeca Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary With World Premieres and Pl...

12/05/2026

Madonna Brings The World Premiere Of Confessions II To 2026 Tribeca Festival

May 12th, 2026 Press Materials Available Here MADONNA BRINGS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF CONFESSIONS II TO 2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL The Global Icon Will Unveil a Cine...

12/05/2026

Increasing Data Demand, Excellent Networks and Solid Financial Results - Magyar Telekom's Q1 2026 financial results

Customer demand for data continues to grow in the first quarter of 2026 at Magya...