Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Blue Planet II producer on filming breathtaking seascapes in SA

13/02/2018

13 February, 2018 - 08:07

Nothing is more refreshing than diving into the sea on a scorching day. Beyond the shore there's a whole other world, an entire ecosystem going through their routines.

Blue Planet II on BBC Earth (DStv 184) will explore and take humans into underwater worlds from the ocean to coral reefs, green seas and the shore.

The sequel comes sixteen years later, which producer Jonathan Smith told Channel24 during a telephone interview is the right time.

We have made so many new scientific discoveries and our ability to capture underwater now with new technology is so advanced. All of this comes together so that now sixteen years later we can give a really unique and very privileged view of the ocean.

Jonathan is a natural history film producer at the BBC Studios Natural History Unit specialising in underwater landmark wildlife films.

TELLING UNDERWATER STORIES

Filming underwater is a huge challenge not only is it difficult getting deep into the ocean but cameras and water don't really mix well.

A cameraman I work with uses a great analogy. Filming underwater is like trying to film a lion at night in a big fog, says Jonathan.

He continues: First we have to get the right cameras that can operate at great depth. With that done we then have to capture the behaviour from sea creatures to complete our sequences which is the ultimate challenge. We can take hundreds of hours of footage on one individual fish in order to capture and finally get the behaviour for the sequence.

Finding these underwater stories to tell requires a lot of research. In the first year the production team solely looked for stories.

We depend on scientists, field guides, dive masters and people who spend all their time in the ocean and on the seas. Some people have spent their whole lives following one animal. A camera man Craig Ferguson has spent six years following and watching an octopus in Cape Town, says Johnathan.

FILMING IN SOUTH AFRICA

Three sequences in the series were filmed in the Eastern Cape and Cape Town.

Touchvision enables creative professionals to achieve stellar growth

Request a trial, book a demo or call us for a chat

Get New Film Business in 2018

Select your Membership

In fact the series opens with a beautiful sequence of surfing dolphins in the Transkei.

For Johnathan it was an amazing experience working with a team from Cape Town and legendary big wave surfers from Durban led by pro-surfer Jason Ribbink. With their expert knowledge of waves they helped the producers get into the perfect spot to film.

In my opinion it is the best sequence of waves ever shot - it takes me back every time I see it.

Another sequence was filmed in the kelp forest where they followed a giant octopus.

In this series we take you on a journey with the animals to experience their world and the challenges they face. This octopus is formidable and has come up with an amazing defence strategy to avoiding sharks, says Johnathan.

THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL

Speaking about what viewers can expect to see Johnathan says there is so much that will blow their minds.

A giant fish jumping out of the water to catch a bird flying overhead, a fish that uses tools for the very first time, a fish and an octopus that team up and killer whales that become friends with dolphins - these are few of the breathtaking moments captured.

And what does he hope viewers will take away from the series?

I hope that people will take away a whole new understanding about the ocean. It's not just the newness from species and behaviour but also the bigger picture. There are massive changes like less ice in the Artic and an overwhelming increase of plastic in the world's oceans.

He adds: The only way that we can understand the ocean and what is happening is through the eyes of the animals and understanding them and their habitat.

www.channel24.co.za

Documentaries

Africa South Africa
LINK: http://www.filmcontact.com/news/south-africa/blue-planet-ii-producer-f...
See more stories from filmcontact

Most recent headlines

06/10/2025

France Tlvisions Wins Prestigious 2025 EBU Technology & Innovation Award in Groundbreaking Collaboration with Dalet

France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...

04/09/2025

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Dalet Win Prestigious 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...

07/08/2025

Tata Motors & Dolby Bring Dolby Atmos to Harrier.ev, Redefining In-Car Entertainment Experience

July 8 2025, 22:30 (PDT) Tata Motors & Dolby Bring Dolby Atmos to Harrier.ev, R...

31/07/2025

Reflecting on the 2025 Summer Season of the Sundance Institute Labs

The 2025 Directors Lab fellows gather together for a group photo. Photo by Gabe Rovick...

31/07/2025

Live Nation Urban and Spotify Bring Emerging UK R&B Talent to the US with RNB X Live: The UK Sound

Next month, Spotify teams up with Live Nation Urban for an exciting new live mus...

31/07/2025

Ad-hoc News: aconnic AG extends existing debt financing of EUR 23 million

aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, is extending an existing debt financing in the amount of EUR 23 million. The financing agreement, concluded in 2023, ha...

31/07/2025

ARET, Lawo to Unveil Ultra-Advanced UHD/HDR OB Trailer at IBC2025

At the 2025 IBC Show at the RAI Amsterdam, Sept. 12-15, Lawo and Italian-based broadcast systems integrator ARET Video & Audio Engineering will showcase a new d...

31/07/2025

Wisycom Sets New Executive Leadership

TOMBOLO, Italy Broadcast, film and live production RF solutions provider Wisycom SRL has announced a management transition, tapping Davide Morsiani as its new c...

31/07/2025

FCC Opens Investigation into Comcast's Relations with Affiliates

WASHINGTON after months of attacking broadcast networks for bias in their news coverage and the way they handle relationships with affiliates, Federal Communi...

31/07/2025

Digital Alert Systems, D2D Technologies Unveil DAS-Flex

LYNDONVILLE, N.Y. Digital Alert Systems and broadcast streaming processing specialist D2D Technologies have launched DAS-Flex, a combination of both companies&#...

31/07/2025

Ozzy Osbourne Was Master of His Own Reality

Ozzy Osbourne Was Master of His Own Reality From being the founder of heavy metal to a foul-mouthed reality TV star, the Prince of Darkness built a legacy on ...

31/07/2025

Warner Bros. Discovery FAST Channels to Launch On MyFree DIRECTV

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. DirecTV is adding an array of new free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) linear content offerings from the Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio. ...

31/07/2025

Wowza Powers Jotto Platform with Real-Time Streaming and...

Wowza, a leading provider of streaming infrastructure, is powering Jotto, a cutting-edge feedback intelligence platform developed by Quadrant 2, a product studi...

31/07/2025

Swerve TV Launches Swerve Sports on Roku, Pluto TV

LOS ANGELES Swerve TV said it is launching Swerve Sports, a free live-streaming women's sports channel, on The Roku Channel and Pluto TV....

31/07/2025

Moments Lab to Unveil Video Discovery Agent at IBC2025

At IBC2025, Sept. 12-15 at the RAI Amsterdam, Moments Lab will unveil its new Discovery Agent, an AI-powered research assistant for video production teams. Offe...

31/07/2025

IBC2025 Announces Innovation Awards Finalists

LONDON IBC has unveiled the finalists for the IBC2025 Innovation Awards, recognising collaborative projects that address real-world challenges and deliver trans...

31/07/2025

Wisycom Embarks on a New Chapter of Leadership

Wisycom SRL, a global leader in RF solutions for broadcast, film and live production, today announces a transition in corporate management, appointing Davide Mo...

31/07/2025

Shotoku Broadcast Systems to Highlight Enhanced Robotic C...

Shotoku Broadcast Systems is giving IBC 2025 visitors a clear look at the future of robotic camera technology that meet the demands of today's live producti...

31/07/2025

IBC2025 Innovation Awards finalists announced as industry...

IBC has unveiled the finalists for the IBC2025 Innovation Awards, recognising collaborative projects that address real-world challenges and deliver transformati...

31/07/2025

Profuz Digital to showcase Profuz LAPIS orchestrating AI-...

European developer Profuz Digital will present at IBC Stand 8.A88, the latest additions in the powerful AI-enabled Profuz LAPIS digital media asset management s...

31/07/2025

SMPTE Announces 2025 Honorees

SMPTE , the home for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, will honor some of the industry's top minds and organizations at its annual Awards G...

31/07/2025

Moments Lab to Unveil Video Discovery Agent at IBC 202

Moments Lab IBC2025 Exhibitor Preview Sept. 12-15 Amsterdam Stand 7.C22 At IBC2025, leading AI video discovery company Moments Lab will unveil its new Disc...

31/07/2025

Clear Angle Studios Partners with Robot Air to Launch Sou...

Clear Angle Studios, the market-leading 3D capture and processing company for the film and TV industries, today announces a strategic partnership with Robot Air...

31/07/2025

ECOFLOW Project Returns to IBC Accelerator

Global provider of video streaming software and services, Accedo and Humans Not Robots (HNR), a market-leading software provider specializing in reducing carbon...

31/07/2025

SES and the Luxembourg Government to Develop and Launch New Defence Satellite for GovSat

GovSat-2 is aimed at meeting growing demand for highly secure, flexible MILSATCO...

31/07/2025

The Creators 2025 Participants Announced

31 07 2025 - Media release The Creators 2025 Participants Announced Top (L-R): Tamara Asmar, Anna Barnes and Sarah Bassiuoni. Bottom (L-R): Glen Dolman, Mich...

31/07/2025

Lucy Khadder Named 2025 Jimmy Lyons Scholarship Recipient

Lucy Khadder Named 2025 Jimmy Lyons Scholarship Recipient The valedictorian from the Oakland School for the Arts will perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival in...

31/07/2025

Berklee Songwriters Win 2025 John Lennon Awards

Berklee Songwriters Win 2025 John Lennon Awards Chloe Southern BM '22 and student Julia Kirkwood honored by the BMI Foundation for standout original songs...

31/07/2025

Bumper Bangers & Cash renewal - Four new series for U and U&Yesterday from Air TV

Record recommission will take show past 200 episodes and into 2028. Spin-off, Ba...

31/07/2025

England and Wales Cricket Board: Sky Sports Refreshes Production for a New Era of Coverage

Goldilocks moment: Sky Sports talks refreshing and renewing the production for a...

31/07/2025

Behind the Mic: NBA on NBC' Finalizes Talent With Tracy McGrady in Studio, Terry Gannon and Handful of Analysts on the Call

Behind the Mic: NBA on NBC' Finalizes Talent With Tracy McGrady in Studio, ...

31/07/2025

Behind The Broadcast Booth, Ep. 4: Professional Golfer Shasta Averyhardt Details Her Playing Career's Impact on Current Work in Media

Behind The Broadcast Booth, Ep. 4: Professional Golfer Shasta Averyhardt Details...

31/07/2025

Tech Focus: Specialist Camera Innovation Still Driving Growth Despite Broadcast Industry Commercial Pressures

Tech focus: Specialist camera innovation still driving growth despite broadcast ...

31/07/2025

MLB Speedway Classic: FOX Sports Covers Sprawling Venue With Drone, RC Car Camera, Bullpen Car Cams, and More

MLB Speedway Classic: FOX Sports Covers Sprawling Venue With Drone, RC Car Camer...

31/07/2025

SVG Audio Symposium: A Focus on the Future of Advanced Production

SVG Audio Symposium: A Focus on the Future of Advanced Production Digital mics, alternative sports genres, immersive sound, streaming topped the agenda By Dan ...

31/07/2025

RWS Global's Kim Henshaw, Matthew Byles on Coordinating the In-Venue Portion of 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris

RWS Global's Kim Henshaw, Matthew Byles on Coordinating the In-Venue Portion...

31/07/2025

First look teaser lands for exhilarating new Sky Original action-adventure series Atomic, coming 28 August

Thursday 31 July 2025 First Look Teaser HERE Download images HERE Sky today r...

31/07/2025

Gemma Collins says I do to oversharing as she accidentally spills wedding plans

Thursday 31 July 2025 To view this content, please enable our use of cookies. To do so, click Privacy Options below and Accept All Privacy options Gemma Coll...

31/07/2025

Shaping the future of broadcast with Rohde & Schwarz at IBC2025

Shaping the future of broadcast with Rohde & Schwarz at IBC2025 Innovative, efficient and future-ready technology for next gen broadcasting 8.B70, IBC 2025...

31/07/2025

Rodrigo de la Serna Will Play Anbal Gordon in a New Netflix Series

Back to All News Rodrigo de la Serna Will Play An bal Gordon in a New Netflix Series Entertainment 31 July 2025 GlobalArgentina Link copied to clipboard D...

31/07/2025

Made in Colombia! 10 Local Titles Coming Soon to Netflix

Back to All News Made in Colombia! 10 Local Titles Coming Soon to Netflix Play Video Play Video Entertainment 31 July 2025 GlobalColombia Link copied to c...

31/07/2025

Halfway Through 2025 - Progress, Momentum, and What's Ahead

Halfway Through 2025 - Progress, Momentum, and What's Ahead As we turn the page on the first half of 2025, I'm incredibly proud of the progress Grass V...

31/07/2025

Arvato Systems Achieves the AWS Digital Sovereignty Competency

Arvato Systems Achieves the AWS Digital Sovereignty Competency From left: Sebastian Kespohl (Leiter Souver ne IT) / Volker auf der Landwehr (AWS Alliance Lead...

31/07/2025

Sen Rocks

It is with profound sadness that RT announces the death of radio presenter and actor Se n Rocks. Se n died last night following a brief illness at the age of 6...

31/07/2025

Embark on Epic Adventures in August With a Dozen New Games Coming to GeForce NOW

August brings new levels of gaming excitement on GeForce NOW, with 2,300 titles now available to stream in the cloud. Grab a controller and get ready for epic ...

31/07/2025

Wired for Action: Langflow Enables Local AI Agent Creation on NVIDIA RTX PCs

Interest in generative AI is continuing to grow, as new models include more capabilities. With the latest advancements, even enthusiasts without a developer bac...

30/07/2025

Inside the Archives: Building Community through the Creative Process at the 2009 Directors Lab

The 2009 Directors Lab fellows share a moment together outside at the Sundance R...

30/07/2025

4 Must-Try Features That Make Spotify the Best Place to Be a Fan

At Spotify, we're always working to enhance your listening experience and connect you more deeply with the artists and music you love. That means helping yo...

30/07/2025

Engagement Superiority: How L3Harris' Iver AUVs are Establishing the Hybrid Undersea Fleet

L3Harris is redefining the undersea battlespace with its Iver4 autonomous underw...

30/07/2025

SMPTE Announces 2025 Honorees

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. SMPTE, the home for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, will honor some of the industry's top minds and organizations at i...