BBC Earth Announces Three New 3D Projects

LONDON – BBC Earth is prepping a trio of giant screen projects, expanding its ambitions to make large-scale projects for theatrical space releases.

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The titles being prepped are Africa 3D: The Wildest Place on Earth, Amazing Bugs! 3D and Sharks! Rulers of the Seas 3D for large screen destinations.

The move follows the 2010 release One Life, a family feature from BBC Earth Films that garnered worldwide plaudits.

BBC Earth managing director Amanda Hill said: "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."

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The fresh push by the division run by the public broadcaster's separate commercial arm BBC Worldwide will kick off with Amazing Bugs! 3D which will be readied for release in 2014.

BBC Earth is working with Giant Screen Films to bring fresh content to institutions worldwide, including major museums and visitor attractions.

Africa sees the filmmakers take the viewer on a journey across the wilds of Africa, taking in dancing flamingos, a family of gentle gorillas, a pool of giant crocodiles or a herd of swimming elephants.

Bugs marks a collaboration between Phil Streather, the creator and producer of Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure and Oscar winner Peter Parks and takes in the hidden world of insects.

Sharks is billed as the definitive story of the shark family, the most successful group of creatures in earth's history having outlived the dinosaurs, survived two mass extinctions all the while remaining top predators.

"BBC Earth's entry into the giant screen market is one of the true watershed moments in our industry's 40-plus year history and will bring to our medium an unprecedented array of filmmaking talent and production experience as well as an extraordinary passion for and commitment to the natural world," said Giant Screen Films president Don Kempf.

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 set for release in 2014.

Both of those roductions are distributed by IM Global.

BBC Earth creative director Neil Nightingale said: "For any film maker 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."