Discovery and BBC's co production, Planet Earth. Saw a couple of the episodes last night, and thought it was shot very well. Ofcourse, a lot of it was shot in film, amazing footage of the snow leopards, etc.

Its amazing and all, but if you have the network funding and backing, along with 30+ cameramen on location for 5 yrs, you are BOUND to get some astounding stuff. Regardless, it is an excellent mini series, highly recommend it! Whatd you guys think?

Thanks Spike for getting this thread started! I thought about making it last night but I opted to wait for someone else with more information to...

It was an excellent show. I can not wait for next weeks episodes!
The snow leopards and the giant whales are the things that really stuck out in my mind.

Like you said though, with all the money, time, and people, its not too hard of a job. But heck, it still amazed me!

Now is the time that I wish I had Discover HD to watch it on. I have the Visio HD tv already. :)

~Gabriel

It sure was amazing footage, When you have the funding for that many cameramen and some of them were in one spot for 4 weeks just to take a shoot of the dancing bird (2min clip) you better have good footage.
Any one with that much funding on any project will have amazing stuff :)

Yupp and a couple of the camcorders used in the series:
https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/sales_o/news_info/ibc/022.html
dribble ;-)

I have seen all episodes and there are some amazing shoots there. Really inspiring to view. You can learn much of how to do wildlife camerawork from this series.

This wonderful series has already been shown in the UK. I can assure eveyone that every episode is spellbinding. The visuals are stunning and of course the content is second to none.

Everyone should see this series. Tell your friends!!! What is good for the avid wildlife film makers are the diary shorts at the end of the programme where they show the lengths that they went to capture the footage. The snow leopard episode is a case in point.

That one series was worth our TV license fee alone. Brilliant.

TT

Greetings all! I must say that I certainly do enjoy reading on this forum. What an incredible source of knowledge!

In the same vein as "Planet Earth", check out "Galapagos" on the National Geographic Channel. The program consists of three fifty minute segments filmed primarily using the Panasonic Varicam (super 16 used on some of the high speed shots, digital still kits for time-lapse, thermal & infrared imaging as well) and Sony 750 and 900's for underwater. The film was made over the course of 18 months by a team of film makers who had been given free access to the entire archipelago, a first in over 20 years. The film is spectacular!!

Very great show, been recently VERY obsessed with it. The shots they get are just mind-blowing. Some absolutely amazing stuff entail in this program, everyone should check it out.

I know I have, TIVO!

Planet Earth is excellent. I bought the DVD-pack from the BBC-site. It is worth every penny!
Really beautiful footage, excellent slo-mo's/moving timelapse, it's all there.

Very inspiring, especially the diary at the end of each show. You can really see how frustated they get after weeks in the wild without getting a good shot. But every time on the last day, they get their 'kill'. :-)

I've watched all the episodes so far and agree fully that most of the footage is truly stunning. The only thing in the series that bothers me are all the faux sound effects. They're almost cartoonish and, IMHO, detract from the visual content. It would be fun, however, to have the job of trying to create sound to match "worms emerging from holes in the ocean floor in ultra-slow motion" . . .

No doubt that this show is beautifully shot, but I've noticed on more than one occasion what seems to be a few effects shots. Once or twice I was almost certain I saw some sky replacements.
I'm glad someone brought up the snow lepard show earlier. I could swear that they faked the intensity of the snow in a few of the shots. Has anyone else noticed these things? Am I just making this up in my own head?

No doubt that this show is beautifully shot, but I've noticed on more than one occasion what seems to be a few effects shots. Once or twice I was almost certain I saw some sky replacements.
I'm glad someone brought up the snow lepard show earlier. I could swear that they faked the intensity of the snow in a few of the shots. Has anyone else noticed these things? Am I just making this up in my own head?


The snow definately had an un-natural look. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and assumed it was just the effect created by using a very long lens combined with large snow flakes.

Planet Earth is excellent. I bought the DVD-pack from the BBC-site. It is worth every penny!
Really beautiful footage, excellent slo-mo's/moving timelapse, it's all there.

Very inspiring, especially the diary at the end of each show. You can really see how frustated they get after weeks in the wild without getting a good shot. But every time on the last day, they get their 'kill'. :-)

How much of the viewing experience is compromised by the SD DVDs?

Hey come on this should be titled BBC's Planet earth.....:)

Planet earths production came up in a course I did last year. Budget was £1.4 million an hour.....pretty impressive spending huh.

The main difference with this series was due to a hugely expensive helicopter mounted camera rig with massive amounts of reach. So much that the helicopter wouldnt scare the animals and allow a whole new perspective on many different environments and subjects. Its funny when you become aware of that you can really spot its use.

Oh and did you see the Great white breach shots....unbelievable slow mo....Simon king took 3 weeks to get just 10 real time seconds or so......but my god, how breath taking!

Fab stuff........I wonder what's on the drawing board next ????

How much of the viewing experience is compromised by the SD DVDs?
I have only seen the SD DVD's, so i can't tell the difference with HD. But SD or not, it looks really good and sharp. At least on my monitor :-)

I have only seen the SD DVD's, so i can't tell the difference with HD. But SD or not, it looks really good and sharp. At least on my monitor :-)


I have watched in HD (discovery HD)and I have watched it on the regular SD dicovery channel and I think it loses a lot. Surely the shots are just as beautiful and breathtaking either way....but you are acutely more aware that you are watching a video in the SD version. The HD version kinda transports you or makes you feel more like you are there. This is what the extra resolution and clarity of HD is best at.

I must add that I am sure the SD DVDs look much better than the broadcast SD does. Because in my mind it looked pretty lossy as far as detail goes.