Starting with North America Keith Scholey & Discovery to capture the world in HD

Discovery Channel signs deal with Wild Horizons and Keith Scholey to create the most ambitious documentary series to date starting with 'WILD PLANET: NORTH AMERICA'.

Using the full power of cutting-edge film technology, Discovery Channel is teaming with Wild Horizons, Ltd. and Keith Scholey, formerly head of the BBC's Natural History Unit, in a multiyear production deal to capture the world, continent by continent in high definition, as its never been seen before.

WILD PLANET: NORTH AMERICA (wt), begins filming in 2009, to kick off the project. This ambitious seven-part documentary takes an all-encompassing view of the North American continent from the arctic to Mexico and covers topics including mountains, forests, deserts, plains, coasts and rivers.

North America is one of the most captivating continents on the planet. Stretching from the polar ice caps to the subtropics, it contains diverse habitats and even more varied wildlife. Employing cutting-edge technology formerly reserved for blockbuster Hollywood films, Discovery and Wild Horizons will capture iconic landscapes and enable viewers to experience unforgettable locations for themselves. High-definition cameras will be hoisted to the tops of mammoth sequoias, the largest living things on earth, and lowered down into Carlsbad Cavern, one of the deepest caves on the planet. In addition, the use of high-speed cameras specially designed to move or fly with animals will enable the producers to capture animals in the most dramatic fashion, from leaping humpback whales to flying squirrels soaring through the forests at night.

"WILD PLANET: NORTH AMERICA will highlight the sweeping beauty and majesty of the continent and its rich diversity. Having Keith at the helm is guaranteed to deliver a series that will ignite our viewers' passion for the world around them." said John Ford, president and general manager of Discovery Channel.

Keith Scholey, director of Wild Horizons, Ltd. said "North America has everything; majestic scenery, spectacular wildlife and vast areas of pristine wilderness. Discovery has given us the resources to do this magnificent continent justice, showing it to the American people in the most spectacular fashion. It's a huge privilege to be making such an important series."