The BBC's Planet Earth - What a series to work on...

“Planet Earth” would be my dream series to work on - not only the first true HD Natural History series but a chance to explore and develop new techniques across the whole of the production process.

It was a great attempt at being a 360 degree production; BBC4 switch-over options and associated radio schedule. Accompanying the series is a dynamic flash based “Planet Earth explorer”, taking BBC web navigation to a new level and showing how content can be repackaged, given added value and put to a new use outside of the linear series. I would have tried to make the site live prior to transmission and the clips downloadable for portable players.

A Planet Earth Blog, Vlog or podcast would extend the successful behind the scenes sections, and hold the audience throughout the 6 month intermission period (see Forbidden Technologies Everest web and mobcast).

For the Planet Earth family audience, 9pm was late for a first TX, to accommodate this demographic a CBBC tie-in, or alternative narration – delivered through interactive TV – would have enhanced the younger audiences appreciation. With plenty of tooth and claw the only natural history elements missing were sex and negative environmental changes, which are understandably hard to include when you’re trying to sell a magical and spectacular series.