Sky announce Micro Monsters 3D With David Attenborough (w/t)

Friday 26 October 2012

MICRO MONSTERS 3D SEES NATURALIST EXPLORE THE UNSEEN WORLD OF BUGS

3x 60’ FOR TX IN 2013

Sky 3D today (25 October, 2012) announce the commission of MICRO MONSTERS 3D WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH (W/T), which will use pioneering macroscopic 3D filming techniques to bring to life the extreme and deadly unseen world of bugs.

Featuring armies of killer ants, spiders weaving silken trap doors, ferocious scorpions, beetles shooting boiling chemicals, and underwater battles between dragonfly larvae and water tigers, MICRO MONSTERS will – for the first time ever in 3D – take viewers deep into the weird world of insects.

In this revolutionary new series, David Attenborough will uncover the amazing adaptability of these incredible creatures, showing their sophisticated behaviours and the complexity of the environments they build for themselves. Stunning visuals will be created using pioneering macroscopic 3D and time-lapse photography, delving deep into an alien and fascinating universe.

Scheduled to premiere on Sky 3D in Spring 2013, MICRO MONSTERS 3D (W/T), will be written and presented by David and produced by Colossus Productions (a collaboration between Sky 3D and Atlantic Productions set up to develop original 3D programming for both UK and international audiences).

The 3x60’ mini-series marks David Attenborough’s fifth 3D project for Sky, following on from the success of the BAFTA® and Jackson Hole Award-winning FLYING MONSTERS 3D, as well as THE BACHELOR KING 3D, KINGDOM OF PLANTS 3D and the soon- to- premiere GALAPAGOS 3D (W/T) mini-series.

David Attenborough commented: “Outnumbering humans in their hundreds of billions, the world of bugs is far bigger than ours and yet it has remained largely invisible to us – until now. New 3D technology allows us the opportunity to explore and experience the complexity and sophistication of this universe in a wholly new way, and to show the tremendous tenacity, enterprise and ferocity of these fascinating, microscopic creatures on a suitably epic scale.”

Sky’s Director of 3D John Cassy adds: “Further displaying Colossus Productions’ commitment to developing innovative, original 3D programming, MICRO MONSTERS 3D (W/T) will utilize pioneering 3D technology to discover the delicacy and drama of the insect world, taking Sky customers closer to this extreme and deadly world than ever before from the comfort of their own homes – thankfully without risk of being bitten, stung or poisoned.”

Anthony Geffen, Executive Producer and CEO of Atlantic Productions adds: “All our previous 3D projects with David Attenborough for Sky have been ground-breaking, but Micro Monsters goes several steps further using everything we’ve learnt previously about cutting edge storytelling in 3D, but adding the chance to dive into a completely alien world – a place of bizarre creatures and strange behaviour. This will look fantastic in 3D, and we look forward to working with the team at Sky again to bring another exciting series to their viewers.”

Commissioned by Celia Taylor, Sky’s Head of Factual and Features, MICRO MONSTERS 3D (W/T) is part of Sky’s commitment to increase its investment in original British content by 50% over the next three years. By 2014, Sky expects to invest £600million a year in British programmes across its portfolio of channels.

Since launching Sky 3D in October 2010 Sky has broken new ground across a range of genres, including natural history, live music, the arts, spots and movies. Highlights have included previous David Attenborough 3D projects Flying Monsters 3D, The Bachelor King 3D, Kingdom of Plants 3D as well as live 3D broadcasts of a number of musical and dance performances including the Got To Dance Live Final and Kylie Minogue Live From The O2, the 3D TV world premieres of Avatar, Alice in Wonderland and the Toy Story Trilogy as well as more than 150 live sports broadcast spanning a range of domestic and international sports.

ENDS

About Colossus Productions:

Colossus Productions is the production company formed by Sky and Atlantic Productions in 2011.The joint venture was created to develop and make high-end 3D programming for UK and International audiences, including the rapidly growing number of Sky 3D homes.

About Atlantic Productions:

Atlantic Productions is one of the world’s leading factual production companies. In 2011 it won a BAFTA, three Emmys and best IMAX award for three different productions. They were also nominated as Best Independent Production Company for 2011.

Other productions for Sky include the BAFTA-winning FLYING MONSTERS 3D WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH; THE BACHELOR KING 3D; David Attenborough’s KINGDOM OF PLANTS, and the upcoming GALAPAGOS 3D (W/T). FLYING MONSTERS 3D has won numerous awards, including the Best 3D film at both The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and Wildscreen; the Special Award for Innovation at the International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam; and the Best Science Film from The Association of International Broadcasters.

Other Atlantic Productions highlights include: triple Emmy-winning David Attenborough’s First Life; The Emmy-winning Jerusalem – City of Heaven; BAFTA-nominated Munich: Mossad’s Revenge; the triple Emmy-nominated The Promised Land five-part series,narrated by Morgan Freeman, and the award-winningthree-part series, Prohibition; Nefertiti Resurrected; The Link and Predator X; Egypt Unwrapped; The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization and Rome Unwrapped.

The Company’s productions are complemented by pioneering cross-platform initiatives. Flying Monsters 3D and The Wildest Dream – Conquest of Everest are currently showing in IMAX cinemas worldwide, and the Flying Monsters App has been downloaded over 1m times. THE BACHELOR KING 3D will launch in commercial cinemas in 2013. KINGDOM OF PLANTS will be released in IMAX in 2013 too, following the launch in 2012 of the Kingdom of Plants App (App Store’s Editor’s Pick May 2012) and an accompanying book and 3d Blu Ray Disc release.

About Sky:

Sky entertains and excites more than 10.4 million homes through the most comprehensive multichannel, multi-platform television service in the UK and Ireland. Sky continues to break new ground with its own portfolio of channels: Sky 1 combines its commitment to UK production with the best of the US; Sky Living pushes ahead with fresh and innovative entertainment formats; Sky Arts is the UK's only dedicated arts channel brand; Sky Atlantic is the home to HBO and other iconic drama and comedy, Sky Sports is still raising the bar in sports broadcasting; Sky News remains a pioneer in television news; and Sky Movies is leading the way in High Definition and on-demand.

Sky also works with dozens of other broadcasters on the satellite platform, as well as online and on mobile through the ground-breaking Sky Go service. Sky has also led the UK into the age of high definition television, launched Europe's first 3DTV channel, Sky 3D, and offers customer even more flexibility and choice through Sky Anytime+, its internet-delivered video on demand service. Since launching Sky Broadband and Sky Talk in 2006, the company has also been the UK's fastest-growing home communications provider.

Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates, not least by increasing participation in, and access to, the arts, supporting grassroots sports, and taking positive action on the environment.

For further information please contact:

Megan MacLeod

Publicist, Sky Movies and Sky Atlantic

T: +44 (0)20 7032 4252

M: +44 (0)7584 580 014

megan.macleod@bskyb.com

For more information on Atlantic Productions:

Robyn Vanoli-Salmon: 020 7490 4050 / robyn@franklinrae.com

Kelly Lewins: 020 7490 4050 / kelly@franklinrae.com