Frozen Planet II

Bbc Studios Americas, Inc., New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

Frozen Planet II, a new television series, will introduce viewers to the extraordinary beauty and critical importance of our frozen planet. Due to be broadcast in the UK in late 2021 and the US in early 2022, it will air ten years after the original Frozen Planet series, giving a critically-timed insight into the fastest-changing part of our planet. While connecting with the greatest global audience possible, it will bring to the fore the challenges these frozen worlds face and the global consequences that could arise from their demise. Building on the hallmarks of the original series -- spectacular cinematography, compelling storytelling, scientific accuracy and never-before-seen animal behavior -- Frozen Planet II is intent on advancing knowledge and understanding of the natural world by showcasing environmental change and its consequences on wildlife. This is woven into the narrative core of the series, with a final episode devoted entirely to the future of these worlds. Complementing the broadcasts, the project will develop online educational materials and a robust social media campaign. This award is for logistic support only for filming marine life and landscapes with NSF-supported research programs at McMurdo and Palmer Stations in Antarctica. In the decade since the original Frozen Planet was produced, there have been considerable advances in three key aspects of wildlife film-making: camera and sensor technology, exploration techniques and storytelling itself. Stories that would have been impossible to tell ten years ago are now achievable - from filming krill bioluminescing by using new low-light camera systems, to capturing extraordinary underwater encounters through the use of rebreather diving technology. Frozen Planet II's remit is to both inform and entertain a global audience with stories about the wonders of Antarctica and the creatures that live there, and show viewers parts of the continent and behaviors that they have not seen before. This series will be filmed predominantly in 8K and delivered for broadcast in 4K. The aim is to show dramatic scenes of animal behavior, highlighting the diversity of life in this the most hostile place on Earth; to show the wealth of landscapes both on the continent and in the ocean that surrounds it; and, through featuring scientists at work in Antarctica to reveal the changes already occurring and the challenges ahead, some of which are only just beginning to be understood. This project is supported by the NSF Office of Polar Programs. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.