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  FOCAL International Awards 2009

Call for submissions closed 1 December 2008

SUBMISSIONS ENTERED

vi) Award for Best Use of Wildlife and Natural History Stock Footage

 

Title of Production/Series cited:

Animal Lullabies  

Specific Episode entered as representing a Series cited:

Episode 1  

Company name

Content Mint  

Country of Origin of cited work:

Australia  

First Transmission / Publication Date:

November 08  

Where published (Channel/Website):

Nickelodeon Jr UK  

Programme Duration (Mins):

60 seconds  

Series number episodes:

3 currently  

Producer:

Kate Malek  

Director:

Ari Kuchar  

Footage Archive Researcher(s):

Kate Malek  

Top 5 Source(s) of Library Footage used in Production cited:

Absolutely Wild Visuals  

2

 

3

 

4

 

5

 

Brief Synopsis in English (up to 100 words):

Animal Lullabies is a series of enchanting short-form bedtime segments for pre-schoolers. Each 60- second episode features a delightful combination of real footage and animation. Creatively showcasing some very cute, cosy and sleepy animals to the tune of a lullaby, this series is designed to encourage sleep amongst its young viewers. Suitable for multi-platform delivery, this series hopes to catch audiences at a yawn in less than one minute.  

Reason for submission in English (up to 150 words):

While animation plays a big role in introducing the real wildlife footage in this series, to its young audience, it’s the charming selection of real footage that is most captivating and is in fact what initially inspired the series concept. This use of exceptional wildlife footage enables each episode to achieve the sentiment of sleep and bedtime, which is what this series has been designed to do.  

 

Title of Production/Series cited:

Arena: The Whale in the Museum  

Company name

Lone Star Productions  

First Transmission / Publication Date:

September 2008  

Where published (Channel/Website):

BBC4  

Programme Duration (Mins):

17 minutes  

Producer:

Martin Rosenbaum  

Director(s):  

Serena Kenyon, Andrew Wright  

Footage Archive Researcher(s):  

Andrew Wright  

Top 5 Source(s) of Library Footage used in Production cited:

BBC Archive  

2

Natural History Museum archive  

3

TBC  

4

 

5

 

Brief Synopsis in English (up to 100 words):

When the famous blue whale model in London’s Natural History Museum was created in 1938, on the eve of war, it was a testament to the British whaling industry in the Antarctic. But it was also a huge deception. No one had seen a blue whale entire, underwater, and the model is far more plump than the true shape of the sleek, hydrodynamic animal. In this extraordinary 20 minute film, directed by Serena Kenyon and Andrew Wright, the near-mythical model is laid in its historical context, among the greater events of national and international history. As the life-size whale model rises from its foundations, so Chamberlain returns from the Munich with his historic agreement. Fish dance to the Lambeth Walk, while the world moves towards war. And all the while, the blue whale is taking shape, a reminder of a lost peace and a violent future.  

Reason for submission in English (up to 150 words):

We feel that the film shows an excellent use of archive!  

 

Specific Episode entered as representing a Series cited:

Clever Monkeys

Company name

BBC NHU  

Country of Origin of cited work:

Worldwide  

First Transmission / Publication Date:

25 November 2008  

Where published (Channel/Website):

BBC2  

Programme Duration (Mins):

49'  

Producer:

Mark Fletcher  

Director:  

 

Footage Archive Researcher(s): 

Mark Fletcher  

Top 5 Source(s) of Library Footage used in Production cited:

BBC NHU Archive  

2

 

3

 

4

 

5

 

Brief Synopsis in English (up to 100 words):

David Attenborough opens our eyes to a monkey world filled with intelligence, love, sadness, empathy, language, lying, social manipulation, stress, and humour. In a wonderful romp through the monkey world, the latest science is used to trace back how we look after our children, our feelings about life and death, the roots of farming and warfare, murder, morality and trust. Attenborough invites us to see monkeys not as animals, ‘but more like rediscovered relatives’. The monkeys themselves are always engaging, whether collecting medicine, breaking their own rules, getting depressed, or using boulders to crack open nuts in time to a Viennese waltz. This was described by Attenborough himself, after recorded his commentary, as ‘an instant classic.’ This film is full of disturbing new science, yet it renews our faith in ourselves. We are not just distrustful and manipulative, but love our babies, and have a burning desire to understand and improve our world. We can be proud of being clever monkeys.  

Reason for submission in English (up to 150 words):

This captivating and informative programme was created using 100% archive footage, it told a compelling and contemporary story.  

 

Title of Production/Series cited:

Globe Trekker  

Specific Episode entered as representing a Series cited:

Eco Trekker Special: Great Natural Wonders  

Company name

Pilot Productions  

Country of Origin of cited work:

UK  

First Transmission / Publication Date:

April 2008  

Where published (Channel/Website):

Travel Channel  

Programme Duration (Mins):

49'28'  

Series number episodes:

13  

Producer:

Ian Cross  

Director:  

Lucie Davie  

Footage Archive Researcher(s): 

 

Top 5 Source(s) of Library Footage used in Production cited:

 Pilot Productions Archive

2

 

3

 

4

 

5

 

Brief Synopsis in English (up to 100 words):

 Throughout the ages, the earth has been shaped by the elements, producing spectacular and diverse environments. With footage sourced from Pilot Productions archive library, this show will offer viewers these awesome and ancient wonders present some of the most engaging and exciting places to visit and yet they are some of the most endangered due to global warming, population increase and commercial activity.

 

From the deepest oceans to the highest mountains, from lush rainforests to arid deserts, in extremes of heat and cold - join Ian Wright, Justine Shapiro, Neil Gibson, Eils Nevitt, Bradley Cooper, Holly Morris and Megan McCormick in this eco trekker special as they explore the world’s great natural wonders.

Reason for submission in English (up to 150 words):

 

 

Title of Production/Series cited:

Sam & Mark's Guide to Dodging Disaster  

Specific Episode entered as representing a Series cited:

Programme 7  

Company name

CBBC – BBC Natural History Unit

Country of Origin of cited work:

United Kingdom  

First Transmission / Publication Date:

6 th Nov 2008  

Where published (Channel/Website):

CBBC  

Programme Duration (Mins):

28  

Series number episodes:

13  

Producer:

Doug Hope  

Director:  

Duncan Chard  

Footage Archive Researcher(s):  

Emma Jones  

Top 5 Source(s) of Library Footage used in Production cited:

BBC Natural History Archive  

2

BBC Archive Material  

3

 

4

 

5

 

Brief Synopsis in English (up to 100 words):

Sam & Mark pit their wits against the most deadly, dangerous and downright freaky creations on our planet from dinosaurs to Hurricanes, from army ants to great white sharks: and all they have to do is survive. Luckily for them they will not have to do it alone, a guiding voice will aid them in their quest to stay alive. A mixture of live action, archive & green screen combined with a bewildering array of props and moustaches puts Sam and Mark right into the heart of the action. Watch it and live!  

Reason for submission in English (up to 150 words):

The natural history units staggering archive is at the heart of this series allowing for all the remarkable, entertaining and silly interactions that Sam and Mark get involved with throughout the series. The series was written by first watching the archive and targeting certain sequences where we could directly place the presenters into the action. Then whilst filming the archive was available so that many composited pictures have been carefully worked making it feel almost more real. But this was always done with the tongue firmly in the cheek. We did not want to fool the audience into thinking that they are really there, but every so often we wanted them to challenge their suspension of disbelief, which would then make the whole interaction funnier (hopefully.) This series has utilised the wonderful resource of the BBC archive in the most unique, entertaining way, while still maintaining its beauty and integrity. The archive has been sourced from the BBC  

 

Title of Production/Series cited:

Under the Sea with Al Giddings  

Company name

GW Intertainment, LLC  

Country of Origin of cited work:

United States  

First Transmission / Publication Date:

June 3, 2008  

Where published (Channel/Website):

PBS  

Programme Duration (Mins):

40  

Producer:

Matthew White  

Director:  

John Bifar  

Footage Archive Researcher(s):  

Al Giddings,  Donna Pace  

Top 5 Source(s) of Library Footage used in Production cited:

Al Giddings Images  

2

Fox Entertainment  

3

 

4

 

5

 

Brief Synopsis in English (up to 100 words):

Known as "The Michelangelo of the Deep Sea," Al Giddings is a four-time Emmy Award winner and one of the world’s most accomplished and renowned underwater director-producer-cinematographers. Drawing from more than 30 years of deep sea diving experience, Giddings shares stories and scenes from a lifetime of undersea film adventures. With unprecedented access to his one-of-a-kind library of underwater footage, featuring countless television specials, documentaries, groundbreaking IMAX films, and Hollywood movies like Titanic, The Abyss and The Deep, Al Giddings shares his stories, providing an intimate look at the fearless genius who captured our world's most breathtaking aquatic images.  

Reason for submission in English (up to 150 words):

Al Giddings has been an active member of the footage community for over thirty years, and he maintains one of the most breath-taking archives of underwater imagery. Working in Hollywood, he built special cameras and lighting apparatus to meet the demands of underwater filmmaking, and used these techniques in some of the most scientifically important expeditions of our time. Al recently spent two years converting his best materials to HD, and this remarkable source material was the inspiration for this program: a true footage-based project that is at once a showcase of visual excellence and a testiment to a great world adventurer.