Planet Earth the British Broadcasting

Planet Earth

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) series Planet Earth is a stunning eleven-part series filmed in high definition. Sigourney Weaver narrated the series in its North American release for Discovery, whereas Sir David Attenborough narrated the original BBC version. The Planet Earth series is the product of many years of work, and was released in 2006. Planet Earth exemplifies the way scientific knowledge can be transmitted to a general audience.

Probably the most compelling aspect of Planet Earth is its production value. Shot in high definition, the visual aspect of the series far surpasses any other nature-related show made previously. The videography, direction, locations, and editing are practically flawless. Therefore, even audiences disinterested in nature or science will appreciate Planet Earth on a level of pure eye candy and/or entertainment. Thus, to successfully reach a general audience a science production must be entertaining. To entertain, producers can rely on big budget film production as the BBC did with Planet Earth. Smaller budget production companies would have a tougher time producing a nature video as compelling as Planet Earth, especially since the caliber of video production has escalated since the advent of HD and Blu-Ray. Striking visuals offer viewing audiences an added element of pathos. Entertainment value also depends on ethos: the BBC's name is world renowned and well respected. Thus, viewers will tend to trust the veracity of the content of Planet Earth. The BBC is already adept at bringing news stories to a general audience, so it makes sense that the British Broadcasting Corporation would be able to translate what could be overwhelmingly technical data to a mainstream crowd. Using celebrity narrators also bolsters the credibility of the production, and encourages viewers to connect fully with the material. The familiar voice of Sigourney Weaver makes viewers feel more like they are watching a movie and less like they are attending a lecture on the environment.

Another main reason why Planet Earth is so successful is that the series delivers substantial quality content. The writing is accessible, lacking jargon, but still never dumbed-down or didactic. Individual episodes are so packed with information that viewers can look forward to watching again and again, and likely learn new things each time.