The Blue Planet

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox television The Blue Planet is a British nature documentary series created and co-produced as a co-production between the BBC Natural History Unit and Discovery Channel. It premiered on 12 September 2001 in the United Kingdom. It is narrated by David Attenborough.

Described as "the first ever comprehensive series on the natural history of the world's oceans",<ref>From DVD cover</ref> each of the eight 50-minute episodes examines a different aspect of marine life. The underwater photography included creatures and behaviour that had previously never been filmed.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The series won a number of Emmy and BAFTA TV awards for its music and cinematography.<ref name="IMDb">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The executive producer was Alastair Fothergill and the music was composed by George Fenton. Attenborough narrated this series before presenting the next in his 'Life' series of programmes, The Life of Mammals (2002), and the same production team created Planet Earth (2006).

A sequel series, Blue Planet II was aired on BBC One in 2017.

Background

The series took almost five years to make, involving nearly 200 filming locations. The fact that most of the ocean environment remains a mystery presented the production team with many challenges. Besides witnessing some animal behaviours for the first time, the crew also observed some that were new to science. The producers were helped by marine scientists all over the world with state-of-the-art equipment.

Blue whales – whose migration routes were previously unknown – were located by air, after some of the animals had been given temporary radio tags. The camera team spent three years on standby, using a microlight to land on the water nearby when they finally caught up with the creatures in the Gulf of California. The open ocean proved more difficult and over 400 days were spent in often unsuccessful filming trips. After six weeks, the crew chanced upon a school of spinner dolphins, which in turn led them to a shoal of tuna. Off Mexico, the behaviour of a flock of frigatebirds guided the cameramen to a group of sailfish and marlin: the fastest inhabitants of the sea. Near the coast of Natal in South Africa, the team spent two seasons attempting to film the annual sardine run, a huge congregation of predators such as sharks and dolphins, that assembles to feast on the migrating fish by corralling them into "bait balls". Meanwhile, in Monterey Bay, orca were documented attacking gray whales and killing a calf. Filming in the deep ocean required the use of special submersibles. One of them enabled the crew to dive over a mile into the San Diego trench, where the carcass of a 40-ton gray whale had been placed to attract a large variety of scavengers.<ref>Template:Cite video</ref>

When first transmitted on BBC One, over 12 million people watched the series and it regularly achieved an audience share of over 30%.

In 2018 a newly-discovered species of phytoplankton (Syracosphaera azureaplaneta) was named by scientists in honour of the programme, and in recognition of David Attenborough's contribution to promoting wider understanding and awareness of the oceanic environment.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Young>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Episodes

"Our planet is a blue planet: over seventy per cent of it is covered by the sea. The Pacific Ocean alone covers half the globe. You can fly across it non-stop for twelve hours and still see nothing more than a speck of land. This series will reveal the complete natural history of our ocean planet, from its familiar shores to the mysteries of its deepest seas."{{#if: David Attenborough, from episode one|{{#if:|}}

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Merchandise

DVD and Blu-ray

The series was available as a 3-disc DVD set (BBCDVD1089, released 3 December 2001 and re-released in 2003), including interviews with the production team, a photo gallery and three additional programmes:

• Making Waves: the making of The Blue Planet (50 mins)
• Deep Trouble: an ecological documentary (50 mins)
• Blue: a five-minute theatrical short

The first DVD has now been superseded by a 4-disc Special Edition (BBCDVD1792, released 3 October 2005), which has three extra programmes:

• The Abyss
• Dive to Shark Volcano
• Amazon Abyss

In the US, there is a 4-disc Collector's Set edition (Released 2002), including 8 featurettes, interviews, photo galleries and one additional programmes:

• Deep Trouble: an ecological documentary (50 mins)

In the US, there is also a 5-disc Special Edition (BBC040754, released 6 May 2008). It contains the same features as the US 4-disc versions, but includes a fifth disk containing four special presentations:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Amazon Abyss: discover an array of creatures living in the Amazon
• Dive to Shark Volcano: venture to Cocoa Island, an underwater volcano
• Beneath the Tides: explore an estuary in winter
• Antarctica

BBC released a 3-disc The Blue Planet: Seas of Life on Blu-ray on 9 April 2013.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It contains the featured presentations as well as a third disk containing interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and five special presentations:

• Amazon Abyss
• Dive to Shark Volcano
• Beneath the Tides
• Antarctica
• Deep Trouble.

Books

The accompanying book, The Blue Planet: A Natural History of the Oceans by Andrew Byatt, Alastair Fothergill and Martha Holmes (with a foreword by David Attenborough), was published by BBC Worldwide on 27 September 2001 (Template:ISBN).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The companion volume for the US market of the same book was published by Dorling Kindersley (DK) and released in 2002 (Template:ISBN).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Film

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Deep Blue is a 2003 nature documentary film that is a theatrical version of The Blue Planet. Alastair Fothergill and Andy Byatt are credited as directors, and six cinematographers are also credited. The film was premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain on Template:Nowrap 2003. It screened in more than Template:Nowrap from 2003 to 2005 and grossed over Template:Nowrap at the box office.

Live concert tour

The Blue Planet was turned into a theatrical presentation entitled The Blue Planet Live! which toured the UK from 2006 to 2008. The UK live shows were presented by World Class Service Ltd. George Fenton conducted the Manchester Camerata Orchestra in Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham during December 2006, in three critically acclaimed shows. The tour continued in April 2007, again conducted by Fenton, in London, Cardiff, Birmingham and returning to Manchester and Nottingham.

For the show, some of the most spectacular sequences from the series have been edited together and are displayed on a huge screen (18 metres wide and 3 storeys high). The presentation is introduced by a special guest.

The tour continued in April 2008 with dates at Wembley Arena, Nottingham Arena, Manchester Central, Cardiff St. David's and Birmingham Symphony Hall.<ref name="tour">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Blue Planet Live! continues to be staged:

• on 7 May 2010 at the Morsani Hall of the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida performed by the Florida Orchestra and conducted by Ward Stare.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• in July 2011 in the Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia performed by the Russian National Orchestra, narrator Jane Pauley<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• in June 2012 in Singapore performed by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• in December 2014 in Abu Dhabi at Corniche performed by the National Symphony Orchestra
• on 22 January 2015 in London at Royal Festival Hall, as a part of the Philharmonia at the Movies series.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Sequel

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} In February 2017, the BBC announced a seven-part sequel had been commissioned, titled Blue Planet II, with Sir David Attenborough returning as narrator and presenter.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The sequel debuted on BBC One, BBC One HD and BBC Earth channel on 29 October 2017.

Overseas

The series was sold to over 50 countries.<ref name="film">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the United States, it was shown as The Blue Planet: Seas of Life with the episodes in a different order, the first one being retitled "Ocean World". The series was shown on the Discovery Channel and was narrated by Pierce Brosnan.

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result	Template:Abbr
2002	Television Critics Association Awards	Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials	The Planet Earth	Template:Nom	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards	Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program	Doug Allan, Simon Carroll, Bob Cranston, Mike deGruy, Yuri Farrant, Tom Fitz, Mark Wolf, Simon King, Charles Maxwell, Ian McCarthy, Didier Noirot, Michael Pitts, Rick Rosenthal, Peter Scoones and Paul Stewart (for "Seas of Life: Ocean World")	Template:Won	<ref name="Winners/Nominees">Emmys.com list of 2002 Nominees & Winners</ref>
		Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore)	George Fenton (for "Seas of Life: Ocean World")	Template:Won
		Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program	Martin Elsbury (for "Ocean World")	Template:Nom
		Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera)	Lucy Rutherford (for "The Deep")	Template:Nom
		Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera)	Graham Wild (for "The Deep")	Template:Nom
	British Academy Television Awards	Best Factual Series or Strand	The Blue Planet	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
		Innovation		Template:Nom
	British Academy Television Craft Awards	Best Original Music	George Fenton	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
		Best Editing: Factual	Jo Payne, Tim Coope, Alan Hoida, Martin Elsbury	Template:Nom
		Best Photography: Factual	Camera Team	Template:Won
		Best Sound: Factual	Sound Team	Template:Nom
	Royal Television Society Programme Awards	Science & Natural History	The Blue Planet	Template:Nom	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards	Lighting, Photography & Camera - Photography, Documentary/Factual and Non-Drama Productions	Camera Team	Template:Won	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
		Tape and Film Editing - Documentary & Factual	Martin Elsbury, Jo Payne, Tim Coope, Alan Hoida	Template:Won

Criticism

The series attracted some criticism when it was revealed that some of the footage was filmed at an aquarium in Wales. The series producer, Alastair Fothergill, said that around 2% of the whole series was filmed in tanks at aquariums.<ref name="criticism">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A BBC spokesman argued that it would've been unethical to actually disturb the breeding process of wild lobsters for one of the scenes, which was why they made the decision to use the aquarium footage.<ref name="criticism"/>

External links

• Template:BBC programme
• The Blue Planet at BBC Earth
• The Blue Planet at Hulu
• The Blue Planet on the Eden website
• Discovery Channel's Blue Planet homepage
• Simon King, Cameraman
• Template:Screenonline TV title
• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 0296310

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