The BBC Natural History Unit received a special award Sunday, Sept. 9, during IBC2007 to recognize its unique contribution to wildlife film and documentary making.
In its 50th year, the BBC Natural History Unit began its broadcasting legacy with black and white films like Peter Scott and Armand and Michaela Dennis’ “On Safari,” and the works of Hans and Lotte Hass, who were the first to take cameras underwater to shoot TV footage. The 1979 “Life on Earth,” presented by David Attenborough, was seen by more than 500 million viewers worldwide.
IBC CEO Michael Crimp said that from the start, the BBC Natural History Unit has taken technology to “some of the remotest and most inhospitable places” in pursuit of stunning images that have captured the “sights we could never hoped to have seen.”
In accepting the award, Neil Nightingale, head of the unit, said that throughout its history, the BBC Natural History Unit has relied on “innovation in technology,” which has been “critical to our success in bringing new perspectives and fresh insights to our audiences.”
For more information, visit www.ibc.org.
