Making Waves - Unique Workflow for New HD and 5.1 Science Series

October 2008: BBC Post Production is supporting a new major science series called Oceans, which is being made in HD with 5.1 sound, for the BBC and Discovery. The eight 60 minute programmes will transmit on BBC TWO in late 2008/early 2009, with deliverables for BBC Worldwide and Discovery.

Oceans will be the first major project to go through BBC Post Production London’s new Dub 4 sound suite and Steve Hudson and Chris Graver are carrying out the 5.1 audio mix, creating many deliverables.

In Oceans, an international team of underwater explorers will brave the dangers of the deep to tell the most exciting stories from the world of underwater archaeology, geology, marine biology and anthropology.

The team ventures into some of the planet’s most challenging environments; descends beneath frozen Arctic ice-sheets and into mysterious black holes of the Bahamas. They dive the tannin-stained waters of the Southern Ocean in search of rarely-seen deep sea creatures and into hazardous sea caves to reveal our oceans’ uncharted history.

RTS Craft Award nominated BBC Post Production Editor Ged Murphy edited one of the first programmes to be post produced and helped set the style of the series. As with the critically acclaimed Planet Earth and Galapagos programmes, which were also post produced at BBC Post Production, the intention is to deliver high quality HD images. BBC Post Production worked closely with the production team to find the most appropriate and cost effective route through post production.

The production team logged and ingested the material to removable storage and BBC Post Production then transferred the media on to its X-San server. There are around 105 hours of footage per episode and all the media needs to be available throughout the 18 months edit schedule. Ingesting at DV will keep storage costs down, but the production team required around 15TB of shared X-San storage, so BBC Post Production expanded its storage system to meet the project’s requirements.

The series is being edited on Final Cut Pro at DV resolution and then conformed to HD. The grades will be completed by BBC Post Production Colourists Chris Packman and Geoff Hockney using FCP Color. HD FCP Finishing will be carried out by John Payazidis in BBC Post Production’s newly launched HD FCP and Grading suite. BBC Post Production is providing a tapeless workflow for the final post at its White City Facility, giving greater flexibility to producer and saving time and money as the need for expensive HD playouts has been drastically reduced.

About BBC Post Production

BBC Post Production, a division of BBC Resources Ltd, is located in London, Bristol and Birmingham and offers award-winning creative solutions using the latest technology. Working in partnership with a variety of broadcasters and production companies, BBC Post Production’s extensive range of services include SD and HD editing across all platforms, 5.1 audio and telecine, as well as Media Solutions, its new consultancy service. The BBC Post Production team brings talent and experience to a vast range of productions, across all genres. Credits include: BAFTA Craft Award nominated Seven Ages of Rock, Strictly Come Dancing, Eastenders, Match of the Day, Ski Sunday, Gardeners World and the award winning Planet Earth.

For more information visit www.bbcresources.com/postproduction

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