The Mill Flies with Penguins

1st April 2008 - As is usually the case in TV wildlife production, it is often the unexpected that can be the most problematic. This is certainly the case in the new natural history film ‘Miracles of Evolution’, screened last Sunday night.

The early effects of climate change and the extremely late Southern Hemisphere spring last year made it difficult for the film unit to capture all the desired scenes as the elusive birds covered huge distances at speed. Amazingly due to strong winds, the birds also changed their migration route this year and flew up the South American coast, where they spent time fishing, and even relaxing in the spring sunshine.

Passion Pictures and The Mill, mainly for continuity reasons, were called upon to extend the melting snow and add large icebergs in the distance. Later it was also necessary to replace the sand on a number of beach shots, and remove brave bathers from the sea. Also to help the feel of the piece, many container ships and other signs of urbanization were replaced with stills of snowy fields, ironically shot in Scotland and Wales.

The short film, entitled, "Extraordinary Bird Life" is now also being featured heavily to promote the BBC's excellent new iPlayer.

Title - Penguins / Client - BBC MC&A Future Media and Technology / Product - BBC iPlayer / Director - Vince Squibb / Producer - Sarah Caddy / Production - Red Bee Media - Gorgeous / Agency - RKCR Y&R / Creative Director - Mark Roalfe / Creative - Paul Silburn / Editing Company - The Quarry / Editor - Paul Watts / Sound - Wave / Animation - Passion Pictures / Post-production - The Mill / Producer - Lee Pavey / Flame - Barnsley / Flame Assist - Adam Lambert - Richard Betts / Smoke - James Pratt / Telecine - Seamus O'Kane - Aubrey Woodiwiss - Luke Morrison

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