“Planet Earth” – REAL high definition

[Tom Daigon]

They have been transferring a huge library of IMAX films to HD, which explains why they had stuff before the current HD cameras.

[Roddy Jamieson]

Most of the ground sequences are shot on Varicam, but the Cineflex aerials were shot on HDCAM.

Roddy Jamieson

[Sean Oneil]

[lasvideo] “They have been transferring a huge library of IMAX films to HD, which explains why they had stuff before the current HD cameras.”

Yeah, but most of their shows were shot on HDCam, when that was the only HD camcorder around. You could see the cameras in a lot of the shows. What is this “new technology that’s never been done before” BS?

[Bob Flood]

I dont think it was meant to plug HD or anything like that. Ithink it was more to say that you are seeing stuff that has never been shot, and thats possible because of the technology…for example, all the helicopter stuff would never have worked if they had to land evry 8 minute to change the mag. with HD they coulkd roll for hours at a time, changing tapes in the chopper AND have good looking pix

BUT

waht i really found annoying was all the commercials…..i counted like ten spot breaks in a one hour show..it was about twice as many as i could stand the only redeemer was the 60 for discovery, that was sweet. (maybe thats why they needed to seel so much air time…they had to pay for that spot 🙂

bee eph

[Steve Connor]

We’ve been lucky enough to see this series on the BBC HD test channel which is broadcasting with HUGE bitrates. Quite simply the best quality HD broadcast I have ever seen.

As I understand it, they were very big on the “never been filmed before” due to the length of lens on the helicopter shots, one of the “making of shows” played up this point.

[Stuart Simpson]

[Steve Connor] “As I understand it, they were very big on the “never been filmed before” due to the length of lens on the helicopter shots, one of the “making of shows” played up this point.”

For those who are interested here’s a link to one of the suppliers of the HD Gyro:

https://www.wildcatflying.com/gyron.htm

-Simmie
2 G5 – Kona LH
3 G4s – Cinewave
1 xbox360, 1 PSP, 1 PS2 & a Gamecube
https://www.speak.co.uk

[Scott Smith]

I totally agree GranitW, I loved seeing the Behind the Scenes stuff, but was very irritated at hearing Sigourney Weaver tell me 20 times how high tech they were during the main program. It was very self indulgent of the producers. Leave that stuff to the Behind the Scenes extras and take it out of the main program.

And did anyone else think the timing and flow of the program was off? I mean the camera work was incredible, unbelievable, I just can’t say enough how good it was, but the writing and editing left a little to be desired.

[Greg Ball]

I thought the show was wonderful, but like others I didn’t care for the continous pats on the back they were giving themselves. I also didn’t care for S. Weaver’s narration. I found it flat and boring. Perhaps something like a James Earl Jones voice would have been more powerful.

As far as too many commercials…that’s why I love TIVO!v Great slomo shots though

[Walter Biscardi]

[greg] “As far as too many commercials…that’s why I love TIVO!v Great slomo shots though”

Watch it on Discovery HD Theater. They only show one commercial break so the episode runs about 45 minutes. Then they show about a 12 minute behind the scenes segment to fill in the rest of the time.

[greg] “I thought the show was wonderful, but like others I didn’t care for the continous pats on the back they were giving themselves”

Didn’t really bother me because they truly were breaking new ground both in the use of the technology and what they were able to film. I can’t imagine the 5 year process to bring all of that together. I felt the editing needed a few dissolves to smooth the transitions at times, but overall, felt the shows were just brilliantly produced.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

Read my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi

[Steven Lambion]

I said what I know from experience and what I’ve been told not my opinion. I personally like knowing about the technical side. I did like the little background part at the end of the show.

What I was talking about was lets say there’s a movie like lord of the rings, would you like it if in the middle of the movie the characters started talking about how there filming this or the technologies they’re using.

Video Specialist
Apple Developer
Owner of GranitWorks