UNIVERSAL TELEVISION ALTERNATIVE STUDIO AND LOUD MINDS START PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY ON NBC’S EPIC UNSCRIPTED SERIES SURVIVING EARTH
Ambitious, High-Concept Project Looks at the Planet’s History to Tell Us More About Its Future
Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group, and Loud Minds, the high-end factual and drama indie established by Tim Haines (Walking with Dinosaurs, Primeval, The Loch), today announced that it has begun filming Surviving Earth (8 x 60). Developed to be one of the most ambitious, cinematic and dramatic high-concept series to date, Surviving Earth is a timely production, visiting eight mass extinction moments throughout the Earth’s history to see what the planet’s past can tell us about its future.
Surviving Earth is a co-production between Loud Minds and Universal Television Alternative Studio and will blend location filming at 12 destinations around the world – starting now with New Caledonia in the South Pacific – with state-of-the-art CGI to tell the dramatic stories of extraordinary creatures trying to survive against all odds. Award-winning VFX studio Milk will be creating all the spectacular digital environments, landscapes and creatures that will bring the series to life.
From the ‘Great Dying’ 252 million years ago, when the world overheated and 95 per cent of life died out, to a mammoth flood just 12,000 years ago, which plunged the planet back into an ice age, every episode will immerse viewers in a specific moment in the Earth’s history and recreate the drama of a unique mass extinction event. Each episode is set in a very different world with a different set of characters and a different ‘deus ex machina’. Viewers will follow the fate of bizarre creatures in jaw-dropping landscapes and witness worlds where continents shift and seas boil. The lesson from these stories is that Earth isn’t a benign paradise. Instead, it’s a very changeable home where life has had to be extraordinarily adaptable to survive and indeed thrive over the millennia.
Tim Haines, Showrunner and Creative Director, Loud Minds comments: “Surviving Earth is on course to be one of the most ambitious, high-concept series ever created by a UK indie. It has been years in development, travels to incredible locations – such as New Caledonia, home to our first shoot – and brings together some of the most talented filmmakers and leading digital technicians to ensure that what ends up on screen really blows your mind. More than that, however, it has a deep focus on storyline and script that we believe will elevate the whole viewing experience into something altogether more cinematic and memorable.”
Toby Gorman, President, Universal Television Alternative Studio says: “We’re thrilled to partner with Loud Minds to bring this remarkable series to global audiences. This is a vital time to tell the story of Earth’s most significant extinction level events and what each meant for the planet. We must learn from our past to ensure the best for our future.”
Rod Aissa, Executive Vice President, Unscripted Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming adds: “Earth is our most precious commodity, and for a chance to look back to see how it got to where it is today will be truly riveting. We’re proud to partner with Loud Minds and Universal Television Alternative Studio on this monumental and incredibly important project.”
Surviving Earth will air on NBC and stream next day on Peacock. A premiere date for the series will be announced at a later date.
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Notes to Editors:
ABOUT LOUD MINDS
Loud Minds is a high-end, independent and cross-platform content producer creating groundbreaking factual and high-concept scripted content for a global audience. Creative Director Tim Haines is behind the multi-BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning series ”Walking with Dinosaurs” (BBC/Discovery), sequel ”Walking with Beasts” and major drama series ”Primeval” (ITV). At the helm of Loud Minds is a team with the experience and creative skills needed to support the most ambitious breakthrough projects, including Director Mark Popkiewicz and COO Sheryl Trinh.
ABOUT UNIVERSAL TELEVISION ALTERNATIVE STUDIO
Universal Television Alternative Studio (UTAS), a division of Universal Studio Group, is a leading supplier of premium unscripted content and formats. The studio develops and produces a diverse slate of original game shows, premium competition programs and documentary series for a variety of platforms. Notable projects include the music and comedy event series “That’s My Jam,” hosted by Jimmy Fallon; crafting series “Making It,” starring three-time-Emmy® Award-nominated hosts Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman; “Capital One College Bowl,” hosted by Peyton Manning; holiday baking competition series “Baking It,” hosted by Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph; and longtime NBC favorite “Hollywood Game Night,” for which Jane Lynch has won two Emmy Awards as host. “Hollywood Game Night” has been remade in 22 territories, while another UTAS hit game show, “The Wall,” has been sold into 27 territories internationally.
ABOUT MILK
Award-winning visual effects studio Milk creates innovative sequences for high-end episodic and feature films - with a range of credits including Sony Picture’s; The Women King; Amazon/BBC’s acclaimed Good Omens; Netflix’ Cursed; Warner Brother’s Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them; Baltasar Kormakur’s Adrift; and Alex Garland’s Annihilation.www.milk-vfx.com
MEDIA CONTACTS
Michelle Waldron, Loud Minds, michelle@beyond-the-box.tv
Jonathan Newman, Universal Studio Group, Jonathan.Newman@nbcuni.com
Abbey Maloney, NBCUniversal TV and Streaming, abbey.maloney@nbcuni.com
Michelle Martin, Milk Visual Effects, mmartin@milk-vfx.com
