BBC Studios Unscripted Boss on Tom Hanks, Stanley Tucci Series and the Recipe for U.S. Success
Of course, there has also been Prehistoric Planet, executive produced by Jon Favreau, and OceanXplorers with James Cameron. And there is more to come involving big names, as Disney has unveiled that National Geographic has greenlit a new documentary series under the working title Meet the Planets, that is being developed by Ryan Reynolds' Maximum Effort and BBC Studios.
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Bottom line: Shows from BBC Studios Productions, which includes the world-renowned Natural History Unit, the Documentary Unit, the Science Unit, wholly owned label Voltage, and third-party distribution relationships, regularly feature Hollywood creatives and do well on U.S. screens, as well as worldwide.
And they have just received six Primetime Emmy nominations and 11 Daytime Emmy nominations. Secrets of the Neanderthals and The Secret Lives of Animals are nominated for the latter. In terms of Primetime Emmy nominees, The Americas are in the running for the Outstanding Narrator Award for Hanks and the Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special Emmy for Hans Zimmer. Tucci in Italy is up for the honors for outstanding hosted non-fiction series or special and outstanding cinematography. And Planet Earth – Asia was nominated in the Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special category and Outstanding Narrator for Attenborough.
But what is the recipe for factual success at BBC Studios Productions? Key ingredients are scale and breadth, collaborations and partnerships, and specialism, or craft, Kate Ward, managing director, Unscripted Productions at BBC Studios Productions, tells THR.
'I think that factual programming is really having a moment, and we're really seeing that moment,' she argues. 'Big dramas have incredible power and zeitgeist and are, obviously, a huge part of the ecosystem. But what factual does as a genre is that we really passionately believe it's there to change perspectives and start conversations. And because it hasn't always been at the front of the schedule in the U.S., when it does, it feels really special.'
Take The Americas, for example. 'We hope it's giving Americans a shared view of the natural world of life on their doorstep, sometimes at the end of their street, which in a world that can feel fragmented and challenging is something that brings people together,' Ward argues. 'Bringing people together is something that is core to our values and our mission at the BBC.'
So, how is her unscripted team at BBC Studios trying to succeed in a crowded marketplace? First, 'we're excited about the scale and the variety of work we're doing for the U.S. market,' Ward shares. 'Our shows represent a range of different styles of factual programming for a range of different broadcasters with a range of different models.'
In terms of the scale of productions, she lauds BBC Studios' 'unmatched ambition' and ability to pull off 'epic' shows. 'If you look at The Americas, for example, it took five years to make 180 filming expeditions,' she explains. 'So, we are working at epic proportions in terms of production. How many protein bars did the team have to eat over five years to make this show? As a result, you get that infectious curiosity that just draws you in as a viewer.'
The second ingredient of success is expertise. 'We can bring the specialism, the craft we are known for,' to ensure high-quality programming, Ward explains. 'Walking With Dinosaurs can bring real value and an education for children and adults. It's rooted in real science. So it is entertainment and education together, and I think that means it can reach a really, really large audience.'
Finally, Ward says it's about collaborations with creatives, producers and distribution partners rather than going it alone. 'Creators bring their own way of storytelling, ambition, passion, and together, we can do extraordinary things. We also have deep partnerships producers, with platforms and broadcasters, from our long-standing, unbelievably special relationship with PBS that we value so deeply to NBC and Universal Television Alternative Studio (UTAS), which was a great experience for us. We also have a whole range of programming for National Geographic and Disney, and we have done great work with the likes of Apple and Netflix.'
Strong relationships not only give existing shows a good audience platform but can, of course, also lead to the development of further shows, and shows that stand out, she argues. 'These deep collaborative relationships help us shape and do new things for the U.S. market that's really distinctive,' concludes Ward.
Now, how about those Hollywood stars collaborating with the BBC. 'We're working with a range of amazing Hollywood talent – actors, directors, auteurs,' she tells THR. 'Why have these people, often known for their fictional work, been drawn to the factual genre? I believe it's because it allows them to explore the subjects about which they're genuinely passionate and to innovate in a different way of storytelling than they do in their other work, which may predominantly be in scripted. We're super excited about that melding of worlds and that sharing of experience.'
How does BBC Studios attract such big names in the always-fierce battle for talent? 'It's about storytellers, trust and mutual respect,' Ward tells THR. 'I believe that they are coming to the BBC, because we have the trust, the legacy, the consistent quality, and the specialism that we have built over the years. 'That is really, really important and critical when we're working with other storytellers.'
For BBC Studios Productions, working with famous personalities with a shared passion, along with fan appeal and bases, is key too, not least to give series the desired broad reach. But importantly, the creative collaborators must make real sense – or viewers will smell a rat. 'We're looking for those meaningful connections and that creativity,' Ward explains. 'But it is important to approach this through the lens of two storytellers coming together in true partnership, and it always has to be authentic.'
Take Tucci, for example. 'Stanley is an incredible storyteller, and to be part of that storyteller's journey through Italy, which he is passionate about, is so exciting, and we're so proud of what we were able to create together,' Ward says. 'Or when you think about Tom Hanks' role on The Americas: Tom's passion for the subject really shines through. If that wasn't the case, the audience would know the difference.'
In other words: you couldn't just take a random famous face and attach it to a BBC Studios Productions documentary or other factual series without a real interest or connection. 'This is factual programming. So, there have got to be real, authentic, passionate connections to the subjects, storytellers who immerse you and take you on that journey,' Ward explains. 'These storytellers can start those conversations, change perceptions, take you to worlds and times that you didn't know about. So, we will always be looking for that authenticity and that connection between us and storytellers in a creative partnership.'
Thanks to BBC Studios, U.S. audiences, along with British and global viewers, have also fallen in love with such British voices as the legendary naturalist David Attenborough and historian Lucy Worsley (Lucy Worsley's Holmes vs. Doyle). 'She also brings that authentic connection,' highlights Ward. 'Lucy is so popular in America, and she does it so brilliantly.'
Ward vows to continue on the path of bringing factual hits to the U.S. and the world. 'Scale, specialism, and collaboration are part of the secret sauce of how we're approaching the business,' she tells THR. 'And we feel super privileged to be able to bring those together and provide a melding of creativity and what that does for people who love factual storytelling or find it. That is a really, really powerful and exciting proposition.'
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