‘Ocean' goes deep to look at highs, lows of deep blue seas
Director Toby Nowlan explains that the structure of the production that is now available on the National Geographic Channel was to examine the overarching theme of hope and then show the juxtaposition with the damage being done to the seas.
'The theme is we are living in the age of the greatest ocean discovery, and it is David's story of ocean discovery in the last 100 years, his lifetime,' Nowlan says. 'Through that lens you are seeing this ocean of wonder where every year we are discovering things that are transforming our idea of how vital the ocean is.
'Then there is the importance of the discovery of what we are doing to the seas and how we are demolishing the seabed. Just the act of showing some of that footage for the first time, the images speak for themselves.'
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Nowlan points out the last big wave of the documentary looks at there is real reason to hope to protect the oceans. What the team found was that areas of the ocean that have been devastated will recover far quicker than the way dry land rebounds.
The director comes to 'Ocean' having worked on a variety of projects dealing with nature. His credits include 'Our Planet,' 'Deadly Pole to Pole' and 'Wild Arabia.'
In the feature-length special Attenborough draws on his lifetime of exploration and knowledge of the sea to take audiences on a journey through the planet's most spectacular undersea habitats. Attenborough investigates diverse marine ecosystems, from bustling giant kelp jungles and coral reefs to towering seamount outposts within the open ocean. These are all revealed to be intricately connected, vital to avoiding climate catastrophe, and in peril due to destructive forms of fishing.
While Attenborough exposes the greatest threats to our oceans' health, he points to inspirational stories from around the world to reveal the most remarkable finding of all: If we take action now, the opportunity for marine life to recover on an unprecedented scale is well within our reach.
Attenborough's more than 70 years filming the natural world has made him the world's preeminent natural historian. The English broadcaster, writer, and naturalist is best known for his award-winning BBC documentaries, including 'Life on Earth,' 'Frozen Planet,' and the 'Blue Planet' series. His work has brought the natural world into homes and classrooms, inspiring millions and motivating action towards preservation.
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Nowlan stresses that the purpose of the film is to show that when it comes to the ocean, efforts to correct problems will be beneficial to every living creature or if ignored would spell total catastrophic disasters.
The documentary is filled with undersea footage that is so stunning it rivals any CGI work done in feature films. Director Keith Scholey is quick to point out that there were no computer-generated images used in the film. He says the reason the movie has such a stunning look comes from the initial plans to open the documentary in theaters.
'We made a lot of feature films before and we know that is kind of a high bar,' Scholey says. 'The starting point is the cinematographer. Underwater we have the best in the world in Doug Anderson who is not only a superb diver and superb underwater naturalist, but he has an incredible sense of natural composition.
'I think one of the reasons the images look different is Doug and his eye.'
Scholey knows the importance of cinematographers having worked on 'Guardians of the Galapagos,' 'Life on Our Planet' and 'Polar Bear.'
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Both men agree that the most vital part of the production was Attenborough. Despite being one year shy of reaching 100 years old, Attenborough continues to bring energy to every project.
Scholey – who has worked with Attenborough for 44 years – says, 'I met him when he was in his mid-50s, and he had it then, a huge energy and power. He has remained this person in his mid-50s because of his constant thirst for information, a constant interest in the world.
'I think it is that that keeps him modern all the time. The only way you can tell he has aged is that his accent has changed over time. Because that has happened because he has been modernizing himself.'
'Ocean with David Attenborough' debuted on the National Geographic Channel and is now available on the streaming services of Disney+ and Hulu.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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