iWorld
Netflix, Silverback Films’ ‘Planet Earth’ sequel to release in 2019
MUMBAI: Come 2019 and Netflix in collaboration with Silverback Films and WWF will premiere across all its territories – Our Planet, a new eight part natural history series made by the creators of the critically and popularly acclaimed series Planet Earth.
The ambitious four year project — the largest of its kind ever attempted — will take viewers into never-before-filmed wilderness areas from the ice caps and deep ocean to deserts and remote forests, introducing them to the most precious species and places that must withstand the impact of humanity so generations to come can enjoy the bounties of the natural world. Using the latest in 4K camera technology, the series and a range of specially produced storytelling for multi-media platforms will bring millions of people into intimate contact with some of the world’s rarest animals and most precious natural habitats.
The series is being produced by Silverback Films, led by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey, who created Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and Blue Planet for the BBC, as well as the Disneynature films Earth, Bears, African Cats and Chimpanzee.
WWF, the world’s leading conservation organization with operations in more than 100 countries and over five million members, is providing the Silverback team unparalleled access to its projects in protected areas around the world and will collaborate on multi-media storytelling across its web and other platforms.
“Netflix is proud to be the global home for perhaps Silverback’s most ambitious project to date. The Planet projects have enjoyed great success on Netflix and have helped launch new technologies for viewing at home. We think watching Our Planet, fully on demand in 4K will be an unforgettable experience for our members,” said Netflix Original Documentaries vice president Lisa Nishimura.
“Our Planet is going to raise the bar for natural history landmarks. We will reveal the most amazing sights on Earth and show them in ways they have never been seen before. Partnering with Netflix and WWF gives us the ability to reach and enthuse global audiences with the wonder and importance of the natural world,” added Silverback Films executive producer Alastair Fothergill.
“Our Planet will inspire millions of people around the world by showcasing the planet’s most precious species and most fragile habitats through a visionary series and cutting edge multimedia storytelling. At this critical time for global conservation we are honored to work with Silverback and Netflix on this completely unique collaboration,” said WWF executive producer Colin Butfield.
iWorld
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
