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From mice, to moose, to marmosets, Executive Producer Mike Gunton and Series Producer Mark Brownlow explain what the natural history series Hidden Kingdoms is all about.
From mice, to moose, to marmosets, Executive Producer Mike Gunton and Series Producer Mark Brownlow explain what the natural history series Hidden Kingdoms is all about.
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Ben Foster's extensive musical talent extends from orchestrating the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics for James Bond composer David Arnold, to being a judge on the BBC’s
.. show full overview
Ben Foster's extensive musical talent extends from orchestrating the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics for James Bond composer David Arnold, to being a judge on the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year. He was most recently seen on UK TV screens conducting the National Orchestra of Wales at the Dr Who BBC Prom. Hidden Kingdoms is his first natural history project - “It’s been terrific; it’s something I’ve been hoping to do for years, especially with the BBC.”
Born in Liverpool and a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music in London, Ben not only wrote and arranged the entire score for Hidden Kingdoms but conducted the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, whom he has worked with extensively over the last 8 years on Dr Who and Torchwood. It’s a group he’s come to admire and class not just as colleagues but friends - “I think they’re proud to play a part in a show that they can then watch at home.”
Ben’s diversity of experience in writing, arranging and orchestrating dramatic scores made him the ideal candidate to score the music and bring to life the enchantment of the Hidden Kingdoms.
Trumpet - Tom Rees-Roberts
Perhaps better known for his role in the Strictly Come Dancing band, trumpeter Tom Rees-Roberts has a string of successful television shows added to his bow - or should that be to his brass? Having previously performed on shows including Children In Need, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Search For A Star and various Royal Variety Shows to name only a few, as well as West End shows such as Jerry Springer The Opera and Billy Elliot The Musical. Hidden Kingdoms was somewhat of a departure from the norm.
With a background fixed firmly in the commercial and jazz scene, this London-based musician can play an assortment of different styles from dirty blues to classical performances. Not only can he reach spectacularly high notes with impressive clarity and striking volume, but on top of this he can hold such notes at length without
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Executive Producer Mike Gunton shares some insights into the filming techniques employed to create the Hidden Kingdoms series.
Executive Producer Mike Gunton shares some insights into the filming techniques employed to create the Hidden Kingdoms series.
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Producer Simon Bell explains the use of blue screen when filming the young grasshopper mouse leaving home for the first time in the Sonoran Desert.
Producer Simon Bell explains the use of blue screen when filming the young grasshopper mouse leaving home for the first time in the Sonoran Desert.
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After a lot of hard work and preparation will the crew's efforts to capture the sengi running pay off?
After a lot of hard work and preparation will the crew's efforts to capture the sengi running pay off?
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The crew build a stage on which to film the dung beetles and then go off in search of their favourite food - elephant dung!
The crew build a stage on which to film the dung beetles and then go off in search of their favourite food - elephant dung!
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The crew realise that filming small animals like the super speedy sengi won't be as easy as they'd hoped.
The crew realise that filming small animals like the super speedy sengi won't be as easy as they'd hoped.
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Producer Simon Bell explains more about the life of a sengi and its obsession with cleaning and sweeping its trail clear of debris.
Producer Simon Bell explains more about the life of a sengi and its obsession with cleaning and sweeping its trail clear of debris.
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Filming forest pigs is not for the faint hearted, as cameraman Mat Thompson finds out - it can be a messy business.
Filming forest pigs is not for the faint hearted, as cameraman Mat Thompson finds out - it can be a messy business.
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To film stinging fire ants the crew must make the necessary preparations before filming.
To film stinging fire ants the crew must make the necessary preparations before filming.
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The trials of filming wild chipmunks required fast reactions from cameraman Jonathan Jones.
The trials of filming wild chipmunks required fast reactions from cameraman Jonathan Jones.
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Web Exclusive: Ben Foster and The BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Episode overview
Ben Foster talks about composing the musical score for the series Hidden Kingdoms and includes his favourite bits from Secret Forests.
Ben Foster talks about composing the musical score for the series Hidden Kingdoms and includes his favourite bits from Secret Forests.
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To capture some intimate images and behaviours of the marmosets, the team must look for a location a little closer to home.
To capture some intimate images and behaviours of the marmosets, the team must look for a location a little closer to home.
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After finding a spot where the marmosets like to socialise, finally the team have some filming success and manage to capture the marmosets monkeying around.
After finding a spot where the marmosets like to socialise, finally the team have some filming success and manage to capture the marmosets monkeying around.
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Director Gavin Maxwell and cameraman Mark Payne-Gill struggle to keep up with and film common marmosets on the streets of Rio de Janeiro.
Director Gavin Maxwell and cameraman Mark Payne-Gill struggle to keep up with and film common marmosets on the streets of Rio de Janeiro.
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Director Gavin Maxwell describes how storyboards were used to help visualise sequences for Hidden Kingdoms.
Director Gavin Maxwell describes how storyboards were used to help visualise sequences for Hidden Kingdoms.
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