NGTI Picks Up Special from AIDC Contest Winner

LONDON, May 28: National
Geographic Television International (NGTI) has taken on a blue-chip wildlife
special from Content Mint, which won the development prize, judged at the
Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC), that NGTI co-sponsored
with ABC Australia.

ABC TV Documentaries and
NGTI previously teamed up to sponsor a development prize for Australian
producers working in the natural-history arena. The winning idea, Under
Southern Seas—A Sea Lion’s Odyssey, features previously unrecorded behavior from the endangered
Australian sea lion, and has just gone into production.

The 52-minute blue-chip HD
special is being produced by ZDF Enterprises and ARTE. NGTI will distribute the
program worldwide, excluding Australia and French- and German-speaking territories.

Edwina Thring, NGTI’s head
of acquisitions and co-productions, said, “We received a number of very strong
entries for this development fund but Content Mint’s pitch really stood out.
The story is unique, as the Australian sea lion has not been filmed in this way
before. In addition, there is very strong science looking at the fragile world
of this endangered species and its unique breeding cycle, a fast-paced
narrative with drama, jeopardy and survival—and a supporting ‘cast’ of
very compelling creatures.”

Thring added: “Bettina
Dalton’s passion for the subject matter and desire to profile these charismatic
and fascinating creatures will help ensure that we have a successful and
internationally appealing program to sell.”

Bettina Dalton from
Content Mint said: “We are thrilled to have won this prize; NGTI has an amazing
catalogue of blue-chip wildlife, so we are honored that Under Southern
Seas—A Sea Lion’s Odyssey
will sit under the National Geographic brand in the international marketplace.”

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski