"Walking with Dinosaurs" (1999) TV series

Writer:

Georgann Kane (US version)

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

16 April 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Animation | History

Plot:

Documentary-style series about the era of the dinosaurs, mixing real locations and CGI.

Plot Keywords:

Dinosaur | Cretaceous | Jurassic | Triassic | Planet Earth

Awards:

Won 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 11 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Kenneth Branagh

...

Narrator (6 episodes, 1999)

Series Directed by
Tim Haines		(6 episodes, 1999)
Jasper James		(6 episodes, 1999)

Series Writing credits
Georgann Kane		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Lottie Cooper	....	post-production producer (6 episodes, 1999)
Nick Green	....	assistant producer (6 episodes, 1999)
Tim Haines	....	producer (6 episodes, 1999)
Jasper James	....	producer (6 episodes, 1999)
Sue Learoyd	....	assistant producer (6 episodes, 1999)
John Lynch	....	executive producer (6 episodes, 1999)
Ailsa Orr	....	assistant producer (6 episodes, 1999)
Sharon Reed	....	post-production producer (6 episodes, 1999)
Tomi Bednar Landis	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Ben Bartlett		(6 episodes, 1999)

Series Cinematography by
John Howarth		(6 episodes, 1999)
Michael Pitts		(6 episodes, 1999)

Series Film Editing by
Britt Sjoerdsma		(6 episodes, 1999)
Andrew Wilks		(6 episodes, 1999)

Series Makeup Department
Mark Shostrom	....	sculptor: dinosaur footprints (6 episodes, 1999)

Series Production Management
Phil Checkland	....	unit manager (6 episodes, 1999)
Alison Woolnough	....	production manager (6 episodes, 1999)

Series Art Department
Martin Asbury	....	storyboard artist (6 episodes, 1999)

Series Sound Department
Simon Gotel	....	sound designer: Adelphoi (6 episodes, 1999)
Bob Jackson	....	dubbing mixer (6 episodes, 1999)
Sandra Portman	....	dubbing editor (6 episodes, 1999)
David Schmidt	....	sound re-recording mixer (6 episodes, 1999)
Andrew Sherriff	....	sound designer: Adelphoi (6 episodes, 1999)

Series Special Effects by
Nigel Booth	....	sculptor (6 episodes, 1999)
Jamie Campbell	....	physical effects (6 episodes, 1999)
John Coppinger	....	sculptor (6 episodes, 1999)
Richard Gregory	....	key animatronics designer (6 episodes, 1999)
Jez Harris	....	animatronics supervisor (6 episodes, 1999)
Lindsay Harris	....	key animatronics designer (6 episodes, 1999)
Andy Hunt	....	key animatronics designer (6 episodes, 1999)
Jeremy Hunt	....	sculptor (6 episodes, 1999)
Reza Karim	....	key animatronics designer (6 episodes, 1999)
Jason Reed	....	key animatronics designer (6 episodes, 1999)
Colin Shulver	....	key animatronics designer (6 episodes, 1999)
Barry Sutton	....	sculptor (6 episodes, 1999)

Series Visual Effects by
Avtar Bains	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)
William Bartlett	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)
Nick Bennett	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)
Oliver Bersey	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)
Murray Butler	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)
Dave Clifton	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)
Andrew Daffy	....	animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Richard Ducker	....	3D animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Stuart M. Ellis	....	3D animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Stephen Enticott	....	animator: Framestore CFC (6 episodes, 1999)
Danny Geurtsen	....	texture painter (6 episodes, 1999)
Timothy Greenwood	....	visual effects supervisor (6 episodes, 1999)
Scott Griffin	....	digital effects line producer (6 episodes, 1999)
Daren Horley	....	dinosaur skin designer (6 episodes, 1999)
Alec Knox	....	technical director (6 episodes, 1999)
Andy Lomas	....	software developer (6 episodes, 1999)
Dave Ludlam	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)
Virgil Manning	....	supervising animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Marco Marenghi	....	lead animator (6 episodes, 1999)
David Marsh	....	lead cgi artist (6 episodes, 1999)
Mike McGee	....	visual effects supervisor (6 episodes, 1999)
Mike Milne	....	director of computer animation (6 episodes, 1999)
Alex Parkinson	....	software developer (6 episodes, 1999)
Steffan Perry	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)
Sirio Quintavalle	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)
George Roper	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)
Carlos M. Rosas	....	supervising animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Asa Shoul	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)
Max Tyrie	....	3D animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Angus Wilson	....	digital effects artist (6 episodes, 1999)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Keith Broome	....	assistant camera (6 episodes, 1999)
Peter Thorn	....	assistant camera (6 episodes, 1999)
Paul Duffy	....	electrician (5 episodes, 1999)

Series Animation Department
Richard Dexter	....	animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Richard Ducker	....	animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Stuart M. Ellis	....	animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Stephen Endicott	....	animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Sophie Lodge	....	animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Marco Marenghi	....	animator (6 episodes, 1999)
Max Tyrie	....	animator (6 episodes, 1999)

Series Transportation Department
Joe Tavares	....	transportation coordinator: Hawaii (1 episode, 1999)

Series Other crew
Mark Jenkin	....	production assistant (6 episodes, 1999)
Anna Walker	....	production coordinator (6 episodes, 1999)
Keith Jodoin	....	researcher (unknown episodes)
David Martill	....	scientific advisor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Discovery Channel
• France 3 (FR 3)
• Pro 7
• TV Asahi

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• SF Film (2000) (Denmark) (DVD)
• SF Film (2000) (Denmark) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (6 episodes) | USA:180 min | Netherlands:30 min (6 episodes)

Country:

UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:PG | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Bahamas

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

The program received much criticism for presenting theories as solid facts. The creators argued that while they were making a documentary, their goal was also to entertain, and since the theories about these prehistoric creatures always change, they couldn't possibly have made a TV show that accurately depicts what the world of the dinosaurs may have been like. And they were right - many theories presented in the show have by now been declared outdated and incorrect.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Dromaeosaurids (commonly known as "raptors") like Utahraptor and Dromaeosaurus were featured with no feathers, however when this show was made, the theory that they might have been feathered had already been crafted, and even confirmed by actual fossil evidence.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in SuperCroc (2001) (TV)

Superb on DVD -- avoid Discovery's televised version

You can't watch this documentary as aired on the Discovery channel (narrated wonderfully, though, by Avery Brooks). Apparently, they thought us American audiences couldn't handle, say, the cynodonts devouring their own young, or a mother T-rex regurgitating freshly killed meat for its young. How presumptive of Discovery.

On the other hand, the documentary is flawlessly done. You really get the impression of "being there", and you don't just get dinosaurs. You get the cynodontia (mammal-like reptiles), the dung beetles, the postosuchus, the terrifying liplurodon (which makes the T-rex look like an iguana by comparison), the sneaking didelphodon, and early birds.

The UK 6 episode version puts everything into perspective. Ending with a shot of the African jungle, and now we can see how similiar the world then was to the world today.

There are no iguanadons or sauropods in herds, but elephants and zebras. There are no tyrannosaurs or utahraptors, but lions and tigers.

Notably, the documentary wisely stays aware from the question of, say, whether the sauropods were warm- or coldblooded, or the new concept of gigantotherms (the sheer size of the body creates its own heat).

Congratulation, BBC.