Greenlit: Sudan’s Story: A Rhino’s Last Stand, BBC2

Sudan’s Story: A Rhino’s Last Stand (1 x 60′) – This film will tell the remarkable story of the last remaining male Northern White Rhino on the planet, as scientists battle to bring his subspecies back from the brink of extinction. In February 1975, in the Shambe game reserve, South Sudan a young Northern White […]

Greenlit: After Stonehenge, BBC4 / PBS / ARTE

After Stonehenge w/t (1 x 60′) – Professor Alice Roberts presents an archaeology documentary that uncovers a 3,000-year-old village in a farm quarry. Channel: BBC4 / PBS / ARTE Producer: 360 Production TX: TBC Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Building Chernobyl’s Mega Tomb, PBS

Building Chernobyl’s Mega Tomb (1  60′) – Follows an international team of engineer as they work together to make the Chernobyl Reactor safe for another century. Channel: PBS / BBC / France 5 / N24 (Germany) TX: TBC Source: PBS press release

Greenlit: Trading History, PBS / Yesterday

Trading History (6 x 60′) – Explores the stories behind historical artefacts that are bought and sold through auction houses. Channel: PBS / Yesterday Producer: Warehouse 51 TX: 2016 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: A Year in Space, PBS

A Year in Space (2 x 60′) – An adaptation of TIME’s original digital video series about astronaut Scott Kelly, whose current 12-month stay on the International Space Station (ISS) is testing human limits for space travel and laying the groundwork for a manned mission to Mars. The first installment tracks Scott Kelly’s mission from […]

Greenlit: Genius by Stephen Hawking, PBS / Nat Geo International

Genius by Stephen Hawking (6 x 60′) – Documentary series presented and narrated by renowned theoretical physicist Prof. Stephen Hawking. In each episode, a different group of ordinary people will be challenged to think like the greatest scientific minds in history in order to solve some of humanity’s most enduring questions. Through the use of […]

Greenlit: Attenborough And The Giant Dinosaur, BBC1/PBS

Attenborough And The Giant Dinosaur – Sir David Attenborough will tell the story of the fossil discovery and reconstruction in Argentina of the largest known dinosaur, a new species of titanosaur. Measuring 37m long – close to four London buses put end to end – and weighing 70 metric tons, latest calculations show that this […]

Greenlit: World’s Sneakiest Animals, BBC2 / PBS

World’s Sneakiest Animals (3 x 60′) – Illusion, distraction, trickery and disguise – deception comes in all kinds of guises. And it’s rife in the animal kingdom. Over three episodes, presenter Chris Packham will explore how amazing new science is showing that cheating happens in almost all species alive while revealing how simple tricks have […]

Greenlit: Mountains, BBC2 / PBS

Mountains (3 x 60′) – It is no wonder that we are mesmerized by mountains, are afraid of them and are obsessed by them. They evoke wildness in all of us, and yet still they remain a world of secrets. With one programme each on the Rocky Mountains, the Andes and Himalaya, this series will […]

Greenlit: Koko, BBC1 / PBS

Koko (1 x 60′) – This is the extraordinary personal story of the most famous gorilla in the word, who was adopted in the 1970s by Stanford University graduate Penny Patterson. In a unique experiment, Penny taught Koko how to ‘talk’ to humans with sign language, in the hope that they might finally cross the […]

Greenlit: The Great Race, BBC1 / PBS

The Great Race (3 x 60′) – Follows three iconic animals – caribou, zebra and elephants – on three of the world’s most breathtaking wildlife adventures. Each must overcome immense obstacles, from challenging terrain to hungry predators and sheer physical exhaustion. What drives these animals to risk everything in the race of their lives? We’ll […]

Arts Commissioners: Doing it, Not Just Talking About it.

In order to be successful when pitching to TV commissioners, it’s vital to know what they are looking for. This is harder than it sounds, despite many broadcasters now sharing their commissioning briefs online (via their commissioning portals), because they are often vague and sometimes out of date.

Another way to get a sense of what commissioners want is to attend a panel in which they outline their current needs. These panels are common at TV conferences and festivals around the world. Some commissioners are refreshingly candid, whilst other remain coy and seemingly reluctant to give away their secrets; others appear more interested in scoring political points against their co-panelists than helping the audience of producers understand what they should pitch. So they can be a mixed bag. And so it was with the Arts Commissioning panel at Sheffield Doc/Fest in 2015.

Greenlit: Big Blue Live, BBC1 / PBS

Big Blue Live (3 x 60′) – Matt Baker, Liz Bonnin, Steve Backshall and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will present live from Monterey Bay, California, host to one of the biggest wildlife gatherings in the oceans. Each year, some of the world’s most spectacular marine animals, including blue whales, humpback whales, elephant seals, dolphins, sea otters and […]

Greenlit: Civilisation, BBC1 / PBS

Civilisation -Remake of the classic documentary series. Channel: BBC1 / PBS Producer: Nutopia /BBC TX: TBC Source: BBC press release

Greenlit: American Epic, PBS / BBC

American Epic (3 x 60′) – The extraordinary story of the trailblazing era when country-wide, the music of ordinary Americans was recorded for the very first time. It takes us on a journey across time to the birth of modern music, when the musical strands of a diverse nation first combined, sparking a cultural renaissance […]

Greenlit: El Poeta, PBS

El Poeta (1 x 60′) –  Both heartbreaking and inspiring, this documentary tells the story of renowned Mexican poet Javier Sicilia, who ignited mass protests and an ongoing international movement for peace after the brutal killing of his 24-year-old son Juan Francisco – collateral damage in a drug war that has left more than 100,000 […]

Greenlit: Now en Español, PBS

Now en Español (1 x 60′) –  A fascinating look at a rarely seen side of Hollywood,  this film ollows the trials and travails of five hard-working Latina actresses who dub Desperate Housewives for Spanish language audiences in the U.S. With real lives that are often as dramatic and desperate as those of their onscreen […]

Greenlit: Children of Giant, PBS

Children of Giant (1 x 60′) –  In the summer of 1955, it seemed as if all of Hollywood had descended on the dusty West Texas town of Marfa as production began on the highly anticipated movie Giant,starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean. Based on Edna Ferber’s novel about three generations of a […]

Greenlit: Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, BPS

Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies  (3 x 120′) –  Tells the comprehensive story of cancer, from its first description in an ancient Egyptian scroll to the gleaming laboratories of modern research institutions. The film interweaves a sweeping historical narrative with intimate stories about contemporary patients, and an investigation into the latest scientific breakthroughs that […]

Greenlit: Caring for Mom & Dad, PBS

Caring for  Mom  & Dad (1 x 60′) – Meryl Streep narrates a documentary follows eight families as they face the emotional, financial and heath challenges presented when their parents become to ill or frail to look after themselves. Channel: PBS TX: 7th May 2015 Source: Simplystreep

Greenlit: Twice Born: Stories From the Special Delivery Unit, PBS

Twice Born: Stories From the Special Delivery Unit (3 x 60′) – Documentary series that spotlights  the alternately heartbreaking and life-affirming stories from inside the world’s leading fetal surgery center at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The series underscores how the unit has revolutionized prenatal care and how such delicate procedures come with serious […]

Greenlit: Franklin’s Lost Ships, Channel 4 / CBC / PBS Nova

Franklin’s Lost Ships (1 x 60’/90′) – Follows the thrilling discovery of Franklin’s flagship ‘Erebus’, lost whilst searching for the North-West passage.  For a century and a half numerous expeditions have searched in vain and it has become one of the greatest of all maritime mysteries.. Sir John Franklin and his two ships set sail […]

Greenlit: Waking Giants, BBC1 / PBS

Waking Giants – Sir David Attenborough tells the remarkable story of one of the ‘dinosaur finds of the century’ – over 200 bones from seven giant creatures that have recently been unearthed after 100 million years of lying undiscovered beneath the South American desert – one thigh bone alone measures 2.4 metres in length, a record. This […]

Greenlit: Super Nature: Flight Revealed, BBC1 / PBS

Super Nature: Flight Revealed (3 x 60′) – Flight is the ultimate super-power – an extraordinary ability most of us can only dream of – until now… This series uses cutting edge technology to reveal the secrets of flight – one of nature’s greatest innovations. Cameras developed to film the London Olympics and Hollywood stunts take us […]

Greenlit: Earth’s Natual Wonders, BBC1 / PBS

Earth’s Natural Wonders – Viewers will be taken on a landmark tour of Earth, discovering connections between some incredible places and the life and death struggles of the animals and humans that inhabit them. The series reveals how natural wonders, including Everest, the Grand Canyon and Victoria Falls, were created by powerful energies. This series is […]

Greenlit: Animals Like Us – Super Spy, BBC1

Animals Like Us – Super Spy  (5 x 60′)  – The Spy Creatures, first seen in Penguins – Spy In The Huddle, turn their beady camera eyes on their most fascinating subject yet: animals that behave like us, including chimps, meerkats, elephants and wolves. These lifelike robots infiltrate the natural world to film surprising human-like behaviour […]

Greenlit: Ireland – The Wild Edge of the World, BBC2/TG4/ORF/PBS/NDR/France TV/

Ireland – The Wild Edge Of The World (2 x 60′)  – In this two-part special, Emmy-award-winning natural history cameraman and presenter Colin Stafford Johnson journeys along one of the most spectacular coastlines in the world, featuring the wildlife and wild places that make it so unique Using some of the latest filming techniques, including Starlight, high-speed […]

Greenlit: Pets Wild At Heart, BBC1/PBS/WNET

Pets Wild At Heart (2 x 60′)  – Pets have lived alongside us for hundreds if not thousands of years but, beneath the skin, they are still wild animals at heart. The multi-award-winning team behind Earthflight and the ‘Spy’ series applies its innovative techniques to uncover this hidden behaviour. From rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs and budgies to […]

Greennlit: Rise of the Hackers, PBS

NOVA:  Rise of the Hackers – Our lives are going digital. We shop, bank and even date online. Computers hold our treasured photographs, private emails, and all of our personal information. This data is precious — and cybercriminals want it. Now, this film goes behind the scenes of the fast-paced world of cryptography to meet the scientists […]

Greenlit: America by the Numbers, PBS

America by the Numbers (8 x 30′) – A series that examines how an increasingly diverse population is influencing culture, commerce, and politics in the United States. Hosted by Maria Hinojosa, the series will focus on news stories that are under-reported in the mainstream media, such as: health disparities in the U.S. as viewed through […]

Greenlit: Walt Disney, PBS

Walt Disney (2 x 120′) – Documentary that explores the life and legacy of one of America’s most enduring and influential storytellers. The film features rare archival footage from the Disney vaults, scenes from some of his greatest films, and includes interviews with animators and artists who worked on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs […]

Greenlit: Navy SEALS – Their Untold Story, PBS

Navy SEALS – Their Untold Story – A documentary about the transformation of U.S. Navy frogmen into the warrior elite Navy SEALs. Despite the widespread attention paid to the SEALs (Sea, Air and Land) since they eliminated Osama bin Laden, the story of how these clandestine commandoes evolved in response to changing threats — from […]

Greenlit: The Brain With Dr David Eagleman, PBS

The Brain With Dr David Eagleman (6 x 60′) – Science series that tells the story of the inner workings of the brain and takes viewers on a visually spectacular journey into why they feel and think the things they do. The series, hosted by Dr. David Eagleman, neuroscientist, New York Times best-selling author and […]

Greenlit: Sex in the Wild, PBS

Sex in the Wild – Comparative anatomist Professor Joy Reidenberg and vet Mark Evans explore the life and death struggles of earth’s greatest species as they attempt to reproduce in some of the most hostile environments on earth. Channel: PBS TX: 16th August 2014 Source: PBS press release

Greenlit: Mayflower and the Pilgrims, BBC2 / PBS

Mayflower and the Pilgrims (2 x 60′) – Documentary series that looks at the experiences of the Pilgrims who travelled from England to the Europe to the New World on board the Mayflower. Channel: BBC2 / PBS Producer: Ric Burns TX: Late 2014 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Born in the Wild, Channel 4 / PBS

Born in the Wild (Ch4) / Sex in the Wild (PBS)  (4 x 60′)  -Documentary  series presented by anatomist Dr. Joy Reidenberg and veterinary scientist Mark Evans that looks at how animals mate and reproduce in the wild. Channel: Channel 4 / PBS Producer: TX: 16th July 2014 Source: The Futon Critic

Greenlit: Secrets of Underground London, PBS

Secrets of Underground London (1 x 60′) – On the surface, London is a buzzing, modern metropolis — but underneath lies a hidden world, all but forgotten by the millions of people above. From ancient caves and preserved Roman remains to mysterious rivers and plague pits, this documentary uncovers 2,000 years of subterranean history. It […]

Greenlit: D-Day 360, PBS

D-DAY 360 (1 x 60′) – Documentary special that re-creates the landscape and uses fresh new data-driven and statistical tools to tell the story of one of the greatest invasions in history. After two years on the drawing board, D-Day was the most meticulously planned operation in military history –a logistical effort on a scale […]

Greenlit: Country Music, PBS

Country Music – Directed by Ken Burns, this series chronicles the history of a uniquely American art form, rising from the experiences of remarkable people in distinctive regions of our nation. From southern Appalachia’s songs of struggle, heartbreak and faith to the rollicking western swing of Texas, from California honky tonks to Nashville’s Grand Ole […]

Greenlit: My Wild Affair, Discovery Networks International / PBS

My Wild Affair (4 x 60′) –  Hear extraordinary stories of the bonds between humans and their animal companions. The Elephant Who Found a Mom – The intense bond between Aisha, a baby elephant orphan, and Daphne Sheldrick, the woman who became her human foster parent, reaches a crisis point when Daphne leaves Aisha with a babysitter […]

Greenlit: Chasing Shackleton, PBS

Chasing Shackleton (3 x 60) – Follows a modern expedition that re-creates Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition. A crew of five intrepid explorers led by renowned adventurer, scientist and author Tim Jarvis in a replica of the original explorers’ lifeboat, uses only the tools and supplies Shackleton’s team used. When his ship The Endurance was […]

Greenlit: Typhoon Haiyan: Eye of the Storm, Sky 1 / PBS

Typhoon Haiyan: Eye of the Storm (1 x 60′) – Documentary that explores the devastating effects of Typhoon Haiyan on the people of the Philippines. Channel: Sky 1 / PBS Producer: Sky Vision TX: December 2013 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Secrets of the Tower of London, PBS

Secrets of the Tower of London (1 x  60′)  – Standing guard over the city of London for nearly 1,000 years, the formidable Tower of London has been a royal castle, a prison, a place of execution and torture, an armory and the Royal Mint. This program unlocks the doors to secret rooms, talks to […]

Greenlit: Secrets, PBS

Secrets  (6 x 60′) – Series that goes behind the scenes of famous and iconic British institutions. Channel: PBS Producer: Pioneer Productions TX: TBC Source: TBI Vision

Greenlit: How We Got to Now, PBS / BBC

How We Got to Now (6 x 60′) – Steven Johnson, the popular American science author and media theorist, explores the power and the legacy of great ideas. Topics explored in the series include why and how ideas happen, and their sometimes unintended results, including how the search for clean water opened the way to invention of […]

Greenlit: Asteroids: Doomsday or Payday? PBS NOVA

Asteroids: Doomsday or Payday (1 x 60′) – The asteroid that exploded in the skies over Siberia injuring more than 1,000 and damaging buildings in six cities was a shocking reminder that Earth is a target in a cosmic shooting range. From the width of a football field to the size of a small city, these space rocks […]

Greenlit: At the Edge of Space, PBS NOVA

At the Edge of Space  (1 x 60′) – Between the blue sky above us and the infinite blackness of space lies a frontier full of enigmas that scientists have only just begun to investigate.   This film takes viewers on a spectacular exploration to probe the earth-space boundary zone, which is home to some of nature’s most […]

Greenlit: Cold Case JFK, PBS NOVA

Cold Case JFK  (1 x 60′) – Fifty years later, what can science tell us about the Kennedy assassination — and the investigations that followed? The 1963 murder, in broad daylight in front of hundreds of witnesses, was a homicide investigator’s best-case scenario. Yet somehow the JFK assassination became a forensic nightmare, plagued by mishandled evidence, a […]

Greenlit: Making Stuff With David Pogue, PBS NOVA

Making Stuff With David Pogue  (4 x 60′) –  New York Times technology correspondent and best-selling author David Pogue takes a wild ride through the cutting-edge science that is powering a next wave of technological innovation. With his zany humor and zest for discovery, Pogue meets the scientists and engineers who are plunging to the bottom of the […]

Greenlit: Megastorm Aftermath, PBS NOVA

Megastorm Aftermath  (1 x 60′) –  In October 2012, superstorm Sandy cut a path of devastation across the Caribbean and the East Coast, killing hundreds and doing tens of billions of dollars in damage. To many, it was a wake-up call. Now, one year after Sandy’s deadly strike, correspondent Miles O’Brien follows up on the 2012 […]