BBC Earth, the BBC’s global factual brand, will receive the 2016 Sir Charles Wheatstone Award from The Advanced Imaging Society at the organization’s Creative Arts Awards ceremony on January 27th at Warner Bros. Studios in Hollywood. The award is presented each year by The Society to recognize organizations which have “singularly advanced the arts and sciences of 3D” in movies and television. BBC Earth will receive the award for its natural history feature films and giant screen productions.

Society Chairman Mike DeValue stated, “BBC Earth documentaries have educated and thrilled audiences throughout the world. And while the society has previously honored individual BBC films, the Sir Charles Wheatstone Award allows us to honor the entire BBC Earth team for their collective excellence over many years.”

Since the first days of television, the BBC has been a pioneer in factual filmmaking, and with 3D film, BBC Earth has sought to create theatrical experiences that immerse audiences in spectacular imagery and stories from the natural world.

Neil Nightingale, Creative Director for BBC Earth, said, “Great 3D imagery on a large screen immerses you deeply in the natural world, giving you a sense of being in the wild for real. At BBC Earth we are passionate about bringing such 3D films to global audiences so they not only learn about the wonders of nature, but also connect emotionally with nature through the combination of powerful imagery and dramatic storytelling. To do that well is a huge challenge, and we work tirelessly with our teams to innovate across all areas of production to achieve it. So it is a great pleasure to see the work of BBC Earth’s talented teams being recognized by the Advanced Imaging Society with this prestigious award.”

Following the global releases of BBC Earth’s 3D feature films Walking with Dinosaurs 3D and Enchanted Kingdom 3D (AIS Creative Arts Awards Best Motion Picture Documentary 2015), BBC Earth launched its first giant screen productions Tiny Giants 3D (awarded “Most Favorite Film” at the Beijing Film Festival Museum Conference 2015) and Walking with Dinosaurs: Prehistoric Planet 3D (awarded “Best Visual Effects” by the Giant Screen Cinema Association, 2015). These two productions have now been released in institutions across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, and in November 2015 BBC Earth released its latest giant screen film Wild Africa 3D.

“The BBC’s dedication and commitment to entertaining and educational filmmaking is apparent to any of us who’ve taken our families to see a BBC Earth film,” stated Society Awards Chair Buzz Hays, Studio Chief of the True Image Company. “These films have reached movie fans in every one of the more than 20 countries where our Society has members. So this award truly represents our global family of professionals acknowledging the BBC Earth organization.”

Sir Charles Wheatstone is credited by history as the inventor of modern-day 3D. The Society’s Wheatstone Award has previously been presented to Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Panasonic Hollywood Labs.

“Natural history documentaries, especially when produced in 3D, are among the most challenging commitments any organization can undertake,” said Society President Jim Chabin. “And yet on an on-going basis, the BBC has assembled our industry’s most talented teams and brought the natural wonders of the world to audiences everywhere. This year’s awards are our chance to commend that commitment.”

The Society’s Creative Arts Awards annually bestow its gold Lumiere™ statuette to 3D movies, television programs, advanced imaging technology, and other content as selected by the Society’s voting members.

ABOUT THE SOCIETY:

The Advanced Imaging Society was formed in 2009 by the film industry’s creative stakeholders including The Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, DreamWorks Animation (DWA), Sony, Paramount, IMAX, Dolby, Panasonic, MasterImage and others to advance the creative arts and sciences of stereoscopic 3D. As new cutting edge technologies including high dynamic range (HDR), virtual reality (VR), high frame rate (HFR), and ultra hi-def (UHD) come to the forefront, the Society has been charged with “informing the content pipeline” of professionals on these emerging innovations. With chapters in the U.S., China, Japan, Canada, the E.U., India and the U.K., the organization serves thousands of professional participants in over 20 countries active in improving the arts and technologies of advanced imaging. The organization hosts professional education seminars and awards throughout the world.

ABOUT BBC EARTH

BBC Earth seeks to inspire you by sharing the incredible wonders of our universe. It will take you on a thrilling journey of discovery, from the smallest creature under the microscope to the limitless expanses of space. BBC Earth will bring you face to face with heart pounding action, mind blowing ideas and the wonder of being human. Commercially and internationally the brand is managed by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC. Since launch the brand has grown across multiple platforms including BBC Earth branded channels and channel blocks on television, live events, visitor attractions, theatrical releases for cinema and giant screen films and online on BBC.com and social media sites, all dedicated to bringing audiences premium factual content.