Veteran broadcaster Sir David Attenborough is to receive the IBC2011 International Honour for Excellence. Sir David, who joined the BBC in 1952, is best known for his work on natural history programmes such as Zoo Quest, Life on Earth and The Blue Planet.
In the 1960s he entered BBC management, taking over as controller of the newly launched BBC2, where he commissioned Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Sir David was also responsible for the 1967 rollout of colour television, realising that cameras placed at the Wimbledon tennis championships could bring hours of output.
Sir David went on to become director of programmes with responsibility for both BBC1 and BBC2. He resigned in 1973 to return to programme making.
“Sir David Attenborough has been called ‘the greatest broadcaster of our time’, and throughout his career he has seized upon the latest developments in technology to illuminate natural history,” said Peter Owen, chairman of the IBC Council. “Working with the BBC Natural History Unit he pioneered time-lapse sequences in The Private Life of Plants and low-light and infrared cameras to capture the behaviour of nocturnal mammals. Today he is working with Atlantic Productions on stunning 3D programmes, including Flying Monsters, the first 3D programme to win a BAFTA Award.”
Sir David said “I am greatly honoured to receive this award from IBC. Throughout my career I have used the best technology available. When I started this was 16mm film, which gave us lightweight cameras to take into the wild. Since then my journey has taken me from black and white to colour and from film to digital high definition, and today I am excited to be involved in 3D production, which really immerses the viewer in the scene”.
His latest work is with Atlantic Productions, for Sky rather than the BBC, producing 3D productions such as Flying Monsters.
The IBC Awards Ceremony, which will include a special tribute to Sir David Attenborough and a look at the latest stereoscopic 3D wildlife programmes presented by Atlantic Productions, is on Sunday, September 11.
