An awe-inspiring score for the third, and final instalment of the BBC’s innovative, highly acclaimed nature series narrated by David Attenborough.
The 8-part nature series is scored by Hans Zimmer, together with Jacob Shea (Seven Worlds One Planet, Blue Planet II) and Sara Barone (Grimcutty) of Bleeding Fingers Music. Bastille’s Dan Smith has collaborated on the score and his vocals are featured on the show’s opening title theme song, as well as within all episodes of the series.
There is lyricism and magic in the score, from gorgeous strings and fragile glass-like percussion to powerful brass and full orchestra ostinatos. In the opening theme, ‘Planet Earth III Suite’, the gentle vocals usher a soaring 4-note brass theme, with the brass gradually disintegrating, joining the strings, to be brought back in a commanding statement. The score proves to be as alive as the planet, depicting pain, rage, and urgency, broken with moments of beauty and tranquillity. There is an ongoing clock-like pulse, sometimes juddering and stopping, depicted by a breathing, living sound of the orchestra. This is Hans Zimmer and Bleeding Fingers Music at their best, creating a timeless TV soundtrack for the ages.
Filmed over five years, Planet Earth III uses pioneering filmmaking technology to reveal the greatest wonders of life on earth. Lightweight drones, high-speed cameras and remotely operated deep-sea submersibles transport viewers to spectacular unseen landscapes, from remote jungles and scorching deserts to the darkest caves and depths of the ocean.
Planet Earth III’s first episode was aired on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday 22nd October. The final series in the Trilogy, the series has already received glowing reviews. The Guardian describes it as an “awe-inspiring series” and goes on to say that “It is possible to watch and enjoy it purely for the astonishing footage – but it will horrify you too”. The Times comments that it “is magnificent, but it’s a fast track to becoming really quite sad”, whilst The I calls it “spectacular, eye-opening, awe-inspiring – and terrifying”. There is a theme of sadness and terror emerging here. The knowledge about climate change has not initiated enough action and reform as it was hoped for, and once again, David Attenborough rallies a call – “The natural world continues to surprise us, but since Darwin’s time it has changed beyond recognition, being transformed by a powerful force – us… At this crucial time in our history, we must now look at the world through a new lens.”
With over 150 soundtracks to his credit, Hans Zimmer has been honoured with many accolades, an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, three Grammys, an American Music Award, a Tony Award and The Henry Mancini Award for Lifetime Achievement. His Academy Award nomination for Interstellar marked his 10th Oscar nomination. The Planet Earth III score is completed by Jacob Shea and Sara Barone, from Emmy and BAFTA nominated Bleeding Fingers Music, a joint venture between Extreme Music and Hans Zimmer’s RCI Global created to build a world-class Zimmer approved TV-focused roster. Bleeding Fingers has created original music for productions including the Fox’s The Simpsons, BBC’s Planet Earth II, National Geographic’s Being The Queen, Apple TV’s Prehistoric Planet, NBC’s hit Little Big Shots, Amazon’s American Playboy, AMC’s The Making Of The Mob, Netflix original Roman Empire, History Channel’s Mountain Men.
Planet Earth III is a BBC Studios Natural History Production co-produced with BBC AMERICA, ZDF and France Televisions in partnership with The Open University for BBC. The executive producer is Mike Gunton, and the series producer is Matt Brandon. BBC Studios is handling global distribution.
1. Planet Earth III Suite
COASTS
2. Southern Right Whale
3. Sea Angel – Sea Devil
4. Seal vs Shark
5. Garter Snake
6. Raine Island Turtles
7. Hurricanes
8. Archer Fish
9. Flamingos
EXTREMES
10. Hang Son Doong
11. The Undergound
12. Monarch Butterflies
13. Arctic Wolves
14. Divide and Conquer
15. Seeds and Bulbs
16. Fire
17. Snow Leopard
FORESTS
18. Forests
19. Treehopper
20. Green Desert
21. Getting Old
22. Dhole
23. Uganda Chimps
FRESHWATER
24. The Okavango Delta
25. Holding Onto Love
26. Frog Eggs
27. Mugger Crocs
28. Goby Fish
29. Wild Dogs
30. Freshwater Canals
31. Indus River Dolphin
HEROES
32. Sad Santiago
33. Frog Hunters
34. Looking for a Partner
35. Operation Eagle
36. Finding Meaning
37. Northern Bald Ibis
38. Climate Change
39. Fighting with Paper
HUMAN
40. Urban Rhino
41. Monocled Cobra
42. Locust Surges
OCEAN
43. Ocean Deep
44. Pearl Octopus
45. Mother Octopus
46. Horn Shark
47. Loggerhead
48. Hungry Sealions
49. Trapped Sealions
DESERTS & GRASSLANDS
50. Deserts and Grasslands
51. Ostriches in the Namib
52. Bowerbirds
53. Sandstorms
54. Brave and Adaptable
55. Searching for Water
56. King of the Steppe
57. Zakouma Elephants
58. Maned Wolf
