Paul Olding

	Winner 2008 Best Cinematography
	Nominated 2008 Specialist Factual
Goethe Institut Science Film Festival Bangkok	Visual Effects Award 2008

Shot in Hi Definition, from the most extreme locations on the planet,

telling the greatest story on Earth and presented by Dr Iain Stewart.

The series takes us from the Heat within that drives the planet, to the power

of the Oceans, Ice, the Atmosphere and the rarity of Earth.

The first episode is called Volcano and is all about the power within the planet, driven by the primordial force of Earth’s inner Heat. We see this heat as volcanoes, but we also witness its power in the movement of the continents, in the rising of the mountains, and the extraordinary ability to keep our planet at just the right temperature for billions of years.

We travelled to the Afar region of Ethiopia to see the unique lava lake of Erte Ale. To Iceland to enjoy the thermal springs, to walk along the edge of North American continent, to dive in the Silfra Crack, the gap between America and Europe. To New Zealand to see the southern Alps created by the collision of tectonic plates, and to the North island to Rotarua, to get some idea of what our planet might have been like when life first began. To Namibia to see the effect of volcanic action which saved the planet from an eternity as an ice planet nicknamed Snowball Earth. To Australia to see the Ediacara, the first multicelled animals, which only came about after Snowball Earth. And to Mt Etna in Sicily and Stromboli, two of the most active volcanoes in the world.

What People Said…

“…by far the best programme about volcanoes that’s ever been made…”

“…an inspirational series…”

“…utterly beautiful to look at, full of amazing information and totally compelling…”

“…at first I thought ‘here we go again’, but we didn’t. We went on a clear, exciting, brilliantly filmed and edited journey…”

“…Thought the programme was fantastic…I learned so much from it…”

“…I thought I knew everything there was to know about our planet but this programme proved me wrong…”

“…This was an absolute feast…”

Watch Some Clips

Abseil into the Lava Lake

Volcanoes and the Birth of Life

Photo Album

Erte Ale Volcano, Afar Region, Ethiopia

Iain with the lava lake	The giant ex-Russian Chopper	Paul and Iain trying not to suffocate
We prepare to abseil into the live volcano	Soundman Adam getting ready	John sorting out Safety
Shin protection with shin pads	Surviving on the Volcano	Flying in
Setting up the Jib	Classic Sunset	Iain getting ready for filming

Iceland

At the Blue Lagoon	Getting the aerial footage	Iain and Paul on the glacier
Preparing to dive the Silfa Crack	Preparing the Jib to film a Geysir erupting	Filming a timelapse on the Ice

Namibia

Setting up camp

Fixing a flat tyre in the middle of nowhere

Filming aerials across the desert

New Zealand

Filming aerials (we are in a chopper about 2m above the river)

Our chopper, flown by the guy that dropped off Gandalf

Filming at Hell’s Gate in Rotarua

Mt Etna, Sicily

Iain with a destroyed house

Filming Etna

Iain’s favourite place (apparently)

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All Images copyright Paul Olding 2006 or BBC