BBC, CCI Producing DinoSapien

BBC Worldwide and CCI Ent. have begun production on DinoSapien, a tween-targeted adventure series produced in association with Discovery Kids and CBBC. Slated to air next spring, the show will feature CG dinosaurs alongside live actors. Principal photography on the initial 15 half-hour episodes is underway in Alberta, Canada.

DinoSapien chronicles the adventures of 15 year-old Lauren (Brittney Wilson from Nickelodeon’s Romeo!), whose father mysteriously disappeared on a fossil expedition in the badlands. While Lauren struggles to come to terms with the loss, she spends her days working with a trio of friends at a Dinosaur Camp run by her mother. There, she comes across a living, intelligent dinosaur she names Eno. In addition to keeping Eno a secret, she must protect him form the Diggers, a band of dinosaurs that are trying to kill him.

Overseeing the production are CCI Ent.’s Jim Corston and Rick Siggelkow of BBC Worldwide, who previously collaborated on such children’s programs as Ace Lightning, Noddy and Shining Time Station. This time they are also working with Alberta Filmworks’ Tom Cox and Jordy Randall.

‘The series premise, which is about evolved dinosaurs interacting with present day kids, is both original and scientifically accurate,’ says Siggelkow. ‘And like any good story, DinoSapien tells us as much about the dinosaurs as it does about the kids who encounter them.’

‘This ambitious project combines the sophistication of high-end CG with great storytelling,’ adds Corston. ‘Because we are shooting in HD, it will really accentuate the exotic Alberta environment. It’s just the kind of series we feel kids will connect with.’

DinoSapien will launch on Discovery Kids and BBC Kids Canada in March of 2007, and on the BBC in May of 2007. The show is being produced with the participation of The Alberta Film Development Program of the Alberta Government, The Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, Ontario Film & Television Tax Credits, Ontario Media Development Corporation, the Shaw Rocket Fund and Worldwide Children’s Co-Production.