• Bible Films Blog

    Looking at film interpretations of the stories in the Bible - past, present and future, as well as preparation for a future work on Straub/Huillet's Moses und Aron and a few bits and pieces on biblical studies.


    Name:
    Matt Page

    Location:
    U.K.












    Friday, April 11, 2008

    BBC Making Animation of The Bible

    See all posts on this film.
    Having succeeded in telling the last week of Jesus's life in the live action drama The Passion, the BBC is set to produce an animated series on the Bible for release late next year. I first heard about this in Pioneer's 'Library of Lives' journal, but have been unable to find out much more, until just now.

    There's a little bit on this new series at Broadcast Now. Apparently it will be produced by Anna Cox with Michael Mosley and Jean-Claude Bragard acting as executive producers. Cox and Bragard worked together on the 2006 documentary series The Miracles of Jesus (pictured), and Bragard has been involved in other religious documentaries for the BBC since at least 2001 when he produced / directed Son of God.

    There's also a press release from the BBC which mainly seems to focus on the Beeb's partnership with Greek broadcaster SKAI Television, but it does have this to say:
    Religious co-production Bible will be a six part series featuring the most important and iconic Bible stories. Each episode will use drama and CGI to bring the stories to life – emphasising their humanity, the miraculous experiences and the epic encounters.

    It will be an accessible, entertaining, informative and intelligent guide to important passages in the Bible.
    Various sources have stressed that The Bible will be a big budget production, though figures are a little sketchy. I also seem to recall hearing that this was a 13 episode series whereas these pages say it will be six hour long episodes. I'll post more news as it comes along.

    Labels: ,

    2 Comments:

    • At 6:24 pm, April 11, 2008, Blogger Witlessd said…

      Hi Matt

      Doesn't the phrase "drama and CGI" suggest, not that this will be an "animated series" as such, but some sort of combination of CGI and live-action? I certainly think that Bragard's involvement suggests there will be a live-action element, given his previous work. (I still don't know what those semi-dramatised, sometimes wordless "recreations" should be called... Docu-fiction? Dramatised documentary? Semi-dramatised documentary? Documentary drama?)

       
    • At 11:00 am, May 02, 2008, Blogger Matt Page said…

      I finally dug out the quote I found that first alerted me to this. it's from the 10th issue of "Library of Lives". On page 7 Gerald Coates says:

      "Recently we were shown a taster from what can only be
      described as an absolutely stunning series currently called
      The Bible. It relies heavily on animation. The BBC are
      spending £1.3 million on each programme. Such a move is
      virtually unheard of."

      When I spoke to Gerald at 'The Passion' première he said he had seen an excerpt so it seems fairly likely that it will have animation in it.

      Matt

       

    Post a Comment

    << Home