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S30 Ep8

Ocean Giants: Giant Lives

Premiere: 3/28/2012 | 00:00:30 | NR

Learn why size matters in the world of whales. 3/28/2012

About the Episode

Whales and dolphins conjure a deep sense of wonder in us that’s hard to explain. From the Arctic to the Amazon, this groundbreaking three-part series goes on a global expedition with world-renowned underwater cameramen, Doug Allen (Planet Earth) and Didier Noirot (Jacques Cousteau’s cameraman), as they capture spellbinding footage of these marine mammals. Ocean Giants looks at how cetaceans hunt, mate, and communicate, and follows scientists as they strive to uncover new insights about these animals.

The first hour, Giant Lives, enters the world of the great whales. In the Arctic, giant bowhead whales survive the freezing cold wrapped in fifty tons of insulating blubber two-feet thick, making them the fattest animals on the planet. But the biggest animal on the planet is the blue whale. Measuring a hundred feet long, and weighing in at 200 tons, it is double the size of the largest dinosaur.

The second hour, Deep Thinkers, explores the cognitive and emotional lives of dolphins and whales. Like us, cetaceans have special brain cells, spindle cells, that are associated with communication, emotion, and heightened social sensitivity. These cells were once thought to be unique to us, but research is now showing that whales and dolphins may have up to three times more spindle cells than humans.

Marine mammals’ extrasensory perceptions and communication skills are the focus of Voices of the Sea, the final hour of the series. Whales and dolphins depend on sound to function in their ocean home. They use ultrasound to see inside other creatures, clicks and whistles to speak, and echolocation to navigate and hunt in the pitch-black depths.

Join PBS Nature, as it dives into the world of whales and dolphins, and reveals the secrets of their intimate lives like never before.

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PRODUCTION CREDITS

OCEAN GIANTS: VOICES OF THE SEA

NARRATED BY
JOHN BENJAMIN HICKEY

PRODUCED BY
PHIL CHAPMAN

DIRECTORS
ELLEN HUSAIN
INGRID KVALE

PHOTOGRAPHY
DOUG ALLAN
DIDIER NOIROT
RICHARD WOLLOCOMBE
JOHNNY ROGERS
PAUL ATKINS

SOUND RECORDISTS
NICK ALLINSON
GRACIE ATKINS
GLENN CHAPPELL
MIKE KASIC

EDITORS
DAVID WARNER
PETER BROWNLEE

ASSISTANT EDITOR
AMY FATHERS

ONLINE EDITOR AND COLORIST
TIM BOLT

DUBBING MIXER
BEN PEACE

SOUND EDITOR
TIM OWENS

MUSIC COMPOSED BY
BEN SALISBURY

GRAPHIC DESIGN
BURRELL DURRANT HIFLE

SCRIPT CONSULTANT
PATRICK MAKIN

PRODUCTION COORDINATORS
SANDRA FORBES
LISA UPTON

PRODUCTION MANAGER
JOLIE GREENWOOD

RESEARCHER
RUTH DYSON

SPECIAL THANKS
AGENCIA NACIONAL DO CINEMA BRAZIL
DOMINICA FILM COMMISSION
HAWAII FILM OFFICE
JIM DARLING
VOLKER DEECKE
SHANE GERO
HUGH MILLER
ARNALDO D’A P. G. RUSSO
FILIPA SAMARRA
VERA M. F. DA SILVA
NOAA/NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE FOR IMAGERY OBTAINED
UNDER AUTHORITY OF NMFS PERMIT NO 587-1767-01

SERIES EDITOR
MICHAEL GUNTON

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
SARA FORD

SERIES PRODUCERS
MARK BROWNLOW
PHIL CHAPMAN

© 2011 BBC All Rights Reserved

FOR NATURE

SERIES EDITOR
JANET HESS

SUPERVISING PRODUCER
JANICE YOUNG

SENIOR PRODUCER
LAURA METZGER LYNCH

PRODUCTION MANAGER
JULIE SCHAPIRO THORMAN

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
JAYNE JUN

RE-RECORDING MIXER
ED CAMPBELL

ONLINE EDITOR
PATRICK KRASS

SERIES PRODUCER
BILL MURPHY

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
FRED KAUFMAN

A co-production of Thirteen and BCC in association with WNET

This program was produced by THIRTEEN, which is solely responsible for its content

© 2011 THIRTEEN
All rights reserved

WEB CREDITS

PRODUCER
KATE FULTON

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
CHIE WITT

RESEARCH AND WRITING
KATHLEEN WISNESKI

DESIGNER
JOY WEEENG

PAGEBUILDING
BRIAN SANTALONE

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
BRIAN LEE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
NICK MILLER

SENIOR DIRECTOR
DANIEL B. GREENBERG

OCEAN GIANTS: DEEP THINKERS

NARRATED BY
JOHN BENJAMIN HICKEY

PRODUCED BY
ANUSCHKA SCHOFIELD

DIRECTORS
ANUSCHKA SCHOFIELD
INGRID KVALE
MARK BROWNLOW

PHOTOGRAPHY
DOUG ALLAN
DIDIER NOIROT
TOM FITZ
SCOTT TIBBLES
LEIGHTON DE BARROS
DAN STEVENSON
KEITH SCHOFIELD

SOUND RECORDISTS
ASH CHARLTON
MARK ROBERTS
MIKE KASIC

FILM EDITOR
ALEX BOYLE

ASSISTANT EDITOR
AMY FATHERS

ONLINE EDITOR AND COLORIST
TIM BOLT

DUBBING MIXER
BEN PEACE

SOUND EDITOR
TIM OWENS

MUSIC COMPOSED BY
BEN SALISBURY

GRAPHIC DESIGN
BURRELL DURRANT HIFLE

SCRIPT CONSULTANT
PATRICK MAKIN

PRODUCTION COORDINATORS
SANDRA FORBES
LISA UPTON
ELLIE WILLIAMS
LESLEY BISHOP

PRODUCTION MANAGER
JOLIE GREENWOOD

RESEARCHER
RUTH DYSON

SPECIAL THANKS
DENISE L. HERZING
STAN KUCZAJ
SARAH ROBINSON
FRED SHARPE
DIANA REISS
PACHICO MAYORAL
TONI FROHOFF
NICK GUY
ELDON AND TERI BOLTON
PIETER FOLKENS
LUCIO MESQUITA
NOAA/NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE FOR IMAGERY OBTAINED
UNDER AUTHORITY OF NMFS PERMIT NO. 14599

SERIES EDITOR
MICHAEL GUNTON

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
SARA FORD

SERIES PRODUCERS
MARK BROWNLOW
PHIL CHAPMAN

© 2011 BBC All Rights Reserved

FOR NATURE

SERIES EDITOR
JANET HESS

SUPERVISING PRODUCER
JANICE YOUNG

SENIOR PRODUCER
LAURA METZGER LYNCH

PRODUCTION MANAGER
JULIE SCHAPIRO THORMAN

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
JAYNE JUN

RE-RECORDING MIXER
ED CAMPBELL

ONLINE EDITOR
PATRICK KRASS

SERIES PRODUCER
BILL MURPHY

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
FRED KAUFMAN

A co-production of THIRTEEN and BBC in association with WNET

This program was produced by THIRTEEN, which is solely responsible for its content

© 2011 THIRTEEN
All rights reserved

WEB CREDITS

PRODUCER
KATE FULTON

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
CHIE WITT

RESEARCH AND WRITING
KATHLEEN WISNESKI

DESIGNER
JOY WEEENG

PAGEBUILDING
BRIAN SANTALONE

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
BRIAN LEE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
NICK MILLER

SENIOR DIRECTOR
DANIEL B. GREENBERG

OCEAN GIANTS: GIANT LIVES

NARRATED BY
JOHN BENJAMIN HICKEY

PRODUCED BY
MARK BROWNLOW

PHOTOGRAPHY
DOUG ALLAN
DIDIER NOIROT
PAUL ATKINS
ADAM RAVETCH
SCOTT TIBBLES
RICHARD WOLLOCOMBE

SOUND RECORDIST
GRACIE ATKINS
GLENN CHAPPELL
MIKE KASIC

FILM EDITORS
PETER BROWNLEE
STEVE WHITE

ASSISTANT EDITOR
AMY FATHERS

ONLINE EDITOR AND COLORIST
TIM BOLT

DUBBING MIXER
ANDREW WILSON

SOUND EDITOR
KATE HOPKINS

MUSIC COMPOSED BY
BEN SALISBURY

GRAPHIC DESIGN
BURRELL DURRANT HIFLE

SCRIPT CONSULTANT
PATRICK MAKIN

PRODUCTION COORDINATORS
SANDRA FORBES
LISA UPTON

PRODUCTION MANAGER
JOLIE GREENWOOD

RESEARCHER
RUTH DYSON

ASSISTANT PRODUCER
ELLEN HUSAIN

SPECIAL THANKS
KENNETH C. BALCOMB
CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH
ASHA DE VOS
JOHN W. DURBAN
ARI FRIEDLAENDER
ANOUK ILANGAKOON
MARIANO SIRONI
OUTI TERVO
DAN R. SALDEN
THE HAWAII WHALE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
NOAA/NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE FOR IMAGERY OBTAINED
UNDER AUTHORITY OF NMFS PERMIT NOS 782-1719 & 587-1767-01

SERIES EDITOR
MICHAEL GUNTON

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
SARA FORD

SERIES PRODUCERS
MARK BROWNLOW
PHIL CHAPMAN

© 2011 BBC All Rights Reserved

FOR NATURE

SERIES EDITOR
JANET HESS

SUPERVISING PRODUCER
JANICE YOUNG

SENIOR PRODUCER
LAURA METZGER LYNCH

PRODUCTION MANAGER
JULIE SCHAPIRO THORMAN

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
JAYNE JUN

RE-RECORDING MIXER
ED CAMPBELL

ONLINE EDITOR
PATRICK KRASS

SERIES PRODUCER
BILL MURPHY

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
FRED KAUFMAN

A co-production of THIRTEEN and BBC in association with WNET

This program was produced by THIRTEEN, which is solely responsible for its content

© 2011 THIRTEEN
All rights reserved

WEB CREDITS

PRODUCER
KATE FULTON

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
CHIE WITT

RESEARCH AND WRITING
KATHLEEN WISNESKI

DESIGNER
JOY WEEENG

PAGEBUILDING
BRIAN SANTALONE

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
BRIAN LEE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
NICK MILLER

SENIOR DIRECTOR
DANIEL B. GREENBERG

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