One-hour blue chip documentary special will give audiences the intimate experience of living alongside an osprey pair, as they reunite across continents and see their youngest chick beat the odds to thrive as a powerful raptor
Osprey is a co-production between Love Nature and The WNET Group; Blue Ant International oversees licensing and pre-sales of the special
Documentary will roll out on Love Nature’s global linear and streaming platforms outside of the U.S. and U.K; Film will debut in the U.S. on PBS, as part of its Nature Series and on Sky Nature in the U.K.
(Washington, D.C. – June 21, 2021) – Love Nature and CosmoVision announced jointly today that the two companies have wrapped production on Osprey (w/t) (1 x 60; 4K and HDR) a one-hour, blue-chip special that profiles the incredible true story of a pair of magnificent raptors, a life-long couple, as they reunite having traveled separately across continents to the same location year-after-year to raise their young. Audiences will observe this pair’s enduring relationship and their admirable teamwork, beginning with their epic migration to the reconstruction of their giant nest, culminating with the surprising triumph of their runt hatchling. The intimate family story, cast against the quiet splendor of an often-overlooked American wetland, offers a rich look at this unique and ubiquitous aquatic raptor species known for its impressive nests, life-long partnerships, dynamic social interactions and masterful hunting prowess.
The documentary, a co-production between Love Nature and The WNET Group (PBS Nature), will premiere on Love Nature’s linear and streaming platforms, outside of the U.S. and UK. Osprey will also roll out on PBS as part of its Nature series broadcast in the U.S market; and on Sky Nature in the UK. Blue Ant International will oversee the film’s international licensing and pre-sale opportunities.
“Birds are individuals with distinct personalities, likes and dislikes. This in-depth look at the life of an osprey family provides an incredible point of view, while also unveiling an inspiring story of resilience and triumph that viewers will emotionally connect to,” says Carlyn Staudt, Global General Manager, Love Nature. “Jacob worked tirelessly with this osprey couple for almost ten years, connecting with them not as species, but as individuals, to establish trust. This allowed him to capture their story in an honest and authentic way that we don’t often see in wildlife films, resulting in a doc that is exactly what Love Nature is all about: getting closer to nature.”
“Working with the osprey has been a highlight of my life. It is a true gift to share so intimately in the life of such a remarkable species. Rare to find a single animal so effectively demonstrate such dramatic and admirable life qualities: courage, mastery of skill, loyalty to a partner and dedication to family. I am humbled to have been a part of their lives for so long and thrilled to share their incredible story with the world,” said Jacob Steinberg, Director, Osprey and Founder, CosmoVision Media Group.
“Our osprey couple are shown to be heroic parents … their teamwork in defending the nest and caring for their young is detailed in never-before-seen footage,” said Fred Kaufman, Executive Producer for Nature on PBS.
The special begins as the male osprey makes his way from South America to the Long Island Sound in the eastern United States. Having migrated separately, the pair reunites, only to find their nest nearly destroyed by winter storms while they were away. They fend off countless would-be usurpers of their territory and re-build one of the largest nests in the animal kingdom. Their family saga continues as three helpless chicks arrive, vulnerable and ravenous. Last to hatch is a scrawny and weak male, who, through his parents’ devotion and the force of his own will, battles his way to survival, and ends up being the first to fly. Alongside the osprey family’s journey through one summer season, their lives intertwine with the red foxes, bald eagles, cormorants, raccoons and coyotes in their bio-diverse habitat in the center of America’s densest urban corridor.
CosmoVision leveraged exclusive access, years of fieldwork and cutting-edge technology to capture never-before-seen animal behaviors and deliver to viewers a unique perspective and unprecedented intimacy. The film team incorporates into compelling storytelling the latest in high-frame-rate equipment, drone aerials, and infrared cameras, often utilizing custom-designed camera installations across all seasons and climate conditions.
Osprey is a Love Nature and The WNET Group production in association with CosmoVision Media Group, LLC, PBS and CPB for Love Nature. Jacob Steinberg, founder of CosmoVision, serves as Director; and renowned media industry strategist and publisher, Peter Hamilton, is Executive Producer. James Manfull executive produces the special on behalf of Love Nature. Executive Producer for Nature is Fred Kaufman; and Series Producer is Bill Murphy. Blue Ant International handles international pre-sales and licensing.
Love Nature is available in over 300 million households worldwide, via its branded linear and online platforms available in 135+ countries and through key content partnerships with Sky Nature (UK), Starhub (Singapore), Rogers (Canada), KPN, VodafoneZiggo (Netherlands) and more. Love Nature is also available as a streaming channel on growing platforms like The Roku Channel, Xumo, Samsung TV Plus, VIZIO, PrendeTV and Pluto TV in the U.S.; and Youku in China.
Love Nature is a wildlife and nature brand that brings audiences powerful stories about the natural world that foster a deeper understanding of and connection to the planet we call home. Our award winning library of 4K natural history series and documentaries are available on Love Nature’s branded linear and streaming platforms through partnerships with top-tier pay-TV platforms and streamers, reaching over 300 million households globally in 135+ countries. Engage with us at lovenature.com / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Instagram
Nature is a voice for the natural world, bringing the wonders of wildlife and stories of conservation to millions of American viewers. The series has won more than 700 honors from the television industry, the international wildlife film communities and environmental organizations, including 19 Emmys and three Peabody Awards. The series is available for streaming simultaneously on all station-branded PBS platforms, including pbs.org and the PBS Video app, which is available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Chromecast. Nature is a production of The WNET Group for PBS. For more information visit pbs.org/nature.
Blue Ant International is a leading worldwide distributor of high-quality, creative content that engages audiences worldwide and across multiple platforms. The company offers a full-service approach to production partners with sales operations in London, Toronto and Los Angeles. Blue Ant International has a growing slate of over 4,000 hours of premium content, including distinctive series and formats in five key genres including factual entertainment, specialist factual, high-impact documentaries, kids and family, and scripted. Blue Ant International also has one of the world’s largest offerings of 4K natural history content. Blue Ant International is a division of Blue Ant Media.