SPECIAL FORCES
6 x 52 min. HD
Premise
There’s one aspect to Animal Armoury we have yet to explore. Animal SPECIAL FORCES ! What else can we call the phenomenal strength, the incredible
swiftness and sharp senses that some creatures are born with? And why does Evolution grant one animal these powers, but not another? After all, there
are all kinds of frogs, but how is it the Hairy Frog can transform broken bones into claws? So it is in this series, the third in our Animal Armory trilogy,
that our focus will be on the super powers that some lucky animals possess. Because without exploring animal “special force ”, our understanding of
Animal Armoury would be incomplete. In some ways, you could even say we’re saving the best until last…
Main concept
In the first season of Animal Armoury, viewers felt the shock and awe, that natural Weaponry inspires. Whether teeth or claws, venom or jaws, we saw
that nature’s best defense is often attack! For season two, the focus was on Strategy, and the incredible strategms and tactics that animals use to outwit
their opponents, in the battle for survival.
Now comes the third season, which is not about either of these traits. It’s the missing part of the picture: the Special Forces that animals possess.
Powers that can be majestic, awe-inspiring, and quite often, terrifying. There’s no doubt that capabilities like night vision would be considered mighty
powers, if any human possessed them.
By combining world class natural photography with impeccable researched story telling, and CGI graphics, we will showcase these amazing abilities
in ways never seen before. Let’s get down to cases.
Episode Structure
In every episode we will examine in depth the super powers of specific animals, whether takes us to the wild savanna to the extreme poles, sees us
soaring with the falcons, or being plunged in the ocean depths. As we compare and contrast the breath-taking powers of the various species, we get a
much better understanding of when and how animals use their various powers.
It will be a full immersion into the secret worlds within worlds of animals. Stunning imagery and amazing information is combined, to great effect.
It’s one thing to hear about the Stone Fish, one of the world’s most lethal fish. It’s another thing entirely, to see it in action, and in slow motion. The
Stonefish lies in wait for its prey, blending in with the ocean floor. But when another fish swims by, it opens its jaws and consumes its prey in a fraction
of a second.
Narration style
The narration will definitely be friendly, and we will be on high alert to make sure it is never didactic and boring. It will be like the narrator is a
trusted confidante has just dropped in, to share the most amazing secrets with the viewer. At the same time, we’ll get our facts right and we’ll make
them count. The scientific information we impart will be in accordance with the latest biological research. The end result will be a perfect blend of
entertainment and information, always bringing us back to a sense of wonder at the incredible power of the featured animals.
What will set this show apart from all others, will be the great quality of images supported by smart and sizzling computer graphics, fast and
dynamic editing and a tour through some of the most amazing animals on earth.
Episode 1: Elite Survivors
What is about some animals that have such long lifespans, meaning they stick around, long after the average human has made the obituary column?
And how is it that some animals can survive minus 50 degree temperatures, while others are quite at home in the heat of Death Valley? Before they
even war with other creatures, they must battle the elements. We investigate how they do it. A Galapogos giant tortoise can live well over 150 years.
While the Macaw, a colorful South American parrot can live to 80, and so can Cockatoos. What sets them apart from other birds? But a successful life is
measured in more than years: Camels live a very respectable 40-50 years, but more remarkable is how long they can survive without water. Then there
are successful species. For example, ants. Their super power of telepathy is a definite asset in the never ending battle for supremacy.
SPECIAL FORCES
6 x 52 min. HD
Episode 2: Navy SEALS
Forget submarines and destroyers, battleships and frigates. Some of the most efficient killing machines of our planet live in the ocean. They are really
gifted predators. The lightning fast barracuda, the leopard seal - who takes after his landlubber namesake - or Hammerhead sharks, which use sonar
to find their prey. Some are just downright creepy: the archerfish that spitballs its prey to death, or the Moray eel with its Alien-like set of jaws. But the
prize for most venomous animal of land, sky or sea goes to the Australian Box Jellyfish. The best case scenario is still agonising for anyone they sting.
Yet amazingly, the antitode to its venom can be found in most kitchens – vinegar. Just remember to have some handy when you go snorkelling off
Great Barrier Reef.
Episode 3 : Reconnaissance
In our first episode, we explore the realm of the senses. These abilities come naturally to some very gifted animal warriors. Superior senses such as
sonar, echolation and night vision. Humans have devoted a lot of research into imitating these senses. After all radar and night goggles were inspired
by animals. But what would life be like if we could trade places and see in the dark, or hear from many miles away? What would we see, if we could see
like a Mantis Shrimp? CGI animation will show us. Of course, some of our animal superheroes are pretty odd looking. Take the Platypus, one of the most
peculiar looking animals, but did you know it can sense the muscular contractions of its prey, due to a superior sense called electrolocation. A valuable
asset in animal warfare. And in the insect world, forget Spiderman. Real ‘spidey sense’ is much more impressive.
Episode 4: Special Gear
The animals that run the fastest, fly the highest and go deepest, are quite well known. They are justly celebrated as victors in the battle of life. We pay
our respects to the Blue Whale (pound for pound the strongest creature on earth, it has flipped 20 foot-plus boats underwater with a flick of its tail) or
the peregrine falcon (fastest animal on land, sea or sky). But our particular focus for this episode will be quirky creatures like the Armadillo. After all,
many animals camoflage themselves, but few come equipped with their own suit of armour! South American three-banded armadillos can roll
themselves into a ball, and fend off hostile predators. Or what about the froghopper, a garden bug that travels at about 4 meters/second, exposing it
to over 400 Gs of acceleration. Eat your heart out, Superman! There are many examples in the insect world of creatures that lift and leap above their
weight, as this episode will illustrate beautifully.
Episode 5: Elite Killers
In our first Animal Armoury series, we encountered some fierce predators and admired their weaponry. We certainly won’t go over old ground, but
instead, focus on the most lethal creatures on the planet. They have awesome powers of destruction at their disposal. But why is a South American
Poison Dart Frog so venomous, for example, and not other types of frog? Of course, some of the most lethal creatures in the world barely reach up to
our ankles. Snakes and scorpions for example. Few snakes come close to the Black Mamba, which can strike very quickly and also chase its potential
victims at remarkable speed. Among the 1500 species of scorpions, just 25 are capable for instance of killing a human. Again, why has nature selected
these particular organisms to possess the most deadly of venoms?
6: Delta Forces
Given a choice, what would your animal superpowers be? The ring-tailed cat can pivot 180 on its ankles, cartwheel across the forest canopy, and
ricochet between trees. Eat your heart out, Catwoman. What about that internet sensation, the honey badger? It thinks nothing of breaking into
beehives, picks fights with cobras and jackals and if things get too hot, can dig an escape tunnel in just a few minutes. But if it all goes wrong, wouldn’t
it be great to know you could ‘reconstitute’ yourself? Well, there are amphibians who can regenerate and replace injured limbs, but also more complex
organs, such as eyes, lungs, hearts ...even their brains! Using the best of the best in natural photography and CGI animation, this is a good way to wrap
up this series, and what has been an outstanding trilogy.
SPECIAL FORCES
© 2016 Conceived by Max Serio, Martin Kase, Scott Alexander Young.