Altitude Launches Natural History Documentary TV, Film Unit

By Ed Meza

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Altitude Media Group has launched new division Altitude Factual to create long-running TV series and feature-length documentaries focusing on the natural and human worlds with strong family appeal.

Natural history and factual programming executive Paul Sowerbutts will head the new unit. Sowerbutts, the former head of Channel 4 International and Diverse Productions, has overseen such projects as “Touching the Void” and “Bear Grylls – Man vs Wild.” He is also currently executive producing Otto Bell’s forthcoming feature “The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu.”

Jeremy Bradshaw, founder of Tigress Prods., joins Altitude Factual as head of natural history. Bradshaw’s credits include “In the Wild” and “Saving Planet Earth.”

The launch of Altitude Factual follows 30West’s investment in and the studio’s production partnership with L.A.-based Soluble Fish Prods.

Off the back of a number of successful U.K. and Irish live events, Altitude is expanding its event cinema operations internationally, beginning with the global one night only release of “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet” on April 16 in conjunction with WWF and Silverback Films.

Sowerbutts said: “Our joint experience covers the whole world of natural history and factual programming and filmmaking and we are thrilled to launch Altitude Factual with a focus on series where animals and humans interconnect, as well as developing more feature documentaries and specials where we have been previously successful.

“Jeremy and I have hit the ground running and have already traveled to Africa and Asia to meet some amazing people for a number of incredible projects already in development.”

Altitude Film Entertainment chairman and co-CEO Will Clarke said the new division was expanding Altitude into a new area with “universal evergreen popularity.” He added: “Paul and Jeremy are hugely respected and experienced in the field of natural history television and film, and there is a strong demand from global platforms and broadcasters for this type of programming that we’re excited to engage.”

Altitude’s hit documentary productions have included such titles as “Amy,” “Whitney,” “Diego Maradona” and “Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars.”