BBC Factual and BBC Northern Ireland have commissioned a new four-part series detailing the sinking of the Titanic, with support from Northern Ireland Screen, for BBC Two and iPlayer.Made by Belfast-based Stellify Media, "Titanic Sinks Tonight" (working title) aims to provide a complete picture of the most famous 160 minutes in maritime history, telling the astonishing story of the sinking of the Titanic in real time. From the crucial seconds just before the ship hits the iceberg, to the moment the hull sinks beneath the waves, this boxset series pieces together the events, minute by minute, to reveal exactly what happened to the 2240 passengers and crew on 14 and 15 April, 1912.
The series was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual and Eddie Doyle, BBC Northern Ireland. Kieran Doherty and Matthew Worthy are Executive producers for Stellify Media, a Sony Pictures Television (SPT) company. BBC Commissioning Editors are Fiona Keane for BBC Northern Ireland and Simon Young, Head of Commissioning, History. The series is made with support from Northern Ireland Screen with international funding from the series being provided by SPT, ARTE and SBS (Australia).
Combing through a vast archive of eyewitness testimony, the series relives the sinking through the experiences of those who were there, unpacking the anatomy of the disaster and identifying the critical decisions that dictated the fate of those on board. Nothing is invented, there are no ‘composite characters’, just the real words of the actual Titanic passengers and crew. The programme makers have conducted exhaustive research into hundreds of survivor accounts, cross-referenced to create a timeline of all the different perspectives. Gleaned from letters, telegrams, newspaper interviews, radio interviews, memoirs and the US and UK public enquiries into the disaster, these vivid first-hand accounts will place audiences in the moment, revealing what individuals all around the ship saw, felt and did that night.
This is a comprehensive and emotive examination of the final moments of Titanic’s maiden, and ultimately final, voyage, with viewers experiencing the disaster through the eyes and words of the passengers and crew, exactly as it happened. The series will start the clock shortly after 11pm when the Titanic’s radio operators in the Marconi room receive - and ignore - the sixth and final iceberg warning of the night. It will reveal the chain of events in the seconds, minutes and hours after the iceberg is struck at 11.40pm. The clock will stop just after 2.20am the next day, when the final part of the ship descends to the sea floor.
Simon Young, Head of Commissioning, History, referred to the original approach: “This is a completely fresh and original take on the most iconic maritime tragedy in history. And the result will give new insights into the anatomy of the doomed ocean liner as this disaster unfolded, as well as the key decisions which made the difference between death and salvation for its passengers and crew. It’s hugely exciting to be working with our colleagues in Northern Ireland to bring this story to British screens," commented.
On his part, Eddie Doyle, Head of Commissioning, BBC Northern Ireland, defined it as an ambitious new insight: “This ambitious new series from Stellify Media will give new insight and understanding to the final hours of the ill-fated Titanic. Co-commissioning this series with our colleagues in BBC network television, means that a story that essentially started in Belfast will be told comprehensively – and sensitively - by a Belfast company and then broadcast to audiences across the UK and beyond. And with support from Northern Ireland Screen, it is sure to be visually arresting, using the latest state-of-the-art technology to tell the story in an engaging way for our audiences," added.
Furthermore, Richard Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Northern Ireland Screen, mentioned the new technologies used in the development: “Studio Ulster will be a game changer for the local screen industry, and we are thrilled to support Stellify Media’s upcoming drama documentary, 'Titanic Sinks Tonight', which will be entirely produced in Northern Ireland using cutting-edge Virtual Production technology. By opting to utilise Studio Ulster’s state-of-the-art facilities, Stellify Media can tell this iconic Northern Ireland story more sustainably, while maintaining the highest quality for viewers," observed.
Finally, Kieran Doherty, CEO and co-founder Stellify Media, did not fail to mention the local pride: “Docu-drama is an exciting new space for Stellify, and we feel privileged to be working in it. All credit goes to an incredible piece of commissioned research, and the trust shown by our backers BBC Specialist Factual, BBC NI, Northern Ireland Screen, and international funders Arte, SBS and SPT. 'Titanic Sinks Tonight' is an ambitious retelling of a story rooted in Belfast, and we are very proud to be the Belfast company telling it," highlighted.
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