Sarah Lagan
Published Mar 22, 2016 at 8:00 am (Updated Mar 22, 2016 at 7:22 am)

The Ocean Vet series that has been three-and-a-half-years in the making and will highlight Bermuda’s natural treasures to millions globally is finally complete.

While final deals are being secured with major networks in the USA and UK to screen the show hosted by the late ocean activist Neil Burnie, multiple networks, including those in Europe, Africa and Thailand, are already on board.

Bermuda has the distinct privilege of screening the premiere of the series over a ten-week period at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute starting on March 31.

Dr Burnie, a veterinarian who lived in Bermuda, died off Horseshoe Bay in a free diving accident in November 2014 so much of the series had to be reformatted and now includes voice-overs by actor Alistair McGowan.

The series is narrated by Hollywood actor Michael Douglas whose mother was Bermudian. It was produced by gassProductions which recently produced the internationally successful fishing series Rod & Rucksack.

Dr Burnie’s Bermudian research partner Choy Aming, who has been a major player in the series, said his old friend Neil would have been “ecstatic” to see Ocean Vet finally coming into fruition.

Tagging an eagle ray from left Choy Aming, Neil Burnie and Matt Ajemian
Underwater wonders: series celebrating island's marine life to be broadcast in UK and America

He told The Royal Gazette: “We were making jokes the other day asking if Neil was here who would be the one to contain him because he would be so over the top we would be running for the hills. He would be ecstatic and loving every single minute of this. He loved being the storyteller and sharing the experience with everybody so he would be in full force — maybe even to a level that we haven’t seen.

“For me there is a huge sense of satisfaction but I have to say there is a large amount of relief too. It has been more than a rollercoaster not only did we set ourselves out to complete this ambitious goal but we have had a few big and small bumps along the way that have deterred from that so just to have it here and finalised it is not only a feeling of achievement but also the anxiety over something so big seems to be lifting.”

GassProductions managing director Andrew Smith said the series was “selling all over the world”.

“There are so many networks in the US that [the distributor] Cineflex is gauging the entire spectrum of interest — they don’t want to commit to one when other offers are still coming in. We are very pleased with progress so far. BUEI is hosting the premiere of the series — this is the first place in the world that Ocean Vet will be shown. We think it is important for Bermuda and BUEI is the perfect place to broadcast it because of all that they do.”

World premiere: the BUEI is the first place in the world that Ocean Vet will be shown

Dan Radford, creative director for gassProductions added: “A lot of locals were involved so it is only fitting — and Neil would have wanted it as well — that the first place it goes out is in Bermuda. It wouldn’t have been possible for the series to come together without the contributions of the Bermudians involved and all of the sponsors.”

Mr Smith said that the Ocean Vet team was now involved in another documentary project that is even bigger that Ocean Vet and involved leading scientists and innovative technology to monitor Bermuda’s natural world.

He said: “We are pretty deep into the development of the next project which is taking place in Bermuda. Believe it or not it is considerably larger that the project that we have just done and it is equally as focused on Bermuda. We are bringing some of the most advanced scientists and technology to the island to reveal the secrets of wildlife in Bermuda like it has never been done before and we plan to go face to face with people about that in June.

“It is another series but it is heavily focused on the science and technology aspect — it is not character driven like Ocean Vet — it is an observational documentary series that follows a number of high-profile research scientists on a scientific journey here in Bermuda. The aim is to provide data to policymakers that will make a difference to the conservation and protection of certain areas around the island. We are picking up some major support from some world leading institutions.”

• The first episode of Ocean Vet will be screened at BUEI on March 31. Each episode will be screened twice a week for the next ten weeks. For details visit the BUEI website www.buei.bm.