INTERVIEW: ‘Frontier Earth’ on Animal Planet captures orcas, tigers, lemurs … oh my!
Frontier Earth Presented by Walmart is set to premiere Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. on Animal Planet. The new six-part series looks into the most elusive creatures on the planet. From orcas to lemurs to leopards and killer ants, the series finds the beauty in Mother Nature’s creations — both big and small.
Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Dave Salmoni, host of the series, and Patrick Keegan, producer of Frontier Earth.
How did this project begin for Animal Planet, and when did you become attached?
Salmoni: Animal Planet spoke to me about this project more than a year ago. Our partnership together throughout the last 12 years or so has always been about animals. When they approached me about doing a show that really looks at everything and anything that is amazing, interesting or just plan cool, I jumped at the chance.
Keegan: Natural History programming always has been a core strength of Animal Planet, and Dave Salmoni one of the most recognizable faces on our air. The pairing was inevitable and presented us with an opportunity to create a new flagship natural history series for the network.
Filming these elusive creatures must have been difficult. Did the team have difficulty in the filming phase?
Salmoni: Wildlife photography is one of the toughest kinds of film making. It requires unbelievable patients and understanding of the world that we are going into. The only way anyone would put up with the extreme conditions that these crews immerse themselves in is by having a deep passion for it. It is very difficult, but we love it!
In the premiere episode, there’s an interesting story about killer whales. How remarkable was it for you to see this story and take part in its presentation?
Salmoni: Loving animals and wanting to be eye to eye and nose to nose with them is something that I passionately understand. As soon as I saw the love this woman had for her orcas, I knew I wanted to learn more about her story. Throughout the years, I have felt the need to justify why I continue to spend time with our world’s large predators. Watching our scientist try to make the world explain why she does what she does signified an immediate bonding moment for me. As I set out to introduce this show, our team decided we should do it while whale watching. I had an absolute BLAST watching the whales off the coast of California while introducing this unbelievable story.
Out of the six episodes, is there one sequence or animal that jump out as the most memorable? Why?
Salmoni: I always have been a huge tiger lover, so watching Bagani find her way in a new sanctuary is something that I really enjoyed. Seeing the slow loris and all the problems it is facing just because of how cute it is was something that I found eye opening. But the ant film was the most gripping film of them all for me. I am not a bug lover but had to watch the ant film a few times. You cannot miss this episode!
Is there a hope that Frontier Earth will have a life beyond these six episodes, or is the plan to keep it a special?
Salmoni: I am confident people will absolutely fall in love with the natural world through these shows. I am sure there is an audience of people who love interesting natural history and that audience will not be satiated by just six episodes.
Keegan: In this first series, Dave leads viewers from the mysterious jungles of Indonesia to the parched deserts of Arizona, where an underground empire plots its next move. With so complex and diverse a world, there is much to explore. We have hopes of great success for Frontier Earth and hope that many seasons of adventure await our viewers.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
