Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs will join the Lightroom programme at Aviva Studios in Manchester this December, bringing Apple TV’s natural history series into a large-scale 360-degree projection format.
The experience will be presented at Aviva Studios, home of Factory International, and will use panoramic visuals, extended CGI sequences, illustration and spatial sound to place audiences inside prehistoric environments. The production draws on Apple TV’s Emmy-nominated Prehistoric Planet, with additional content created specifically for the venue format.
For operators, producers and cultural venue teams, the project reflects the growing commercial value of adapting premium screen content into location-based experiences. Established intellectual property, recognisable creative talent and high-quality natural history material are being used to support a new type of educational entertainment, one that can sit within major cultural and arts venues as well as attraction settings.
Screen Content Adapted For 360-Degree Presentation
The production has been directed and designed by 59 Studio in close collaboration with the makers of Prehistoric Planet, Apple TV and executive producer Mike Gunton, Creative Director of the BBC Studios Natural History Unit.
The format combines selected sequences from the first two seasons of Prehistoric Planet with new CGI material and bespoke illustrations. This allows the experience to build on the documentary’s existing production value while extending it into a spatial format suited to shared viewing.
Narration by Damian Lewis provides a guided structure, while the music is based on an original soundtrack made by Kara Talve, Anže Rozman and Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music. These creative elements give the production strong assets for marketing, programming and audience positioning.
The use of Lightroom’s 360-degree projection system allows prehistoric creatures to be presented at scale, including Tyrannosaurus rex, Mosasaurs, Ammonites and other species. Environments include volcanic settings, open skies and deep-sea scenes, giving the format enough visual range to support a full-length experience rather than a single spectacle-led sequence.
Natural History As Experiential Programming
Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs sits at the meeting point of natural history, digital production and cultural venue programming. Its subject matter offers broad educational value, while the use of CGI and projection creates the scale and drama expected from contemporary immersive attractions.
For science centres, museums, exhibition producers and venue operators, the project provides a useful example of how factual content can be reworked for public programming. The source material carries scientific and editorial credibility through its links to BBC Studios Natural History Unit expertise and Prehistoric Planet expertise, while the venue format allows it to reach audiences in a communal setting.
The experience also shows how natural history content can support repeatable scheduling across destination venues. Dinosaur programming remains commercially strong because it combines scientific interest, visual impact and cross-generational appeal. In this case, the attraction format adds production depth through narration, music and large-scale media design.
Value For Venue And Content Partners
The arrival of Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs at Aviva Studios strengthens Manchester’s position as a host city for high-profile immersive cultural programming. It also demonstrates how venues can use touring or resident digital experiences to broaden their content mix beyond performance, exhibitions and conventional screenings.
For rights holders, the project points to a valuable route for extending screen properties into physical spaces. For venues, it offers a programming model with recognisable IP, strong creative credits and educational relevance. For producers, it underlines the importance of adapting content to the spatial conditions of a site, rather than simply enlarging documentary footage.
As demand grows for media-rich cultural experiences, Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs offers a clear example of how documentary storytelling can be converted into a high-capacity attraction format with science, spectacle and commercial discipline working together.
