User:Kiellara/Final Frontier (BBC TV Show)

Final Frontier (BBC TV Show)
Final Frontier was a late night, monthly, BBC TV show designed "to make the world of astronomy and space exploration more accessible and interactive". It first aired on BBC 2 in October 1999. The last episode was broadcast in June 2002. It was produced by Circlevision Ltd under the umbrella of BBC Open University TV programming, thus avoiding being considered a direct competitor to The Sky At Night. An innovative virtual reality orrery set was a unique trade mark of the series.

The residual website reflects the final format of the program. Although versions accessible via a Google search bring up the history, including former presenter, Alexandra Barnett. There are no plans to revive the show, although it did spin out an occasional BBC astronomy event strand, called Stardate now superseded by the BBC Stargazing Live strand.

Format
The first season comprised of programs that were just 15 minutes in length. Each show contained:
 * a rapid news roundup
 * a look at the current night sky in the virtual field set, often accompanied by a real telescope
 * an on-location feature or an interview in the virtual orrery set.

The computer-generated studio sets used cutting edge (1999-2001) virtual reality technology. Series producer John Macnish commissioned lead designer Mick Winning at Pyramid TV in Cardiff to design an immersive 3D orrery, complete with orbiting planets. From here Alexandra Barnett introduced the program and conducted interviews with leading astronomers and space scientists who were able to explain phenomena such as transits, eclipses, conjunctions and oppositions of planets and objects in the solar system from directly inside the virtual solar system.

This completely new way of presenting an astronomy magazine program involved meticulous planning and painstaking hours of CG animation and rendering. Pyramid's development of the immersive 'Vicon' VR system enabled the presenter and contributors to see themselves within the virtual set while the program was recorded in the multi camera VR studio.

The Virtual reality concept also enabled the show's 'Sky Diary' to be presented from a virtual outdoor location where animated star backgrounds could be used to illustrate monthly events in the night sky.

Following the initial season, a 30 minute "Mars special" was commissioned to test a longer format. Thereafter, all programs were 30 minutes in length, allowing for several features or location pieces in each program, as well as an extended news briefing.

After the series was taken over by the BBC Open University in mid 2001, the virtual sets were redesigned to a more simplistic format, including the addition of a roof garden for the virtual stargazing. As the National Space Centre had by then opened, it was used as a convenient location (given the varied exhibit backdrops) for many interviews with astronomers and space scientists. The news roundup was recorded in the National Space Centre's Space Now exhibit which had been originally designed to be used on camera as a set.

Production History
The original series producers, Circlevision (John and Jayne Macnish) enlisted the help of the National Space Centre project team in looking for ideas and a presenter for the concept. This resulted in a partnership with the National Space Centre that was to carry on through the change of production team and presenter until the series conclusion.

After the series moved in-house to the BBC, Pete Brown became the series producer.

Presenters
The original series was presented by Alexandra Barnett, a former BBC TV researcher (BBC "Heavenly Bodies", "This Multimedia Business") who, at the time of Final Frontier, was working as the Creative Director for the National Space Centre Milennium project. Barnett (formerly Lovell, now Hall) was known in the amateur astronomy community at the time for writing the Night Sky pages for the British magazine, Astronomy Now. She was also active in the Association for Astronomy Education, and as a public speaker, occasional radio broadcaster and planetarium lecturer. Her academic background included a degree in Astrophysics from the University of Leicester.

Alex was accompanied by then BBC Online Science Editor, Dr David Whitehouse, who was also a former radio astronomer.

When the series was taken internally by the BBC Open University, policies dictated that presenters have suitable academic credentials (a PhD in the subject matter) and a decision was made to contract with an additional presenter, Barnett's former colleague from the National Space Centre, Dr Paul Roche. This resulted in Ms Barnett appearing in less segments of the program. This, and other issues relating to the new production style, led to her departure a number of programs prior to the series ending.

After Barnett's departure, Dr Lucie Green made occasional cameo appearances, along with Dr Christopher Riley in supporting Dr Paul Roche.

Contributors and Guests
Season 1 Season 2

Controversies
Final Frontier was not without its controversies in the few years it was on the air.

The original production team, Circlevision, included a number of short features on astroarchaeology (stone circles and alignments) which raised criticism from the Open University editorial team.

After the production was bought in-house to the Open University the sidelining and eventual loss of presenter Barnett caused some protests in regards to the desirability of having a female scientist shown on TV. This resulted in the appearance of Dr Lucie Green, who had been an interviewed by Barnett on a previous program.