BBC leaves murky shots in Blue Planet III to prove footage is real

The BBC has intentionally kept cloudy and unpolished footage in its new ocean series, Blue Planet III, to prove the images are authentic. The network is taking this step as artificial intelligence makes fake video easier to create.

The series arrives nearly a decade after Blue Planet II focused on plastic pollution. It follows the first Blue Planet broadcast from 25 years ago. The production team aimed for a more organic look because modern screens are sharper and AI-generated content is rising.

Executive producer Elizabeth White said the team is leaning into authenticity. She noted that animals filmed in the deep ocean are more remarkable than AI could imagine. White stated that the footage is completely real.

In previous productions, crews often cut out shots with plankton, boats, or buoys in the frame. They also rejected footage if the water conditions were poor. For this series, those details remain in the final cut. White expects the team to use even murkier imagery in the future as AI technology grows.

Jack Bootle, the BBC head of specialist factual commissioning, gave a specific assurance to journalists at a press screening. He stated that no generative AI was used in the series. Bootle confirmed that not a single frame is generated by AI and that it is all real photography.

The show features new animal behaviors recorded with advanced technology. Dolphins were filmed using sea sponges to block holes in coral and trap fish. This behavior was captured by an underwater CCTV camera nicknamed the stonefish cam. The camera was developed by series producer and director Yoland Bosiger.

Other scenes show a grouper communicating with a different species of fish. The series also documents 200,000 crabs lining up in formation to feed. Sea urchins are shown using shells as sun hats. A penguin sequence mirrors a famous moment from Planet Earth II.

Filming took four years across five oceans. Series producer Lara Bickerton said the team built a mini-dome camera to follow an octopus. They also created a deep-sea selfie stick. Camera operators wore leg-mounted scooters to capture immersive diving footage. Lasers were used to film deep-sea animals.

The series examines threats to the ocean alongside its resilience. One episode shows how warmer seas are killing sea anemones that house clownfish. The fish are shown trying to repair their homes. The series continues the plastics theme from the previous installment with stories on pollutants and forever chemicals.

David Attenborough, who is 100, narrates the series. Bosiger said Attenborough was very much involved and made changes to the scripts. White said he remains curious and excited when shown new footage. The series saved money by using more local crews on location than previous productions. Blue Planet III begins on Sunday, November 1, on BBC1 and iPlayer.