03-02-2011, 06:26 PM
Man vs. Wild, also called Born Survivor: Bear Grylls or Ultimate Survival, is a survival television series hosted by Bear Grylls on the Discovery Channel. In the United Kingdom, the series is shown on both the Discovery Channel and on Channel 4. The series is produced by British television production company Diverse Bristol. The show was first broadcast on November 10, 2006 after airing a pilot episode titled The Rockies on March 10, 2006. In a special first aired on June 2, 2009, Will Ferrell joined Grylls on a survival trip to Northern Sweden. Grylls also said he has been approached about doing a Man vs. Wild urban disaster 3-D feature film, an idea he said he would "really like to do." Ben Stiller has also signed on for an episode later in the year. Bear Grylls has signed on to showcase urban survival techniques in a new Discovery show called Worst-Case Scenario, which premiered on May 5, 2010 on the network.
Background
The general format of each episode is the premise that Grylls is left stranded in a region. The episode documents his efforts to survive and find a way back to civilization, usually requiring an overnight shelter of some kind. Grylls also tells about successful and failed survivals in the particular area which he is.
Each episode takes about one week to ten days to shoot. Before each show the crew does about a week of reconnaissance, followed by Grylls doing a flyover of the terrain. Grylls then undergoes two days of intensive survival briefings. "I spend two days on location prior to dropping in ââ¬â I go through all the safety and comms briefing as well as being briefed on local conditions, and flora and fauna by local rangers and a local bushcraft expert." He is followed on the program by a cameraman and a sound engineer. Directors oversee location filming and the final edit of each program. Season One directors included Dominic Stobart, Scott Tankard and Mark Westcott. Bear Grylls said, "I suppose to bear in mind that this is a worst-case scenario show, and therefore, of course things have to be planned. Otherwise, it would just be me in the wild and nothing happening, you know, ââ¬â¢cause textbook survival says you land, you get yourself comfortable, you wait for rescue, you donââ¬â¢t do anything. It would be a very boring show. The show is how to deal if you fall into quick sand, if you get attacked by an alligator, if you have to make a raft. I get a really good briefing before we go. I know thereââ¬â¢s a big river there, thereââ¬â¢s gonna be a great cliff climb there, thereââ¬â¢s loads of snakes in those rocks, watch out for an alligator. So I do have a good idea of 80 percent of whatââ¬â¢s gonna happen." Furthermore, contrary to onscreen presentation, his movements are rarely from Point A to Point B: "We plan it, if weââ¬â¢re doing different locations, sometimes weââ¬â¢ll have to do a whole crew move and get a helicopter. Again, weââ¬â¢re talking huge distances sometimes. So weââ¬â¢ll use helis when we have to. Theyââ¬â¢ll go out three weeks ahead of me, and go, ââ¬ÅThat bitââ¬â¢s no good. Those rapids we thought are gonna be good are boring, but down there, itââ¬â¢s great.ââ¬Â In April 2008, Grylls and Discovery released a book that includes survival tips from the TV show. In June 2009, Grylls had a special co-hostââ¬âWill Ferrellââ¬âin episode 41, the season 5 premiere called Men vs. Wild
Background
The general format of each episode is the premise that Grylls is left stranded in a region. The episode documents his efforts to survive and find a way back to civilization, usually requiring an overnight shelter of some kind. Grylls also tells about successful and failed survivals in the particular area which he is.
Each episode takes about one week to ten days to shoot. Before each show the crew does about a week of reconnaissance, followed by Grylls doing a flyover of the terrain. Grylls then undergoes two days of intensive survival briefings. "I spend two days on location prior to dropping in ââ¬â I go through all the safety and comms briefing as well as being briefed on local conditions, and flora and fauna by local rangers and a local bushcraft expert." He is followed on the program by a cameraman and a sound engineer. Directors oversee location filming and the final edit of each program. Season One directors included Dominic Stobart, Scott Tankard and Mark Westcott. Bear Grylls said, "I suppose to bear in mind that this is a worst-case scenario show, and therefore, of course things have to be planned. Otherwise, it would just be me in the wild and nothing happening, you know, ââ¬â¢cause textbook survival says you land, you get yourself comfortable, you wait for rescue, you donââ¬â¢t do anything. It would be a very boring show. The show is how to deal if you fall into quick sand, if you get attacked by an alligator, if you have to make a raft. I get a really good briefing before we go. I know thereââ¬â¢s a big river there, thereââ¬â¢s gonna be a great cliff climb there, thereââ¬â¢s loads of snakes in those rocks, watch out for an alligator. So I do have a good idea of 80 percent of whatââ¬â¢s gonna happen." Furthermore, contrary to onscreen presentation, his movements are rarely from Point A to Point B: "We plan it, if weââ¬â¢re doing different locations, sometimes weââ¬â¢ll have to do a whole crew move and get a helicopter. Again, weââ¬â¢re talking huge distances sometimes. So weââ¬â¢ll use helis when we have to. Theyââ¬â¢ll go out three weeks ahead of me, and go, ââ¬ÅThat bitââ¬â¢s no good. Those rapids we thought are gonna be good are boring, but down there, itââ¬â¢s great.ââ¬Â In April 2008, Grylls and Discovery released a book that includes survival tips from the TV show. In June 2009, Grylls had a special co-hostââ¬âWill Ferrellââ¬âin episode 41, the season 5 premiere called Men vs. Wild