MUMBAI: This is a piece of news that should interest aspiring filmmakers who are passionate about animals.

Animal Planet is searching for the next great wildlife filmmaker globally. The four-part reality series Unearthed will follow six contestants on an intensive training course as they learn the essential skills and realities of creating a natural history documentary.

The budding directors and animal enthusiasts will carry out their challenges at the award-winning Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa in July 2006, competing to ultimately have their film chosen the winner.

Industry experts and wildlife filmmakers Lyndal Davies and Andrew Barron will guide the contestants through their tasks on the course. The tutors will provide invaluable inside knowledge to help the students each shoot and edit their own short wildlife film.
An international panel of experts will judge the final documentaries, and the winner will have his or her film broadcast on Animal Planet in 160 countries throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

To apply for one of the six places on this amazing course all participants have to do is to go to www.animalplanet.co.uk/unearthed and download the application form and send it in by 5 May, 2006 to the following address:

Animal Planet - Unearthed
Discovery Networks India
9/1 B Qutab Institutional Area
Aruna Asaf Ali Marg
New Delhi-110 067, India