Sunrise earth
Encyclopedia
Sunrise Earth is a one hour long nature documentary
television series that aired in the United States
on Discovery HD Theater
, now renamed HD Theater. The series focuses on presenting the viewer with sunrises in various geographical locations throughout the world. It is also notable for its complete lack of human narration, concentrating instead on the natural sounds of each episodes' specific location. High-definition
video images and Dolby 5.1 stereo surround sound are used to present each natural environment
in a clear and detailed manner. The show is an example of the genre known as "Experiential TV", developed by series creator David Conover
. The technique has been described by TV critic Tom Shales
as "crazily uneventful and thoroughly wonderful."
Compass Light
, Conover's
small production company in Camden, Maine
, started producing the series in 2004. 64 one-hour Sunrise Earth shows have been created in the first four years of production. The crew shoots with High Definition video cameras and the editors cut between multiple perspectives at a leisurely pace. The show is presented in real-time, with each shot lasting an average of 30 seconds. Each episode captures one sunrise from a certain location, such as Machu Picchu, Turkey or Scandinavia. Captions in the lower portion of the frame occasionally give information as to the location, time, and events on screen.
Compass Light
was founded by director David Conover
in 1992. Specializing in the creation of non-fiction documentaries, the company's work focuses on the discoveries of people in challenging and value forming situations, primarily outdoors and in a marine context. Work includes productions for PBS Nova, The Science Channel
, National Geographic Explorer, Discovery Channel
, and HD Theater. Compass Light productions have earned the National Outdoor Production Award, a Blue Ribbon by the National Educational Media Competition, a National Academies Communication Award, and a nomination for an Emmy
for Outstanding Director.
Sunrise Earth previously aired weekdays at 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern time on Discovery HD Theater. However, as of mid-March 2011, the show no longer airs on any channel (current or otherwise) and is rumored to have been cancelled, though no official word from Discovery or Compass Light has confirmed this.
Nature documentary
A natural history film or wildlife film is a documentary film about animals, plants, or other non-human living creatures, usually concentrating on film taken in their natural habitat...
television series that aired in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on Discovery HD Theater
Discovery HD Theater
Velocity is an American high-definition, commercial-based, cable- and satellite-television channel owned by Discovery Communications...
, now renamed HD Theater. The series focuses on presenting the viewer with sunrises in various geographical locations throughout the world. It is also notable for its complete lack of human narration, concentrating instead on the natural sounds of each episodes' specific location. High-definition
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
video images and Dolby 5.1 stereo surround sound are used to present each natural environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
in a clear and detailed manner. The show is an example of the genre known as "Experiential TV", developed by series creator David Conover
David G. Conover
David G. Conover is an American documentary film and television director. His production company, Compass Light, based in Camden, Maine, produces Sunrise Earth for HD Theater.-Biography:...
. The technique has been described by TV critic Tom Shales
Tom Shales
Thomas William "Tom" Shales is an American critic of television programming and operations. He is best known as TV critic for The Washington Post; in 1988, Shales received the Pulitzer Prize...
as "crazily uneventful and thoroughly wonderful."
Compass Light
Compass Light
Compass Light is a video production company based in Camden, Maine. The company coordinates production of high definition video, film and non-fiction programming, from story development and shooting to editing and distribution....
, Conover's
David G. Conover
David G. Conover is an American documentary film and television director. His production company, Compass Light, based in Camden, Maine, produces Sunrise Earth for HD Theater.-Biography:...
small production company in Camden, Maine
Camden, Maine
Camden is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,254 at the 2000 census. The population of the town more than triples during the summer months, due to tourists and summer residents. Camden is a famous summer colony in the Mid-Coast region of Maine...
, started producing the series in 2004. 64 one-hour Sunrise Earth shows have been created in the first four years of production. The crew shoots with High Definition video cameras and the editors cut between multiple perspectives at a leisurely pace. The show is presented in real-time, with each shot lasting an average of 30 seconds. Each episode captures one sunrise from a certain location, such as Machu Picchu, Turkey or Scandinavia. Captions in the lower portion of the frame occasionally give information as to the location, time, and events on screen.
Compass Light
Compass Light
Compass Light is a video production company based in Camden, Maine. The company coordinates production of high definition video, film and non-fiction programming, from story development and shooting to editing and distribution....
was founded by director David Conover
David G. Conover
David G. Conover is an American documentary film and television director. His production company, Compass Light, based in Camden, Maine, produces Sunrise Earth for HD Theater.-Biography:...
in 1992. Specializing in the creation of non-fiction documentaries, the company's work focuses on the discoveries of people in challenging and value forming situations, primarily outdoors and in a marine context. Work includes productions for PBS Nova, The Science Channel
The Science Channel
Science is a United States cable, satellite and IPTV Television Network produced by Discovery Communications. Science features programming in the fields of space, technology, prehistory and animals.-History:...
, National Geographic Explorer, Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
, and HD Theater. Compass Light productions have earned the National Outdoor Production Award, a Blue Ribbon by the National Educational Media Competition, a National Academies Communication Award, and a nomination for an Emmy
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for Outstanding Director.
Sunrise Earth previously aired weekdays at 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern time on Discovery HD Theater. However, as of mid-March 2011, the show no longer airs on any channel (current or otherwise) and is rumored to have been cancelled, though no official word from Discovery or Compass Light has confirmed this.
Episode list
- Season 1
- MooseMooseThe moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
in the Morning - Yellowstone Geysers
- GatorGatorGator is often used as an aphaeresis of the word "alligator".Gator may refer to:*Gator , a 1976 action movie starring and directed by Burt Reynolds*Gator , a swimming pool game*Gatorade, a popular brand of sports drink...
Hole - BisonBisonMembers of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
Before Breakfast - Sea of TernTernTerns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
s - VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
Balloons - AlewifeAlewifeThe alewife is a species of herring. There are anadromous and landlocked forms. The landlocked form is also called a sawbelly or mooneye...
Eternal Return - Tropical PalmsArecaceaeArecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
- SwallowSwallowThe swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
Sea Cave - Yosemite Dawn
- Cribworks KayakKayakA kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
- SequoiaSequoioideaeSequoioideae is a subfamily in the Cupressaceae family, with three genera.-Genera:The three redwood subfamily genera are: Sequoia and Sequoiadendron of California and Oregon, USA; and Metasequoia in China. The redwood species contains the largest and tallest trees in the world. These trees can live...
Light - Sunrise SealPinnipedPinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
Colony - LobsterLobsterClawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
Village - Western RanchRanchA ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
- EvergladesEvergladesThe Everglades are subtropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee...
River of Grass - Wildflower ElkElkThe Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
- Edge of Atlantic
- Milk Cows in the Morning
- San Francisco Tai Chi
- Teton BeaverBeaverThe beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
- ManateeManateeManatees are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows...
Spring - Island First Light
- Sunrise East
- Sunrise West
- Season 2
- Katmai Bears
- Volcano Lagoon
- Homer Takeoff
- Ninagiak Island
- Glacier of Kenai Fjords
- Season 3
- Mayan Pyramid
- Birds of Palo Verde
- Cloudforest Waterfall
- Playa Grande Moonset
- Dawn of Cerro de La Muerte
- Angkor Temples of Khmer Kings
- Li River Cormorants
- Ping An Rice Paddies
- Buddhists of Wat Svay
- Elephant Trunk Park
- Scandinavian Waterfall
- Foothills of Turkey
- Stonehenge Dawn
- Mediterranean Port
- Icelandic Geysir
- Argentinean Seal Pups
- Peruvian Rainforest Canopy
- Andrean Dawn at Machu Picchu
- Amazon Parakeets
- Patagonian Penguins
- Christmas Lights
- Solar Eclipse
- Polar Bears
- Secrets of the Sun (special documentary)
- Season 4 - Viewers Choice
- The Skelligs of Ireland
- Great Barrier Reef
- Haleakala Crater
- Society Island Sunrise
- New Zealand Frost
- Season 5 - Viewers Choice II
- Japanese Garden
- High Desert Arches
- Midnight Sun of Svalbard
- Vancouver Inside Passage
- Venetian Canals