I know I'm late to the party and have never really investigated Netflix before, had one trial and found it less than perfect and didn't take up the sub a few years ago. Have just purchased a sub and am inclined to commit for a few months in the new year.
I'm watching the 'Netflix Original' Our Planet series, all fine and beautiful visuals in 4K BUT there are sequences which have featured in Planet Earth II and Seven Worlds One Planet, it seems likely when I come to the maritime episodes that there'll be content from Blue Planet II too.
So how does this work? Assuming this IS a 'Netflix Original' have the 'BBC' licensed content from Netflix for the 'BBC' Productions of PEII, 7W1P and BPII or alternatively is the One Planet series not quite as 'Original' as made out and indeed they have licensed 'BBC' Content to use in it.
NB, I use 'BBC' loosely as indeed the BBC is only one of a collection of credited producers of the three series mentioned, so content could have been licensed from any one of the production partners rather than the Corporation.
I believe that Netflix co-produce many programmes by injecting funding (the latest Star Trek franchise is one, even though made by CBS). They are then able to stream them as 'original productions'.
I presume it's the same with some of the Blue Planet II material, which they perhaps funded somewhere along the line, and have re-packaged.
A Netflix Original branded programme means any of the following:
• Netflix commissioned and produced the show
• Netflix has exclusive international streaming rights to the show
• Netflix has co-produced the show with another Network
• It is a continuation of a previously canceled show
I wasn't aware that the same footage is used in Our Planet and Blue Planet II, but I can only guess that it was footage bought in from the same source. I don't believe Our Planet uses any BBC owned footage.
There was an entire sequence, complete with David’s voiceover, that first featured in ‘Our Planet’ on Netflix, that was then used in it’s entirety on Seven Worlds One Planet - the scene featuring the Walrus colony on top of the cliff and falling to their death.
Interestingly, the scene also aired on Gogglebox twice - once under Our Planet when it first came out, and then again for Seven Worlds One Planet.
The series is narrated by David Attenborough and produced by Silverback Films, led by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey, who also created BBC documentary series Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and The Blue Planet
Trend at the moment seems to be co-productions. His Dark Materials for one has had input from various sources including HBO, the BBC, and Warner Brothers c/o New Lines, though in fairness for that they've already had to stump up a fortune for a second season/series which was decided long before they finished the first one what with kids having this annoying trend of growing up and what not.
I think technically Netflix may not always make stuff themselves but just provide the funding. Stranger Things isn't actually made by Netflix themselves, its actually an indie production/commission (Shawn Levy's as it happens) and Netflix have the distribution rights to it and I suppose they handed over a shed load of money in the process, but its worked out well for them and is regarded as one of the best TV series ever made.
I presume Amazon Video/Prime is a similar arrangement for their original content.
Whilst co-productions are standard for blue-chip series (and have been for decades) and it is possible to buy archive from broadcasters and production companies - it sounds like this was more a footage sharing / co-shooting deal. There are strong environmental and ethical arguments that if two companies want the same material of the same event, co-shooting is a better solution than sending two teams to compete.
Given that 'Our Planet' was made by a company run by a former head of the BBC Natural History Unit (which makes Planet Earth, Blue Planet, Seven Worlds One Planet etc.) and that a lot of the teams (self-shooting producer/camera ops) who shoot this material are freelance and will work for both the BBC NHU and other indies, there are likely to be close relationships between the teams (many of which are based in Bristol)
NB, I use 'BBC' loosely as indeed the BBC is only one of a collection of credited producers of the three series mentioned, so content could have been licensed from any one of the production partners rather than the Corporation.
My understanding is that most footage included in BBC Studios NHU productions that isn't archive, is shot by teams commissioned by the BBC Studios NHU, rather than being original footage commissioned by co-production partners. In most cases the co-pro partners are there for financial support and editorial input (and/or reversioning rights)
While I can see how Netflix can say this kind of stuff if they've part funded a project, surely it must irritate others involved slightly. If I hadn't watched Bodguard when it went out on the BBC for instance and went straight to Netflix, I'd see "Netflix original" before it and think "ah wow Netflix created Bodyguard". It's not a Netflix "original", Netflix didn't come up with it - it's a Netflix, BBC and Jed Mercurio original. Just like if Black Mirror is anyone's "original", it is Channel 4's original. /rant