THE BIGGEST MYSTERY IN THE UNIVERSE… IS THE UNIVERSE
7 X 30
DOCUMENTARY SERIES
A returnable series from the production team behind Cosmic Vistas.
Created by Deep Field Productions. Distribtured by Series Maven Studios.
Sizzle Reel
Series Description
Space is more than a destination — it is our doorway to the deepest mysteries of the cosmos, from the origin of the universe to the possibility of life beyond our solar system. For centuries, humans have looked to the night sky for clues to help understand what it is out there and how it relates to our existence and our future. Now a revolution in space technology has given us new ways to reach for the stars, revealing alien landscapes and unexplained phenomena that generations of skywatchers never imagined.
Hosted by award-winning science journalist Ivan Semeniuk, Cosmic Mysteries gives audiences a front row seat to the golden age of space discovery unfolding in our time. It is the story of curiosity writ large — one that links the age-old quest to understand the heavens with the breathtaking images and latest insights emerging from the frontiers of space exploration.
Concept
Each episode will explore one central question. Was there ever life on Mars? What is spraying into space from one of Saturn's tiny moons? Where do precious metals like gold and platinum come from — and what do they have to do with our chances of finding other civilizations? Aided by increasingly detailed visuals, we follow the trail, step by step, teasing out answers over the course of each episode in a way that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats and sets the stage for the next mission.
Approach
Cosmic Mysteries will give narrative life to the incredible high-resolution images created by NASA, the European Space Agency, and other sources. With sweeping, beautiful music, viewers will be immersed in other worlds and transported to distant galaxies. Veteran space journalist and presenter, Ivan Semeniuk, is narrator and guide, engaging viewers with his expert knowledge and boundless enthusiasm. Ivan will appear at the beginning and the end of the show, to set up the mystery, then tie up the story. The content will be told through voice over, stunning space photography, and custom graphics.
Deep Field Productions
Ivan Semeniuk - Writer/Producer/Host
Ivan Semeniuk is a journalist, broadcaster and presenter who has spent the past three decades chronicling humanity’s exploration of the universe. His reporting has taken him from mountaintop observatories to the high Arctic and given him a front row seat to some of the most consequential space missions in history.
As science reporter for the Globe and Mail, Ivan is well known to readers across Canada and around the world for the breadth and accessibility of his writing. Prior to joining the Globe and Mail, he was the US news editor for the journal Nature, based in Washington, and was a bureau chief for New Science magazine where he also hosted and produced one of the world’s first popular science podcasts, Scipod. His work has been featured in numerous other publications including Sky and Telescope, Astronomy, and Cosmos and he was a long-time associate editor of the Canadian astronomy magazine Sky News.
As a broadcaster, Ivan wrote and hosted two internationally acclaimed astronomy series. Hubble’s Canvas and Cosmic Vistas, and was a producer and space columnist for 12 seasons of Discovery Channel’s science magazine show Daily Planet.
A lifelong enthusiast of the night sky, he first joined the staff of the Ontario Science Centre where he developed exhibits and planetarium programs for more than a decade before embarking on a full time career in science journalism. Since then, his work has garnered numerous awards and nominations including the Sandford Fleming medal and citation for contributions to the public understanding of science and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s Simon Newcomb award for outstanding writing.
In 2007 he was named a Knight Science journalism fellow at MIT and he was journalist in residence at the University of Toronto’s Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics in 2009.
The asteroid 20045 “Semeniuk” is named after him in recognition of his service to public education.
Craig Colby - Executive Producer/Director
Craig Colby is an award-winning executive producer and author who has been making highly rated television programs, seen around the world, for 35 years. His work has received awards and nominations in documentary, lifestyle and live production covering topics as varied as science, nature, sports, family life, music, arts, and history. Craig has been an early leader in HD, 3D and 4K production. He was the Executive Producer of Love Nature at Blue Ant Media for 3 years and the Director of Production at High Fidelity HDTV/Blue Ant Media for 8 years. Craig spent more than ten years at Discovery Channel Canada producing the highest rated Canadian program and the highest rated series in the channel’s history to that point. Craig emphasizes creativity, solid storytelling and leading-edge technology to bring great viewing experiences to large audiences. In addition to his ownership role in Deep Field Productions, Craig also owns colbyvision, a production and consulting company, and is the author of the award-winning ALL CAPS: Stories That Justify an Outrageous Hat Colleciton.
David Whyte - Producer/Editor
David Whyte is a much sought after senior editor who has worked on every genre including documentary, commercials, lifestyle, reality, and sports. He has worked for the internationally renowned Scott Brothers, home of the Property Brothers, as well as programs for BBC Earth, CTV, Discovery Channel, and TVO, to name just a few. Whyte excels in the use of Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, After Effects and Photoshop.
