Beach House Pictures, the Singapore-based Fremantle label, has unveiled two new documentaries: “Panda School,” a three-part wildlife series narrated by comedian and actor Jimmy O. Yang, and “Secret Weapons of China’s First Emperor,” a one-hour history doc co-produced with China Media Group (CMG), with Fremantle distributing both.
“Panda School” (3×60′) follows a cohort of giant panda cubs at a conservation facility set high in the mountains of China’s Sichuan Province as they acquire the skills needed for life in the wild. The series was produced for Nat Geo EMEA in association with Fremantle, which holds international distribution rights outside Nat Geo’s European, African and Middle Eastern territory footprint. Hannah Hoare serves as series director; Nell Gordon and Drew Jones executive produce for Nat Geo, and Donovan Chan for Beach House Pictures.
Yang – widely known for HBO’s “Silicon Valley” and the film “Crazy Rich Asians” – narrates all three episodes.
“I love Pandas, I love Chinese culture, and I can’t believe how much I’ve learned about these cute fluffy guys after narrating the show. It’s really one of the most fun jobs I’ve had. ‘Panda School’ has all the drama of a coming-of-age story – with maximum cuteness overload,” Yang said.
“Secret Weapons of China’s First Emperor” (1×60′) examines how Qin Shi Huang rose from regional ruler to unite China’s rival states more than two thousand years ago, and the military innovations – including mass-produced bronze weaponry and standardised equipment – that allowed Qin Shi Huang to raise armies at unprecedented speed and scale. Produced in partnership with CMG, which granted exclusive access for the project, the film draws on immersive reconstructions and recent archaeological discoveries. The emperor’s burial complex, stretching across 22 square miles, remains unexcavated. Fremantle holds global distribution rights outside China; the title has already been sold to CCTV in China and SBS in Australia.
Chan and Rob Sixsmith executive produce for Beach House Pictures on “Secret Weapons”; Han Wein and Tian Yuan executive produce for CMG.
“We’re always looking for stories that combine distinctive access with universal audience appeal,” said Donovan Chan, creative director at Beach House Pictures. “‘Panda School’ is an uplifting, endearing, character-driven series with humor and real emotional stake, following the cub’s journeys to tell a purpose-driven story about protecting an iconic species. ‘Secret Weapons of China’s First Emperor’ achieves remarkable access along with cutting-edge archaeology to bring fresh insight to one of the most fascinating and consequential chapters in Chinese history. These documentaries reflect the breadth of storytelling we are proud to champion at Beach House Pictures, underscoring our commitment to telling premium factual stories that entertain, surprise and resonate globally.”
The announcements follow a run of recent commissions for the company, which include “60 Day Hustle,” a Singapore co-production with Sonic Gods bringing an Amazon U.S. format to a local audience; “The Longest Wait,” a feature documentary on the Indonesian national football team; “Ed Stafford’s Rite of Passage,” a six-part adventure series co-produced with Arrow Media; and “Ski Dreams,” documenting Singapore’s first professional alpine skiers on their path to the Winter Olympics.