Two sport documentaries, ‘Get Off the Couch’ and ‘Beyond Limits: The Next Generation’ have entered pre-production in Ireland for broadcast on Setanta Sports.
‘Get off the Couch’, a six-part series which aims to inspire those who don’t usually participate in outdoor activities to effectively, get off the couch, and do some exercise, will begin filming in February.
The series, developed by Athena Media, is not about losing weight but rather aimed at encouraging people to be active and participate in activities they may never have tried otherwise. Each episode will see a top athlete, such as cyclist Paul Kimmage or runner Catherine McKiernan, direct the participants in activities like a 100km cycle, or a 10k run.
Filming will take place in a number of locations around the country, with Helen Shaw producing and directing for Athena. Barry MacNeill is the key camera man, with Rob Hope and Lisa Essuman the production assistants.
Teena Gates, head of news at 98FM, will present the series.
The documentary will shoot up until June, when MacNeill will begin editing for an autumn 2013 broadcast date on Setanta.
Mark Pollock is presenting ‘The Next Generation’ |
‘Beyond Limits: The Next Generation’, the follow up series to last year’s ‘Beyond Limits’ documentary, is also in pre-production and will begin filming cross-country in March.
‘The Next Generation’ will follow double gold medalists Jason Smyth, Michael McKillop and Mark Rohan, in the year following their success at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.
The shoot is expected to last until June, for a Setanta air date in August 2013. Northern Irish man Mark Pollock is returning to presenting duties. Pollock, who lost his sight at the age of 22, himself went on to become a champion rower and the first blind man to reach the South Pole.
The same crew working on ‘Get Off the Couch’ will produce for Athena, while ‘Beyond Limits: The Next Generation’ will air on Setanta Sports in August 2013, directly one year after the first series aired.
Both ‘Get Off the Couch’ and ‘Beyond Limits: The Next Generation’ were funded by the BAI.
