February 15, 2020 — Whale Super Highway explores the mysteries of humpback whales, following their migration from the top of Western Australia to Antarctica and back again—one of the longest migrations on the planet. This stunning new documentary from Prospero Productions releases worldwide on World Whale Day, February 15, 2020. It will show in Nevada at the Fleischmann Planetarium and in Texas at the Mayborn Science Theater, among other locations around the globe.

Shot over the course of a year specifically for Fulldome screens, Whale Super Highway premiered to acclaim at the CinefestOZ Film Festival in Australia. Film Inquiry called it “a trip worth taking” and The Curb heralded it as “a beautifully immersive aquatic experience.” The show will be available to Fulldome theaters and planetariums worldwide starting February 15, 2020, through international distributor BIG & Digital, LLC. The release date is World Whale Day, which was founded to honor humpback whales and to raise awareness of these magnificent mammals.

The humpback whale, which was hunted to the brink of extinction, has made one of the greatest comebacks ever. This ecological success story is on display on the whale super highway: a route traveled by more than 35,000 whales annually. The whale super highway is more than 4,000 miles long, and stretches down the coast of Western Australia to Antarctica. Tens of thousands of whales travel this route, from their breeding grounds to their feeding grounds.

The show captures rare footage of a newly born humpback calf only minutes old. Whale Super Highway also explores an underwater canyon bigger than the Grand Canyon and delves into the haunting songs of the humpback whales.

Marine mammal scientist Bec Wellard steers the research team in the documentary. Whale Super Highway offers both a stunning look at life under the waters of Western Australia and Antarctica and an educational exploration of incredible whales. Audiences of all ages will discover the importance of preserving this essential ocean route to allow these mammals to prosper.

Using a specialized deep-water submersible for filming, the documentary captured 180-degree, 4K footage of the marine world, perfect for dome screens. Director of Photography Jon Shaw says, “Filming with a fisheye lens is great for capturing whales. They’re so big that they provide a great subject for the lens.”

Shaw is no stranger to working on nature and environment productions. He recently shot the IMAX® film Turtle Odyssey, narrated by Russell Crowe, and the hugely successful conservation film Blue, both of which won him Australian Cinematography Society awards.

The show’s director, Julia Redwood, says, “Whale Super Highway is a visually splendid, emotional and immersive experience. Beautiful, high-resolution footage captured the poetry and grace of these extraordinary animals.”

Whale Super Highway is narrated by Janet King star Marta Dusseldorp. The show is available in 27- and 45-minute run times and 30 fps.

Learn more about the show and see the fish-eye version of the trailer for Whale Super Highway here.

Prospero Productions

Prospero Productions is one of Australia’s leading factual production companies. Based in Fremantle, Western Australia, Prospero has over 25 years of experience, with more than 255 hours of film and television production to its name. It is highly regarded in the screen industry both in Australia and internationally, known for producing award-winning, high-quality, entertaining programming. Whale Super Highway is the second in a series of shows Prospero is releasing. The first, Ningaloo: Australia’s Other Great Reef, was released to fulldome theaters in January 2019.

BIG & Digital specializes in distribution of films for museums and planetariums. BIG & Digital was founded in 2009 by Tina Ratterman, a veteran in the giant screen industry with 20 years of successful marketing and distribution experience for flat and dome theaters. The company has several fulldome shows now in distribution. More information can be found at www.biganddigital.com.