National Geographic has acquired Go Button Media’s history series Secrets of Ancient Structures as part of a raft of deals announced by Munich-based distributor Autentic.
The 6 × 52-minute series examines the engineering and mystery behind famed historic monuments across the world, and is directed by Go Button’s Daniel Oron. Go Button produced the series as part of a six-series partnership with Autentic and Super Channel.
Secrets of Ancient Structures
Director(s): Daniel Oron
Producer(s): Daniel Oron, Natasha Ryan
Production Company: Go Button Media
Across the globe and throughout history, ancient civilizations erected structures that continue to inspire awe and wonder. But how did they do it? Archaeological finds and new technologies reveal clues to long-enduring mysteries.
After a fruitful MIPCOM, Autentic Distribution has revealed a series of fresh international agreements, underlining the ongoing worldwide appetite for its long-running factual productions.
SBS Australia has acquired “Secrets of Ancient Structures” (6×1 hour), produced by Go Button Media for Autentic. The show investigates how early civilizations built some of the planet’s most astonishing monuments — from the Mayan pyramids and Rome’s Colosseum to a fortress standing on a volcanic summit in Sri Lanka. Merging archaeological findings with advanced technology, the series exposes the brilliance and lasting enigmas behind humanity’s greatest architectural accomplishments.
As it celebrates 10 years in business, Canadian independent producer Go Button Media is going into production on two new factual series: ‘War Trains’ and ‘Ancient Disasters’. Both have been recently greenlit by long-standing Go Button collaborators, international distributor Cineflix Rights and Canadian broadcaster Super Channel, and form part of a 60-hour slate deal announced last year.
‘War Trains’ takes an unprecedented look at the importance of the train in shaping the outcomes of modern conflict. From heroic freight missions to the mobilisation of great armies and from daring rescues to trains as weapons, the series examines defining moments in railway history that prove the train’s significance as a vital cog in the military machine.
‘Ancient Disasters’ is a visually stunning and cinematic series that revisits the earthquakes, fires, floods and plagues endured by ancient civilisations and reveals new evidence that shows, while these natural catastrophes were beyond their control, their responses could be complex and often chilling.
Felicia Litovitz, VP, Acquisitions North America, Cineflix Rights, says: “Go Button has been a great partner for Cineflix Rights, consistently providing high-quality ideas which we can work together on to deliver multiple series with global appeal, and whose continuing success is demonstrated through these latest deals with National Geographic.”
Kim Ball, chief content officer at Super Channel, adds: “Our partnership with Go Button Media has grown stronger over the past decade. We’re delighted to continue to work alongside Daniel and the team, who consistently deliver compelling, high-quality series, and remain a valued partner. Congratulations on 10 successful years.”
Cineflix Rights and Super Channel have greenlit two new factual series from Toronto’s Go Button Media, War Trains (8 x 60 min.) and Ancient Disasters (10 x 60 min.), both of which are now heading into production.
The series orders are part of Go Button’s 60-hour slate deal with the two companies, which was announced last June. Cineflix Rights, the U.K.-based distribution arm of Cineflix Media, functions as the international distributor, while Super Channel is the Canadian broadcaster.
War Trains explores the role of the train in modern warfare. The series combines archival footage, interviews with historians and engineers and CGI recreations to cover the evolution of trains and their impact in landmark battles and conflicts around the globe.
Ancient Disasters examines natural catastrophes that devastated ancient civilizations, and how each society responded. It combines CGI, dramatizations and testimonials from experts to explain the science behind disasters such as the Great Fire of Rome, and analyzes why some societies could recover from these calamities while others could not.
Go Button has also announced that two previously greenlit series under the slate deal — Mysteries of Ancient Medicine (pictured, 10 x 60 min.) and Oracles and Prophets (10 x 60 min.) — have been bought by National Geographic International.
“It feels right to mark the start of Go Button’s 10th anniversary year by going into production on two such powerful series, in collaboration with two of our most enduring partnerships,” said Daniel Oron, co-founder and executive producer of Go Button Media, in a release.
(From Jamie Casemore, Playback Daily; Fire in Rome painting by Hubert Robert)
Since humans first raised questioning eyes to the stars, each scientific discovery has unveiled new mysteries about the cosmos. Into the Universe delves into these astronomical enigmas, exploring the cycles that shape the sky, from the birth of spiral galaxies to the dramatic deaths of massive stars.
This series poses profound questions, such as whether the universe has a beginning and an end or if it is infinite. The answers may be found in the invisible forces that permeate 95 percent of space—dark energy and dark matter.
Scientists use physics and quantum mechanics to solve these problems, but with phenomena such as black holes, their calculations don’t always bring clarity. Closer to home, astronomers investigate whether, in a universe brimming with galaxies, life is unique to Earth or if aliens might exist elsewhere.
“Into the Universe is more than a science documentary—it’s a cinematic journey through the greatest mysteries of existence,” says Ralf Rückauer, VP Unscripted at ZDF Studios. “With its global appeal, stunning visuals and thought-provoking storytelling, this series is perfectly positioned to captivate audiences across platforms and territories. We’re thrilled to bring this extraordinary exploration of space, time and life to viewers around the world.”