A team of photographers and scientists spent four years braving brutal conditions for Discovery’s new series, “Frozen Planet.” NBC’s Michelle Franzen reports.
>>> we started off the newscast talking warm weather. but tonight the opposite extreme, a journey to a part of the world few of us ever get to see with the start of a seven-part series on discovery channel 's "frozen planet." nbc's michelle franzen has our preview.>> reporter: the stunning scenes look out of this world, but this is life at the polar ends of the earth , a breathtaking display of beauty, alongside the brutality of nature. all captured by a team of photographers and scientists who years braving unimaginable conditions. for discovery's new series "frozen planet.">> this is really, really extreme filming. we called it kind of planet earth on speed because it was so extreme.>> reporter: so extreme director chad hunter says the sub-zero temperatures tested the limits of everything, including the man body. ur tears, your blinks get stickier and stickier and they freeze shut and you have to open your and punch yourself in your eyes to get your eyes back open.>> reporter: in antarctica, time lapse photography beneath the ice shows a saltwater icicle as it forms. reaching the seabed and killing creatures in its path. even in the far reaches of the unfamiliar, there are relatable moments, producer vanessa burlowitz was five months pregnant while tracking a polar bear and her two cubs and got a quick lesson in parenting.>> she was knocking them into what we call the naughty corner or time-out and i was there thinking, i probably have of thing to come.>> reporter: from nurture to dramatic scenes of na animals fight to survive, penguins using all their might, lunging through the water to escape a sea lion . and a resting sale iing seal on an ice flow and killer whales working as a team to create a wave that washes it into the water. the silent giants also surprised hunter.>> kneeling beside a tiny hole in the ice and this orca would explode out of the water beside me and to look up at an orca ten feet above you eyeballing you was a real exciting experience.>> reporter: a spectacular visual journey everyone can now experience. michelle franzen , nbc news, new york.
