Hive, a company specialising in media control systems and software, has contributed to Our Story with David Attenborough, the inaugural immersive experience at The Natural History Museum in London.
Powered by Hive media servers, the exhibition is showing in the renowned Jerwood Gallery and takes guests on an amazing 360-degree tour through the entwined histories of the planet Earth and humankind.
With narration by Sir David Attenborough and produced by Open Planet Studios, the past, present and future of this shared narrative is explored through a combination of immersive surround sound, projection-mapped visuals, and cinematic storytelling.
‘Like nothing yet created’
In this 50-minute film, the gallery is transformed into an immersive storytelling experience with 17 Epson projectors, 50 speakers, and five projection-mapped surfaces that cover all four walls and the floor. Real-world footage, high-resolution animation, and a unique soundtrack by composer Nick Powell are used to convey a message of urgency, hope, and environmental responsibility.
Open Planet Studios, known for producing Attenborough’s influential environmental films such as Ocean (Disney+) and A Life On Our Planet (Netflix), led the project. Bild Studios was appointed as principal contractor to assist in establishing the creative concept, provide technical delivery and handle the integration of all production components. Luke Halls Studio managed the video content design.
“Our aim was to immerse audiences in the biggest story of all time and to help them understand the instrumental part they play in this story,” says Jonnie Hughes, co-founder and director of Open Planet Studios.
“The result is like nothing yet created – a captivating experience that takes audiences around the world, above the world, from the micro to the macro, back and forward in time. I am certain visitors of all ages will come away inspired, engaged and, most importantly, hopeful about our future.”
Seamless synchronisation
Bild Studios chose Hive to power the whole visual system, with a technology platform including a high-performance server architecture that enables seamless 8K media playback, precise sub-frame accurate synchronisation, and real-time calibration management.
Rendered at 8K H.265 10-bit and played back at 800 Mbps, the content requires outstanding media processing power and playback stability. As a result, Hive deployed 17 Beeblade Pluto media engines, contained within a single Nucleus chassis and one Beehive rackmount enclosure.
This setup allows large-format media to be sampled directly from a centralised master file, simplifying content workflows while ensuring optimum resolution and creative versatility.
The production team at Bild Studios chose to use Hive’s built-in Warp & Blend toolset to align all projection surfaces, in a shift from the original plan to include third-party camera calibration tools. This change reduced complexity and illustrated the benefits of Hive’s native toolkit for immersive environments.
Beesync, Hive’s proprietary HDMI genlock tool, is key to the setup. This ensures flawless frame synchronisation across all outputs, every day, by using lightweight machine learning to anticipate and correct HDMI timing drift in real time.
Hive engineers assisted Bild Studios with installation, including calibration, content testing, and system integration. The technology proved reliable and flexible in high-profile, time-sensitive applications, thanks to remote access and fast technical support.
David Bajt, co-founder of Bild Studios, says: “We’re really pleased with how seamlessly the Hive media players powered the Our Story installation at the Natural History Museum. Hive offered a reliable, high-performance solution for our large-scale mapping needs – all at a highly cost-effective price point.”
The project was delivered in partnership with AV distributor Midwich and its specialist display division PSCo, which provided the Hive media servers. AED supplied the Epson projection system.
The outcome is a visually striking and technically robust experience that has engaged audiences, press, and the cultural industry. Following the launch, Hive has been invited to demonstrate additional capabilities to the Museum team as they investigate further opportunities for immersive programming.
Mark Calvert, Hive CEO, says: “Working inside the Natural History Museum was a childhood dream – it’s a place that inspires generations. But more than that, being part of a project that aligns so closely with Hive’s values around sustainability, creative storytelling and protecting our only habitable world is incredibly rewarding.
“This installation shows that Hive isn’t just ready to support top-tier immersive experiences – we’re actively powering some of London’s most celebrated shows this summer, with our technology featured at Tutankhamun Immersive Exhibition, Frameless London, Elvis Evolution and Paddington Bear Experience.”
The opening weekend of Our Story with David Attenborough was highly successful, with fully booked shows and positive feedback. The Guardian described it as a ‘trail-blazing theatre experience’, while The Times and Time Out both gave it four stars.
For Hive, the production marks a powerful example of how technology, creativity and purpose can deliver experiences that resonate with audiences and make a lasting impact.
Last month, Hive announced that it had entered into an exclusive distribution partnership with ULA Group for the Australian and New Zealand markets. As one of the region’s leading visual technology providers, this collaboration will enable Hive to connect with local integrators and is a major step forward in expanding the company’s international reach.
