Beach House Pictures, a Fremantle label based in Singapore, has announced two new documentary projects. The first is “Panda School,” a wildlife series narrated by comedian and actor Jimmy O. Yang, and the second is a historical documentary titled “Secret Weapons of China’s First Emperor,” co-produced with China Media Group (CMG). Fremantle is handling the distribution for both projects.
“Panda School” is a three-part series that follows young giant pandas at a conservation center located in the mountains of Sichuan Province, China, as they learn survival skills for the wild. The series is produced for Nat Geo EMEA in collaboration with Fremantle, which has the international distribution rights beyond Nat Geo’s coverage in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Hannah Hoare directed the series, while Nell Gordon and Drew Jones are executive producers for Nat Geo, alongside Donovan Chan from Beach House Pictures.
Yang, known for his roles in HBO’s “Silicon Valley” and the movie “Crazy Rich Asians,” narrates all three episodes.
“I love Pandas, I love Chinese culture, and I can’t believe how much I’ve learned about these cute fluffy guys after narrating the show. It’s really one of the most fun jobs I’ve had. ‘Panda School’ has all the drama of a coming-of-age story – with maximum cuteness overload,” Yang shared.
“Secret Weapons of China’s First Emperor” is a one-hour documentary exploring how Qin Shi Huang unified China’s warring states over two thousand years ago. The film delves into military innovations such as mass-produced bronze weapons and standardized equipment that enabled Qin Shi Huang to mobilize large armies rapidly. In partnership with CMG, who provided exclusive access, the documentary incorporates immersive reconstructions and recent archaeological finds. The emperor’s burial site, spanning 22 square miles, remains unexcavated. Fremantle holds the global distribution rights outside of China, with sales already made to CCTV in China and SBS in Australia.
Chan and Rob Sixsmith are executive producers for Beach House Pictures on “Secret Weapons,” while Han Wein and Tian Yuan hold the same roles for CMG.
“We’re always looking for stories that combine distinctive access with universal audience appeal,” said Donovan Chan, creative director at Beach House Pictures. “‘Panda School’ is an uplifting, endearing, character-driven series with humor and real emotional stake, following the cubs’ journeys to tell a purpose-driven story about protecting an iconic species. ‘Secret Weapons of China’s First Emperor’ achieves remarkable access along with cutting-edge archaeology to bring fresh insight to one of the most fascinating and consequential chapters in Chinese history. These documentaries reflect the breadth of storytelling we are proud to champion at Beach House Pictures, underscoring our commitment to telling premium factual stories that entertain, surprise and resonate globally.”
These announcements add to a series of recent commissions for Beach House Pictures, including “60 Day Hustle,” a Singaporean co-production with Sonic Gods, adapting an Amazon U.S. format for local audiences; “The Longest Wait,” a feature documentary about Indonesia’s national football team; “Ed Stafford’s Rite of Passage,” a six-part adventure series co-produced with Arrow Media; and “Ski Dreams,” which follows Singapore’s first professional alpine skiers on their journey to the Winter Olympics.
