NEWS from Discovery Channel



NEWS from Discovery Channel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALL-NEW DISCOVERY CHANNEL SERIES BRINGS LEONARDO DA VINCI’S DRAWINGS TO LIFE FOR THE FIRST TIME

One of the greatest artists of all time, the legacy of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) includes some of the most well-known paintings ever made. But da Vinci’s talent exceeded far beyond painting – he was also a successful architect and engineer, and his drawings of military weapons have been highly regarded and studied for nearly 500 years. These drawings capture exceptionally engineered weapons unlike anything that had been developed at the time they were created, yet there is no record that these designs were ever constructed… until now. Discovery Channel’s original series, DOING DA VINCI, puts a team of 21st century builders, engineers and historians together to take on one of history’s greatest minds as they attempt to build daVinci’s weapons once and for all. DOING DA VINCI premieres every Wednesday at 2200hrs (10:00pm SIN/HK), starting August 12. Encores air on Thursday at 0100hrs (1:00am SIN/HK) and 0500hrs (5:00am SIN/HK), Friday at 1500hrs (3:00pm SIN/HK), Saturday at 2000hrs (8:00pm SIN/HK), Sunday at 1400hrs (2:00pm SIN/HK) and 2000hrs (8:00pm SIN/HK), and Tuesday at 1600hrs (4:00pm SIN/HK).

Shot entirely in high definition, DOING DA VINCI puts a modern twist on the classics, taking viewers through the build process to determine whether da Vinci’s designs can be constructed to function as he had envisioned. Using materials only available in da Vinci’s time, the team works each week to construct his inventions – from a futuristic armoured tank to a towering three-story siege ladder to a scythe chariot – to determine how realistic each design really is and whether his genius ideas are better left in the history books.

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The DOING DA VINCI team consists of four energetic and experienced experts with complementary specialties, who work each week to create these never-before constructed inventions. Flash Hopkins is one of the most sought-after large-scale industrial artists in the country. Valek Sykes is a special effects expert and mechanical designer who has worked on motion picture features including I Am Legend, A.I. and Minority Report. Bill Duggan is a renowned carpenter and TV host. The fourth role on the team – the builder – is shared by Jurgen Heimann and Alan Bovinett. Heimann has worked in several areas of filmmaking, including animation, special effects, performance and writing, and is a designer, builder and puppeteer. Bovinett is a mechanical engineer and entrepreneur who specializes in design.

In each episode, the team works closely with Dr Jonathan Pevsner, an expert on Leonardo daVinci with several published books about the artist to his credit. He advises the team throughout the build process, providing them with insight into history and daVinci’s intent.

DOING DA VINCI episode descriptions:

Episode 1: Armoured Tank

The first episode of DOING DA VINCI features the team constructing one of Leonardo’s most futuristic designs from the fifteenth century: the armored tank. The machine could rival modern day inventions, but will it work?

Episode 2: Siege Ladder

The crew attempts to build the renaissance master’s most massive design – a towering three-story siege ladder. But as creative differences arise – tension threatens to pull the team apart.

Episode 3: Scythe Chariot

The danger level hits a new high when the DOING DA VINCI team devotes their talent to recreating Leonardo’s deadly bladed chariot. But instead of horsepower – the team updates daVinci’s 15th century design with robot power.

Episode 4: Multi-Cannon Machine Gun

The team takes a shot at building a multi-cannon machine gun. Everyone is on high alert throughout the build as they work with hazardous black powder, an unstable substance that could detonate on its own.

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Episode 5: Self-Propelled Cart

The team splits up see who can make the better self-propelled cart - one made of wood or one made of metal. After months of debating precision cuts, the crew finds out once and for all how accurate parts must be built in order for da Vinci’s inventions to work.

Episode 6: Giant Catapult

Among the thousands of machine drawings da Vinci produced are dozens dedicated to a variety of different catapults. In this episode, the team works on what has become known as da Vinci’s “leaf spring catapult,” an interesting variation on the traditional throwing machine. The large circular bow in the middle allows the catapult to be built smaller, yet still throw great distances. Although ingenious, this unique design proved a challenge to our design/build team.

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About Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel, the flagship network of Discovery Communications, is devoted to creating the highest quality non-fiction programming in the world and remains one of the most dynamic networks on television. First launched in 1985, Discovery Channel now reaches more than 165 million households in Asia-Pacific. Globally, Discovery Channel is one of the world’s most widely distributed television brands, reaching 368 million households in 175 countries in 35 languages. It offers viewers an engaging line-up of high-quality non-fiction entertainment from blue-chip nature, science & technology, ancient and contemporary history, adventure, cultural and topical documentaries. For more information, visit .

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in more than 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery Science and Discovery HD, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including . In Asia-Pacific, seven Discovery brands reach 454 million cumulative subscribers in 32 countries with programming customized in 10 languages.

DOING DA VINCI

MEET THE TEAM

| |Bill Duggan |

| | |

| |A self-taught carpenter, Bill Duggan honed his carpentry and craftsman skills by taking on home improvement |

| |challenges such as landscape irrigation, plumbing, painting, electrical work and tiling. Duggan, who hosted |

| |the home improvement program Curb Appeal for HGTV, is a graduate of Santa Clara University and is proud to be|

| |a fifth generation native of San Francisco. |

| |Jurgen Heimann |

| | |

| |Founder and principle partner of Brillig Productions, LLC, Jurgen Heimann has worked in several areas of the |

| |filmmaking process, including camera, animation and special effects, and has worked as a designer, builder, |

| |and puppeteer with effects wizards such as Rick Baker and David Allen. Born in Germany and raised in the |

| |United States, Heimann earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Motion Picture Production from Brooks Institute of|

| |Photographic Art and Science. |

| |Flash Hopkins |

| | |

| |Flash Hopkins is an engineer/designer and artist. With almost no formal training aside from 20 years in |

| |bridge construction, Hopkins has become one of the most sought after large-scale industrial artists in the |

| |country. |

| |Valek Sykes |

| | |

| |Founder of special effects studio Tech Works FX, Valek Sykes has used his sculpting and mechanical design |

| |talent to work on motion picture features such as G.I. Joe, I Am Legend, Minority Report, and A.I., as well |

| |as commercials, television productions and stage illusions. |

| | |

| |Over the years, he’s trained and worked with effects legends like Stan Winston and Rick Baker. Sykes is a |

| |former Marine who served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and is a graduate of the Tyler School of Art at |

| |Temple University. |

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| |Alan Bovinett |

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| |Entrepreneur Alan Bovinett works in film production and wireless new media technology. A former management |

| |consultant, he has a mechanical engineering degree from Stanford University and an MBA from The University of|

| |Chicago Graduate School of Business. |

| |Dr Jonathan Pevsner |

| | |

| |The DOING DA VINCI team works closely with Dr Jonathan Pevsner, an expert on Leonardo da Vinci who advises |

| |them throughout the build process, providing insight into history and da Vinci’s intent. Dr Pevsner has |

| |written articles on da Vinci; teaches courses on him and has delivered lectures all around the world at |

| |museums, universities and schools. Over the years, Dr Pevsner has collected hundreds of books about |

| |Leonardo, including books read by Leonardo himself. Dr Pevsner is a faculty member in the Department of |

| |Neurology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and specializes in childhood neurological disorders including Down|

| |syndrome and autism. He received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Haverford College and his Ph.D. in|

| |Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He pursued postdoctoral |

| |training at the Stanford University School of Medicine and joined the faculty of the Kennedy Krieger |

| |Institute in 1995. |

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