Channel 4 is excited to reveal its inaugural collaboration with the emerging independent company, Cornick Productions. The project, titled ‘A Very British Space Launch,’ is a one-hour observational documentary created by Cornick Productions. Scheduled to be broadcast on Monday, 28th August 2023 at 10pm on Channel 4, this documentary offers an enthralling behind-the-scenes account of Virgin Orbit, led by Richard Branson. Their mission is nothing short of groundbreaking: achieving the milestone of becoming the first entity to successfully launch a rocket into orbit from British soil.
Having secured exclusive access to Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit, Cornick Productions meticulously documented the events over a six-month period leading up to the momentous launch. The resulting film eloquently captures the challenges and triumphs that marked the inaugural attempt at a commercial space launch on British turf, a significant achievement realised earlier this year.
Within the documentary, viewers are granted interviews with ‘Stanny,’ the accomplished pilot spearheading the pivotal mission. Additionally, the film features insights from Melissa Quinn, the former Head of Spaceport Cornwall. An ardent advocate for diversity and women’s representation in the realm of space exploration, Melissa’s perspectives add an enriching layer to the narrative.
MD of Cornick Productions, Gareth Cornick says “This film is hopefully the first of many for Cornick Productions in this space, alongside our formatted series in development. Our director, Keaton Stone, lets you see just how hard it really is to build, engineer and launch a rocket. And our film opens up a heartwarming story about the people in Cornwall dedicating so much of their lives to making space launches a reality in Britain”
C4’s Science and Adventure commissioner, Jonah Weston added “We’re delighted to be working with Cornick Productions on this addition to the Science slate in Specialist Factual. Even though the Virgin Orbit launch was ultimately unsuccessful this documentary shows some of the incredible people involved in the industry and the complex challenges they face putting British engineering into space.”
Set up in 2021, Cornick Productions is headed up by Gareth Cornick – a former staff exec at October Films and Chimp Productions. His track record includes Amazon’s The Great Escapists, BBC’s Stargazing Live, Dave’s Lazy Boy Garage and Discovery’s hit US series Outrageous Acts of Science. Cornick Productions is aiming to become a leading player in the pop-factual and pop-science market.
