Skip to main content

Deep Dive: Walking with Cavemen (2003)

Film Lens

Walking with Cavemen
Walking with Cavemen is a four-part nature documentary that examines human evolution, focusing on various extinct hominin species and their social dynamics. The series begins in Ethiopia 3.2 million years ago, tracing the development from Australopithecus afarensis to modern humans. It presents characters and their relationships to make the narrative more relatable to viewers. Produced by the BBC Science Unit, the Discovery Channel, and ProSieben, the documentary employs a combination of computer-generated imagery, animatronics, and live action footage. A team of 111 scientists from diverse fields, including primatology and genetics, advised the production to ensure scientific accuracy. The series uses actors in makeup and prosthetics to portray hominins, as computer graphics alone could not convincingly depict human expressions.

Why Watch

  • Meet Australopithecus afarensis in Ethiopia 3.2 million years ago.
  • Find out how actors brought extinct hominins to life.
  • See the scientific team behind the documentary's accuracy.

Did You Know

The series features 14 actors portraying extinct hominins.
Walking with Cavemen was released in 2003, following two earlier series.
The production team included 111 scientists from various fields.

Perfect For

Human evolution enthusiastsFans of nature documentariesStudents of anthropology