This is the story of how hummingbirds became the greatest aerial acrobats on earth. Plants "created" hummingbirds as their messengers, carrying pollen from flower to flower. The film follows the evolution of the birds, as they are shaped by their role as "go-betweens". Hummingbirds have the highest metabolism of any vertebrate. They can hover, fly backwards and upside down. They have the smallest warm-blooded creature on earth in their number. These glittering birds live on the edge of what is possible, even going into a kind of hibernation each night, and all because of plants.
Paul joined the BBC from Edinburgh University in 1981 as a TV researcher. He then worked his way up to Series Producer. On the way he produced and directed films on wildlife and anthropology. In 1997 Paul left the BBC to set up his own company, Free Spirit Films. The company specialises in subjects with a natural history, science or anthropology slant, bringing fresh ideas to these genres. Paul has produced, directed and written scripts for over 25 films. These include many award winning programmes. He has worked with Sir David Attenborough on several occasions. As well as producing individual shows, Paul has been in charge of 3 multi-million pound series.He is also an author (Spirits of the Jaguar), a professor at the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Television in Cuba and a scientific publisher.