People sick of ''cloned'' television shows will enjoy a documentary series by University of Otago students to air from next month.
The eight-part series by Otago University's Centre for Science Communication students called Natural Features is to air on Face Television on Sky channel 89 from August 7.
This topics covered in the series ranged from captive breeding of tuatara and curling culture in Central Otago, to the controversial use of aerial 1080.
The centre's director of film-making Ross Johnston said the quality of the films was ''fantastic'' and offered something different.
''If you are sick of watching clones of clones ... you might find something different,'' Mr Johnston said.
Being aired on a national television network was further recognition for the centre's students after several of their films received accolades at the Wildscreen Festival, an international wildlife and environmental film festival in Bristol.
''It's really nice to know that the amount of work they pour into these films [is being] rewarded by having a greater audience.''
The aim of the documentaries was to make science accessible and entertaining, because many people were put off by science.
''You mention science to people and their knees tremble.''
When the student documentary-makers were successful they made entertaining films, which informed the viewer about science without them having to ''work on it'', he said.
