> [...] I suggest that if you want to
make it right, make it yourself. So far, no paleontologist that _I_ know of has started their own production of a documentary, paid for the CG, interviewed the talking heads, etc. If one of you does this, perhaps you can make the ideal film.
One of us and what money?
The next step is of course not making it dry, but engaging for the average, non-science-literate viewer; my understanding is that this would be just as much of a challenge as not taking the talking-heads representation personally.
Speak for yourself. ;-) I'd say this is the easy part. When you're fascinated by a subject, it's easy to get that fascination across! Just explain everything with enough pictures (and then some).