Filmmaker Q&A: Teresa Demarest, "Keiko The Untold Story"

“Keiko the Untold Story” is filmmaker Theresa Demarest’s passionate telling of the life of Keiko, the orca who starred in the blockbuster “Free Willy”, after he was released into the wild. Watch the film Thursday March 10^th at 7pm. Click here to get tickets.

What is your overall summary for the film?

Nowhere in recent history has a captive mammal garnered so much attention as Keiko, the orca star of the 1993 hit film, “Free Willy.” The film’s success, partnered with growing public interest in animals held in captivity, launched a children’s crusade that called for Keiko’s release into the wild. The result: a multimillion dollar project that spanned four countries, weathered endless controversies and lasted nearly a decade. Yet, the question of whether or not the mission su

cceeded continues to frame the debate regarding the fate of the other 42 orcas still held in captivity around the world. Through first-hand accounts by the marine mammal experts charged with his care, “Keiko The Untold Story” follows Keiko and provides insight into the unique culture of orcas, and explores what the impact of being taken from his pod had on Keiko’s survival instincts.

Four years in the making, this compelling documentary by first-time filmmaker Theresa Demarest presents never before seen footage of Keiko in the wild, along with exclusive accounts of his day-to-day existence by Keiko’s last two caretakers, Colin Baird and Thorbjorg (Tobba) Valdis Kristjansdottir and explores unanswered questions about his life, his legacy, and the untold story of his extraordinary years in Iceland and Norway.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

Keiko first swam into my life in 1996, while I was recovering from several major surgeries related to my second battle with breast cancer. The day Keiko arrived in Oregon, I barely had the strength to watch the move from Mexico to Oregon on TV. But soon I found myself mesmerized by his spirit after an eleven-year ordeal surviving in a tank that was never designed for anything larger than an eight-foot bottlenose dolphin. There was something about the story, something about the people involved in the story, something about him and his spirit that got me going.

Several months later, I drove to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. I just had to see him. I worked my way through the crowd, and finally got my chance at the viewing window. To my amazement, Keiko swam directly to me and banged the window with his head with a noise so loud as to be slightly frightening. The bang of his head against the glass echoed throughout viewing room and caused a stunned silence in the crowd. Then he just hung motionless in the water directly in front of me, just staring at me. You could hear a pin drop. My heart was pounding. I nodded my head up and down at him. He nodded back at me. Then he banged the window again… boom… It was kind of scary… the force of it was so powerful I thought the glass might break…. Then he took off real fast down to the opposite end of his tank out of view. I thought that was the end of it.

Then all of a sudden, he’s swimming sideways across the front of our window. Really fast, with his tongue hanging out, as though he were saying, ‘Look Look at what I can do… Look at me!!’” Then a small child squeezed through the crowd to stand in front of me and Keiko seemed mesmerized by the child and move down to pay attention to the child. I stepped away, and that was the moment this movie began for me.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

Everyone told me that this couldn’t be done and even if it someone did it … no one would care. I was primarily a musician, and had only minimal experience as a filmmaker. When I started this project, I didn’t even have the most basic tools necessary with which to put paint to canvas. Without going into the sad details of the humungous learning curve, suffice to say that it became immediately clear that I needed to become a good leader. I needed help and I needed skilled competent folks to follow my lead. My horse and a poem by Rudyard Kipling became my constant companions. I knew a part of the story that the majority of the public did not know. How to tell it, affording the right footage, securing interviews from places all over the world, writing the music, refining the narrative.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

Because I have spent most of my career as a musician, creating the music for the film was the most gratifying, and yet more difficult than I had imagined. The first rough cuts of the film contained way too much music and overpowered the voice-overs and I had to adjust to the facts of movie-making and music. Naomi Rose, a prominent marine mammal biologist with Humane Society International is a key cast member and science consultant on the film. She has seen the most rough cuts of any member of the team. In the beginning of the process, she would say quite politely: Theresa, this rough cut is pretty good, flows well, maintains the integrity of the story.. but….. “ …. The music is way too loud”.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

Keiko, his apparent courage and willingness to just keep going in the face of the most extraordinary adversity. That adversary would be us unfortunately. The chief predator of orcas is man. He was an immense character that most people didn’t really know. Then comes all the cast members. Key characters in Keiko life… awesome individuals who I continue to admire daily.

Is this your first time participating in an ocean-focused film festival?

Yes and I am very excited to be there.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

Interviewing Thorbjorg (Tobba) Valdis Kristjansdottir over Skype with a film crew from Iceland because we didn’t have the money to actually go there. Sigurdur Grimson and his crew at GrimsFilm in Iceland did an awesome job with our unusual requests.

Filmmaker Q&A: Rob Holmes, "Finding A Balance in Rough Waters"

“Finding a Balance in Rough Waters” follows the work, challenges, and successes of Equilibrio Azul, a marine conservation organization in Ecuador. Though small, the organization works wi

th locals, eco-tourists, and the Ecuadorian government to positively impact the marine ecology and wildlife of Ecuador. Equlibrio Azul’s many pro

jects include work with and for sea turtles, sharks, whales, and sea birds. Learn more about the organization, and how you can get involved, at Program 8 of SFOFF, Saturday March 12^th, 4:00 pm

What is your overall summary for the film?

The Galapagos Islands receive the bulk of global support and funding for marine conservation in Ecuador. Here is the story of a small feisty organization that’s pushing for a bigger piece of the funding pie. Through

extensive wildlife research, g

rassroots community education, and popular voluntourism opportunities, Equilibrio Azul is making ground in their important efforts to protecting key marine species (turtles, sharks, fish, birds) and their habitat, while trying to develop a more sustainability-focused local and commercial fishing industry that makes everyone happy.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

We love to work with organizations that are truly making a difference and have a unique approach to environmental sustainability. We got the chance to partner with Equilibrio Azul and help tell their story to the rest of the world.

What was the most challenging p

art of creating the film?

There's never enough time to get all the information and footage that is necessary.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

Hopefully this film will make people examine their own footprint on the world. Even if you don't live next to an ocean, you have a large role to play in the environment's overall health.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

Getting to know Andres and his wonderful team was certainly the best part of the process. Everyone has a unique story to tell.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

There are a large number of documentary filmmakers that inspire our work. One piece that never cea

ses to amaze me is the Planet Earth series from the BBC.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

Most of our films are actually not ocean-focused, but we try to cover the gamut of sustainabil

ity and document enthralling projects across the globe.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

Actually viewing the trash up close and personal that an animal consumes is quite a shocking experience.

Filmmaker Q&A: Maggie Franks, "The Board Meeting"

Adventurous, athletic, lighthearted. These are words that typically describe surfers. A much less common description is “retired businessman.” Maggie Franks’ movie “The Board Meeting” introduces the audience to Don and Ross, her surfing partners whose goal it is to surf into their 80’s. Catch “The Board Meeting” Saturday March 12^th at 7:00 pm as part of Program 9. Click here to get your tickets.

“The first time I went to San Francisco, I left my heart and my wallet at Fisherman’s Wharf. While I was posing for photos with pals at the wharf, I reached into my purse for lipstick but my wallet flung up and went into the bay, drifting down out of sight.

Several weeks later, I received a bulky package in the mail. When I opened it up, my wallet was in it; along with ID, important papers and precious photos. Everything was perfectly intact. The only thing missing was my last twenty dollars. But a handwritten note explained the mystery: two divers had discovered the wallet on a scavenger hunt in the bay. They took the liberty of using the twenty dollars for postage and beer money. It was the best twenty dollars I ever spent.

The ink on the note has long since faded but San Francisco was etched in my heart forever.”

What is your overall summary for the film?

The Board Meeting follows two 79 year old retired executives who surf three times a week with one goal on their agenda: keep surfing into their 80s.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

My parents didn’t age well. So I didn’t know how to grow old, let alone, gracefully.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

I have surfed with my stars, Don and Ross for many years. They are two retired business men who have mastered the balancing act of surfing, working, family, and fun

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

Life is a balancing act. That’s half the fun of it. We can’t be afraid to fall down or get back up; whether we’re 18 or 80.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

Trying to keep a straight face while directing Don and Ross. They are very comfortable on screen and their humor was alive and well.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

My parents, my sons, the ocean, and those two old guys…

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

I literally grew up on the ocean, surfing since I was 12. I want our kids and grandkids to be able to enjoy our planet, long after we’re gone.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?

It is an education and a wake-up call yet a celebration of the ocean and the passion to preserve it. And San Francisco is near and dear to my heart.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

Watching two men reflect on a lifestyle and friendship that spans over half a century that is driven by the changing tides of life.

Filmmaker Q&A: Steve Goodall, "Someplace With a Mountain"

Climate change has been a huge topic of discussion for decades now, but little has changed in our day to day lives. Steve Goodall, sailor and creator of “Somplace With a Mountain” discovered first-hand the profound impact our past and current choices have had on the future of a small group of Pacific Islanders. Before Steve’s arrival the Lapita people had not heard of climate change but they were already grappling with the effects of sea level rise on their small, flat island. See “Somplace With a Mountain” March 12 at 4:00 pm. Click here to buy tickets.

What is your overall summary for the film?
It is a documentary about a special group of pacific islanders: the Lapita Navigators, the forefathers of many cultures in the tropical Pacific. They are losing their homes and crops because of sea level rise. Their livelihood and culture are dramatically threatened as the islands they live on are flooding day by day. A sailor, Steve Goodall, came across them on his travels and discovered they knew nothing about the current forecasts for sea level rise. Once informed they asked for his help. Steve took their statements, filmed their lifestyles and traveled to the Island of Yap to look for land.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

My inspiration was that these people don't use any fossil fuels and they are going to be wiped out because of our lifestyles.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
A sense of loss and responsibility if we lose this culture, and a willingness to help preserve it.

This is my first film. I didn't want to make a film I was just a sailor seeing the world. I didn't know what else I could do to help these people so I just tried to document their story. The San Francisco Ocean Film Fest seemed like a logical fit.

These people don't think like we do, there is no "I, ME, MINE" in these villages. They are all so happy. As you walk around the villages you hear only laughter coming from their huts, these simple people with nothing are so happy, and we with everything are not.

What was the most enjoyable part of making the film?
Receiving the thanks from the people for trying to help them.

Who or what is your inspiration?
The people’s lifestyle. They use no fossil fuels and live in a true village. I have never seen people so dedicated to their friends and families’ well-being. It does exist, but for how much longer?

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
When the Chief from Lamotrek said on camera "We are not the ones who polluted the whole world" and at that moment I realized the true extent of what we had done.

Marine Protected Areas Program and Filmmaker Q&A: Kip Evans, "A Wave of Change"

The San Francisco Ocean Film Festival has often provided a forum for off-the-screen conversations on leading topics facing the world's ocean and its resources.

On Friday, March 11, the 1pm film program features three films, including Kip Evans's A Wave of Change, on establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in California, along with one following the development of Mexico’s Loreto Bay National Park, and a film highlighting ways in which an unlikely alliance of surfers and fishermen successfully battled to save Baja’s most iconic spots.

"The ocean is in serious trouble right now. If you consider that 50% of the world's coral reefs are in trouble, the growing problem of ocean acidification, over fishing and many other issues, you will see that we need to act now — we are running out of time,” says Kip Evans, filmmaker for A Wave of Change. “As a filmmaker, I want to highlight the positive steps that are being taken, actions that precipitate significant change. Marine protected areas may be our last chance to protect the ocean before it's too late."

Fishermen, scientists and conservation leaders from California and Mexico will lead a panel discussion, following Friday's films, on the challenges associated with MPAs. This unique opportunity engages festival goers and educates them about the future of international ocean protection. Confirmed panelists for the discussion include:

• Everado Marino Melendez (Loreto Bay National Park Director)
• Noe Bustamante Flores (San Pedro Mártir Island Biosphere Reserve fisher and monitoring technician)
• Jorge Torre Cosio (Comunidad y Biodiversidad, A.C. Executive Dircetor)
• Mike Sutton ) Monterey Bay Aquarium, Vice President- Center for the Future of the Oceans)
• Samantha Murray – Ocean Conservancy, Manager, Pacific Ocean Ecosystems
• Melissa Miller Hensen – CA Department of Fish and Game MLPA, Program Manager
• Mike Ricketts – Commercial Fisherman, Monterey Bay

Click here to purchase your tickets for Friday's 1pm film program on Marine Protected Areas, or learn more about the films, here.

What is your overall summary for the film?

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are vital to safeguarding what’s left of the world’s ocean. A "Wave of Change" is a short film designed to ignite passion for the newly established marine protected areas along the central California coast. Marine scientist John Pearse and the Ocean Conservancy's Kaitliin Gaffney, help highlight the need for MPA's and why they are vital to Californian’s future.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

I was inspired by the positive changes that have taken place along the California Coast and in other parts of the world. As a diver and filmmaker, I have spent a great deal of time both inside and outside of reserves, and I have seen first hand how protecting large areas of the ocean can make a huge impact. Marine reserves work and we need to get the word out to the general public in a way that is inspiring.

The most challenging part was dealing with the logistics of working along the coast Anyone who has ever worked along the coast, or in the ocean, knows that there are days when it’s too rough, or too dangerous to jump in and film. Days, or even weeks of rain can really restrict your ability to get anything accomplished.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

Marine protected areas work and we should push nations across the globe to designate at least 10-20% of their coastal waters into some level of protection.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

I love spending time in the field and watching the frustrations of bad weather and despair turn to gold when you finally get the break you have been looking for. I also enjoyed working with my production team – Dr. Tierney Thys, Phillip Powell, Blaise Douros, Robyn Ellisco, Dennis Long, Danielle Brown and the EcoViz team at Cal State University of Monterey Bay.

Who is your inspiration?
Dr. Sylvia Earle has inspired a great deal of what I have created in the past 10 years. She has the ability to energize and motivate people into action.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?
The San Francisco Ocean Film festival is in my own backyard and the people here care a lot about ocean issues. I think it’s a great venue for making a difference.

Is there anything else that you would like to share?
I’m thrilled to be a part of this film festival and all the positive attention it brings to the environmental challenges we face today.

Filmmaker Q&A: Robert Pittman, "Concrete Coast"

Robert Pittman’s film “Concrete Coast” documents the social and environmental impact of major development along the coast of Spain. The relationship between governments, locals, tourists and the environment is complex and it is the latter that most often suffers the most. How can man continue to use the rich resources provided by coastal areas and preserve them for future generations? What is the real cost of tourism to these beautiful, and socially and commercially critical areas? Explore these questions with “Concrete Coast,” Saturday, March 12 at 4:00 pm. Click here to buy tickets.

What is your overall summary for the film?

The documentary film "Concrete Coast" is about the

social, cultural and environmental effects of the last bit of un-urbanized Spanish Mediterranean coast being built up for residential tourism in the region of Murcia. Agriculture is disappearing along this 140 mile long coastline and is being replaced by 60 golf courses, marinas, freeways and new large scale planned communities with 1,000,000 residences, built mainly for sun-seeking British retirees, doubling the population of Murcia within few years.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

I have always been very much drawn to the coast. To see it being destroyed at such a rapid pace alarms me. The destruction is irreversible. This is the case not only in Spain but wherever there is a sunny coastline in the world. This film is to serve as an example for coastal communities around the world of the dangers of uncontrolled coastal development.

I have always been fascinated by the void in culture on the Spanish coast. It is a transient space where people come and go, much like an airport. 20 years ago when I first visited the Spanish Mediterranean coast it was the only place where the signs were multilingual.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

At times it was difficult getting access to places, especially the resorts. Not everyone was willing to let me film. The other challenges were, as with most films, financial. This is one of the hardest aspects of documentary filmmaking, especially for films dealing with critical social and environmental issues. I am grateful to the Fulbright Commission Spain for their financial help.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

Murcia has the last stretch of un-urbanized Mediterranean coastline in Spain. Everything else has already been paved over with high rise hotels, resorts and golf courses. It seems that we as humans do not easily learn from our past mistakes. This documentary is intended for an international audience and especially one which lives in or visits such touristic coastal areas. The idea of the documentary is to create awareness of the environmental and cultural impacts of large-scale touristic developments. By destroying nature we are also destroying ourselves.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

In Los Angeles I made a documentary film "Oak #419" about a man who lived in a 400 year old oak tree for 71 days to protect it from being cut down for a new highway which was to be built to provide access to a new development with 20,000 houses. Interestingly, just as in "Concrete Coast", the access highway, which leads to the new development, is built before the urbanization is even approved to put pressure on the government. I have been working with both photograph

y and film on the spread of this type of architecture and urban planning, of the master-planned community, around the world. I have seen this model of development spread to Murcia and other parts of Spain.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

Travelling and sleeping on an old Danish fishing boat on the Mediterranean with environmentalists counting whales. (This did not make it into the final edit!)

Filmmaker Q&A: Elizabeth White, "The Coral Gardner"

Coral reefs are one of the world’s most diverse and fascinating habitats and it is no secret that many human activities have devastated these marine ecosystems. Coral itself, a symbiotic animal, is extremely fragile and slow growing. But dedicated ‘coral gardeners’ are making a difference by nurturing corals to maturity. BBC filmmaker Elizabeth White shares her thoughts about her award-winning film “The Coral Gardener.”

Don't miss "The Coral Gardener," included in the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival's Family Program at 10am on Sunday, March 13th. Click here to purchase tickets.

What is your overall summary for the film?

“The Coral Gardener” is the inspirational story of one man's passion for the world in which he lives. Austin Bowden-Kerby is a coral gardener. He has brought together his love of gardening, and passion for the underwater world, to do something very special for the coral reefs, and communities, of Fiji.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

Emma was working with Corals for Conservation and came to visit with footage she'd been shooting of the community coral project in Fiji. Watching it, we all fell in love with Austin - his passion for the people and environment was obvious, and we felt his personal story would be really engaging to people who may know nothing about these issues or ocean conservation in general. Emma went back to Fiji and shot the footage and interviews with Austin, and I edited and produced the film back here in the UK for the channel BBC TWO. It was a finalist at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival in 2009 and won the award for Best Short film at Wildscreen in 2010.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

It's always tricky making a film for television that tells a conservation-based story but is still an attractive and enjoyable watch for people simply flicking through the stations. By approaching this story through Austin’s eyes, and using his very positive outlook, we tried to make a film which is moving and inspiring while still conveying information about the problems many coral reefs are facing.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

Inspiration - that individual people really can make a difference. It's a positive, uplifting story of hope for the future.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

Hearing Austin's interview pieces - he has a great character with an unconventional approach which is very engaging.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

I learned to SCUBA-dive at university while studying zoology, and that led me to do a PhD on colour vision in fish - working with specialized cameras to understand their physiology and visual behaviour. Since moving into filmmaking I find myself coming back to underwater topics - I worked a lot with freediver/presenter, Tanya Streeter, with Bajau sea gypsy tribes in Sulawesi and, most recently, have spent time in the Canadian and Russian Arctic filming ice whales, under-ice marine life and sea ice stories for the series Frozen Planet.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?

The Coral Gardener felt the perfect film to submit to an Oceans festival - it felt like an audience who would identify with Austin’s passion for the underwater world.

Filmmaker Q&A: Pangolin Pictures, "Killer Whales"

Pangolin Pictures’ “Killer Whales” follows many unique pods of orcas all over the world. Orcas are social mammals and effective hunters, with different pods specializing at hunting specific types of prey. Orcas are found in all the world’s oceans but little is known about their conservation status. Join the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival at the first Family Program 10 am on Saturday, March 12 to follow these great marine hunters.
Click here to purchase tickets for the program.

For the first time, all San Francisco Ocean Film Festival programs will include complimentary admission to Aquarium of the Bay. Located next door to Theatre 39, the Aquarium provides the opportunity to continue your underwater exploration, after the last film credits have rolled. View the full Festival lineup at: http://www.oceanfilmfest.org/films.html

What is your summary of the film?

Razor sharp teeth pierce through flesh. Blood flows freely. A two hundred pound mammal is tossed through the air. The ocean’s great predators have fed again. They are known as Orcas… Killer Whales… Wolves of the Sea. Highly social and highly deadly, they stand at the top of the aquatic food chain.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

We’ve been inspired by the extreme intelligence and hunting ability of the orca for some time. It had been years since someone made an entire film about them, following different pods all throughout the world. We were excited to be given the opportunity.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

Definitely finding the orcas. They can travel hundreds of miles each day. They can disappear in an instant. We spent many, many days not seeing any at all.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

How amazingly individual each pod is. They are so sophisticated, so specialized and ever adapting.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

Having the opportunity to look in the eyes of an animal that is easily one the world’s most ruthless killers, and seeing intelligence. We would never get that close to a lion when it’s hunting, but orcas know what they want and we’re not on the menu.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

Both Kevin Bachar and Joey Allen were former employees at National Geographic. We’ve always had a love of the capturing the natural world. Oceans are, of course, the largest natural world we have to explore.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?

The film takes place in numerous oceans all over the world. It seemed like a perfect fit for the festival.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

Swimming with the orcas in New Zealand

Filmmaker Q&A: Shawn Heinrichs, "Manta Ray of Hope"

Huge and graceful, manta rays capture the hearts and imaginations of those who see, or are lucky enough to swim with them. But a disturbing trend is threatening their populations. Filmmaker Shawn Heinrichs documents the plight of these majestic creatures in “Manta Ray of Hope.” The film follows researchers on a heart-wrenching journey as they study manta and mobula rays and their subsequent overfishing. Though ray fishing has only recently emerged it may irreparably damage manta and mobula ray populations before the world takes notice.

To see more images and preview the film visit http://www.mantarayofhope.com “Manta Ray of Hope” will be included in the Sharks & Vanishing Marine Life program of the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival, taking place at 1pm on Saturday, March 12. This program is a Festival favorite and sure to sell out – click here to purchase your tickets today. For the first time, all San Francisco Ocean Film Festival programs will include complimentary admission to Aquarium of the Bay. Located next door to Theatre 39, the Aquarium provides the opportunity to continue your underwater exploration, after the last film credits have rolled. View the full Festival lineup at: http://www.oceanfilmfest.org/films.html

--Veronica DePaolis

What is your overall summary for the film?
“Manta Ray of Hope” takes the viewer on a breathtaking journey to some of the most remote and exotic places on earth, to personally experience the magnificence of these rays. Through the eyes of naturalists and researchers, the people who know these animals best, we begin to unravel the mysteries of the manta. We experience their joy of new discoveries and also their pain, watching mantas they know fished in front of their very eyes. We then go deep under cover, from the remote fishing villages to the bustling cities to better understand and expose the trade that is threatening their very future. And we challenge the medicinal health ‘claims’ that are driving this destructive trade. Finally, as a ray of hope, we meet those who are making a difference, from scientists, to politicians, to local businessmen, and learn how we all can make a difference for these magical creatures too.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
While conducting a decade long investigation into the global shark fin trade we began to notice another heart-wrenching trend in fish markets around the world - manta and mobula rays being sold for their meat and gill-rakers. In fact, in just one small fishing port in Indonesia, we documented up to a dozen mantas and mobulas lined up in the street. Repeat visits to this market revealed the same grizzly scene, time and time again.

Similarly, in a fishing port in Sri Lanka, we counted 23 dead mobula rays in one morning, and according to the fishermen, mobula rays were landed here every day. We had never seen so many mobula rays in one place – either dead or alive. Further investigation led us to the traders where we discovered a row of sacks, each containing gill-rakers from about 100 manta and mobula rays. On the roof, we were shown the gill-rakers from a recent catch of hundreds of mobulas being dried prior to export.

We also learned that often manta and mobula cartilage is used as filler in shark fin soup. We had to know what was driving fishermen to target mantas and mobulas. Our research and discussions with marine scientists and traders revealed that the gill-rakers were increasingly being used in Chinese medicine as a health tonic, driven by a belief that gill-rakers cool the blood. Demand for gill rakers now reached across oceans, giving rise to unsustainable manta ray fisheries off the coasts of Mexico and the Philippines. As these manta populations tumbled, the governments of Mexico and the Philippines that had once made it illegal to capture and kill mantas, in the face of fisheries pressure, lifted the bans. Through our research, we truly believe that demand for manta and mobula gill-rakers is rapidly approaching a critical inflection point. Whereas the shark fin trade has sadly become deeply entrenched, both culturally and economically, there may be time to intercept and head-off the gill-raker trade before it becomes completely entrenched. With this realization, we have set out to tell this story in the hopes of driving real change before it is too late.
What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
The general public, and even most ocean enthusiasts, are largely unaware of the gill-raker trade and the tragic toll it is taking on manta and mobula populations throughout the oceans. This could be due to global attention now focusing on other species such as cod, tuna, and sharks – although shark finning and manta fishing tend to be closely interconnected. While addressing overfishing of these species is extremely important, if the manta/mobula fisheries are not addressed with urgency, these charismatic animals will be gone before the world takes notice.

The short film presented is a prelude to the full documentary that is currently under development. Given the lack of awareness for the issue, garnering the necessary support to advance the project is an ongoing struggle. In addition, the story takes place in remote corners of the planet, often way off the beaten path in logistically challenging locations. Getting to these areas and gaining access to the people and shooting the footage is always a serious obstacle.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
In partnership with WildAid and the Silver Crest Foundation we are creating a documentary connected directly to ‘demand-side’ awareness and educational campaigns.

This film is geared for audiences around the world – for everyone truly can make an impact on the future of mantas and mobulas. And there are clear ways both western and eastern consumers can get involved. Ultimately the future of manta and mobula populations rests in the hands of consumers.

Globally, mantas attract millions of dollars in eco-tourism and are among the top experiences divers are seeking. Eco-tourism can generate the income and foster the attention necessary to increase public awareness of the plight of mantas and influence governments to protect them. For example, mantas contribute an estimated $8.1 million to the Maldives and $2.5 million to Hawaii annually through manta ray eco-tourism. And in both areas, mantas are protected. And if there is no consumer demand for manta and mobula products there will be no more fishing of these rays.

Through education and awareness we also hope to limit demand for gill-rakers, and increase consumer intelligence about the use of manta and ray byproducts (meat, cartilage, skin). If we can help consumers make the connection between the gill-rakers and these amazing creatures; if they understand the global impact gill-raker consumption is having on manta and mobula populations; and if they decide enough-is-enough then perhaps there is truly a ray of hope for future of manta and mobula rays.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
Manta and mobula rays are some of the most graceful and elegant creatures in the ocean. Interacting with these amazing beings during the filming of the underwater segments was truly one of the most incredible and moving experiences of our lives.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?
As it relates to this project, the mantas themselves are our greatest inspiration. Humans have hunted and exploited them, yet even in the face of these insults they welcome us into their world and grace us with their presence. The intimate encounters we share with these creatures are truly a gift from beyond.
How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?
I was born in Durban South Africa and from a very young age, I have shown a passion for adventure and nature. As a child I traveled with my father to remote villages in southern Africa, explored South Africa's Drakenberg Mountains and the Wild Coast, and spent countless hours playing on the beaches. My passion for the oceans ultimately led me to become a cinematographer, scuba diver, and marine conservationist.
Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival? The San Francisco Ocean Film Festival is a celebration of the Oceans with a true commitment to inspiring its conservation. I have participated in the festival in prior years and have always been impressed by the quality of films, the passion of the filmmakers, and the commitment of the organizers.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
The most memorable moments were also the hardest moments. Witnessing the manta and mobula rays dragged ashore, lined up in mass and chopped up by machete are images that will never leave our minds. Our hope is that these images will become a thing of the past.

If there is any way this film, or the larger documentary can make a real difference in the conservation of manta and mobula rays then it was all worth it. To accomplish this goal will require the support and collaboration of many who care.

Filmmaker Q&A: Jon Bowermaster, "SoLa, Louisiana Water Stories"

Filmmaker Q&A: “SoLa, Louisiana Water Stories”

By Veronica DePaolis

More than half of the world’s population lives within 30 miles of the coastline so it’s no wonder that so many have their own ‘water stories’. Jon Bowermaster’s “SoLa” explores the water stories of Southern Lousiana focusing on the complex relationship between people, politics, culture, and the water.

Poignantly filmed as the BP Gulf Disaster unfolded, SoLa’s intent is to capture the unique water culture in this often environmentally-troubled area.

You can see “SoLa” at 7 PM on Saturday March 12. Get tickets here: http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaID=216163

What is your overall summary for the film?
When we first went to Louisiana, in July 2008, to make a film about the complicated relationship between man and water there we had no idea that our reporting would conclude with the worst manmade ecologic disaster ever.

“SoLa” is a poignant look back at a way of life that may now be gone forever as well as a prescient look at exactly how the gusher in the Gulf was allowed to happen … thanks to corruption, malfeasance and an industry and political climate that environmental pollution simply a cost of doing business.

See the preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhumuFcMvlQ

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
To show the intertwined links among Cajun culture, water and environmental issues along the Gulf Coast.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
The filming was relatively trouble-free … other than being held by Louisiana State Troopers for two hours for filming a petrochemical plant without permission. And of course we were finishing the film as the BP explosion and leaking occurred, which meant ripping up the edit we had and starting from the top.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

As most documentaries, to educate viewers about the recent history of this incredibly unique corner of America. I am convinced that of the 50 states, Louisiana is the most one-of-a-kind, known for specific foods, music, dance, language, culture … and environmental messes.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

The food, music, dance, language and culture of southern Louisiana. As well as the fact that everyone in southern Louisiana truly is related, which meant being introduced to new interviewees and helpers was easy.

Who is your inspiration?

My longtime contact for all environmental issues in Louisiana is Marylee Orr, director of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network … who introduced me to both the subject matter and the incredibly committed people working on environmental issues across southern Louisiana.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

It started with the first OCEANS 8 project I did with the help of National Geographic in 1999 – sea kayaking in the Aleutian Islands. Since then we’ve made a dozen films about the relationship between man and the sea around the world. The easiest part is that there are limitless stories, given that 60 percent of the world’s human population lives within 30 miles of a coastline.