The importance of sharks, Sharks: Stewards of the Reef

Ive just completed a film for Public Television called Sharks: Stewards of the Reef, currently screening in film festivals and aquariums in the US and Europe.

Some elements are shared with Sharkwater- the finning issue, but this is a documentary not a personal story and lacks some of Rob's dramatic excitement.

This 27 minute film was shot while diving in the remote Islands of Polynesia, and examines the importance of sharks culturally and ecologically, and looks at our misconceptions of these important ocean predators. Through interviews with ecologist Dr. Enric Sala of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Shark Conservation Specialist Sonja Fordham of The Ocean Conservancy and Executive Director Peter Knights of WildAid, we address the threats to sharks worldwide, including habitat loss, overfishing, bycatch and the greatest threat to shark populations: that of shark finning for shark fin soup.

Shark populations are in serious trouble worldwide and in the islands, and we motivate our audience to take action.

We feature our nations's newest National Marine Monument of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, where some of the footage was collected as one solution towards marine conservation.

For a synopsis, trailer and more on the film see http://www.sharkstewards.com.

We can make a difference for the health of our oceans, including sharks.

Also- go to the TAKE ACTION link and sign the ban on fin distibution, and ask the Chinese Prime Minister to ban shark finning.

Thanks for doing your bit to try and convince the Chinese that Shark Fin is bad news for everyone and eveything concerned.

I can try and arrange dive club viewings in Singapore unless that is already on your radar.

Also are you planning on doing anything at ADEX - the biggest annual dive exhibition in Asia? It's a little late if you have not already contacted the organisers, but there will be a big community there - perhaps you should plan on at least getting a load of your DVDs there.

Dates are 27-29 April. Website: http://www.asiadiveexpo.com

That woud be great if it was shown at ADEX. Sharksaver, any chance you can make this film available in Asia. I would LOVE to show it to my dive club here in Hong Kong.

HI

I contacted the dive show but it was too late-- however if you have a booth I would be very interested. We will be translating the film into Chinese this year and getting it in China with Wildaid before the Olympics. Do you have a booth already? What is your dive club? I would sure love to get out there.

thanks

David

I will be on one of the stands - Misool Eco Resort - I am an investor and helping out with the show. I can't speak for the owner (Andy Miners) re stand space etc, but we are all passionate about conservation and shark finning issues.

Send me a private message and we'll sort something out

Cheers, Nick

Hi Nick

Ill email you through your web site. Shawn and i are working on a fin short. small world. Your resort looks wonderful.

David

OK great. Email through Fluent or Wetpixel, I won't see any mail sent to the Misool site.

HI

 

I contacted the dive show but it was too late-- however if you have a booth I would be very interested. We will be translating the film into Chinese this year and getting it in China with Wildaid before the Olympics. Do you have a booth already? What is your dive club? I would sure love to get out there.

 

thanks

 

David

David, that's great that it will be translated into Chinese. Our dive club is South China Diving Club, one of the larger BSAC clubs here in Hong Kong. Our membership isn't just expats but also include many local Hong Kong Chinese who come from various backgrounds: industry, finance, government, education, etc... If you ever happen to swing thru Hong Kong, I think our club would be more than happy to host a showing of your film. In addition to our club members, I'm sure there are many from other local dive shops and clubs who would be interested in watching this.

David

Just watched your clip.

Great work there...will help to spread the word around the place.

Paul

David,

I am really excited about the passion and commitment you bring to saving sharks. You keep good company on this forum! Know we will do all we can to help get the word out.

Shawn

HI all

back from a dive trip- rough conditions, 48 degree water, fogging camera, plankton bloom, big swell and nothing very good but above the water footage! Thanks for your interest and support regarding the film. For Central Cal folks it will be screening at the NCUPS meeting May 11 in Milbrae for free and at the Marin Dive Club in August. http://www.ncups.org/

Im doing the film festival circuit and other local screenings. We will be in Seattle late May- early June screening at the Seattle International Film Festival. If there is a local club interested in hosting a screening I would like to meet up with you.

We are working on a Japanese, Cantonese and Mandarin translation to get it where it will make a differnce among the largest consumers of shark fin soup.

How did the ADIX show go?

thanks

David

(PS- Shawn I 'll call you!)

DVD arrived in time for ADEX David thanks. Really enjoyed the documentary – very evenly and unemotionally presented, no hype just facts and persuasive arguments. The interviews were very well done, and the editing was compelling and well paced. IMHO you need some better quality shark footage tho! Maybe Shawn and I can help you with that

We showed the film a couple of times at the Misool Eco Resort booth at ADEX in Bangkok over the weekend, and it created some interest, but frankly it was not really the best environment for promoting the cause. If we had had a stack of DVDs for sale and few posters we would have moved a few copies, but you really need your own booth and a forum for showing the film. Maybe the next APAC ‘Celebrate the Sea’ film festival in September would be a good forum http://www.celebratethesea.oneocean.com/ct...fest%20news.htm

I’ll show the film at one of our next Free Flow Divers meetings here in Singapore, and garner more local interest. If you need other support in the region let me know and I’ll try and help out. Let us know how the NCUPS meeting goes on the 11th May!

David

Just watched your clip.

 

Great work there...will help to spread the word around the place.

 

Paul

Thanks Wagsy

by the way- any preferred film festivals in Ausatralia you can recommend? I have family in SA.

g'day

David