Press Release
Wild Ocean Takes Fernbank’s IMAX® Audiences on a Spectacular Underwater Adventure Where Africa Meets the Sea
ATLANTA—Embark on an underwater adventure where Africa meets the sea, in the acclaimed large-format film Wild Ocean,showing in Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s IMAX® Theatre from January 1-March 11, 2010.
As part of an environmental initiative sponsored by Nokia, visitors are invited to bring an old cell phone for recycling to Fernbank Museum of Natural History and they will receive free admission to Wild Ocean from January 15-24, 2010. The environmentally minded promotion also includes a free reusable shopping bag.
Wild Ocean is an action-packed, inspirational IMAX® documentary that explores the relationship between man and the ocean ecosystem. Highlighting one of nature’s greatest migration spectacles, the film plunges viewers into an underwater feeding frenzy—an epic struggle for survival where whales, sharks, dolphins, seals, gannets and billions of fish collide.
Wild Oceanchronicles the annual migration of billions of sardines that travel up the KwaZulu-Natal shoreline, known to locals as the “Wild Coast.” This migration has provided a food source for countless generations of people living along the African shore and for the ocean’s residents, including predators that journey from great distances to feast. Set to the rhythmic dances and songs of the South African culture, the film features incredible underwater footage by Atlanta resident D.J. Roller, who needed a rearview mirror to keep an eye on the circling sharks, dive-bombing birds and darting dolphins while filming.
An amazing array of ocean life converges on the migration route in a dramatic and frenzied fashion. Bottlenose dolphins create superpods thousands strong to track down the huge shoals. Sharks sense blood in the water and join the hunt. Seals and common dolphins chase the fish from cooler currents up the coast into the warmer tropical waters. Cape Gannets, a species of diving birds, join the battle with aerial attacks from the sky. All of these animals are drawn to the scene, enmeshed in one of the most incredible mass feeding melees in the natural world.
Unfortunately such a richness of life is now rare in our seas. For centuries the ocean was considered a vast, limitless resource. As fishing practices grew more industrialized and efficient throughout the 20th century, entire fish stocks around North America, Europe and Asia began to collapse. The fish, hauled onto boats by the ton, were an integral part of a complex marine ecosystem, a link in a great food chain on which many predators depend. Eventually, entire fish species were decimated and the ocean predator populations went into a steep decline. Wild Oceanreveals the economic and cultural impact of the ocean while celebrating the communal efforts to protect our invaluable marine resources.
Now a new threat, global climate change, threatens to further damage the fragile ocean ecology. While Wild Oceanexplores the causes and effects of man’s impact, it is an inspirational film looking toward a bright future, taking audiences to a rare and unspoiled marine wilderness to glimpse what the oceans of the world once looked like and reveals the steps being taken to help restore a healthy ocean ecosystem. The film champions the creation of marine reserves, ecologically friendly fishing practices, fishing limits and other measures necessary to bring our oceans back to life—with South Africa leading the way.
“Wild Oceanis a timely and uplifting film that celebrates the life in our oceans,” said Cindy Sheehy, Fernbank’s Director of Children’s and Family Programs. “This incredible and rare footage gives us a glimpse at how a balanced ocean needs healthy numbers from the bottom of the food chain to the top, and we learn by the example of the local South African culture, which has embraced this annual feeding event while doing their part to keep the ecosystem in check.”
Wild Ocean shows daily at Fernbank Museum of Natural History from January 1-March 11, 2010. IMAX® tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for students/seniors, $11 for children ages 3-12, $8 for Museum members, and free (on a space-available basis) for children ages 2 and under.
FREE TICKET OFFER: Fernbank and Nokia have teamed up for a recycling event in support of Wild Ocean’s message of environmental stewardship. From January 15-24, 2010, visitors will receive one free Wild Ocean IMAX® ticket when they recycle a cell phone at the Museum. At a time when most consumers are looking for ways to enjoy leisure activities while cutting costs, this recycling event benefits the environment while also benefitting visitors’ wallets.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road, NE in Atlanta. For tickets and more information, call 404.929.6400 or visit www.fernbankmuseum.org.
Wild Ocean is a production of Giant Screen Films and Yes/No Productions. The film is written and directed by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, the Academy Award nominated creators of the international sensation STOMP. Cresswell and McNicholas have previously teamed with Giant Screen Films on the award-winning giant-screen film, Pulse: a STOMP Odyssey. Photography is by award winning director of photography, Reed Smoot with underwater photography by D.J. Roller. Original music by Cresswell and McNicholas with sound design and mix by Mike Roberts and Brian Eimer. www.wildoceanfilm.com
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