Mark Shelley, environmental film producer, answers questions | Grist | InterActivist

Questions from Grist editors | Questions from readers

Have you ever considered taking your talents to a feature-length studio-released film? Do you think that environmentalism and oceanography might gain more adherents if we had a live-action Finding Nemo? -- Eric Wagner, Royersford, Penn.

We have really only toyed with the idea of making theatrical release films. It is very inviting, but also a very different end of our business. Being successful in features requires a slightly different set of contacts and skills. If you have those, let's talk!

What's it like working with big-name celebrities like Ed Norton? Do you find you have to do a lot of catering to their needs? -- Name not provided

Edward Norton is intense and intelligent. He is extremely thoughtful about what he does and works on. I have enjoyed our interaction tremendously. He is very professional and appreciates ideas. When working with people, celebrities or not, I try to provide them with the resources they need to do their best work. In all honesty, however, that's not always possible in documentary work. We fly coach! Edward understood our constraints.

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Do celebrities approach you about environmental work or vice versa? -- Name not provided

In this case, Edward came to us through National Geographic. He knew we would be interested in a project that his father was involved with in China. Our conversations about China led to his involvement in Strange Days on Planet Earth.

How can I get a job working on a production team for films about the environment? -- Lara Miranda, Emeryville, Calif.

Great question. I'm afraid there are all too few opportunities because there just aren't that many films about the environment. We are thinking about ways we can be more helpful for you, and you should see the results on our Sea Studios Foundation website in the next month or so.

There are a few film school programs that might be of interest to you. Check out the program at UC Santa Barbara, a master's program at Montana State University, and a new program at American University in Washington, D.C.

What's your favorite part about filmmaking? -- Name not provided

Second to actually getting the money to make the film is being underwater and shooting cool natural history behavior. Our series Shape of Life was a huge treat. It allowed me to film some sequences underwater I had thought about for years. Time lapse of sea stars cruising, battling anemones, huge sponges on phenomenal walls in Indonesia.

Do you feel films are the best way to get the environmental message out to non-greens? -- Name not provided

I think films can be a great way to make people aware of environmental issues and can give viewers a certain new understanding. At their best, they can certainly build an emotional connection to the issue. We at Sea Studios Foundation think that television is particularly effective when combined with messaging and programs in other venues as well.

Our goal is to build communities where people can share ideas and support each other's efforts to care for the environment. The media can be a big part of creating and fostering those communities. We are experimenting with ways to build and support communities through our Strange Days site. Send me your ideas.

What's your next project? -- Name not provided

We are producing a one-hour special for the nature series on PBS. This one is about the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We were able to follow the great white shark as it learned the ropes in captivity and followed her back into the ocean when she was released.

We are also continuing Strange Days and will concentrate on the ocean next. The ocean needs a huge new following to address some urgent issues. We have found that there is a huge disconnect between the threats scientists see and the understanding that the general public has. We hope to build a greater constituency for the ocean. It deserves it, no?

I work directly with people in biodiversity hotspots in Panama and have experienced how incredibly curious and willing to learn most people are. One of the main issues that conservationists have to deal with in developing countries is the lack of current information (especially multimedia) in the country's native language. What are the best ways to go about changing this situation so that more people can have access to this priceless information more efficiently? -- Adrian Benedetti, Panama City, Panama

Adrian, this is important. We are in the process of making a Spanish-language version of Strange Days. We are hoping to target certain countries with the project, and we're also trying to reach Spanish speakers within the U.S. So, hopefully, you will find more materials as time goes on. Contact me in a month or so and I can facilitate you getting it.

Does Conservation International provide media in Spanish?

On your Strange Days website, you suggest ideas for "promises" to the earth -- little changes like eating sustainable seafood, using native plants, etc. Do you think little baby steps like these really add up to big change? -- Name not provided

I personally think that baby steps begin to put your actions into a positive environmental consciousness. That, in theory, can translate into a variety of actions including perhaps our most important individual action which is to vote for the environment. Said another way, purposeful behavior can help build an ethic that can be applied in a variety of ways.

We have been interested in behavior-change theory; awareness and understanding is essential, but it is important to do things regularly to reinforce the behavior. Walking rather than driving, turning your lights off when not needed, and eating local foods all help to remind you that you are connected to the rest of the world and your actions have an impact.

National Geographic's attitude is that indigenous people living in their natural way are in "poverty." The magazine decries their living conditions while celebrating their culture. Not only is this an ignorant and arrogant attitude, it encourages further Western-world-style encroachment, which means environmental and cultural death. Do you really think National Geographic has had any good impact? -- Patricia MacDonald, North Bay, Ontario, Canada

Patricia, you are right to question and push. I don't work very closely with the magazine, so I can't really speak to that attitude.

I do think that the great success that the Megatransect project had in creating new national parks in Gabon is a positive example. I think that's encouraging.

Do you travel a lot for your work? What sort of places have you been, and what's been your favorite? Have you considered offsetting your travel-related emissions? -- Name not provided

Yes, I have done quite a bit of travel. I am a huge fan of exotic and remote locations. I have been in awe in both the heart of ocean diversity -- Indonesia -- and the heart of the least diverse place in the world -- the Atacoma Desert of Chile.

Yes, I think about the emissions caused by my travel. I try to think about the value of my travel and whether there are alternatives. I try not to travel for meetings as much as I used to (I also have a four-year-old daughter and don't like being away as much), and we have tried to use local talent and only travel those absolutely necessary for filming the sequence.

We can do better. We can also do better in offsetting our carbon use in other ways -- planting trees, driving less, maintaining a paperless office.

There is a lot of room for improvement in our field. I am very interested in trying to improve the environmental impact of my business.

Questions from Grist editors | Questions from readers

Making His Mark

Mark Shelley, environmental film producer, answers readers' questions