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Saint Helena a Bastion of Biodiversity

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"Saint Helena, a Bastion of Biodiversity" is a 52 minute independent natural history documentary that celebrates the incredible biodiversity and conservation work taking place on the tiny island of Saint Helena.  

The story of Saint Helena is threaded throughout occidental history. Since its discovery at the beginning of the 16th century traces of the influence of this humble island can be found in many major historic events. It has been host, willingly or not, to some of Europe's most remarkable characters from Fernão Lopes to Napoleon Bonaparte, from Charles Darwin to Jacques Cousteau.

Once teeming with exotic creatures, the arrival of humans marked a turning point for the island’s indigenous residents who became victims to the long drawn-out decline associated with overexploitation and the introduction of less specialised and highly adaptable alien species. So that within a few hundred years the island was unrecognisable from the natural paradise the first Portuguese visitors had described it to be. 

Saint Helena’s unique wildlife has often fallen in the shadow of the island's importance in human history. Yet today, the people of Saint Helena have come together to preserve their home. Their outstanding efforts and dedication have resulted in their achieving what many would have deemed impossible. In this documentary we will look at key research and conservation projects and highlight some of the island’s most unusual and iconic species (both on land and in the water). We will show the audience that intrigue and joy can be found in sharing our planet not only with large charismatic species, but also creatures who are no bigger than a grain of rice, and plants that have been alive since before Napoleon was born. 

The holistic and cooperative approach of the Saints to the preservation of Saint Helena’s wildlife, and their pride in their endemic species, is the foundation for the island's conservation success. We believe that their efforts should be championed, and through this documentary and its central message of 'conservation through collaboration', we will strive to inspire hope and determination in others to follow in the example of this bastion of biodiversity. 

For more information on the documentary please visit our webpage https://www.fathompictures.org/ongoing-project 

Photo credit: Thomas Roger


Who are we?

We are Fathom Pictures, a small team of 2 independent wildlife filmmakers who strive to raise environmental awareness and consciousness through our work. Our personal interests lie in behaviour, non-human sentience and the many-faceted relationship between human and non-human animals. If you would like to look at some of our previous work please visit our website https://www.fathompictures.org


Who will benefit?

Producing this documentary independently means that from start to finish everything is organised, and paid for by us with the help of a few kind sponsors. We hope that through raising awareness about Saint Helena’s unique biodiversity and giving credit to its conservationists hard work they will have a stronger public platform from which they can continue to secure funds for their projects and lead the way in island conservation.


What will the funds be used for?

To a large extent we have already been able to cover the costs of production and shooting (with the exception of accommodation and extra in-situ equipment hire). The funds raised through this campaign will aid us in the post production process so that we can create a high quality documentary, show the images we have captured at their best, and do justice to the island and its inhabitants beauty.

Every penny raised through this campaign will go directly towards the creation of this documentary which includes:

Accommodation for crew during filming
Equipment hire during filming (for equipment that is too heavy for us to travel with) 
Editing
Music composition
Narrator (English)
Narrator (French)
Sound Mixing
Colour grading


How soon do we need the funds?

Ideally as soon as possible. There are some costs that are more imminent than others, we need 30% of our goal by the end of January 2020, and the rest before the end of March 2020. The quicker we reach our goal the sooner we can complete the documentary and get its message out the the world!


What does your support mean to us?

We would be incredibly grateful for any and all of your support. This project is our dream and our way of using our skills to help make a difference in the world. We believe that Saint Helena and its people have knowledge and experience in conservation that could benefit individuals and projects the world over, and that their Herculean efforts should be recognised and celebrated. 

One of conservation’s greatest tools is raising awareness and we hope that through this documentary people will begin to recognise the important role this island has to play in preserving the planet's biodiversity.


What is in it for you?

Our eternal gratitude and the knowledge that you are contributing to a good cause!

- To all of our supporters we will be sending out regular emails with updates, photos and sneak peaks, these will be sent every week whilst we are in Saint Helena and every month during  post production, so you will get a real insight into life behind the camera.

- For individual sponsors of 30€ or more upon the documentary’s completion we will send you a private link where you can watch the documentary online for free and include your name in the credits.

- For individual sponsors of 80€ or more we will send you a signed, unique printed photograph from our time in Saint Helena. Upon the documentary’s completion we will also send you a private link where you can watch the documentary online for free and include your name in the credits.

- For individual sponsors of 200€ or more we will plant a tree in Saint Helena’s Millennium Forest in your honour and we will send you a signed unique printed photograph from our time in Saint Helena. Upon the documentary’s completion we will also send you a private link where you can watch the documentary online for free and include your name in the credits.

Photo credit: Alexandra Childs
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Donations 

  • Alistair Dove
    • €50 
    • 4 yrs
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Fundraising team: Fathom Pictures (2)

Alexandra Childs
Organizer
Raised €875 from 5 donations
Argelès-sur-Mer
Rémi Demarthon
Team member
Raised €520 from 3 donations
This team raised €1,750 from 12 other donations.

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