MOKO - Soul in the Sea

By Amy Taylor

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NZ $15,185 pledged

78 people pledged

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This campaign was successful and closed on 25/06/2012 at 12:29 AM.

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About

MOKO - Soul In The Sea

Project 2012-04-19 20:23:17 +1200

A new documentary about Moko the friendly wild dolphin

I need your help to get this feature length film completed the way it should be and shown at film festivals in NZ & overseas. If you would like to see more of Moko and help share his amazing Moko-ness with the world please support this film!

The captivating true story of a lone wild dolphin who stole the hearts of a nation.

Moko first appeared at an isolated beach in New Zealand, but his extroverted antics soon attracted attention. He was portrayed as a hero, a healer and a delinquent, and was loved by many for his endearing personality. In the three years he interacted with people he was surrounded by adoring crowds, with thousands of fans on his facebook page following his every move.

But with that love also came a certain kind of danger… that history would repeat and he would suffer the same fate as other friendly lone dolphins. Some said he would be “loved to death”, while others saw a darker threat from those who thought he was an inconvenience.

Filmed in the six months leading up to Moko’s tragic death, Soul in the Sea celebrates the incredible experience of connecting with a wild dolphin, and reveals the conflict that arose around him and the intense emotional journeys of those who tried to protect him.

The greatest friendships can come out of the blue

There are thousands of people out there who swam with Moko so as well as pledging you can help by spreading the word about this Pledge Me campaign… please pass it on!

Some of the footage was edited for a TV3 documentary and a 60 Minutes story but I’ve had to start from scratch to make another version of the film – better and longer, and most importantly with more footage of Moko!! It will show the world who Moko was and also give an insight into why dolphins have to be protected from captivity and slaughter, especially in countries like Japan (if you haven’t already seen it check out the Oscar award-winning documentary “The Cove”).

I hope to finish it this year and enter it into festivals for 2013. The funds raised will go towards post production and marketing & distribution costs, including music and archive clearances, audio mix & colour grading, website, DVD production, film festival entry fees etc.

The website is still to come but have a look at the Moko Doco facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MokoDoco

Check out the 60 Minutes story http://ondemand.tv3.co.nz/60-Minutes-Moko-the-missed/tabid/59/articleID/2936/MCat/22/Default.aspx

Did you know that Moko was such a legend he was named one of Time magazine’s top 10 heroic animals!!

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2059858_2059863_2060210,00.html

For anyone wondering how pledging works...

Donors pledge the amounts but don't actually pay until the goal is reached and the funding deadline has passed. When the film is finished the rewards will be sent out to all you lovely pledgers.

This film is made by...

Amy Taylor

Director/Producer/Camera/Editor

ACT Productions Ltd

Amy has recently directed and produced a documentary for TV3 “Moko – A Dolphin in Danger”. She has also directed and produced a documentary about Hectors dolphins, “Beyond the Kelp”, which was broadcast on Maori TV, and was assistant producer for the TVNZ documentary about organ donation “The Waiting List”. Amy has worked on various other documentaries, short films and music videos as a director, producer, camera operator and editor.

As well as spending many years working as a guide and videographer on dolphin and whale watching/swimming boats in NZ and Tonga, she has been actively involved in campaigning against whaling and dolphin slaughter and captivity. (This seems to have been contagious - a couple of years ago her husband found himself on the anti whaling boat the Ady Gil trying to protect whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary when a Japanese whaling vessel decided to ram them.)

Comments

Updates 10

Moko will soon be gracing the screens of Air NZ planes... look out for him in the new year! DVD's will also be available early next year (Pledge me people yours will finally be in the post, sorry they aren't ready in time for Santa to deliver!!)

SOUL IN THE SEA has been selected as a finalist for what's known as the Oscars of wildlife filmmaking!!! Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival

http://www.jhfestival.org/festival/filmcomp.htm

Press Release

A kiwi filmmaker never imagined that her independently made feature-length documentary about Moko the dolphin would gain international recognition from some of the world’s elite wildlife and natural history filmmakers.

The story of the wayward and extroverted dolphin and his unique and playful relationship with people has already started making a big splash.

Just one week after premiering at the New Zealand International Film Festival, Soul in the Sea is now competing alongside internationally acclaimed directors and filmmakers from the BBC Natural History Unit and National Geographic Television in the prestigious Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival.

The announcement has left Soul in the Sea filmmaker and director, Amy Taylor, of Abyss Films, delighted and stunned.

“Soul in the Sea was self-funded and made with a fraction of the budget that most documentaries have - I did everything from producing and directing to shooting and editing - so it's even more of a surprise that

it's been selected as one of three finalists for the Best People and Nature category” says Ms Taylor.

This year’s entries included 540 films competing for just 23 special awards. More than 100 international judges screened an aggregated 2500+ hours of films in order to select the finalists. The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival coincides with an international film industry conference that attracts over 600 international experts within the science, conservation, broadcasting and film making industry.

“In the past week I've been able to see the impact that Moko's story has on the audience and that makes all the hard work worth it. Having spent much of the last three years making this film it means a lot to me that it's now going to be shared around the world.” says Ms Taylor.

Soul in the Sea is currently screening around the country as part of the New Zealand International Film Festival.

Background

The winners will be selected by a distinguished panel of international judges and announced on the 26 September at the Grand Teton Awards Gala at Jackson Lake Lodge in Wyoming. For more information visit; http://www.jhfestival.org/

Amy Taylor completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Natural History Filmmaking at the University of Otago in association with Natural History New Zealand. Her student documentary about Hectors dolphins (Beyond the Kelp) was broadcast on Maori TV. Amy has since worked on various documentaries, short films, commercials and music videos as a producer, director, cinematographer and editor. For more information visit: www.soulinthesea.com

A quick update with some great news...

SOUL IN THE SEA is one of only four NZ documentaries to be selected for the New Zealand International Film Festival this year - it will be screened in cinemas from July. Once I know screening dates I'll be in touch with those of you who had tickets as part of your reward for pledging, and I look forward to seeing you at the festival!

http://www.nziff.co.nz/film/bfec4f9e-fa93-4399-acaa-bc07d88a9f99#

We also have a new website and facebook page (if you'd like to win free tickets to Auckland's Whale & Dolphin Safari click on special offer on the facebook page)

https://www.facebook.com/soulinthesea

https://www.soulinthesea.com

My apologies to those of you still patiently waiting for a DVD to be sent out - it will be a few months yet because I can't distribute DVD's until after the film has been screened at festivals. Sorry about that, it's all been a big learning curve for me but I will definitely be sending them out when I can!

All going well it won't be long until there will only be the finishing touches left to do!!! So this is what I've spent so many hours working with... it's a screenshot of the editing project... the bottom half shows all the individual video & audio clips that make up the story... all squeezed together :)

Things were held up quite a bit last year because of a medical issue I've been dealing with, was originally hoping to have it completed by the end of 2012 but better late than never!!

Thank you all for your patience :)

Great news!! I won a scholarship through AMP's "Do your thing" competition... and it's all going towards this project!

On thursday night I was presented with an award and a giant cheque, and I also had the opportunity to publicly thank my husband for putting up with me when I temporarily left him for a dolphin :)

It's been a busy year but I'm making good progress editing and sorting out other elements of the documentary, so things are on track for it to be in film festivals and sent to you all in 2013.

Yayyyyyyyyyy!

https://www.doyourthing.co.nz/adviser-business-recipients-2012/show/amy-taylor-69

It"s been a big month since this project was funded (thanks to all of you!)

The editing is getting on track, and I"ve been talking with the filmmakers of The Whale (www.thewhalemovie.com) who are keen to be involved with this film - a dream come true since they"ve done so well with a similar story.

I also went to DOC Lab in Auckland... an inspiring 3 days with other documentary filmmakers and the people behind the Documentary Edge festival. It was all about figuring out the best way to tell our stories, and then how to share them with as many people as possible.

Being an independent documentary filmmaker can feel like mission impossible at times, and DOC Lab was a good reminder that I"m not the only one on that mission!!

Everyone loved Moko"s story - there were a few tears while watching the trailer, and lots of great comments after my presentation.

So things are looking good for the film to be finished by the end of the year!!!

Thanks for your patience and support :)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/MokoDoco

Thanks to you amazingly generous people the goal has nearly been reached, but we need just over 2,000 before next sunday or I won't get any of the funds that have been pledged. That's the Pledge Me rules!!

So hopefully we can all spread the word and ask other Moko fans to pledge before then. Every little bit helps.

Also if anyone knows a business or person who might want their logo/name in the credits as an associate producer that's still up for grabs! :)

Nearly a third of the funds needed has been raised!!!

Below is one reason this film has to be made... dolphin intelligence :)

"Man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons."

Douglas Adams - The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy

We have over 20% of the total needed to make this film!! Thanks to everyone for spreading the word, keep it up and the pledges will keep coming in :)

I've had a few calls from people not knowing how to pledge - if you have any problems contact me on 0272818398 or [email protected]

"When I look into the eyes of an animal I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul." - A.D. Williams.

(thanks to Lydia for sharing that quote recently!)

Thanks for all the amazing pledges of support! In 3 days over 10% of the amount needed has been pledged, still a long way to go but I think we will get there!!

Big dolphin hugs to everyone who's made their pledge :)

Pledgers 78

Karen Esterhuizen

15/05/2012 at 8:56pm

Pam Hanretty

15/05/2012 at 6:38pm

Laura Keesing

15/05/2012 at 5:09pm

Anonymous pledger

15/05/2012 at 4:38pm

Sonia Baker-Johnston

15/05/2012 at 11:22am

Dionne Abraha

15/05/2012 at 11:03am

Jo Turnbull

15/05/2012 at 9:26am

william cole

15/05/2012 at 6:08am

Vicki Tennant

14/05/2012 at 10:11pm

Linda Robinson

14/05/2012 at 7:13pm

Virginia Wrigley

14/05/2012 at 6:58pm

Louise Bartlett

14/05/2012 at 6:43pm

Brent Sheather

14/05/2012 at 6:41pm

Emily Kemp

14/05/2012 at 6:19pm

Anonymous pledger

14/05/2012 at 5:06pm

Lydia Uddstrom

14/05/2012 at 3:03pm

janet peters

14/05/2012 at 2:50pm

Anonymous pledger

14/05/2012 at 10:45am

Followers

Followers of MOKO - Soul in the Sea

MOKO - Soul In The Sea

Project 2012-04-19 20:23:17 +1200

A new documentary about Moko the friendly wild dolphin

I need your help to get this feature length film completed the way it should be and shown at film festivals in NZ & overseas. If you would like to see more of Moko and help share his amazing Moko-ness with the world please support this film!

The captivating true story of a lone wild dolphin who stole the hearts of a nation.

The greatest friendships can come out of the blue

There are thousands of people out there who swam with Moko so as well as pledging you can help by spreading the word about this Pledge Me campaign… please pass it on!

Some of the footage was edited for a TV3 documentary and a 60 Minutes story but I’ve had to start from scratch to make another version of the film – better and longer, and most importantly with more footage of Moko!! It will show the world who Moko was and also give an insight into why dolphins have to be protected from captivity and slaughter, especially in countries like Japan (if you haven’t already seen it check out the Oscar award-winning documentary “The Cove”).

The website is still to come but have a look at the Moko Doco facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MokoDoco

Check out the 60 Minutes story http://ondemand.tv3.co.nz/60-Minutes-Moko-the-missed/tabid/59/articleID/2936/MCat/22/Default.aspx

Did you know that Moko was such a legend he was named one of Time magazine’s top 10 heroic animals!!

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2059858_2059863_2060210,00.html

For anyone wondering how pledging works...

Donors pledge the amounts but don't actually pay until the goal is reached and the funding deadline has passed. When the film is finished the rewards will be sent out to all you lovely pledgers.