Directed by
Michael Buckley
Country of Origin
Canada
Runtime
39:12
Category
This is a short film about a vast subject: the Ocean. Or more precisely, about the potential extinction of certain marine species in the Ocean Or even more precisely, about the potential extinction of marine species due to superstitious beliefs promoted by bogus practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Stories about the extinction of marine species due to TCM is the theme. Stories–because readers may not remember facts, but they do remember stories. The short film has strong elements of mockumentary satire, with Mermaid narrator and imagined characters. Three customised music tracks were composed and sung by Nick Wyke. The documentary narrative is based on two digital photobooks by Michael Buckley: ‘Planet Ocean Blues’ + ‘Xtinction Blues.’ Planet Ocean Blues is a groundbreaking documentary, being the first to investigate the wider spectrum of the impact of TCM on marine species — the senseless plundering of sharks, manta rays, seahorses, Totoaba croakers, seals and sea-cucumbers — under the guise of bogus traditional medicine cures.
Director Biography – Michael Buckley
Michael Buckley is a Canadian filmmaker and writer with a keen interest in pressing environmental issues. He is filmmaker for five documentaries. He is involved in the entire filmmaking process, from writing to filming (using underwater compact cameras, 4K drone, and 4K cam-corder) to editing (using FCPX) with a kitchen-table set-up. As a keen diver, he has ventured worldwide to remote islands in search of enigmatic marine life, from Raja Ampat to the Maldives. For more about the author/filmmaker, visit: www.ThunderHorseMedia.com
