Dances With Films - Melting Stars
Sea Stars were dying by the millions and marine biologists were witnessing an epidemic that was the largest observed species die off of human history. Melting Stars follows the clues on this marine mystery.
Interview with Director/Producer Kate Green
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Growing up on the West Coast of Canada you cannot help but have a love for the ocean and mountains. Countless hours of my childhood summer vacations were spent flipping rocks and squealing with delight as crabs scattered over the beach. Exploring tide pools and collecting sand dollars is almost a rite of passage for any kid growing up on the coast. It becomes a part of you and those sunny memories will forever have a place in your heart. Seeing first-hand the destruction of a species is heartbreaking especially when it happens in your own 'backyard'.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
This is a catastrophic species die-off and it is the largest wipe out of a keystone marine species ever recorded. Only part of the mystery has been solved and the biggest questions of how this will affect our environment long term are still to be answered. The clock is ticking and the real test on how these animals are surviving will come very soon as ocean temperatures continue to rise.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I really wanted to focus on the idea of balance. Everything in our environment is in balance and when you take one thing out, like the star fish, it creates a harmful imbalance for all the other animals. The importance of this is sometimes overlooked when you are not dealing with an animal that is commercially viable but you could be rest assured that if this was happening to the prawns, crabs or salmon it would be headline news. What people don’t realize is that there is a trickledown effect and soon these animals will be affected too.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
When I started researching the event, scientists didn’t know the cause. I actually wasn’t sure if I’d have an ending as such, to the film. Soon after I started however, the Denso Virus was discovered to be the cause and on Feb. 21st 2016 scientists working to understand the outbreak published the first evidence of a link between warmer ocean water and the devastating disease. The findings were published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. The animals had been carrying the disease in their systems for over 70 years so the big mystery was trying to find a link to what had triggered the outbreak.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and I am so honored by it. The film also won Best Short at the International Wildlife Film Festival and was nominated at Northwestfest for best short. I think generally though people have been shocked by the horrific deaths of the Sea Stars and are eager to know if there is anything they can do.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I had one person ask me at a Q & A if I thought my film would change or save the world. It was a pretty broad question and challenging one to answer. I do hope though that my film starts a conversation with audience members and we really begin to understand the connection and balance of the ecology in the ocean.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Sometimes it’s just really hard to share your work. I am my own worst critic….so I’m just really glad you’ve asked for this interview.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I would like to share the film with more film festivals and distribution would be great too! The film is shot mostly in 4K so I feel there is a market out there for it.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
It’s easy to be overwhelmed with the daunting task of protecting our environment. I would hope and encourage people not to be overwhelmed and just try to do one thing every day that is environmentally positive even if that means contacting your local politician and asking where they stand on these topics.
Would you like to add anything else?
YES! We are really lucky in Canada to have funding opportunities such as Bravofactual who gave me a grant to make Melting Stars. Because of that I was able to have an amazing team that helped work on the film and connect with truly passionate scientists and ecologists. I am so grateful they participated in the film. My Editor Tyler F. Gamsby and Director of Photographer Sarah Thomas Moffat were great to work with and added so much to the film visually. Also, Mario Vaira did an incredible job with the original score that brought it all together.
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Something TOTALLY different. I am going into production on a Sci-Fi Webseries called NarcoLeap this fall starring Chelsey Reist. https://www.facebook.com/NarcoLeap/
Interview: June 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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Melting Stars
Sea Stars were dying by the millions and marine biologists were witnessing an epidemic that was the largest observed species die off of human history. Melting Stars follows the clues on this marine mystery.
Length: 15 mins
Director: Kate Green
Producer: Kate Green
Writer: Kate Green
About the writer, director and producer:
Vancouver based Kate Green has a passion for telling good stories. Either it be through producing or directing fiction, non-fiction, or high action factual television.
Kate has worked on numerous television programs including W Network's Shannon & Sophie and Game of Homes, CBC's Keeping Canada Alive, Keeping Canada Safe, and Still Standing, HGTV's Urban Suburban, and Strangers in Danger for Fuel TV in the USA.
In 2012 Kate produced a short drama thriller Shadowplay, which received a nomination for best short drama at the New York International Film Festival, Yorkton Film Festival, and the Leo Awards. It went on to win a Special Jury Award at the Houston International Film Festival.
Kate has also helped produced many award winning short films and is excited to premier a comedy, Uniforms, in the summer of 2017 at the Houston Comedy Festival.
Kate’s first documentary Not A Stranger has just completed its festival run and was nominated for Best ‘Made in Canada’ Short at Northwestfest in Edmonton and won Audience Choice at Vancouver Short Film Festival. Kate is a proud Alumna of Women in the Director’s Chair, National Screen Institute, Reykjavik International Talent Lab, and the University of British Columbia.
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Distributor
Social media handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meltingstarsdoc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KGPFilms
Funders: BarvoFact (Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent) A Division of Bell Media Inc.