Friday, October 03, 2003

Wilmington, NC – In early October, television viewers will begin to see the first public service announcement (PSA) from the Shifting Baselines Media Campaign, designed to call attention to the severe state of ocean decline around the world. Directed and written by filmmaker/marine biologist Randy Olson, with UNCW’s Dr. Steven Miller as a producer and founding member of the campaign, the spot takes an entirely different approach from other environmental PSAs and uses humor to make its point. Starring popular comic actor Jack Black (Shallow Hal, Orange County), seen next in the upcoming feature film School of Rock opening on Oct. 3, the “Ocean Symphony” PSA also features such well known actors as Madeleine Stowe, Tom Arnold, Sharon Lawrence, Dave Foley, Josh Lucas, Henry Winkler, Paul Michael Glaser, Mindy Sterling, Ingo Rademacher and more.

The PSA is also designed to help recruit support for ocean conservation groups, including the two major PSA sponsors, The Ocean Conservancy and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The Surfrider Foundation and 12 other major ocean conservation groups are also partners in the project. Fabled Hollywood producer Gale Anne Hurd of Valhalla Motion Pictures (Terminator, Abyss, Armageddon, The Hulk) and Dr. Jeremy Jackson, Scripps Institution of Oceanography are also founding partners in the campaign.

“I got involved with this project because the oceans are in serious trouble,” said Dr. Steven Miller, director of UNCW’s National Undersea Research Center. He added, “We wanted to do something different, something that would reach audiences who don’t typically watch public TV or the Discovery Channel. We tried to produce something entertaining – not the usual gloom and doom stuff -- that will get people thinking about the condition of our oceans.”

In the 60-second version of the PSA, the comparison is made between a symphony of actors butchering “The 1812 Overture” and our declining oceans. The question is asked, “We would never accept this level of quality for music, so why are we willing to accept this quality for our oceans?”

In addition to Jack Black’s frantic conducting, the symphony features Henry Winkler on harp, Madeleine Stowe on violin, Tom Arnold on kettle drums, Josh Lucas on cello, Mindy on cymbals, and a dozen other actors on instruments for which they have no skill or training. In a separate 30-second spot, Ted Danson and wife Mary Steenburgen, give equally discordant performances on violins. “The bad symphony is a metaphor for our stinky oceans,” says Jack Black who served as the conductor for the PSA.

The spot features a computer animation shot donated by famed Hollywood Special Effects company Industrial Light and Magic (creator of the Star Wars movies) in which a shot of a kelp forest today, which is devoid of large fish, is returned to 1960 quality by the appearance of digitally animated large fish, such as black sea bass and sheephead.

“This year is proving to be, ‘The Year of Ocean Decline,’” said Olson, “From depleted fisheries to dying coral reefs, the bad news about the oceans is coming out week after week this year. It’s time for everyone to realize we are at a crisis stage.” You can view the PSA at the Shifting Baselines Web site, as well as order a free Shifting Baselines Action Kit.

For more information visit www.shiftingbaselines.org

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Dr. Miller can be reached at 305/451-0233.

For media inquiries contact:

Kate DiRanna or Alan Amman

mPRm Public Relations

(323) 933-3399

kdiranna@mprm.com / aamman@mprm.com