Coastal Revival: A five part mini-series
Coastal Revival documentary series shines a light on iconic species and ecotourism on BC’s coast.
Launching today, May 2nd, 2016, a new five-part documentary series, Coastal Revival, by Canadian filmmaker Brandy Yanchyk tells the story of how First Nations, conservationists, researchers and ecotourism are combining to protect some of the most emblematic wildlife on BC’s coast. From Spirit and Grizzly bears to Humpback whales, the documentary charts successful efforts and key characters behind a coastal revival decades in the making.
Episode one follows the Raincoast Conservation Foundation as they guide would-be grizzly hunters to shoot Grizzly bears, but only with cameras. Raincoast’s Brian Falconer said, “When I first started coming to these places people carried bear bangers, they carried shotguns. The relationship we had with the bears was very different. It was avoid, prevent and defend. Now it’s respect and interaction and that’s a complete shift.”
Director, Brandy Yanchyk said, “The Kitasoo Xais’xais and Gitga’at Nations now have thriving businesses, providing local employment and bringing people from all over the world to view the elusive Spirit Bear and learn of it’s cultural significance.” The documentary also travels with Guardian Watchmen who actively patrol First Nations territories to enforce a ban on trophy hunting not currently recognized by the provincial government.
Later episodes tell the remarkable story of researchers at Cetacealab and the “Marine Detective”, Jackie Hildering who in her work with the Marine Education and Research Society has been monitoring a Humpback whale recovery and working to address emerging threats. She notes how “the revival of Humpbacks provides us with an opportunity to remember our capacity for positive change and reminds us of how we’re still impacting them and, therefore, ourselves and the ocean we depend upon.”
Coastal Revival was made possible with support from TELUS Optik Local, and will premiere on Monday, May 2nd for free on TELUS Optik™ Local’s YouTube Channel and on TELUS Optik™ TV On Demand. The five part series will launch over five weeks from Monday, May 2nd until Monday, May 30th.
Brandy Yanchyk is an award winning independent documentary filmmaker based in Edmonton. She has made fifteen documentaries in the past seven years. Her productions have aired on BBC World TV, CBC, Rogers OMNI TV, PBS, TELUS Optik Local and at film festivals. @brandyyanchyk
TELUS Optik Local supports compelling, original storytelling in British Columbia and Alberta by providing funding to filmmakers to produce their content, training to maximize their potential and exposure to new audiences. Content is distributed for free on TELUS Optik TV as well as online. @OptikLocal #watchlocal
Notes
The full series is available for free on TELUS Optik Local’s YouTube channel here:
For updates join the #CoastalRevival Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/Coastal-Revival-1034104616661138/ and visit the website: http://brandyyanchyk.com/coastal-revival
Suggested Tweet: Saving BC’s coast through #EcoTourism. #CoastalRevival explains how @Raincoast @MERS @whalepoint @OceanDetective @brandyyanchyk on @OptikLocal #watchlocal
Media contacts
Brandy Yanchyk, Director of Brandy Y Productions Inc.
E-mail: brandy [at] brandyYproductions [dot] com
Website: brandyyanchyk.com/coastal-revival
Chris Genovali, Executive Director, Raincoast Conservation Foundation
E-mail: chris [at] raincoast [dot] org
Website: raincoast.org
Jackie Hildering, Education and Communications Director and Humpback Researcher, Marine Education and Research Society
Email: mersociety [at] gmail [dot] com
Website: mersociety.org
You can help
Raincoast’s in-house scientists, collaborating graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and professors make us unique among conservation groups. We work with First Nations, academic institutions, government, and other NGOs to build support and inform decisions that protect aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and the wildlife that depend on them. We conduct ethically applied, process-oriented, and hypothesis-driven research that has immediate and relevant utility for conservation deliberations and the collective body of scientific knowledge.
We investigate to understand coastal species and processes. We inform by bringing science to decision-makers and communities. We inspire action to protect wildlife and wildlife habitats.
