Planet Ocean Blues
a personal take on the devastating impact of Traditional Chinese Medicine on marine species & Ocean eco-systems
narrated by Mermaid Maribella
with original music by Nick Wyke
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/856130938
directed and edited by: Michael Buckley
Wild Yak Films, Canada
UHD 4K, also 1080p digital, 16:9, colour, Dolby stereo
Length: 39 mins 12 secs
Release date: September 2023
contact email: himmies757 @ gmail.com
This is a short film about a big 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. This film has strong elements of mockumentary satire, with Mermaid narrator and imagined characters. Three customized tracks were composed and sung by Nick Wyke. The documentary narrative is based on two digital photobooks by the author: '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.
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 FCProX) 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.
The Ocean is under serious attack—from over-fishing, illegal fishing, coral bleaching, acidification, and deep-sea mining—to name a few. These issues will take decades to fix, but there is one issue that can be resolved in a matter of months: Traditional Chinese Medicine. TCM is responsible for massive culling of sharks, manta rays, seahorses and other precious marine species, for use in bogus 'medicine'—none of it proven to have any health benefits whatsoever. Save Our Species! Save our Sharks, seahorses, seals and other precious marine species. Save our Seas!