A 30-minute nature documentary entitled ‘Grand Cayman’ which showcases the island’s varied and unique wildlife has been shown to the public for the first time.
Matt Stockreiter’s short film was screened live on YouTube on Thursday, 28 Sept., during global network Island Innovation’s free five-day online Virtual Island Summit.
He created it in his third year at Falmouth University, in part to draw attention to a range of conservational challenges facing the Cayman Islands.
Climate change and the clearing of land for development, both of which destroy protected mangroves and the blue iguana’s habitat, were two issues he highlighted.
Among the animals featured in the film are Sally Lightfoot crabs, damselfish, upside-down jellyfish, Caribbean sea hare, green iguanas, Cayman racer snakes and wild chickens.
‘Big blue lizards’
Guernsey-born Stockreiter, who used skilled camerawork and interwoven narratives to deliver his message, took part in a Q&A during the virtual premiere.
He told viewers that he first learned of Grand Cayman after reading about blue iguanas in National Geographic. He was fascinated by the “big blue lizards”, he said.
He learned about their decline and later conservation efforts to bring them back from the brink of extinction, and decided he needed to share that “visually iconic” story.
When he arrived in Cayman, the filmmaker said he was struck by how happy everyone was and the “sense of community”.
“Everyone was so connected,” he said.
Stockreiter explained that he chose the environment as his subject of interest because he grew up watching David Attenborough films on animal behaviour, such as the documentary series ‘Blue Planet’.
“I would put the disc in and sit for hours watching it,” he said. “As a kid, as soon as I saw that, I was like, I want to go out there and see that for myself.”
He said he also wanted to highlight the need for environmental preservation, adding, “I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I think it’s the most important thing to my mind.”
Stockreiter explained that he hoped people will watch his film, and care and understand about the topic, as well as have a desire to explore the world.
“Even if one person has a sense of what I had, just wanting to go explore, see something for themselves, or to tell a story… in my whole life that would be worth it, to be honest.”
Never too late
Asked what advice he would give to budding filmmakers, he said it is “never too late to start”, having the latest equipment is not important and just see what is out there.
“Even if you don’t even have a camera, I’d say go on a walk, see what interests you.” He suggested making a film for a conservation centre or conducting an interview to begin with.
“One of the most rewarding ways to start, is just to shoot even just a short sequence or go out and spend a bit of time looking at the light and working out compositions,” he said.
Island Innovation is a global network helping to advance innovation and drive sustainable change across islands worldwide.
It builds bridges between island stakeholders, policymakers, non-government organisations, private companies and sustainability experts to create more resilient and empowered island communities.
The session’s moderator, Sangeeta Laudus, an Island Innovation honorary ambassador, said she hoped the film, which captured the wildlife and natural beauty of Grand Cayman, will serve as an inspiration to other islanders to tell their stories.
The fifth Virtual Island Summit features free access to world-class experts and interactive sessions with a diverse group of attendees.
The film and Q&A can be viewed here.
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