Museum of Science and Industry

WILD OCEAN IS A SPECTACULAR UNDERWATER ADVENTURE

NOW SHOWING AT THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY

CHICAGO (Oct. 13, 2008)—Wild Ocean is an action-packed, inspirational giant-screen documentary that explores the interplay between man and our endangered ocean ecosystem. The film, now playing at the Museum of Science and Industry's Omnimax® theater, highlights one of nature's greatest migration spectacles, plunging viewers into an underwater feeding frenzy—an epic struggle for survival where whales, sharks, dolphins, seals, gannets and billions of fish collide with the most voracious sea predator, mankind.

Filmed off the Wild Coast of South Africa and set to the rhythm of the local people, Wild Ocean reveals the economic and cultural impact of the ocean while celebrating the communal efforts to protect our invaluable marine resources. Wild Ocean will be shown on the Museum of Science and Industry's five-story, domed screen through May 24, 2009.

The film chronicles a massive annual feeding frenzy as billions of sardines travel up the KwaZulu-Natal shoreline, known to locals as the Wild Coast. For the people living along the African shore, this migration has provided a food source for countless generations while farther out at sea ocean predators come from great distances to feast. Bottlenose dolphins create superpods, thousands strong, to track down the huge shoals using sonar. Sharks sense blood in the water and join the hunt. Seals and common dolphins chase the fish from cooler currents up the coast into the warmer tropical waters. Diving birds, Cape Gannets, join the battle with aerial attacks from the sky. All of these animals are drawn to the scene, enmeshed in one of the most incredible mass feeding melees in the natural world. Eat—or get eaten.

Unfortunately such a richness of life is now rare in our seas. For centuries the ocean was considered a vast limitless resource. As fishing practices grew more industrialized and efficient throughout the 20th century, entire fish stocks around North America, Europe, and Asia began to collapse. The fish, hauled onto boats by the ton, were an integral part of a complex marine ecosystem, a link in a great food chain on which many predators depend. Eventually, entire fish species were decimated and the ocean predator populations went into a steep decline. Now a new threat, global climate change, threatens to further damage the fragile ocean ecology. While Wild Ocean explores the causes and effects of man's impact, it an inspirational film looking toward a bright future, taking audiences to a rare unspoiled marine wilderness to glimpse what the oceans of the world once looked like. The film champions the creation of marine reserves necessary to bring our oceans back to life. South Africa leads the way.

Wild Ocean is a timely and uplifting film that celebrates the life in our oceans, the animals that now depend on us to survive. It is a film about the people that come together to protect our world. Hope is alive on the Wild Coast, where Africa meets the sea.

About Wild Ocean

Wild Ocean is a production of Giant Screen Films and Yes/No Productions. The film is written and directed by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, the Academy Award® nominated creators of the international sensation STOMP. Cresswell and McNicholas have previously teamed with Giant Screen Films on the award-winning giant-screen film, Pulse: a STOMP Odyssey. Photography is by award-winning director of photography Reed Smoot, with underwater photography by D.J. Roller. Original music by Cresswell and McNicholas with sound design and mix by Mike Roberts and Brian Eimer.

About the Museum of Science and Industry

The Museum of Science and Industry’s mission is to inspire the inventive genius in everyone by presenting captivating and compelling experiences that are real and educational. Located at 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, the Museum is open every day of the year except December 25. Regular Museum hours are 9:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. The general admission pricing is $13 for adults, $12 for seniors and $9 for children ages 3 to 11. City of Chicago residents receive a discount on general admission. The Museum offers indoor parking and is accessible by CTA and Metra.  The Museum is supported in part through the generosity of the people of Chicago through the Chicago Park District. For more information, visit the Museum's Web site at www.msichicago.org or call (773) 684-1414 or (800) GO-TO-MSI outside of the Chicago. 

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Press Materials

• Wild Ocean Press Release (PDF)
• Wild Ocean Fact Sheet (PDF)

Images

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A close up of a Black Tip Shark as it anticipates the sardines.

Photo: Luke Cresswell

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Close up of a dolphin enjoying a meal.

Photo: Luke Cresswell

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