NOW IS THE TIME TO PLEDGE

- KICKSTARTER -

If you've been following my blog or website, you're well aware that I'm trying to raise the funds to finish an exciting new doc on a nesting pair of Osprey down on the Kalamazoo River. 

Well, the countdown has begun. In a matter of hours, minutes, seconds, our campaign will come to a close. If we don't raise $25,000 by 11pm, March 1st, we won't receive a single cent! That's the way all-or-nothing funding works. 

Will we reach our goal? Is it worth the time to pledge? The answer is potentially YES! But only if everybody kicks in now, in this final stretch. 

And don't worry about the risk. If we don't reach our goal, your credit-card will not be charged. You'll get your money back.

So, seriously consider supporting this entirely home-grown documentary about our own family of Osprey and our dear Kalamazoo River.

Our hopes are in your hands. Let's hatch this doc!

Aldo and the Stewards

The Stewards of Kleinstuck are hosting a screening of the documentary Green Fire, about the legendary environmentalist, Aldo Leopold, this Saturday, February 25th at 5 & 7pm at the Little Theater in Kalamazoo.

Aldo's Sand County Almanac inspired me greatly during the making of my urban wildlife documentary, ANIMALS AMONG US. That's why I'm especially interested in seeing this doc and learning more about the man behind the words and thoughts. 

I highly recommend this event to anyone who considers themselves green or an environmentalist. Actually, I recommend this event to anyone alive. Because, to be alive is to be a part of the landscape.

PLEDGE PARTY SUNDAY

This Sunday, February 26th, we're having a pledge party for anyone interested in learning more about the documentary and the Kickstarter fundraiser. 


It's geared specifically towards people uncomfortable or unfamiliar with pledging online. So, if you're a self proclaimed luddite, or just plain uneasy about using your credit card online, we can guide you through the entire process and make it an entirely painless experience. 


We can also address any questions people have about the fundraiser, Kickstarter, or the documentary. There is a lot going on with the project.


The event is at the Kalamazoo Nature Center from 2-4pm and is totally free. We'll have coffee, cider, cake AND a gift basket from Kalamazoo's own Nature Connection, located down in the Epic Center on the Kalamazoo Mall. That basket will be gifted to whoever makes the biggest pledge during our event, in addition to the regular pledge rewards!

The Word is Getting Out - Pledges Coming In

Second Wave of Kalamazoo just ran a nice piece on our project and fundraiser. You can read it HERE.

Hitting the Radio Waves

We had a real nice segment about HOPE HATCHES run on WMUK (NPR in Kalamazoo) today. Big thanks to Rebecca Thiele and the crew down there. The interview featured a short account of how I first "discovered" the Osprey nest. A story that hadn't been told until now!


Click HERE to listen.


Click HERE to pledge!

Time is Tickin'!

We got off to a great start folks with our Kickstart, but have a long ways to go! But we can do it - it's all about quantity with Kickstarter. If enough people pledge, even in $25, $50 amounts, it starts to add up. But we need your pledge!


Consider a $25 pledge: in return you receive a DVD of the finished doc - a $20 value. You've essentially just purchased a DVD in advance, which in turn helps generate the capital we need up front to produce the documentary.


For those who aren't familiar with Kickstarter, it's all-or-nothing funding. Meaning, if we don't reach our $25k goal, we get nothing and no money changes hands (your credit card won't be charged). In that respect, there's no risk. 


So, don't hesitate. If you want to see this project happen, now is the time to donate!


Click HERE to pledge.

WE'VE LAUNCHED!

WE DID IT! We launched our KICKSTARTER Fundraiser! 

Got our glitches sorted out with Amazon. We're up and rolling!

Stop reading and click HERE to check it out.

KICKSTARTING Our Osprey

If you've been following my blog, you're well aware of my efforts to document the Kalamazoo River Osprey. With the birds presently vacationing in South America, I've been busy getting everything in order for their return in late March or early April. That includes raising funds to finish the film!


We've decided to go with the amazing new website, KICKSTARTER, as our fundraising engine. It's a new and exciting way to connect donors with important and creative projects. We'll be launching our campaign in early February and it'll run until March 1st. 


Moneys raised will help finance more filming of the birds when they return; conducting interviews with biologists, including reknowned Osprey expert, Sergej Postupalski; editing and preparing the video for a premiere and broadcast on WGVU; and purchasing a nest-cam for a new nesting platform that John Brenneman of the Kalamazoo Nature Center is constructing in conjunction with Georgia Pacific who owns the property.


The beauty of KICKSTARTER is that it makes fundraising collaborative and fun. The other selling point for people are the rewards that come with the different pledge amounts. We're cooking up some enticing gifts ourselves, all relating to the osprey.


So, stay tuned for the official launch and a link to our homepage on KICKSTARTER.

21st Century Landscapes

I'm proud to announce that the two photos below were recently accepted into a photo exhibit at Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey, Michigan. The opening is January 21st. Come join us if you can.

The show is an exhibit for all genres and themes of photography, so I felt as though I needed pictures that transcend the wildlife genre and speak to broader themes.

I chose these two images because they capture that constantly shifting intersection of the natural world and the human-made world. For me, this is the modern, ecological frontier, where the adaptive capacity of all species is being tested by our relentless transformation of the planet. The deer and the red-tailed hawk for instance are actually doing extremely well - but some animals simply aren't.

But good or bad, I'm searching for the beauty--and life--in our 21st century landscapes. I guess if there's an animal living/surviving in an altered landscape, there is an iota of hope. And where there's hope, there's beauty.

More Snowy

Snowy Owls are the buzz across the nation. 

Here's an NPR article.