Fantastic Fungi - a film by Louie Schwartzberg

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$109,387 pledged of $100,000 goal

This project will be funded on Sat, Apr 11 2015 1:59 AM EST.

Support our life-affirming, climate-changing, bee-saving film about mushrooms, featuring Paul Stamets and produced by Lyn Lear.
Los Angeles, CA Documentary

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Fantastic Fungi

fantasticfungi.com

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About this project

Help us reach our stretch goal of $125,000. The additional funding will give us the budget we need to film time-lapse of mycelium, giving the perspective of lifting up the forest floor to reveal the mysteries of this underground network.

An all-star team of artists, scientists, doctors and explorers are joining forces to create a life-affirming, mind-bending film about the mushroom and its mysterious root-like structure: mycelium. What they reveal will blow your mind, and possibly save the planet. Join us in this Year of Soils (as declared by the United Nations) to learn more about this critical solution for climate change.

Here's Louie Schwartzberg and Paul Stamets discussing the film:

Fantastic Fungi is an important scientific exploration and visual journey through the exotic, little-known realm of fungi, directed by Louie Schwartzberg, an award-winning master of nature imagery, special-effects cinematography and storytelling that is both informative and inspiring.

We begin with our cameras exploring a vast and startling realm. We discover fungi’s enormity; the largest organism on the planet is a 2,200+ acre mycelium fungal mat more than two thousand years old! We experience their beauty; our cameras capture jewel-like mushrooms in countless shapes and in brilliant colors, from pink and yellow to turquoise. And, ultimately, we realize fungi’s potential; the film takes us on a journey that reveals mycelium as the key to the regeneration of our living planet.

Mesmerizing time-lapse imagery reveals their remarkable toughness, as mushrooms power up through dead wood and stone-hard asphalt. As we watch fungi turn solid rock into soil, we grasp a key mechanism of life on Earth: fungi are not just decomposers, but composers continually producing the ingredients of new life, sustaining our ecosystem.

But these small, mighty miracles don’t stop there. The complex chemistry of mycelium produces antibiotics powerful enough to prevent many diseases and to stop pandemics, even an E.coli or smallpox attack by terrorists. Legendary researcher Paul Stamets explains, “Our strongest existing antibiotics come from fungi. They fight off the same microbes we do with defenses we can use.”

Paul goes on to explain that expanding fungi-generated soils around the world could absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide and help control climate change. These organisms can be fantastic allies in our efforts to protect ourselves and to rejuvenate our entire ecosphere.

YES! An artistically-shot, scientifically-sound, life-affirming film about mycelium: the incredible, intelligent network under our feet that has the proven ability to restore our ecosystem, repair our health, and resurrect our symbiotic relationship to nature. Fantastic Fungi aspires to be an educational, inspirational, and ultimately critical film that explores the uses and benefits of fungi in three critical areas.

First, we uncover the research that shows mycelium as a viable alternative to western pharmacology, including treatment for breast cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and PTSD. Second, we reveal studies that point to mycelium as a solution to our gravest environmental challenges, such as toxic oil spills and colony collapse disorder. Finally, we marvel at mycelium's proven benefit on shifting consciousness and aiding in deep personal transformation. The research, discoveries, and anecdotal evidence we've gathered is astounding, particularly when shared through Louie’s visual storytelling.

Here's a sneak peak of our movie poster. Special thank you to Marianna Armata's photography. (Ooohhhh and aaaaahs are totally appropriate): 

You’re a filmmaker and you have a Hollywood producer? Why are you doing a Kickstarter campaign?

Simply put, big studios won’t make the film that needs to be made, can’t tell the story that needs to be told and aren't bold enough to create the change necessary to shift our climate and consciousness. Through Kickstarter, we can reach engaged citizens like you who are motivated to create meaningful change and who want to be a part of this revolution. When you vote with your dollar, you send a message about what you value. This is how we ignite meaningful change.

Mushrooms are mighty miracles that deserve a mighty film - a film that can only be told from the front lines, from the doctors, scientists, and artists who have learned the language of nature. Together we can create the shift in consciousness needed to restore our planet. 

Louie Schwartzberg (Director, Cinematographer), brought you Wings of Life, a Disneynature film about pollination narrated by Meryl Streep, the 3D IMAX Mysteries of the Unseen World currently playing worldwide in collaboration with National Geographic and narrated by Forest Whitaker, and the ground-breaking Ultra HD nature series, Moving Art, on Netflix. Louie is a master at making the invisible visible, unveiling the mysteries that are beyond human vision. He’s the recipient of two Clio Awards for Environmental PSA, an Emmy Nomination for Best Cinematography, The NAACP Pollinator Protector Award, the Jackson Hole Media Science Award for Best Immersive Cinema for Mysteries of the Unseen World, Best Theatrical Film for Wings of Life at the Jackson Hole Science Media Awards, Best Moving Picture Award from the Heartland Film Festival for America’s Heart & Soul, and Best Film Inspiration at the Ocean Film Festival for Gratitude. He was recognized as one of the "Top 70 Cinematographers" for the Kodak On Film Salute Series. He has wowed audiences on stages across the globe including TED, Bioneers, NASA and Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday. Louie directed and Lyn Lear produced What’s Possible to open the UN Climate Summit in New York, and A World of Solutions for the UN climate Summit in Lima. His three TED talks have been viewed over 45MM times worldwide.

Paul Stamets, the leading mycologist in his field, has discovered and coauthored several new species of mushrooms and pioneered countless techniques in the field of mushroom cultivation. Recipient of the Bioneers Award, the Founder of a New Northwest Award and National Geographic Adventure Magazine's Green-Novator and the Argosy Foundation's E-chievement Awards. He was also named one of Utne Reader's "50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World”. In 2014, Paul was chosen to be an "Invention Ambassador" by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the largest and most prestigious scientific organization in the world.

Here's Paul talking about his hat, made 100% from mushrooms:

ORIGINAL: Kickstarter

by Fantastic Fungi

TEDxSF - Louie Schwartzberg - Gratitude

ORIGINAL: TEDxSF

Louie Schwartzberg is an award-winning cinematographer, director, and producer whose notable career spans more than three decades providing breathtaking imagery for feature films, television shows, documentaries and commercials.

This piece includes his short film on Gratitude and Happiness. Brother David Steindl-Rast's spoken words, Gary Malkin's musical compositions and Louie's cinematography make this a stunningly beautiful piece, reminding us of the precious gift of life, and the beauty all around us.

As a visual artist, Louie has created some of the most iconic and memorable film moments of our time. He is an innovator in the world of time-lapse, nature, aerial and "slice-of-life" photography - the only cinematographer in the world who has literally been shooting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week continuously for more than 30 years.

Louie was recognized as one of the top 70 Cinematographers for the On Film Kodak Salute Series. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

Louie is credited by many with pioneering the contemporary stock footage industry by founding Energy Film Library, a global company with a network of 12 foreign offices, which was acquired by Getty Images in 1997. Motion picture clients of his cinematic artistry include Sex in the City, The Bourne Ultimatum, Die Hard 4, Syriana, Crash, Men in Black and classics such as American Beauty, Koyaanisqatsi and E.T. among others. 

Louie went on to found BlackLight Films, a creative production company specializing in producing original theatrical feature, large format films, HD and TV programming.

In 2004, BlackLight Films completed production of the theatrical feature film, America's Heart & Soul, distributed theatrically by Walt Disney Pictures. In 2006, BlackLight Films completed a series of HD shorts, Louie Films, for the launch of Buena Vista Home Entertainment's Blu-Ray DVD releases. In 2007, the company produced a 1-hour special, Chasing the Light, which aired nationally on PBS.

Past projects include the 35mm film Seasons of the Vine for Disney's California Adventure Theme Park and a 26-half hour series, America!, for The Hallmark Channel.

Louie has won two Clio Awards for Best Environmental Broadcast Spot, an Emmy nomination for Best Cinematography for the Discovery Channel Special, Oceans of Air, and the Heartland Film Festival's Truly Moving Picture Award for Walt Disney Pictures' feature film release America's Heart & Soul. 

Louie completed production on a feature length nature documentary, Wings of Life, to be theatrically released worldwide, under Walt Disney Pictures' new production banner, Disneynature. The film was released in France (March 2011) under the title Pollen and won the Roscar Award for Best Cinematography at the 2011 Wild Talk Africa Film Festival. 

Louie spoke at the TED 2011 conference in Long Beach, CA and has been a regular presenter at the annual Bioneers Conference in San Francisco. Currently, Louie is in production with National Geographic to produce Hidden Worlds, a 3D Imax film.

event video by: http://repertoireproductions.com/

Fantastic Fungi: The Forbidden Fruit

ORIGINAL: Moving Art



Earlier this month I had the opportunity to complete a second interview with legendary mycologist Paul Stamets. For those of you who don’t know who he is, Paul has discovered and coauthored four new species of mushrooms, pioneered countless techniques in the field of edible and medicinal mushroom cultivation, and written six books about mushroom cultivation. He sees the ancient Old Growth forests of the Pacific Northwest as a resource of incalculable value.

I traveled to Cortes Island in British Columbia, Canada and getting to this remote island location with my equipment was an enormous challenge. I had a two man crew (myself and a camera assistant) and we hauled 6 cameras and hundreds of pounds of equipment on two flights and 3 ferries, taking about a day and a half just to get to the location. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote “Patience and fortitude conquer all things”, and this was true of my experience.

We got some fantastic footage of Paul Stamets as we hiked and bushwhacked into the deep forest.  

His knowledge is fascinating and inspiring. The footage is processing in the edit bay and I hope to start looking at dailies in the next week. From there we will begin to build the documentary film Fantastic Fungi: The Forbidden Fruit. I have posted an excerpt of the film, which doesn’t yet have any of the new footage included but gives an idea about the film’s concept. I’ve also included some behind the scene photos of Paul and I filming on Cortes.

Enjoy,

Louie

An excerpt from the feature documentary by Louie Schwartzberg following notable mycologist, Paul Stamets, as he discusses the important role mushrooms play in the survival and health of the earth and human species.

La belleza oculta de la polinización

ORIGINAL: BrainPickings TED

por Maria Popova

Ya nos hemos maravillado de la belleza macro de polen, el  mecanismo de la naturaleza para hacer el amor. La película de Louie Schwartzberg "Alas de Vida" - un homenaje a "la historia de amor que alimenta a la Tierra", inspirada en la preocupante desaparición de las abejas, cupidos insustituibles de la naturaleza - nos llega esta impresionante montaje de imágenes de alta velocidad, dejando al descubierto la intrincada belleza de la polinización:

La polinización: es vital para la vida en la Tierra, pero en gran parte invisible para el ojo humano. El cineasta Louie Schwartzberg nos muestra el intrincado mundo de polen y polinizadores con magníficas imágenes de alta velocidad de la película "Alas de la Vida", inspirada en la desaparición de uno de los polinizadores primarios de la naturaleza, la abeja melífera.

Schwartzberg contextualiza las imágenes en su charla del TED 2011:

Para un momento relacionado con la humildad, disfrute de la charla movimiento y gratificante de Schwartzberg en TEDxSF  - es verdaderamente extraordinaria en 03:55:

"¿Crees que esto es sólo otro día en tu vida?. No es sólo otro día - que es el día que te ha sido dado. Que dispongas de él , es un regalo. Es el único regalo que tienes ahora, y la única respuesta apropiada es la gratitud. Si no haces nada distinto a cultivarlo es la respuesta al gran regalo que es este día único, si aprendes a responder aél como si fuera el primer día en su vida, y el último día, entonces habrás pasado el día de hoy también. "

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Louie Schwartzberg is an award-winning cinematographer, director and producer who captures breathtaking images that celebrate life -- revealing connections, universal rhythms, patterns and beauty.

Why you should listen to him:

Louis Schwartzberg's notable career spans feature films, television shows, commercials and documentaries. He won two Clio Awards for TV advertising, including best environmental broadcast spot, an Emmy nomination for best cinematography and the Heartland Film Festival's Truly Moving Picture Award for the feature film “America’s Heart & Soul.” Schwartzberg founded Moving Art to use the power of media to inspire and entertain through television programming, DVD products, and full-length motion picture and IMAX films. His new film "Wings of Life" will be released by Disneynature.

"The secret lives of bats, butterflies, hummingbirds, and bumblebees come to life before our eyes as Schwartzberg and his talented team highlight how the determination and interdependence of these diminutive creatures somehow keep our chaotic world in balance."Jason Buchanan, Rovi