June 14, 2016—SK Films is pleased to announce that its next giant screen film Amazon Adventure has begun principal photography. This tri-lateral co-production (Canada-UK-Brazil) is being filmed in the Brazilian Amazon and in England.
Amazon Adventure tells the science adventure story of Henry Bates and his extraordinary 11-year journey through the Amazon as a young man in the 1850s who risked his life in his quest to understand and document nature. Despite being entirely self-taught, he made crucial contributions to evolutionary biology. While identifying 8,000 species new to science, he discovered the phenomenon of “Batesian” mimicry and provided to Charles Darwin the “beautiful proof” for what is widely considered the most important scientific explanation of the development of life on Earth—natural selection. This story will be told with the highest resolution, cutting-edge 3D technology that will capture the amazing Amazonian rainforest and remarkable examples of mimicry.
“We are thrilled to start work on this phenomenal story and look forward to introducing the world to the little known Henry Bates and his extraordinary contributions to science,” says Executive Producer and SK CEO Jonathan Barker. “The giant screen is the perfect medium to bring audiences to the Amazon and we hope to inspire the next generation of scientists through discovering Bates.”
Henry Bates will be portrayed by rising British actor Calum Finlay and the film will re-unite key members of the creative team behind SK’s hit film Flight of the Butterflies, including Director Mike Slee and SK’s Wendy MacKeigan (lead writer) and Jonathan Barker (lead Producer).
HHMI Tangled Bank Studios provided significant funding for SK to develop the film and is the film’s largest financier. HHMI Tangled Bank Studios is the division of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute dedicated to the creation and dissemination of media projects to advance science literacy and is headed by distinguished evolutionary biologist and author Dr. Sean B. Carroll, Co-Executive Producer of Amazon Adventure. Other major financing for the film has been obtained from Seattle’s Pacific Science Center, thanks to significant grants from the U.S. Government’s National Science Foundation and The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to support the key scientific ideas embedded in the project, specifically the presentation of the underlying biodiversity of the Amazon basin and the compelling history of important discoveries made in the Amazon that shape our understanding of mimicry and evolution by natural selection. The film has an Advisory Panel of world leaders in evolutionary biology and the history of science, and will be accompanied by a suite of educational resources and research into learning outcomes, under the management of the Pacific Science Center.
SK Films is the worldwide distributor of the film, which is slated for release in April, 2017.
About SK Films
SK Films is an award-winning creator and distributor of cutting edge 3D and 2D natural history and other fact-based content for multiple platforms from giant screen/IMAX® cinemas to mobile applications. Working with world-leading talent and with an unwavering commitment to quality, SK’s mission is to entertain and inspire audiences and immerse them in the awe and wonder of the world we live in. Visit http://skfilms.ca.
About HHMI Tangled Bank Studios: HHMI
Tangled Bank Studios is a production company established and funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as an extension of its longstanding science education mission. Dedicated to the creation of original science documentaries for broadcast, theatrical and digital distribution, the company’s award-winning programs address important contemporary issues and capture compelling stories of discovery across all branches of scientific inquire. For more information about HHMI Tangled Bank Studios please visit: www.tanglebankstudios.org.
About the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
HHMI is a leading private supporter of scientific research and education in the United States. Its scientists have made trailblazing discoveries that advance both human health and fundamental understanding of how life works, and have garnered 19 Nobel Prizes. Its BioInteractive division produces and provides educational media to millions of students across the globe, and its grants program aims to transform science education in universities and colleges into a creative, interdisciplinary endeavor that reflects the excitement of real research. For more information about BioInteractive, please visit www.hhmi.org/biointeractive. For more information about HHMI, please visit www.hhmi.org.
About National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent US federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. NSF funds reach all 50 united states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $593 million in professional and service contracts yearly.
About the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation believes in bold ideas that create enduring impact in the areas of science, environmental conservation and patient care. Intel co-founder Gordon and his wife Betty established the foundation to create positive change around the world and at home in the San Francisco Bay Area. Science looks for opportunities to transform – or even create – entire fields by investing in early-stage research, emerging fields and top research scientists. Our environmental conservation efforts promote sustainability, protect critical ecological systems and align conservation needs with human development. Patient care focuses on eliminating preventable harms and unnecessary health care costs by meaningfully engaging patients and their families in a redesigned, supportive health care system. For more information, please visit www.moore.org or follow @MooreFound.
About Pacific Science Center
Pacific Science Center began as the United States Science Pavilion during the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. Millions came to explore the wonders of science during the World’s Fair and upon closing ceremonies, the Science Pavilion was given new life as the private not-for-profit Pacific Science Center, becoming the first U.S. museum founded as a science and technology center. On July 22, 2010 Pacific Science Center was declared a City of Seattle Landmark. On October 22, 2012 Pacific Science Center celebrated making science fun for 50 years.
Source: SK Films
