We are announcing the start of a new documentary on the Intracoastal lagoons of Florida!
One of my favorite things about living in Florida might surprise you because it is not the beach. While I love the beach for all it has to offer, I prefer the lagoon. It's peaceful, calm, and quiet. It's less trafficked by tourists. It's also full of secrets that can only be discovered by boat or in my case, canoe. So, when EGAD (Eau Gallie Art District) came to us to help them with the execution of an artistic and musical endeavor on the lagoons called, Sounds of the Lagoon. We were all in (see details).
In April, creative director Kathie Elias with EGAD commissioned Endless Media with the task of creating a documentary short on the composition of an original piece of music by composer, Luis Quintana. The piece was focused on the bioluminescence that happens in the summer months around the lagoon. With funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and Exploration Arts! fund at the Community Foundation for Brevard, the team at EGAD was planning an event in Eau Gallie Square Park where maestro Christopher Confessore with the Brevard Symphony Orchestra would perform the musical piece. To compliment and add context, our job was to create a short film to unfold more on the process of creating the piece and tell a little of the story of the project.
From the moment we were commissioned to start work, my colleague Jesse McMinn, and myself, set out to capture rare and unique moments in the lagoon. Traveling as far north as the Cape Canaveral National Sea Shore and as far south as Sabastian Inlet. We worked to find the rare and unique moments that represented the natural beauty. In our time out in the water we captured a large variety of avians, including; reddish & snowy egrets, great blue herons, double-crested cormorants, and roseate spoonbill. In addition to this, we filmed manatees, dolphins, and horseshoe crabs along with sunsets, sunrises, and lightning storms. At one point, during a day trip by canoe into the National Sea Shore, we were followed by a manatee for some 15 minutes that was pushing the boat. We were all pretty excited. From the inspiring experience of capturing those unique and beautiful moments, something new was born inside of me. An idea began to brew to tell the personal stories of the lagoon's past, present, and future. A project that brings to life the stories of people who knew it when it was a thriving fishery, and have seen its decline and slow recovery. Meeting with our first subject, Laurilee Thompson, owner of Dixie Crossroads, we began to uncover things we'd never known about the waters and things that need to be told.
With hopes of uncovering Super 8 footage (old video) and photos from the '60s & '70s, we have begun to connect with stakeholders, influencers, and environmental groups to learn of the stories and shape a treatment on the topic. Over the next few months, we aim to begin the process of applying for funding to help provide the resources we need to capture the footage and tell the story both regionally, statewide, and nationally. It will be hard work, and at times controversial as all environmental topics seem to be, but in the end, we believe it will pay off for an amazing story and hopefully a brighter future.
For all those readers who are local to the area and may know someone who grew up here, please reach out and so that we can learn about their story and relationship to the lagoon. For everyone else interested in supporting the project please continue to follow us on social media (links below) for updates and opportunities to get involved. Thanks for reading!
