Scuba Diver Ocean Planet Issue 2/2016 | Page 63

FILM FESTIVAL www.adex.asia 5 the successful protest to shut down The Hump restaurant in California – which was illegally selling whale meat. Seeing the power of this medium, Louie thought, why not take it to an entirely new level and reach millions of people? Teaming up with Travis Threlkel of Obscura Digital, a plan was set in motion to project threatened species and climate change imagery on some of the world’s most iconic buildings.” Initially, there was some concern about aggravating the authorities by projecting imagery in public locations, but the messaging was not designed to incite a public disturbance, so the police generally did not interfere. For the biggest projection venues – like the Empire State Building in New York – full permission was secured beforehand. And what about that “pimped-out” Tesla? Well, if James Bond were to decide to turn his attentions to bringing environmental villains to justice, he would surely drive the modified, technology-packed Tesla Model S that features in the film. “The Tesla is a fully electric and incredible work of engineering unto itself,” enthuses Shawn. “Louie chose to take it to the next level again, turning it into a global ambassador for solar-powered automobiles. Super-cool “gadgets” include: electroluminescent paint, a high-powered pop-up projector, and an integrated infrared camera capable of capturing imagery of carbon dioxide emissions.” Above all, when Racing Extinction screens at the ADEX 2016 Film Festival in Singapore, Shawn hopes the film inspires individuals to make a personal contribution to effecting change. “The power of the film,” asserts Shawn, “is that it shows that even one passionate person, or a small group, can make a real difference and turn the tide on critical issues related to species extinction and even climate change.” SDOP FILM FESTIVAL Racing Extinction Presented by Shawn Heinrichs