The series of four short videos is now part of the environmental campaign of the scientific project for the conservation of these species. The production was conceived as a participative video where Funk Productions provided training and production skills to the team, while researchers and locals filmed their activities on the ground and sent the footage electronically via ftp server.

Each film is intends to reach different audiences: general public (10 min), children (3 min), local community (4 min) and scientific community (11 min). The first three videos are in Spanish, while the last one is in English.

The music was composed, by Rene Veron -a very talented young composer based in New York- who worked hard to please Funk Productions, and played an important role to make each film special.

The 3D graphics based on the logo of The Last Survivors, was animated by MadMouse, giving a nice professional introduction and ending to the videos, both in English and Spanish.

The videos, now available at Vimeo and you-tube, are also being shown in the Island by the team.

About the project

In early 2009 a collaboration of UK and Dominican partners received a Darwin Initiative grant from the UK Government to run a three-year project based in the Dominican Republic to study the hutia and the solenodon, two very rare mammals.

These animals are the last survivors of a long list of endemic mammals, which populated the Caribbean, and were already there when the dinosaurs got extinct.

Scientists don’t know much about its ecology, distribution and behavior and the local people rarely see them, as they live in the forest and go out at night. The project will contribute to have a baseline to plan the future conservation plan for the species.

The main researchers involved in the project are Dr. Richard Young, Project Leader and representative of Durrell Wildlife, Jorge Brocca Assistant Project Leader and Director of Sociedad Ornitológica de la Hispañola, Dr Samuel Turvey, Conservation biologist and paleo-ecologist from The Zoological Society of London, Professor John Fa, scientific advisor from Durrell Wildlife and Dr Stephan Funk, geneticist and conservation biologist from Nature Heritage.

The project is being developed on the ground by a very committed group lead by Dr. José Núñez Miño (Durrell) and Pedro Martínez (SOH), in collaboration with representatives of ZooDom, the Minister of Environment of the Dominican Republic, a number of volunteers and trainees, and of course, the local communities.

Special support

These videos would have not been possible without the special support of BBC and the Dominican TV program Santo Domingo Invita, Jose Rafael Paula Sosa, who contributed providing very valuable footage, radio Cadena Nacional (Puerto Rico) who provided their studio and volunteer their time to record the voice over of each video; the Dominican Republic Consulate in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who offered an open door policy to support the films and Godwana das Prehistorium, in Germany, who open their gates to allow us to film “dinosaurs in the wild”.

The novel is being published every second week in her blog www.danielafunk.wordpress.com

In early 2009 a collaboration of UK and Dominican partners received a Darwin Initiative grant from the UK Government to run a three-year project based in the Dominican Republic to study the hutia and the solenodon, two very rare mammals.

This animals are the last survivors of a long list of endemic mammals which populated the Caribbean, and were already there when the dinosaurs got extinct.

Scientists don’t know much about its ecology and behaviour and the local people rarely see them, as they live in the forest and go out at night.

As part of the environmental education campaign we are producing -jointly with the researchers and the local community-  four short videos about these species.

Each film is intend to reach different audiences and everybody is participating in the production. Funk Productions is providing training and production skills, while researchers and locals are filming and organising activities.

We already started the post-production to put it all together in a professional format. The videos will be available early 2011 and will contribute to create environmental awareness for the protection of these very special animals.

Nature Heritage works with a wide range of associated professionals and partners and combines extensive expertise to protect, safeguard, and restore biological diversity and human culture.

Daniela Rusowsky, Director of Funk Productions, is now leading the communication strategy of the organisation.

For more information visit Nature Heritage’s website.

FUNK PRODUCTIONS is once again part of the official selection of BRANCHAGE -the Jersey International Film Festival- which will take place between the 23rd and the 26th of September.

The Documentary “Black Butter: tasting the past” will be screened on Saturday 25th of September at 11:00 AM the Jersey Arts Centre.

The documentary will be followed by the film World Class Jersey (Roland Topf, 30 min.) produced by Hall TV as part of a series dedicated to luxury traveling. This will add a very interesting perspective, as it will show two very different realities of Jersey’s life

Do not miss this fantastic opportunity to watch this documentary which shows Jersey’s cultural heritage at its best.

The Avant Premier of the documentary “Lé Nièr Beurre: un r’tûnfîn”  / “Black Butter: tasting the past”, is set for Thursday 10th of June at  5:30 PM at the Jersey Museum.

The evening will be host by Matthew Price, Assistant Editor at BBC Jersey and the attendants will enjoy a local produce catering, kindly sponsored by Genuine Jersey, which will include black butter tasting courtesy of La Mare Wine State.

If you would like to attend the event please contact Funk Productions. Only limited places for the general public.

The clip will be a trailer which will help to fundraise to produce the short documentary “Working Hand by hand” based on testimonies of volunteers, patients, permanent staff and relatives of the patients that will give a general view of the work of the Jersey Hospice Care and its history.

The testimonies will show a personal perspective, making clear that they are an institution that despite is dealing with very sad events and sensitive issues, is full of hope and compassion.

The short clip, which was kindly sponsored by Carey Olsen, will summarize the spirit of the film and will be available on the web.

Funk Productions, in collaboration with Brand Media, filmed for the first time in professional format, the complete process of this tasty apple spread, including the peeling of the apples, the stirring of  the mixture in the basin throughout the night till it was finally ready to put into jars.

This filming will be edited as a 30 minutes documentary that will show not only the technical process, it will reflect the community spirit of this event, which involves very dedicated people of all ages.

The short film Grass & Strass, directed and produced by Daniela Rusowsky, from Funk Productions, will be shown on Saturday 3rd of October at 01:00 PM at the Jersey Museum.

The film depicts the life of Cheryl Barr, a ballet teacher who lives in Trinity, where she also creates and designs beautiful colourful and shiny costumes for her students.

Cheryl Barr is originally from Scotland and at the age of seven she moved with her family to Jersey. She was born partially deaf and as a way to help her with her hearing development, her parents sent her to ballet classes.

These were the first steps of a passion that had to remain in silence for many years, but that today has transcended a generation, surrounded by grass and strass.

The film was produced by Funk Productions as a training experience for JDoc, the Jersey Documentary Film Group and part of the experimental project Jersey Inside Out, a visual and anthropological approach to film making.

BEFORE AND AFTER

“Grass & Strass” will be screened after the documentary “Only When I Dance” (2009, 78 min) directed by Beadie Finzie, about the life of youngsters from the most violent favela in Rio de Janeiro straddle two lives as they compete in the tightrope world of international dance schools. Only when I Dance, made under Channel 4’s Britdoc scheme, shows how an artistic calling can be imbued with life-and-death determination.

On the opportunity the short  Jersey produced documentary Me, myself and Marilyn  (Daya Dodds, 6 min) about Jersey resident David Gainsborough Roberts, who has a thing for Marilyn Monroe. His collection of Marilyn memorabilia is being exhibited for the first time at the Jersey Museum, to view daily during the Branchage Festival.

As a Pre Screening Entertainment Cally Noel who specialises in Celtic, Medieval and Tudor music, and continues to perform in many historic Chapels, Castles, Manor houses and modern locations all over Jersey.

• 1. Modernising the casting and portrayal of ethnic minorities in mainstream programming.
• 2. Sharing non-commercially sensitive research on cultural diversity.
• 3. Obtaining a comprehensive picture of ethnic minority employment in UK broadcasting.
• 4. Establishing industry standards for the collection of ethnic monitoring data.

Funk Productions committed to fulfil these goals in our recruitment policies and projects. In our declaration we stated that “Funk Productions recruit based on qualifications, experience and motivation lo learn and work together for a common goal. We believe that a multi-cultural team contributes to generate a creative and original work. This approach considers the organization as a whole, including executive levels. Our work is focus mainly in documentary filmmaking and we have a long track record in films where the local communities and native people have been actively involved. Our interest in cultural diversity is part of our current work and the future projects we are developing. Our work is oriented to promote the cultural diversity and tolerance, not only as films to be broadcasted, as a tool for visual anthropology projects.”