Getting My Goats

Thanks to Alastair's contacts at the Auckland Regional Council, I talked to the man who manages the Sentinel Goat Program at The Hunua Ranges Regional Park (Sentinel is the newer name for the Judas Goat Technique, being non-denominational and all). He seems really into the idea of a documentary on the program. Three times a year they close down the park and bring in the Sentinel Conservation Team. If everything works out the documentarians would be considered part of the team and given full access. I'm really stoked. There are other places in New Zealand that also do Sentinel Technique work that are closer to Dunedin (The Hunuas are up near Auckland on the North Island), but look how gorgeous this range is:

The Hunuas

But, even if the Hunuas program doesn't work out, there are other options yet to be explored and everywhere in New Zealand has fantastic scenery.

I'm seeing the potential for this film grow and grow. It gets me energized and excited, and I think it will do the same for others.

Please leave me some comments on whether or not you think this story would make a good film. I think there is a lot of potential for a action-conservation movie with a sting operation aspect to it and hopefully great characters.

In It For The Wild Life

So by now, most of the other classmates have blogged about our trip to Victory Beach to film Sea Lions and Yellow-Eyed Penguins. It was a really good day, even though there was just 1 sea lion, 1 very ill leopard seal. But there were a bunch of penguins, which was really cool because I've never seen wild penguins before (as is often the case when you spend most of your life in the Northern Hemisphere).
Be sure to check out Kat and Sarah's blogs(Update: check Alastair's too), they have great pictures.

Blog and Ye Shall Receive

Initially, some members of this class were a bit apprehensive about sharing their doco ideas with the whole interweb. There was a fear that someone will steal our great ideas. Well, I threw my favorite idea out in my last post and the response has been great.

First, Alastair left a comment that not only informed me that the 'Judas Technique' is a New Zealand thing, he gave me a link to a website I hadn't come across in all my Google searches for combinations of "Judas" "Goat" "Technique" and "Helicopter."

Alastair, who is a filmmakers best friend - not only well informed and well connected, but generous with both - also gave me the hook up with a contact at the DOC office that covers Molesworth Station(where the technique has recently been used)and inquired with an acquaintance in Auckland to see if the technique is still being used there.

Next, in today's class Nick mentioned that an idea he is actively perusing has a possible Judas Technique tie in.

I've had the general idea for this documentary in the back of my mind since last October and it's really cool to see some of the pieces start to come together.

So, I say put your big ideas out there. You aren't gonna get any help if no one knows what you have going on, and you can't do it all yourself.

New Podcast Recommendation:

• Here's another one from my fave,KCRW: Politics of Culture. Especially check out the episode from Tuesday, 8 August : The Long Tail