Ocean Oasis DVD 2001 Oceán Oázis / Directed by Soames Summerhays, Michael Hager, Don Steele / Documentary about Mexico's Sea of Cortés and the Baja California desert.

UPC 5999543812230 / RCP623

REGION 2 PAL DVD  

MADE IN GERMANY

AUDIO: English 5.1, Hungarian 5.1

SUBTITLES: Hungarian, English

Total Runtime: 53 minutes

"A few very special places in the world are havens for life. Resources and shelter draw living creatures from far and near. These places are rare. We call them oases."

English Summary:

Ocean Oasis is a fascinating journey into the bountiful seas and pristine deserts of two remarkably different, but inextricably linked worlds - Mexico's Sea of Cortés and the Baja California desert.

Ocean Oasis, a giant-screen film, is a fascinating journey into the bountiful seas and pristine deserts of two remarkably different, but inextricably linked worlds — Mexico's Sea of Cortés and the Baja California desert.

What powerful geologic forces collided to carve out this unique region? What drives the strong currents that make this ocean so unusually rich in nutrients? How does life thrive in a seemingly barren landscape? Ocean Oasis mesmerizes us with revealing and memorable scenes that explore these mysteries.

Glide side-by-side with a graceful giant manta ray as it arches and swoops through water sparkling under the hot Baja California sun. Witness the pageant of migrating whales, the elaborate tango of courting terns, the battles of lumbering elephant seals. Fly over sweeping vistas of snow-capped mountains, vast deserts, palm oases, and mangrove swamps — then plunge into astonishing underwater sequences of rarely seen marine life.

In the making of this extraordinary film, a team of gifted and dedicated scientists explored unknown territories, sometimes at great personal risk. They trekked, flew, and dove to unveil intriguing secrets of isolated areas on land, in the air, and beneath the sea. Now audiences who would never otherwise see these remote wildernesses can experience their captivating beauty and elusive wildlife.

Ocean Oasis is both visually stunning and provocative, compelling in its message that this little-known region is a treasure worth preserving.

Proceeds from Ocean Oasis will support conservation, education, and research in the Baja California peninsula and the Sea of Cortés.

Hungarian Summary:

Két egymás melletti, ám egymástól gyökeresen eltérő világba kalauzol el a film: a mexikói Cortes-tengerhez és a kaliforniai öböl menti sivatagba. Milyen geológiai erők hozták létre ezeket az egyedülálló tájakat? Mi az oka annak, hogy errefelé a tenger a megszokottnál sokkalta gazdagabb tápanyagokban - és hogyan marad fenn az élet a szomszédban, egy puszta, holdbéli tájon?

THE FILMMAKERS:

Michael W. Hager, Ph.D., San Diego Natural History Museum, Executive Director

Dr. Michael W. Hager has been in the museum profession since 1965. He has served as a preparator, curator and director in a number of museums and has been a museum consultant for most of those years, as well. He was a professor of geology at Augustana College (1973-78), the director of the Museum of the Rockies (1978-89), director of the Virginia Museum of Natural History (1989-91), and is currently executive director of the San Diego Natural History Museum.

At the San Diego Natural History Museum, Dr. Hager led strategic planning efforts in 1991-92 that resulted in focusing the Museum's programs on Southern California and the Baja California peninsula, the founding of the Environmental Science Education Center and the Biodiversity Research Center of the Californias, and a capital campaign for the construction of an addition that will more than double the Museum's present size. Dr. Hager serves on the boards of the Elementary Institute of Science and Harborside School. He is the head of the Cultural Committee of the Binational Committee of Education and Culture (San Diego/Tijuana), and president of the Association of Science Museum Directors.

Dr. Hager earned a B.A. in biology from Grinnell College and a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Wyoming. His academic specialty is paleontology, and his administrative specialty is strategic planning and development.

Soames Summerhays, Producer/Director, Summerhays Films, Inc.

Born and educated in the United Kingdom, Soames Summerhays has, from his earliest years, had an absorbing interest in the natural world. He has a Bachelor's degree in biology, and later specialized in marine biology during his postgraduate studies. Early in his career he began leading expeditions worldwide and lecturing on subjects of natural history, historical and anthropological interest. In the course of a decade he led more than 100 expeditions to remote parts of the world, from Pole to Pole. Subsequently, he worked as a scientist and administrator for the Australian Government setting up Marine Parks along the Great Barrier Reef. During this period he published many articles in popular science journals and trade magazines and has been a contributing author to a number of books.

Soames Summerhays film making career began in 1979, with the IMAX® production of The Great Barrier Reef. Subsequently, he started Summerhays Films in 1985. He has produced and directed many large format films for destination theaters, IMAX® theaters, theme parks and world expositions and is the recipient of many awards. His other IMAX® film credits include Darwin on the Galapagos, Seasons, and Ring of Fire. Currently in production, his company is producing a large format (1570) film on Yosemite for the Giant Screen Theater Association.

Don Steele, Co-executive Producer/Line Producer/Marketing and Distribution, Summerhays Films, Inc.

Don Steele, executive producer and business manager for Summerhays Films, Inc., has over 30 years of experience in the development and management of successful business enterprises. Associated with Summerhays Films since 1987, he has provided his expertise in marketing, promotion, sales, finance, and general management for several large-format film productions. He currently oversees the firm’s needs for marketing and general management.

With a reputation as a manager with the capability to create and develop the sales and marketing, Don has lent his talents to numerous companies that include start-ups and spin-offs. Companies benefiting from his expertise include Control Data Corporation, K-D Products, US Connect, Impact Solutions, Inc., AUDRE, and Sonant Corporation in which he has held leadership positions.

Don has a Bachelor of Science degree in business management, with emphasis in marketing and finance, from San Diego State University.

James Neihouse, Director of Photography

James Neihouse has worked as Director, Director of Photography or Cameraman on over 20 15/70 (70MM IMAX® - IMAX® Dome) films, as well as numerous features, commercials, industrial/educational/documentaries, entertainment/music videos, and news/feature stories. His current projects include Director of Photography for BEARS, The Jane Goodall Story, YOSEMITE, The Worlds Games, Astronaut Training Manager and Director of Photography for The International Space Station IMAX 3D movie, and Michael Jordan —To The MAX.

His awards and honors include: New York Festivals Award Gold World Medal 1995, for Best Camerawork on Electric Skies for The Learning Channel. Destiny In Space received a First Place "Gold Camera Award" from U.S. International Film and Video Festival. Destiny In Space received a Gold Medal in the Flight & Space Travel category from Worldfest Houston. The Eruption of Mount St. Helens was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Documentary, 1980.

Born and raised in Paris, Arkansas he attended Brooks Institute of Photography, 1974 -1976, graduating with a Bachelor's degree with a double major in industrial photography and color technology with a minor in undersea technology. He currently lives in Rockledge, Florida, with his family and is the owner of Shot in the Dark Productions and Neihouse Films, film and video production companies.

FILM CREDITS:

Produced and Directed by
Soames Summerhays

Executive Producers
Michael Hager & Don Steele

Co-Producer & Distributor
Don Steele

Associate Producer
Exequiel Ezcurra

Director of Cinematography, Terrestrial
James Neihouse

Director of Cinematography, Marine
Bob Cranston

Editor
Mark Fletcher

Original Music
Alan Reeves

Script Writer
Michael Parfit

The Producers wish to thank the following for their support
Mexico's Secretary of the Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries
Julia Carabias Lillo
Permits
SEMARNAP
INAH
Secretario de Turismo de Baja California
Juan B. Tintos Funcke
Baja California Film Commission
American Museum of Natural History
California Science Center
Centro Cultural Tijuana
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Entergy IMAX Theater - Audubon Institute
Maritime Center at Norwalk, Inc.
Museum Of Science & Industry, Tampa
Pacific Science Center, Seattle
Papalote Museo Del Niño, Mexico City
Science World British Columbia, Vancouver

Made Possible By
Almacenes Coppel, S.A.
Familia Luken Garza
Fundación Mexicana para Educación Ambiental, A.C.
Pulsar, S.A.
Walton Family Foundation

Produced For CinemaCorp of the Californias
Gaston Luken Aguilar, Chairman
Michael Hager, President
Enrique Hambleton, Secretary
Steven McDonald
James Clements
Rodolfo Ogarrio
Dieter Holtz Wedde
Richard Benard, Chief Financial Officer

Produced and Distributed by
Summerhays Films, Inc.
San Diego, California

Film by Eastman Kodak

Filmed in IMAX®