[Coral-List] CARIBBEAN UNDERWATER SHORT FILM SERIES ON CBS TV2 NEWS

[For The Sea Productions]

In an effort to educate the Virgin Islands community about our expansive and diverse marine environment, For The Sea Productions is proud to present “Learning to Sea – in the USVI,” a 13 episode series. Each three-minute episode features a close look at a marine animal in its natural habitat. This underwater experience from the USVI’s backyard will be featured on Virgin Islands local news, and started on Wednesday, July 6th 2011 and continues each Wednesday for thirteen weeks. The series was filmed in the waters of the Virgin Islands, and is accompanied by narration and original music composed to picture by local artists.  A link to view the current week’s segment is available at www.ForTheSea.com and please log back next week to experience the new episode. 

St. Thomas based international award-winning underwater filmmaker Ziggy Livnat created the short film series.  Ziggy and his team acquired the unique footage for this project over the past 18 months, which required many hours in Virgin Islands waters, often at night, and at depths of up to 150 feet.  He also joined the UVI marine research team to acquire some of the footage needed for the project.
Livnat founded For The Sea Productions to produce powerful visual experiences that raise public awareness of the beauty and fragility of the marine environment, especially coral reefs. He is a photographer, filmmaker, conservationist, and educator who has devoted his career to the protection of the marine environment, and knows from experience that a fusion of art and science greatly influences social change.  “Learning to Sea – The USVI” is a result of collaborations between For The Sea Productions, UVI’s Sea Grant Marine Outreach Program and the Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, VI-EPSCoR, NSF, Coral World, VI Lottery and VIERS.
This locally based campaign follows on the heels of a Public Service Announcement entitled “Caribbean Marine Etiquette”, released by For The Sea Productions and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration in April 2011. The PSA inspires visitors to Caribbean islands to become stewards of the marine environment, instilling them with important messages such as “Leave Paradise in its Place.”  The PSA is available free to educators and the tourism industry at www.ForTheSea.com. 

We would like to invite you to tune in and catch the current episode each week on the web at www.ForTheSea.com.