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MIDWAY
The MIDWAY media project is a powerful visual journey into the heart of an astonishingly symbolic environmental tragedy. On one of the remotest islands on our planet, tens of thousands of baby albatrosses lie dead on the ground, their bodies filled with plastic from the Pacific Garbage Patch. Returning to the island over several years, our team is witnessing the cycles of life and death of these birds as a multi-layered metaphor for our times. With photographer Chris Jordan as our guide, we walk through the fire of horror and grief, facing the immensity of this tragedy—and our own complicity—head on. And in this process, we find an unexpected route to a transformational experience of beauty, acceptance, and understanding.
We frame our story in the vividly gorgeous language of state-of-the-art high-definition digital cinematography, surrounded by millions of live birds in one of the world’s most beautiful natural sanctuaries. The viewer will experience stunning juxtapositions of beauty and horror, destruction and renewal, grief and joy, birth and death, coming out the other side with their heart broken open and their worldview shifted. Stepping outside the stylistic templates of traditional environmental or documentary films, MIDWAY will take viewers on a guided tour into the depths of their own spirits, delivering a profound message of reverence and love that is already reaching an audience of tens of millions of people around the world.
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37 Comments
Hello.
Thanks for making us watch the consequences of our consommation’s habits.
I maybe have a stupid question but still. I saw that you are making a movie which is a really important mission. But is there now a project to clean up the plastic mess? And to heal the birds?
Thank you for your answer,
Karina
Hello, I am wondering when the film will be available for purchase on DVD. Thank you and great work!
Best,
Carlin
Impresionate fotografía .. Terriblemente triste lo que hemos hecho …. Muy triste
Hey Chris I found this very interesting your project and thought it would be a good idea if you do a project like this here in Brazil. what do you think? I’ve seen here in Brazil several problems of environmental issues and projects like this if we had her, this would be a better parent, because they stop to think that Brazil today can be considered the “salvation” of the world as it is here that focuses most variety of both animal and plant species, at least open the head of us inhabitants of this country for our planet is running out, so show us what true reality, that reality that the planet will not last forever, that instead of worrying about money and greed, we can at least improve a little the world … damn … why is there so many people so stubborn? I who am a student of second year high school average have more conscience than adducts that think smarter? this should not be otherwise? why we live in this world? why the government does not leave aside greed and corruption to save the world. all this news and videos as your not serve to encourage ‘. I wanted to have more power to talk about it. Already I appreciate if you can read this comment. carefully: Christopher Meireles Valenca, Bahia / Brazil.Desfazer edições
he visto el video. Me gustaría que me dijeras como puedo colavorar. Hare todo lo que esté en mi mano.
Dear friends, I really liked to know about your existance recently at a ocean race (world ocean race) here in Lisbon. If I could I would be with you helping cleaning all the mess… as I can’t I continue here doing prity much the same (well as far as my work lets me…)
Do you need any images from the Lisbon sea?
See you soon. Regards
Don’t forget to visit my website! With some photos of the nature.
Rui
Caros amigos, claro que se eu pudesse vos ajudaria na vossa ilha mas actualmente isso não é possível… quem sabe no futuro?
Não se esquçam de visitar a minha página com algumas fotos de natureza.
Um grande abraço
Rui
CJ and crew-
Nice job! Keep up the good work! Here’s how I helped the situation: I did not reproduce. Why does this help? Think about it, and do the math: more humans means more consumption means more trash. Even folks that are educated, financially secure, and enviromentally conscious should not breed. We all know there is a ‘stupid people’ problem…we still need to understand that there is simply a ‘people’ problem. I am part of the problem because I am alive. I am part of the solution because I didn’t breed.
Hello Chris & Co.,
Thank you for opening the world’s eyes a bit more. I won’t stop sharing it.
Amazing work in a very complicated situation.
I would like to be part of a solution, if it’s possible…
Can volunteer to some program and help cleaning that beautiful place?
Greetings from a Portuguese guy in Barcelona,
R.
Hi!
This movie shall become an inportant piece of art! The pictures are moving, emotionally moving. And I think, that’s what we really need. We all know somewhere deep inside that the modern consumerism attitude is destructive towards nature and thus hostile towards future genertions of humans, animals and plants. But most of us just say, “Oh yes, it’s horrible.” But we’re too lazy to change. It does not ‘feel great’ to change, but it ‘feels nice’ to consume… To tap the emotional side of “humanity” might be a way to help people ‘feel good, being good’! And make it a very baeutiful movie! Poeple mist enjoy watching the sad truth.
To reach the widest possible audience PLEASE make this movie (or at least a mini-version of it) available under the CreativeCommons.org licence! Even CC-BY-ND-NC is okay, but help people share the truth through such a licence.
Cheers,
John
Hello
just tell you that I have published your video and presentation text in my blog. I was so touched by what I have seen in your video. I hope you may be able to do something to help and to make your film.
Sincerely
Do
The U.S government must clean this island
Hi, my name is Martim Dorey, I am from rio de janeiro, Brazil. I have been part of some projects such as projeto TAMAR with the turtles, and some in the Galapagos Islands. Movies like these have always messed with me, but this one has specially touched me. I would love to know if there is any way that I can help, not just by donating. Where is the base of the project ? How can I join it ? After all, congratulations for your project, it is amazing to know that people care about those poor animals that suffer the consequences of our way of life.
Thank you very much.
A very moving piece…. I will share with my friends but I think you need to know that some of us have older computers and the HD was a challenge. I could only watch about 5 secs at a time…. I don’t know how many people would stick it out. Do you have a less “memory” intensive version to share?
Disturbingly beautiful, but questions arise, alas, for me. Are you filming on the same island, same colony? Given the ability to change venues for emotive purposes, one could substitute a polluted area juxtaposed against another area that, for example, might be a bird (albatross) sanctuary. Perhaps a pan from ocean to birds, to garbage, to the death scenes?
As important as the environment is, it’s tough to muster universal support when humans value personal peace and affluence over needs, whether that be the destruction of the planet or the destruction of unborn children. If human life is no longer sacred, or at least of lesser value than the the desires of the parent, then the environment is certainly not going to matter too much. Perhaps follow up with a film of the destruction of human life? But that’s not sexy and would only raise the ire of people who want freedom without responsibility, or at least the responsibility of supporting unborn children.
If the connection isn’t obvious, then consider that your subject is life (of the planet, of the ecosystem, of the environment, of albatrosses…). Midway is faraway from everyday living. We get to legally destroy unborn children (life). Yet, somehow albatrosses ingesting garbage (more discarding) on a remote island should pique our sensibilities as of greater concern than human life. Perhaps if we got the order correct: human life is sacred beyond the legislated decrees of politicians and people practicing their own politics of desire, other life as worthy of our concern, the environment (including ecosystems)? Then shall worthwhile works, such as Midway Journey, have a greater impact on a wider scale.
I applaud you and encourage you to tackle a far thornier and challenging task!
Hello!
It is tragic and disturbing to watch your video, I just dont understand, instead of COLLECTING MONEY FOR cleaning up the island, how can you go there , film these poor animals WHILE IN THEIR WORST PAIN AND DYING FROM swallowing a
our garbage and DO NOTHING TO CLEAN UP , SAVE THE BIRDS AND THEN GO BACK AND FILM??????????????????????????????????
How can you do this?
You would only be real heros if you filmed the island when it was free from this horrific plastic garbage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have just seen your film and I am even more disgusted with human beings than I was before. What I saw is dated of july 2012. Can t find more recent information. How are you getting on with the film? Is is finish? Do you still need donation?
I will send the trailer to all my contacts but it might be usefull to know if you still need funds or not. Beside, I’ll take part in an amateur art exhibition in Toulon (south of France) in march 2013. I’d like to have your agreement to use the trailer. I want to use it as part of a performance and that way, promote your film too
please answer and thank you for what you are doing.
(Please excuse, I do not use Facebook)
I have had an interest in naval history since I was 8, and I have been the Battleship & Submarine archive manager at http://www.navsource.org/ , a site that deals with photographic history of the US Navy, since 2000. The site is one of the larger ones in the world at what it does. It is my intention to post this site on my indexes (being that the battle of Midway was the turning point in the Pacific campaign of WW II) and hopefully help spread awareness of the situation at Midway. I will also pass this on to my colleagues as well in the hope that they will do the same.
The consequences of our unforeseen actions are so painful to see in the deadly fates of our fellow creatures. Rachael Carson’s book ‘Silent Spring’ changed the world and it’s use of DDT. This stunning film could be a strong force for transferring over to the use of Biodegradable Plastic!!!!!!!!!! I am deeply moved by the altruism of the people making this film and am going to donate money now.
Bonjour , je suis un photographe animalier amateur en train de realiser mon site internet . Est il possible d’avoir votre autorisation pour utiliser votre video “MIDWAY” sur mon site . Je la trouve tres interressante et significative et je voudrais diffuser ce type d’information . Faire des photos du beau (ce qu il en reste ) c’est bien , mais un rappel de la realite est parfois necessaire . Merci d’avance pour votre reponse . Amicalement
Merci, de nous permettrent d’ouvrir les yeux, sur des choses terribles que nous ignorons ou survolons de loin.
tres beau reportage choc, très bien fait, moi qui travail dans l’image.
odile
we can’t remove all the plastic from the sea. One Action item is there should be a fund to create a food farm around the island within 2 kilo meters radius . A net will stop plastic and fish that swalloed the plastic (and hence will die soon) to enter the waters. Sea fish is cultivated in the farm which the birds can consume
Dear Chris,
Thank you so much for making such a beautiful, but heart wrenching film.
You have succeeded to make so many people feel deeply, and in doing so, to think about actions. Actions they can themselves do to prevent litter being thrown in the sea.
I was pondering this myself. I have this idea that with all these world issues, it is very difficult to reach enough adults to make a difference. Hard to teach an old dog new tricks. We need to reach the children, swifter changes will happen if we educated the children of the next generation.
Naturally, this lead me to show this to my children and encourage my facebook friends to do the same. My next steps are the Headmaster of my childrens school, to have a discussion about littering on the back of your film. Then I thought, I shall send a letter to the Heads of Parliament about implementing your film into the curriculum of all the schools in Australia.
I was beginning to feel happier and then I thought of all the children in all the places where plastics have been introduced but where education is lacking. Pacific Islands, India, Sri Lanka, Asia, China etc etc. All those other countries where littering is common place and the norm.
Then I was sad again. It is possible for your film to be so easily spread among the Western World, however, it is more challenging for your film to be seen by the children in these other countries. These countries send masses of litter into the ocean.
How can the children of the under developed countries be educated by your message? How can children of these countries be educated about the Gyre, what is the Gyre, and the power of the Gyre.
Is it easily possible for your short 3.54 minute film to be exposed to the schools in these countries? I’ve hit a blank with that.
I recently discovered, or connected with the fact that my 5 and 8 year old will not learn most things didactically; through me, their teachers, and others telling them stuff. That children, humans, learn mostly through observing and doing. Pictures and stories combined with the words, doing and seeing. Who they are and what they will become, what they will do is being formed in their very young years, pre teenagers.
I believe your film is very powerful and a wonderful way in which to educate our children, around the world, about your message. The power of the Gyre and that it is not only the birds on this small Midway Island that are affected. That many more species are dieing by the hands of us humans.
Thank you so much again Chris.
From Vasi, a Mum in Brisbane, Australia.
At least 30% of plastic is used in the process of making cameras. The same substance that killed the birds was used in filming it as well. Ironic.
Just a thought.
I love you.
Thank you, thank you.
it is not untill you see a film like this that you realise whats going on,so …thankyou for making it,i know i will be doing my bit in future and educating my children better about all of this and i hope they do the same with their children in the future,just as you have done for me today,xx
this is very upsetting. i just wanted to know if anything has been or being done to stop these tragedy’s?
Is there a group or organization like WWF that is helping to clean up this mess? If so, can I help?
please let me know…
Midway Island is in the middle of the Pacific Trash Vortex. It is an area of floating trash that is the size of Texas.
No matter how many pieces of plastic trash the film makers pick up, the next wave will bring more. A larger scale plan is needed to prevent this trash in the first place, and then to clean this massive garbage dump. We can change this if there is the political will to do so.
Choose not to use plastic lighters, or plastic bottles, or plastic bags.
I have been so moved by your movie. What can we as individuals do to stop this. I have never thrown anything man made in the sea. But i want to do something more.
It I a nice film, but it seems to suggest that the deaths of these great birds is due to pollution, and I am not sure if that is the message you intended. Could it be that these birds are the indirect victims of the Japanese Tsunami? I was just wondering if that could be a great contributor to the suffering seen in your film. Not all of it, of course, but Midway was in the trajectory of the trash flow from the Tsunami.
The truth always hurts..and if your strong enough inspires action…this piece was touching and truly another wake up call.
Something has to give or our children have a bleak future. I look around my house and its as though everything has blood on it so I can live the way I do..it’s so unbalanced, no wonder society is so unhappy our world is an outward mirror of an inner condition. How did we become so numb, so indifferent. My only thought is we have moved to far from the forest that grounded us.
Thank you.
sir ,
nice work . good to see people like you who care about ecosystem and create awareness . liked the videos and waiting for you to reply . please allow me if i can do any help. will love to .
Extraordinary!
This is powerful work.
THANK YOU!
What a horrific sight and so poignantly juxtaposed it with the unfathomable beauty and mystery of the natural world that we are mindlessly, needlessly destroying. And with it , as part of it, ourselves.
The clip on your blog page where you show each wave depositing yet curving line of plastic was devastating but it also a call to action.
With so much admiration for you all
The trailer alone is a window into what I can only imagine will be a stunningly sad and beautiful tale of cause and consequence.
Are there plans to screen the film in Canada, Calgary in particular? If not, is there anything that I can do to help make that happen?
I completely understand that you are film makers that bring awareness to those of us who did not know about this, but I agree with others, when will there be a clean up project. It helps to make others aware however I think it just as if not more important that we get this island cleaned up. Will there be a project to do so. I would go in a minute. Please let me know so that I can contribute to the cleanup!!! We made the mess now we need to clean it up. I am certain that enough people would donate to do the job, it would be an excellent idea and I would love to be a part of it. I will donate and pay my own way if you make it a project!!!
I hope you will submit your full length film for consideration for entry into the HotDocs Festival in Toronto! This is something that will definitely garner widespread attention for this cause.
Dear Corey, it’s the Ocean not the Island that needs cleaning. The albatross feed only over open water. And, really, it’s our own addiction to plastic that has caused this, and it is everywhere, not just the Pacific Ocean and Midway.
Daphne, all the world’s oceans are polluted with plastic. This has been plaguing the albatross and many other species for many, many decades.