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Front Page Art Beat Art Briefs Entertainment Calendar Keys Galleries Movies Keys TV Listings Submit a Comment or Information Return to The Keynoter Lattitudes GlowFur: must have for Fantasy Fest Meeting the Friendly family's hell dog Plant yourself at Gardenfest Robert Ortiz: Middle Keys' unofficial ambassador ‘Waters of Wonder' debuts Helmerich to head the Tropic Cinema Rosburg: taking flight ‘the Times' debuts at waterfront Symphony's outdoor ‘pops' show nears Art Beat Art lovers take a walk in balmy breeze	‘Waters of Wonder' debuts Posted-Thursday, March 29, 2007 9:18 AM EDT Email this story Print this story Filmmaker Tom Jackson shoots underwater Caribbean for ‘Waters of Wonder,’ which he created with Joel Biddle, debuting at the Tropic on Tuesday. Photo by DON KINCAID Reef tour of Caribbean comes to Tropic Cinema Local filmmakers premiere a coral-reef film, “Waters of Wonder,” at the Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton in Key West, on Tuesday. The opening reception is at 6 p.m. and the screening is at 8 p.m. Tickets are $9 at the door; $6 for film society members. Audience members of all ages will this in-depth tour of the wonders of Caribbean coral reefs by Joel Biddle, former Reef Relief educational director, and filmmaker Tom Jackson. The movie incorporates selections from 18 years of video footage of Caribbean reefs by Jackson, of Key West's Seascapes Productions, accompanied by Biddle's text and original music score. Biddle and Jackson have collaborated for years on projects. Jackson's first film, “Seascapes III,” was a cornerstone of Biddle's educational programs for Reef Relief. Biddle and Jackson produced a fish identification guidebook called “Reef-life of the Greater Caribbean” (currently being considered by Knopf Publishing). Jackson also filmed several coral-reef presentations by Biddle for Reef Relief that are featured on www.picslit.com, an educational Web site. ‘Waters of Wonder' fills a need that we both have to share the beauty of coral reefs we have experienced during our lifetimes,” Biddle said. Jackson said he and Biddle have taken great care to portray what can only be described as a magical world. “We feel the images and colors shown in the film truly reflect what we both have felt through our experiences of diving, not only locally, but throughout the Greater Caribbean,” Jackson said. Because he was so familiar with Jackson's footage, Biddle was able to write a fully completed script that, afterwards, was brought to life through Jackson's editing. A fully orchestrated film soundtrack track by Biddle (who lived in Europe for 18 years as a composer and conductor) gives added dimension to the film. The result affords viewers an opportunity to experience the incredible impact of coral reefs: what they are and how they work. “Understanding coral reefs is a vital first step to save them,” Jackson said. “We want ‘Waters of Wonder' to be the best it can be. That's why this screening in a state of the art theater is so important.” To reach as many people as possible, Biddle and Jackson are designing a series of full color, underwater action menus for an interactive question-and-answer section for a student version plus a creature ID version for divers. The duo will demonstrate their educational and identification components of “Waters of Wonder” on May 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center as part of the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Lecture Series. Admission to the lecture series is free. “‘Waters of Wonder' is a labor of love,” Biddle said. “Everything you will see to this point was accomplished without one cent from any organization or foundation. We feel this is a blessing because we had no deadlines or restrictions on content.”
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