San Francisco, CA -- (SBWire) -- 06/09/2014 --Although Herman Melville’s classic novel, Moby-Dick, is more than 160 years old, it remains an inspiration for many. San Francisco writer and filmmaker George Belcher is among the devotees of this timeless work.
Belcher is working on his own classic, Chasing Moby-Dick, a nonfiction account of Captain Ahab’s infamous voyage.
“My interest in Moby-Dick has a long history, and several years ago, I began plotting the route that Captain Ahab's whaling ship, Pequod, took as it almost circumnavigated the world in search of the great white whale,” explained Belcher.
The White House previously issued a special report on climate change. Global Warming is one of George Belcher's special concerns. "Over the past few years, I have become convinced that climate change and global warming threaten our world with its greatest challenge yet known to man," says Belcher.
“While the voyage of the Pequod was a fictional one that crossed oceans and cruised along many coasts, much of the voyage was based on Melville's early maritime and whaling adventures. Thus the idea of sailing the ocean and visiting many of the places in the watery world of the Pequod soon became my obsession.”
In addition, Belcher plans to film a documentary about his travels. The total budget for these projects is about $93,000. He is hoping to begin Phase 1, which is budgeted at $29,900 this July and has launched a Kickstarter campaign to generate needed capital.
The Kickstarter page can be viewed at www.kickstarter.com/projects/371108381/chasing-moby-dick-whales-the-ocean-and-global-warm?ref=email
The $29,900 budget covers travel, research, filming and camera equipment. Belcher plans to visit the Azores, Peninsula Valdes in Argentina and Santos, Brazil to attend the third International Symposium Effects of Climate Change on the World's Oceans.
So far the Kickstarter campaign has produced nearly $5,000 of funding. Thos who would like to support this project can make donations of any amount. Pledges of $100 or more are eligible for perks, such as signed color photographs from the trip and autographed copies of the book.
“The book and documentary film will follow Melville’s epic sea story, interweaving different chapters of Moby-Dick as they relate to the geographic areas or the marine life that I will encounter on these research journeys,” Belcher said. “I will compare the Pequod's world of the 19th century to our 21st century today.
“A principal goal is to document and compare the changes since the mid-1800s until today of the large part of the world's oceans that were explored and exploited by 19th century whaling ships.”
For further information, visit www.kickstarter.com/projects/371108381/chasing-moby-dick-whales-the-ocean-and-global-warm?ref=email
Belcher can be reached directly at ggbelc@gmail.com
Contact Name: George Belcher
Company Name: Whale Shark Productions
Email Address: ggbelc@gmail.com
Website URL: http://www.gbgallery.com
City: San Francisco
State: CA
Zip Code: 94118
Country: USA
Phone Number: 415-668-1239
