The film is now available on: Amazon & iTunes Store
2016 Los Angeles Film Festival Awards: Best Director Documentary
2016 Los Angeles Film Festival Awards: Best Editing
2016 Accolade Global Film Competition: Award of Merit
This award winning documentary follows Geoff Sims, an astronomer from Sydney, Australia, who has been chasing total solar eclipses since 2002. Geoff is best known for producing some of the most spectacular wide-angle landscape eclipse photographs in the world. His photographs have been widely published in various books and magazines, as well having appeared on TV including CNN and Neil deGrasse Tyson’s “Cosmos.”
A total solar eclipse is a natural phenomenon which occurs during the precise alignment of the Earth, Moon and Sun. During this time, the Moon’s shadow traverses the Earth, and for those lucky enough to be standing in that shadow, will experience what is known as “totality”.
Most eclipse documentaries merely focus on the science behind solar eclipses, consisting mainly of closeup footage of the Sun and Moon. “Chasing Shadows” aims to capture the entire experience of an eclipse chase, including the planning, preparation and execution of a dedicated eclipse photography expedition. In addition, it will show the environment and general emotions associated with totality: the eerie darkness; the bizarre feeling you get; and the education and subsequent reaction of local communities.
The documentary will comprehensively document the two total solar eclipses which will occur between 2013 and 2015.
Our vision for this series to share the experience of eclipse chasing with the world. In particular, we would like to provide this insight prior to 2017, when a total solar eclipse eclipse will traverse continental United States on the 21st of August. It is widely thought that this will be the most viewed eclipse in recent history, spawning potentially millions of next-generation eclipse fanatics.
Technical Details
Shooting locations: China, Ethiopia, Svalbard And Jan Mayen, Australia, Norway, USA
Language: English
Subtitles available: English, Mandarin Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia
Runtime: 61 min
Color: Color
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Camera: Canon 5dMk3, iPhone 6, GoPro Hero 3, Sony A7s
Editorial & Finishing: Final Cut Pro X, Blackmagic Davinci Resolve
Exhibition formats available: Quicktime MOV, DCP, NTSC/PAL DVD