“That story was always meant for me to produce” – Dale Elliott, Journalist and Film Producer at the Independent Films headquartered in St Lucia.
The OECS Clean Oceans Journalist Challenge was made for Dale Elliott – at least that is according to the journalist and film producer who calls the island of St Lucia home.
A journalist by profession, Elliott is also a film producer at The Independent Film Company.
The ethos of The Independent Film Company focuses on social transformation which is portrayed in hundreds of the company’s investigative and human-interest documentaries and TV programmes.
The company started more than two decades ago with a tele-series and today, the organisation has produced about 159 documentaries.
“It was the need to tell stories that helped change people’s lives”, Elliott said of his idea to launch the company 24 years ago.
One might then say that it was an easy ask of Elliott to combine his experience in film and his career as a journalist to create an award-winning documentary on the importance of protecting oceans.
The 40-minute documentary entitled Clear Waters, examines how marine pollution affects various facets of the Circular and Blue economy.
It earned him a $5,000 cash prize and recognition for becoming the 1st place winner of the 2021 OECS Clean Oceans Challenge.
He told Wadadli Unplugged about how his first documentary on homelessness inspired his entry.
“I figured just like twenty-something years ago, I am going to do this documentary, create some public awareness, jolt them into action, and I’m going to recede back into the bushels, and nobody is going to remember me after that,” he remarked jokingly.
He told us “We have an amazing team of Editors and this project was edited by Desmond Etienne and it was a labour of love. It was challenging because of the time frame but we were able to garner a whole lot of the footage.”
Elliott was also impressed by the responsiveness of the interviewees. He says he hopes that those who view his documentary will make a resolve to make an immediate change with their actions and behaviours, before they are filtered down to their children and grandchildren.
He also wants the government of St Lucia to make amendments to various laws to further protect oceans.
MEET THE SECOND PRIZE WINNER – SORANA MITHCELL
“I felt I could have done a better job, especially if I had professional camera work with me but I just used my phone” – This is what Sorana Mitchell had to say of her experience in the OECS competition, prompting one to acknowledge that you don’t have to wait on perfection, you just have to start.
Grenada’s Sorana Mitchell followed swiftly behind Dale Elliot to capture second place by submitting an impressive five-part video series which explored factors contributing to ocean pollution, and the policies and programmes that are being implemented at a national level in Grenada in support of the Blue and Circular Economy agenda.
Mitchell is a trained reporter and said she was unemployed at the time and needed something to do. That something developed into a docuseries that won her second prize at the OECS Clean Oceans Journalist Challenge.
She incorporated the views of the Grenada Solid Waste Authority, national policy makers and residents to create a wholesome conversation surrounding ocean pollution and its contributing factors. One main aspect that was highlighted was the impact of littering on the oceans surrounding the island.
“Grenada is marketed to the world as “pure Grenada”, and so I thought, how pure are we, “she questioned, noting that the consciousness of the people is starting to change.
“I think it’s necessary that the policy makers take not as well as the people change their attitudes because it starts with one person.”
THIRD PRIZE WENT TO ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA’S JOANNE HILLHOUSE
“We live on an island where so many of us are afraid of the sea and don’t have a relationship with the sea” – Joanne Hillhouse
Writer and journalist, Joanne Hillhouse submitted a two-part multimedia series focusing on marine culture and the over-exploitation and undermanagement of the ocean surrounding Antigua and Barbuda.
“An Ottos gyal”, she fondly refers to herself; Hillhouse has a degree in Mass Communication from the University of the West Indies (Mona) and has published seven books of fiction and poems.
Although Antigua and Barbuda is known for its 365 beaches, Johnanne’s entry suggested that a vast number of residents are unable to swim or have no relationship with the ecology of underwater life.
She built her story around Christal Clashing – a free diver and Olympian swimmer and part of the first all-female Caribbean rowing team to compete in the Talisker Whishkey Atlantic Challenge and Tricia Lovell, the acting Deputy Chief Fisheries Officer who she says she grew up with in the village of Ottos.
Hillhouse hopes her writing will encourage others to come to care for the ocean and better manage life underwater.
Find links for Joanne Hillhouse’s work:
My books page https://jhohadli.wordpress.com/books
Lost! A Caribbean Sea Adventure first page https://jhohadli.wordpress.com/books/first-pages-lost
Lost! A Caribbean Sea Adventure reviews page https://jhohadli.wordpress.com/reviews-and-endorsements/reviews-lost
Lost! @ Caribbean Reads Publishing https://www.caribbeanreads.com/lost
