Taxi drivers inspire uplifting water documentary
After a whole year of filming - across five continents - Brave Blue World premieres in Hollywood next week. Executive producer Paul O’Callaghan explains how the project was partly inspired by his conversations with taxi drivers around the world and how the idea gained the support of actor and activist Matt Damon.
A documentary about innovators who are changing the future of water premieres next week (16 December), before a series of grassroots screenings all over the world. Brave Blue World is narrated by Liam Neeson and also features actors Matt Damon and Jaden Smith, both prominent water activists, whose support promises to lift the documentary’s profile to new heights.
Executive producer Paul O’Callaghan, founder and chief executive of BlueTech Research, explains what inspired his original idea: “It stemmed from a call I had from the Discovery Channel who were working on a documentary series about new scientific developments. One of the episodes was about wastewater treatment and they asked me to help.
“My first thought was ‘how on earth are they going to make this entertaining?’ But I agreed to help and I loved the whole experience. Later, when I saw documentary, it looked incredible. It was super engaging, super interesting, and I realised there was a way of communicating water in a creative way.”
With the first seed sown, O’Callaghan continued his work with BlueTech, researching and tracking water innovation around the globe, which led to his next lightbulb moment.
“You see water problems all around the world - but you also see water solutions. In some places such as Singapore, the Netherlands and Israel, it just clicks. Why do they seem to get their act together there? I realised the common denominator was people. It’s easy to focus on our own little world or technologies but the finance people don't get it, the politicians don't get it and we're all a bit hampered.
“In places like Singapore, when I hop into a cab and I mention what I do for a living, the driver is engaged in the conversation. I call it the taxi driver effect and I find a similar level of awareness nine times out of 10 in Singapore and so many other places in the world.
“When people get the value of water, everything becomes easier because the politicians will support the policies that will drive utilities to introduce water reuse, energy neutrality, nutrient recovery, and all these important initiatives.”
O’Callaghan shared that thought and found many of his industry peers agreed. It was then he looked back at the Discovery Channel documentary and realised there was an important story to be told.
“I’ve only ever seen doom and gloom and apocalyptic tales of water that say we're heading over a cliff. That’s a very polarised vision and not one that I experienced in my work. You can do all sorts of things with water, you can do some cool things, you can tell a very different narrative, that would appear futuristic, idealistic, even utopian - but we can say this is actually happening.”
With immediate support from the Water Environment Federation, the project quickly gained momentum.
“It was like a snowball. I raised the idea in March 2018 and three months later, we had at least half the funding needed. Come January, we got a lot of lucky breaks. Matt Damon’s organisation Water.org, a global non-profit that empowers people through affordable financing, liked what we were doing. They get pitches all the time but ours was refreshing because it focused on solutions - that’s a message they want to get out there as well.
“Having Matt Damon on board, as well as Jaden Smith and Liam Neeson, adds that prestige and credibility. If you want people to take notice and if you want to reach a wider audience, it really helps.
“Then, as we searched for some of the most innovative technological solutions globally that are addressing solutions to the problem, the project grew. Thanks to those innovators telling their story we have been able to create a celebration of the scientific and technological advancements that have been taking place, often behind the scenes, to deliver water services.
“The end result features a diverse range of water innovation, from a NASA research centre that reveals how water is recycled in space and a textile plant in India that is meeting 90% of its water needs from recycled water, to the world’s largest algae-powered wastewater treatment plant in Spain and a children’s home in Kenya where 50 litres of water a day is being provided from humidity in the air.”
The Brave Blue World team is now preparing for the blue-carpet premiere at the Paramount Theatre, Hollywood on December 16.
O’Callaghan said: “This is a huge milestone for us. Brave Blue World is a celebration of the scientific and technological advancements that have been taking place, often behind the scenes, to deliver water services. But getting to this point was only made possible because our supporters believed in the idea.”
The premiere is just the beginning. Local screenings are scheduled to take place all over the world, as well as educational and outreach sessions supported by the not-for-profit Brave Blue World Foundation. There will also be a European premiere in 2020.
“We’ve had a huge amount of interest from people wanting to organise their own screenings, from large boardrooms to offices with 20 people. This has happened organically, through word of mouth, which has always been our vision. Brave Blue World is not just a documentary, we want it to become a movement and have a ripple effect.
“The first stage of the Brave Blue World journey was the making of it, and the second stage is letting it do what it’s meant to do – move water up the global agenda.”
View the official trailer
To organise a screening: https://www.braveblue.world/host-a-screening
Images and captions:
Official Brave Blue World Movie Poster
Paramount Theatre at Christmas Time
Press enquiries to:
Leilah Nicola, WiseOnWater
E: leilah@wiseonwater.com
M: +44 (0)7464 262555
Issued on behalf of:
BlueTech Research
www.bluetechresearch.com
Notes for editors
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