Content of
"Dreams from a Rainbow Sea"
The Music Documentary
"Dreams from a Rainbow Sea", a 45-min music documentary is based on the pictorial almanac of the same name by Michael Aw published in 1997. Whilst the introduction focuses on the beauty and uniqueness of the under sea environment of the Maldives, the primary issues are the plight of endangered marine species such as the sea turtles, sharks and Napoleon wrasse (Chelinus undulatus) in the world’s ocean.
5 music video segments are created with extra-ordinary imagery of coral reefs, sharks, sea turtles, clownfishes and Napoleon wrasse. Complemented with original music scores by Miquel Zelada, the presentations are designed to entertain and enthrall.
A short narrated segment is slotted in before or after each music video clip, which elaborates on the threat and natural history of the subject. Whilst some of the scenes shot undercover are hard hitting and thought provoking the message is clear; extinction is imminent for these animals if the exploitation of them is allowed to continue. With these segments, the producers hope to educate and generate action in protecting them from extinction.
Credits: About the producers: Michael AW / Leandro Blanco : Contents
24-hrs Live Broadcast : The Team : The Dive Platform: The Base Camp : The Equipment : Sponsors : Objectives : Photo Gallery : Email Us : The Video & Book Set : Join As Satellite Member : About OceanNEnvironment : Gifts & Books
Press Releases / News / Editorials : Dreams from a Rainbow Sea - The Pictorial : Rainbow Sea Music Documentary
24-hours Dive project produced by OceanNEnvironment. Listen to Theme from Rainbow Sea
Produced by Leo Blanco, Michael AW
An OceanNEnvironment
Production
Principal footage from the of Maldives
April 1998
Leo Blanco,
Michael Aw,
Keng Beng Teo
Additional shark feeding segment filmed in the Bahamas
Leo Blanco
Cyanide fishing segment filmed in Indonesian water
Anonymous
Bali segment by
Michael AW, Alison Redhead, Simon Smith
Edited by Michael AW & Leo Blanco
Narration
Leo Blanco
Story & Scripting
Michael AW
Music written & performed by
Miguel Zelada
"Nobody Loves You"
Vocals: Leo Blanco
Life’s a Circus"
Vocals : Jennifer Benke
Still photography
Michael AW
Contents
Digitally Mastered 44 mins
"Nobody Loves You" – 4.15" music video – a serenade to sharks. Music and vocal.
About the Producers
Born in Spain. At the age of five, he moved to New York with his family. During his High School years he formed a vocal group and by the age of fourteen won first prize in a musical festival at New York’s world fair. The Tokens, who by then had a number one hit in the charts ( The lion sleeps tonight ) become their producers. He recorded several records with them and spent most of the time promoting and touring the states with such groups as the The Supremes and the Shirrels.
After taking up flying as a hobby he attained his private pilots license at the age of nineteen. In 1970 he returned to Spain, where he recorded several records, including a double LP ( The four seasons by VIVALDI ) and also wrote several music scores for various motion pictures. In 1973 he decided to turn his hobby into a career and became an airline pilot. Today he captains an Airbus 320 flying for a major international airline company.
It was back in the 80s when the first music videos came out, that his interest in filming awakened. It was the magic of the music moving along with the fast cutting images that caught his eye. His passion for nature had already taken him all over the world. By then he had also written several pieces of music, celebrating the beauty of the Amazon jungle and the vast desserts of Africa. It was now time to go back and do some filming. His first short documentary received first prize at the London film festival, and by the 90’s he had already won several major awards, including VIDEO FILM MAKER OF THE YEAR BY THE BBC WILD LIFE MAGAZINE, 1993, for his documentary skills. In 1990 he made his first underwater documentary, which he wrote, narrated, edited, performed and composed all the music to. He received several awards, including the prestigious GOLDEN MEDAL in the OKEANOS UNDERWATER FILM FESTIVAL in France.
It was during these years that he decided to devote all his spare time to the underwater world.
He has received over 30 international awards, his documentaries have been shown on major TV networks all over the world, and his music scores have been acclaimed by magazines like BILLBOARD and MUSIC FOR MUSIC. He is also an honorary member of THE ROYAL PHOTOGRAFIC SOCIETY, for his photography in his video "Just passing by too".
He is currently CO-producing a Documentary on the Maldives with the famous underwater photographer MICHAEL AW, and next year they will both produce the first 24 hour dive Documentary, shot at MAAYA THILA REEF in the MALDIVES.
AWARDS - LEO BLANCO
CAREEBEAN SAFARI 1990
IT’S A WONDERFUL WORLD 1990
REFUGEES 1991
IT’S JUST A DREAM 1992
JUST PASSING BY 1992
THERE’S A PLACE
REQUIEM FOR A BLUE PLANET
JUST PASSING BY TOO. 1996
F205 1998
ANOTHER STORY 1998
M i c h a e l A W
After a successful career in the advertising industry, Michael AW now lives in Sydney, Australia, as a full-time marine photographer/ consultant. He has been diving since 1981 and as a NAUI Instructor Trainer, he has taught openwater courses, marine awareness programs, and leadership courses to instructor levels. He is the Chairman of Ocean N Environment, a public non-profit organisation dedicated to education and preservation of the marine and natural environment.
His photographs and articles on environmental issues, natural history, travel log and technical aspect of SCUBA have been featured in publications from Australia, S.E. Asia, Europe and the United States. Publications include: GEO (Australasia), Underwater GEOGRAPHIC, Nature Focus, Action Asia, Scuba Diver, SportDiving, Divelog, Travel Away, Ocean Realm (USA), Times, Asia Week, Dive International, Aquanaut, Discover Diving (USA), Sources Journal, Sojourn, Strait Times Press (Singapore), New Paper (Singapore), HER World (Singapore), Telegraph Mirror (Australia), Northern Herald (Sydney), SunHerald ( Sydney), Wings of Gold (Malaysia), Verve (EVA Air infight magazine) to name but a few. His marine photographs have received awards from several international organizations including a prestigious Superb Close-Up Award from the 1995 Nikon International Photo Contest. Over 5000 of his images have appeared in various publications and exhibitions worldwide including the Australian Museum and Queensland Tropical Museum.
Michael has presented lectures and slide presentations on marine life and underwater photography to Australian Museum Society, aquariums, private organizations in the pacific-rim countries including the world renown Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. He is also the author and photographer of 'Beneath Bunaken' a case bound 180 page coffee table anthology – a work of art which has received the accolade of being a 'Gift of State' for Indonesian protocol offices. He has also authored and photographed for two marine awareness guide - "Tropical Reef Fishes' and Tropical Reef Life’ – handy photographic and natural history guides to reef fishes and invertebrates. He is the scientific & scripting consultant for the TV documentary 'Eyes on a Reef' - based on a day in the life of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. He is also the producer/ author of 'METAMORPHOSEA', a pictorial anthology from the world's first 24 hour photographic sojourn on the Australian Great Barrier Reef. His most recent work , "Dreams from a Rainbow Sea- Maldives", a high quality pictorial book, has been selected as the Gift of State and endorsed by the President of the Republic of Maldives. In collaboration with award-winning film maker Leo Blanco, he is currently producing a music documentary based on the pictorial "Dreams from a Rainbow Sea".
Michael AW - AWARDS & HONORS
Consulting & Environmental Projects
Published Books / Programs