Our Seas, Our Legacy is a documentary collective based in Singapore, recently founded by filmmaker, divemaster and marine environmental advocate Nathaniel Soon, 21. It aims to celebrate Singapore’s marine environments and conservation scene through visual storytelling. Since its inception in conjunction with the International Year of the Reef 2018, it has launched its premiere documentary series, showcasing the good Singaporeans are doing towards conserving our marine environments. In the series, viewers dive into the uncharted waters of Singapore’s conservation scene and witness the great work Singapore’s unsung heroes have been doing to conserve our seas for generations to come.
The collective was inspired by firstly, an over-problematisation of our marine environmental problems. Nowadays as you scroll through your Facebook or Instagram feeds, it is unsurprising to find videos and news clippings of threats facing marine environments and ecosystems, and our planet as a whole. This similarly inspired Dr. Enric Sala of National Geographic’s Pristine Seas initiative to relinquish his full professorship at the University of California in pursuit of tangible solutions, as he lamented that all the scientific community was doing was “writing the obituaries of our oceans”, with even more certainty each day of the problems the world is facing. The collective hence aims to adopt a solution-based approach of storytelling.
While there are plenty of passionate Singaporean individuals and non-profit groups working on a diverse range of solutions for our oceans, they lack the necessary publicity and therefore Singaporeans, many of whom may wish to contribute, lack the awareness of these avenues. This documentary series aims to bridge the gap by offering the former the much-deserved publicity, in hopes of inspiring viewers to then act where they can.
Visual storytelling through documentary film and photography have shown to be an effective means of education, awareness-building and advocacy. It is expected that in the next 3 years, 80% of online traffic will be in the form of video. The series hence aims to use film as a means of spreading awareness of Singapore’s marine biodiversity, pressing issues facing our natural environment and opportunities for everyday Singaporeans to get involved in local conservation efforts.
Visual Storytelling for Good
Our Seas, Our Legacy was launched in October 2018 and primarily uses online media to feature individuals and organisations in Singapore working towards marine conservation, with a call to action for viewers to get involved in their works. The documentary series was first launched at the third instalment of the Singapore Eco-Film Festival 2018, at the ArtScience Museum. The collective continues to support sustainable businesses, non-profits and innovative initiatives through documentary and publicity efforts. As community engagement through visual storytelling remains at the heart of Our Seas, Our Legacy’s mission, the collective works with its community partners to reach out to Singaporeans to continually advocate for a better future for our oceans too.
Episode 1: Between The Tides
In the wee hours of the morning, volunteers join founder of the now well-renowned WILD Singapore blog, Ria Tan, on her frequent visits to Singapore lesser-known offshore island reefs. Armed with cameras and a brimming curiosity, Our Seas, Our Legacy joins these volunteers at Pulau Jong and Beting Bemban Besar islands as they survey the rich biodiversity of our reefs BETWEEN THE TIDES. We also get a first-hand look at the Reef Ecology Lab at the Tropical Marine Science Institute in the National University of Singapore and get a rare close-up look at how these efforts have gone on to support local scientific research through the years as well.
Get up to date with WILD Singapore’s latest WILD news and about our shores over at www.wildsingapore.com.
Find out how you can volunteer at www.wildsingapore.com/vol/act.htmc.
Get in touch at hello@wildsingapore.com
Episode 2: Diving Against Debris
Most recently in 2016, Singapore’s coral reefs suffered mass bleaching as a result of rising sea temperatures and increased marine pollution. Thankfully, a team of marine biologists by profession and conservationists by passion came together and founded Our Singapore Reefs to tackle this problem. Our Seas, Our Legacy hops on board one of their dive clean-ups as a dive guide and discover how everyday Singaporeans are DIVING AGAINST DEBRIS at Lazarus Island, one of Singapore’s offshore islands. We also get a glance into how you can get involved even if you do not dive!
Get up to date with Our Singapore Reefs’ latest happenings and upcoming events over at www.facebook.com/oursingaporereefs.
Check out Project Aware’s site for past clean-up dive data: www.projectaware.org/diver/our-singapore-reefs.
Get in touch at oursingaporereefs@gmail.com.
Episode 3: Taste Of Our Waste
Inspired to get more people out of their homes and into the wild side of Singapore, Little Green Men brings volunteers from all walks of life together to do their part for the environment. In conjunction with International Coastal Clean-up Singapore, Our Seas, Our Legacy gets the chance to join them on a coastal clean-up at our beloved Chek Jawa Wetlands Reserves in Pulau Ubin where we explore our scenic mangroves but also get a TASTE OF OUR WASTE!
Get up to date with Little Green Men’s latest happenings and upcoming events over at https://littlegreenmensg.wordpress.com.
Check out Little Green Men’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/littlegreenmensg.
Get in touch at littlegreenmensg@gmail.com.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ourseas.ourlegacy
Email: ourseas.ourlegacy@gmail.com
Instagram: @ourseas.ourlegacy