Presented with the unique opportunity to help sponsor a documentary about the Rena disaster, Holland Beckett Law have been quick to come aboard.
'This is a story that needs to be told to demonstrate the passion across our community to ensure the environment is protected,” says Holland Beckett Law Partner Dean Thompson.
'There is no better example of a community working together to protect our natural resources.”
With nearly 30 hours' worth of interviews already filmed, and the first rough cut of the documentary completed, the production team reached out to the community asking for further sponsorship to help finish the film. Holland Beckett Law were the first corporate sponsor to respond.
'At Holland Beckett Law we value our people, our clients and our community,” says Holland Beckett Law practice manager Sharline Fitzgerald. 'This documentary about the Rena grounding is a story about people.
'From the video clips I have seen so far, I am confident it will be a very professionally crafted documentary that our community will be proud of.”
'To have Holland Beckett Law behind us is fantastic, as we work towards completing the documentary,” says producer Rosalie Liddle Crawford. 'This is an incredible community story with moments of humour, heartbreak and invaluable personal insights into what was both an immense tragedy, and a triumph of human spirit and collective hard mahi.”
Executive producers and Sun Media directors Claire and Brian Rogers have joined forces with Rosalie and Anton Steel to make the documentary, making available thousands of photos and providing the initial funding to launch the project.
A Boosted crowdfunding campaign to help make the film has been launched so that the community can also be involved.
'Thousands of locals were involved in the aftermath,” says Rosalie, 'with a groundswell of volunteers going out daily to help save wildlife and clean up the oil and debris. We want to invite them now to be part of helping us make this documentary.”
Local businesses and organisations are being invited on board as match funders, which means that every dollar donated by the community will be matched by that business up to a chosen amount.
'This is a story that will not only demonstrate the community response to the disaster, but also the region's natural beauty,” says Dean.
Businesses, organisations and individuals are invited to join Holland Beckett Law as match funders and donors. To help complete the documentary, visit: www.boosted.org.nz and search ‘Rena'.