" title="Ecoheartland"> Ecoheartland

Synopsis

Ecoheartland follows two brothers as they take a journey across the American heartland to celebrate innovative environmental solutions and trace the outline of a greener United States.

The one-hour film documents the brother’s trip through the wide, verdant spaces and historic towns of the heartland to look at projects such as:

• The headquarters of a St. Louis construction company – located in one of the greenest buildings in the world.
• A free-range hog ranch and a producer of solar cells, both in Iowa.
• A local-food loving chef in Nebraska.
• A state-of-the-art wind farm on a cattle ranch in Kansas.
• And a straw bale house in Oklahoma.

What they find on their trip is that people from all walks of life are embracing a greener way of living – but often with a heartland twist. Farmers, researchers and everyday people are finding solutions that not only help the environment, but rebuild our economy and create healthy places to live and work.

Exhibition Format: HDCAM-SR, Beta-SP, Quicktime, TRT 58 minutes
Sound format: Surround or Stereo

A production of Ecoheartland Productions

Backstory

When it comes to the environment, the American Heartland is too often overlooked. The good news is that people in states such as Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Kansas are creating innovative solutions to tackle climate change, reduce air pollution and create a more sustainable future.

Although the debate over the environment often focuses on environmental protection versus economic development, a new breed of environmental innovators are creating solutions that help empower local communities and build the economy while reducing environmental impacts.

This film focuses on seeking out those solutions – from major projects, such as the green headquarters of a $1 billion construction company in St. Louis, to individual innovators, such as a women creating a straw bale house in Oklahoma. Although environmentalism is growing in heartland states, innovators in these states are infusing the green movement with their own distinctive values.

Production Notes

EcoHeartland was shot on location in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma from June 16 to July 24, 2008. Director/producer Max Cain was responsible for directing and filming, and also wrote and produced. Nick Cain took care of issue research, writing, producing and leading the interviews. Post-production took place in Los Angeles from January to June of 2009 with the help of editor Miklos Wright, sound mixer Paul Hackner (Dane Tracks), and colorist Aaron Peak (Hollywood DI). The project was shot and edited in HD format.