Coming to the Discovery Channel tomorrow, Thursday, May 19: SONIC SEA
Michelle Dougherty and Daniel Hinerfeld’s exploration of the impact of noise on marine life debuted at Wild & Scenic at the beginning of the year. Other fests have included Big Sky, Washington DC’s Environmental, DocuWest, Provincetown, Princeton Environmental, and San Francisco Green, as well as a host of specialized screenings around the world. Discovery’s worldwide broadcast is part of its Discovery Impact series.
Dougherty and Hinerfeld’s midlength offers viewers an engaging, empathetic view of sealife and the invisible factors that are endangering it – namely, manmade noise. With sound-based communication pivotal to the well-being of dolphins, whales, and other marine life, the incursion of humans into this sonic landscape has been traumatic. Beyond increased traffic by noisy industrial vessels and the use of sonar, the film notes the growth of the practice of triggering underwater explosions to prospect for oil – all contributing to a cacophony below the surface that has led to tragic death and confusion. This well-made film makes for a solid call to action on an under-reported environmental issue, thought it begs for expansion to a full-length project.
what (not) to doc 