"Fragile Waters" is attempting to tell a story no one has told before. There's no "model" for how this should look. There are no clear-cut "good guys" or "bad guys." We aren't trying to perfect a precedent or even compete with contemporary films dealing with orca whales. We are braving uncharted territory - one with pitfalls and landmines strewn throughout.
Wait... I take it back... "daunting" doesn't even begin to cover it!
In a very real sense the focus of our film is like a crime drama. It's like a murder mystery, only if the "murder" were slow and on-going...and stoppable. Variables in this film often push up against one another. People striving for similar goals but using very different means cross paths with other "heroes" and "villains."
The good thing about how we are navigating this delicate ice flow is that we are doing it from a standpoint of learning. Every new fact, interview or observation helps form what is currently a fluid blob of a central story. That's not to say we lack focus. Our focus is 100% unflappable. This film always comes back to the Southern Resident killer whales and the waters that comprise their home.
If we do this - and do it well - the film becomes a chronicle of hope and struggle. In a best-case scenario, our doc becomes inspiration and catalyst for change.
The next 14-18 months will see if we
- Rick