Feature by Mare Davis wee Review There’s a revolution going on in B.C. and a small Sidney firm is in the thick of the action — filming each major battle as the stakes get higher. It’s a revolution of protest that pits environmentalists against the forestry industry in bids to halt the gicar-cut logging of B.C.’s virgin ~ wildemess. Variations On A Wave owners and operators Mike Simpson, 26, and Merran Smith, 27, make video documentaries on the protests and on what's at stake. “The aim of this company is to promote action and awareness concerning environmental issues,” Simpson said. Located in Sidney since April, the two-person firm recently moved from Victoria where it’s built a solid reputation for the quality of its work over the last three years. Entitled Kyuquot Sound — The Vanishing Rainforest, the latest video is described by Smith as an “educational tool” aimed at rais- ing public awareness about old- growth forest ecosystems. “Like our other videos, this one is aimed at giving people informa- tion and images that they can respond to,” she said. “It’s intended to be non- confrontational.” Filmed at Kyuquot Sound on the WNorthwest coast of Vancouver Island, the video has attracted widespread interest from as far away as New Zealand, she said. The in-depth coverage that goes into all the firm’s videos makes the 15 to 20-minute productions ideal for lecture presentations. Among the buyers of the videos are universities, government mini- stries, schools, conservationist » groups, business organizations and even forestry companies. “MacMillan Bloedel even bought one of our videos. That’s great because sometimes the only information Mac Blo gets is through the mainstream media,” _ Smith said. = And some of the ten videos they’ve produced on the subject @€ven attract crowds when they're displayed in shopping malls. Sponsors for most of the videos are environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Greenpeace, but money also comes from other non-profit groups. The federal government even commissioned Variations On A Wave to produce a video on the effects of modern farming prac- _ tices on the environment, Simpson said. A key selling point is that the documentaries are in-depth fea- tures that include interviews with . the loggers, environmental activ- ists, government officials and _-@piative Indians all involved in the land disputes. “TV only has time for a 20- second clip. What it offers is visually stimulating images with- out the details behind the stories,” he said. “We try to round out the news stories by providing the informa- tion or details that are not being told.” One of their first ventures was a video about the much-publicized confrontations in the Carmanah Valley, which was hailed as a @ partial victory by preservationists. - In order to make people aware sw 6that Canada’s largest stand of giant spruce trees was in jeopardy, the video was hurriedly produced TheReview Wednesday, November 28,1990 — All in four weeks, he said. And the business partners were very happy with the impact the video had on a society that’s increasingly concerned about the future of B.C: natural heritage, Simpson said. “This one had a lot of circula- tion and it was very gratifying to see that it had immediate political impact. “For instance, Victoria City council passed a resolution to oppose the logging of Carmanah after viewing it,” he said. Currently, the Kyuquot Sound video 1s on a press conference circuit with Greenpeace across Europe. “People everywhere are very responsive to what we're doing. A German TV station called just the other day, wanting to use some of our film footage for a documentary on clear-cut logging, * Smith said. And another video is in the pipeline, which will focus on the Sidney firm finds green satisfaction in producing environmental education Tsitika Valley logging confronta- tion. Situated on northem Vancouver Island, the site has become a hot story in the media recently, and Simpson and Smith have just returned from filming the dispute. Also, the pair is involved in the production of a series about the environment called The Green Show, which is jointly sponsored by the Knowledge Network and TV Ontario. Having sold hundreds of videos, mainly through their main distri- butor — the Sierra Club — they’re happy to be reaching a wide and diverse audience but confess they're not getting rich. “We're making just enough money to keep the company afloat but the bottom dollar for us is to educate people about environmen- tal awareness,” Smith said. . “But it’s nice to know we have a lot of work right now. We’re run off our feet.” WE *s “The MEN’S Shop” Just North of the Landmark Building on 2nd St. 656-4443 THANK YOU NORTH SAANICH The assistance of everyone in my re- election is greatly appreciated. | look forward to 3 productive years of service. Dee Bailin. 656-4747 YLE-TONE CLEANERS 9812 - Fourth St., Sidney » (next to Brewsters) | “anal ! 5% OFF ! Dresses, Sweaters and Drapes < (including leather trimmed items) ol ase _with coupon expires 12-31-90 opm MON - FRI: 8 AM - 5:30 PM SAT: 9 AM - 5:00 PM TESTING THE TOOLS of their trade, Sidney documentary makers Merran Smith and Mike Simpson prepare to return to northern Vancouver Island's Tsitika Valley to shoot another video on the logging of old-growth rain forests and the opposition to if. GIFTS WINE & BEER KITS PRESSURE KEGS TEE SHIRTS & CAPS BOTTLE CAPPERS & CORKERS BOOKS ON WINE & BEER 207 - 2031 Malaview Ave, AR #3, Sidney, B.C. VEL 3X Phone 655-7121 (Acrove trom Slegg Lumber) COMPLETE LINE OF HOME SREWING PRODUCTS Give yourself a new body for Christmas. FRIDAY, DEC. 7th 6:15 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. _ GENEROUS DISCOUNTS on Products & Program ONE DAY ONLY to thank all our present and former clients. WISHING YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A SLIM NEW YEAR! 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