Private Project

On the Run

Sometimes letting go of expectations allows us to see more clearly the beauty we might have missed along the way.

Every year, millions of sardines follow the cold water current up South Africa's eastern coastline, in an underwater migration known as the sardine run.

  • Chelsea Yamase
    Director
  • Emmett Sparling
    Director
  • Chelsea Yamase
    Writer
  • Emmett Sparling
    Writer
  • Emmett Sparling
    Producer
  • Gabor Harrach
    Producer
  • Meredith Ruskin
    Producer
  • Felipe Ambra
    Producer
  • Chelsea Yamase
    Key Cast
  • Emmett Sparling
    Key Cast
  • Josiah Gordon
    Key Cast
  • Sam Kolder
    Key Cast
  • Sam Kolder
    Photography
  • Emmett Sparling
    Photography
  • Josiah Gordon
    Photography
  • Gary Gibson
    Additional Footage
  • Monika Zolkowski
    Additional Footage
  • Nick Davis
    Additional Footage
  • Nive Goldwyn
    Additional Footage
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 4 seconds
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    South Africa
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Corona Studios
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Chelsea Yamase, Emmett Sparling

I was born and raised on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. I was the nerdy, shy girl growing up who spent way too much time in the library. I'm still addicted to learning and challenging myself in new areas. I think my change of path started when dropped out from architecture school and had a life crisis when I realized I couldn't ever see myself spending that much time in an office. For someone who was so scholastically inclined it was terrifying to not have a direction. So at 18, I moved to Europe and fell in love with traveling, people and storytelling. Fast forward six years and I had graduated with multiple degrees, worked as an art director and graphic designer, as well as a private tour guide, spa attendant, waitress...

In the last two years I've been able to figure out how to combine the skills unique to me — a wide range of outdoors pursuits, travel, modeling, and a background in journalism and design — into a job. It's a special kind of happiness when I get to spend the day creating with my friends in awesome, natural locations. These things take time, and it's been both scary and exhilarating to let go and trust in the process. -Chelsea Yamase

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Making this film come to life required a collaborative effort. All 10 of us each contributed a few seconds of footage in order to piece together the story you’re seeing here. During our last days on the run we came back to our original intention - just a group of friends coming together for an adventure, both underwater and on land. Maybe they weren’t the planned out shots we were hoping to capture, but it’s that exact rush and enjoyment of the unexpected that keeps us so entranced by nature. It’s never guaranteed, but I’m sure we will still be the ones going out early and staying out extra late the next time we’re on the run. We’re also learning that the degree to which we can let go of expectations allows us to see more clearly the beauty we might have missed along the way.