Private Project

Reef Revolution

An undocumented reef, 11km offshore of Pātea, New Zealand, has captured the curiosity and passion of a dedicated team and their local community. Follow in this sentimental journey, as the younger generation join 'Project Reef Life' team members in their journey of ocean discovery, and in turn surprise an older generation about life under their local ocean. Featuring interviews with Karen (Joint Project Lead), Josh (Marine scientist) and Oliver (Student).

  • Rebecca Pratt
    Director
  • Sasha McEwen
    Producer
  • Karen Pratt
    Key Cast
    "Joint Project Lead"
  • Josh Richardson
    Key Cast
    "Marine Scientist"
  • Oliver Arnold
    Key Cast
    "Student"
  • Christian Ching
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 53 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 8, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    800 NZD
  • Country of Origin:
    New Zealand
  • Country of Filming:
    New Zealand
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • Flavors Film Festival
    Auckland
    New Zealand
    November 9, 2019
    New Zealand Premiere
    Official selection
  • World Whale Film Festival
    Hawaii
    United States
    February 14, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Oxford International Short Film Festival
    Oxford
    United Kingdom
    May 20, 2020
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Rebecca Pratt

Reef Revolution is Rebecca's (22) first short film as Director, as part of her final assignment for Auckland University of Technology. She is the media advisor for Project Reef Life New Zealand.

Raised in South Taranaki, New Zealand. After being waitlisted for the Juilliard Academy of Dramatic Art (2016), Rebecca returned to study in New York at the Lee Strasberg Institute of Theatre and Film.

In 2018, she completed a Diploma of Film and Television which she cross-credited toward a Bachelor of Communication Studies (majoring in film and television) at Auckland University of Technology (2019). She's the current intern for the Directors & Editors Guild of New Zealand.

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Director Statement

I like to tell people they can "find me at the crossroads of art & science." In many ways, Reef Revolution encompassed such a philosophy. In making this film, I was able to bring many different sectors of my local community together, simultaneously balancing the making of a short documentary and communicating science to those involved (and the wider audience). The ocean is a phenomenal place and I'm always telling people it's a "never-ending film set," but sometimes that can be overwhelming. I hope that this documentary encourages people to follow their ocean-based curiosities, share their discoveries and add to the bigger picture of our world's oceans... as Oliver (student in our documentary) rightly tells us, "if we don't know what's out there, how do we know there's anything worth protecting?"