Alum launches Kickstarter for film about sustainable seafood

Last year, award-winning filmmaker Mischa Hedges (BFA/Film Prod.’06) and his production company TrimTab Media received initial funding from Cal Humanities to produce a documentary about commercial fishermen in California – to explore their work and document their lives. For five months, Hedges and his team have been capturing stories about fishermen, seafood and sustainability along the California coast, from Fort Bragg to San Francisco to Morro Bay, and recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help finish the film.



“It’s a fascinating way of life – the fishermen we’ve met work incredibly hard, and care deeply about the ocean and its bounty,” says Hedges. “We’ve captured some pretty amazing stories, but there are so many more.” In addition to filming interviews with commercial fishermen, Hedges and his crew are capturing footage at sea, underwater shots of fishing boats in action, and timelapse footage of fishing communities. They are also featuring stories about entrepreneurs who are bringing local, sustainable seafood to the public using innovative business models. “I think it’s important to include hopeful stories in documentaries. As audience members, we have to know that we can DO something to help after watching a film – otherwise, what’s the point?” says Hedges.



Hedges graduated from Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts in 2006. In his senior year, he made his thesis documentary, Sustainable Table, with the guidance of mentor/professor Jay Boylan. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles, where he interned on a Discovery Channel series before launching a career as a commercial editor and documentary producer. In 2009, he moved to San Francisco and received an MBA from the GreenMBA program, and started TrimTab Media, a communications agency that produces video and other content for progressive businesses and non-profits.

Hedges recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise additional funding for OF THE SEA. The funds will be used to continue production this summer, helping him and his crew capture additional footage of fishermen who catch Salmon and Albacore Tuna off the California coast. Backers to the project will receive various rewards for their contributions, including tickets to the film’s premiere and an exclusive online screening.

OF THE SEA is scheduled to be completed this fall, after which Hedges plans to submit to film festivals, host community screenings and make the film available online. A PBS broadcast is also planned for OF THE SEA in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“I am making this film to connect people who eat seafood with the people who catch it, and to inspire viewers to make responsible seafood choices,” said Hedges. “I believe that when conscious, committed people are empowered with information about how they can make the world a better place, they use it to do just that.” For more information and to become a backer of the film’s Kickstarter campaign, visit OF THE SEA’s Kickstarter page.