Award-Winning Producer, Director & Cinematographer Becomes Plastic Oceans Ambassador
December 18, 2018 – Malibu, CA – Plastic Oceans International, the non-profit organization changing global attitudes towards plastic, today announced that renowned producer, director and cinematographer—Louie Schwartzberg—has become an Ambassador, lending his name and passion to end harmful plastic pollution caused by mass single-use plastic consumption.
“I am so pleased to join Plastic Oceans to encourage people to rethink their use of plastic to save the environment,” said Louie Schwartzberg, award-winning producer, director and cinematographer. “My greatest satisfaction is to create works that have a positive effect on the Earth’s future, and I am excited to align my passion with Plastic Oceans’ mission to educate people worldwide, inspire solutions and protect our oceans from plastic pollution.”
The stunning beauty of Louie’s Moving Art series.
Increased understanding of and awareness about the harm of single-use plastic are essential in the battle to end plastic pollution. Schwartzberg’s support will enhance Plastic Oceans’ efforts to build awareness and foster solutions. He joins fellow Plastic Oceans Ambassadors, including Colombian entertainer, Carlos Vives; actor, Matthew Modine; and musician, photographer and humanitarian, Julian Lennon.
“Plastic Oceans shares Louie Schwartzberg’s satisfaction for affecting positive change for the planet, and we are proud to announce his Ambassadorship in the battle to protect oceans from plastic pollution,” said Julie Andersen, Global Executive Director, Plastic Oceans International. “As one of the most acclaimed filmmakers, and the founding father of time-lapse filmmaking, Mr. Schwartzberg’s global reputation and reach is very valuable in raising awareness about the dangerous perception that single-use plastic is disposable.”
An award-winning producer, director and cinematographer, Schwartzberg’s notable career spans more than three decades, providing breathtaking imagery for feature films, television shows, documentaries and commercials. As the only filmmaker in the world who has been shooting time-lapse 24/7 continuously for more than four decades, Schwartzberg is a visual artist breaking barriers, connecting with audiences, and telling stories that celebrate life and reveal the mysteries and wisdom of nature, people and places.
He is credited by many with pioneering the contemporary stock footage industry by founding Energy Film Library, a global company acquired by Getty Images in 1997. Some theatrical releases include the 3D IMAX film, “Mysteries of the Unseen World” with National Geographic, narrated by Forest Whitaker, and “Wings of Life,” a feature-length documentary for Disneynature, narrated by Meryl Streep.
In addition to feature films, Schwartzberg curates Moving Art™, the world’s first collection of 2D and 3D moving images created as fine art for digital screens, from nature to cityscapes to visual effects. Designed to inspire, educate and perhaps even evolve our perspective on the world, Moving Art™ is now available on IPTV devices such as Roku, mobile devices via the iOS and Android platforms, and as an Original Series on Netflix—the first 4K content to appear on that channel.
Several Moving Art™ film shorts have gone viral—including the hits “Gratitude” and “Beauty of Pollination” with 44MM+ YouTube views—which have spawned successful related projects such as books (Hay House, Sterling) and webinar series (MentorsChannel, John Templeton Foundation). Custom 4K resolution Moving Art™ pieces created by Schwartzberg can also be found in high-end hospitality venues around the world.
Schwartzberg’s stunning nature, aerial and slice-of-life imagery has transformed films by directors like Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, Francis Ford Coppola, Paul Haggis and Ridley Scott, including “American Beauty,” “The Bourne Ultimatum,” “Crash,” “Erin Brockovich,” “E.T.,” “Independence Day,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Koyaanisqatsi,” “Men in Black,” “Twister” and countless others.
A coveted speaker worldwide for inspirational corporate and nonprofit audiences, Schwartzberg is active in the TED community. Videos of two of his most recent TEDx talks are regularly cited among the top-watched TEDx talks of all time. An MFA film school graduate of UCLA, he chaired and served as executive director of Action! Vote Coalition and on the board of both the Earth Communications Office and Environmental Media Association. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America and Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences.
Over his long trailblazing career, Schwartzberg has earned myriad awards and honors including two Clio Awards for Best Environmental PSAs, an Emmy nomination for Best Cinematography (“Oceans of Air” on the Discovery Channel), a Truly Moving Picture Award from the Heartland Film Festival (“America’s Heart & Soul”) and Best Film–Inspiration at the Ocean Film Festival (“Gratitude”). He was recognized as one of the “Top 70 Cinematographers” for the On Film Kodak Salute Series. Schwartzberg was also honored with the NAAPC Pollinator Protector award. Learn more about Schwartzberg at movingart.com.
About Plastic Oceans International
Plastic Oceans International is a non-profit organization with a goal to change the world’s attitude towards plastic within a generation. Serving the ocean and the public, Plastic Oceans engages people of all ages and social situations to build awareness about the dangerous perception that single-use plastic is disposable, and foster solutions that prevent plastic from entering the environment. Plastic Oceans uses inspirational and solutions-focused film and media, paired with supportive activism, to promote a global movement to rethink plastic. Learn more at plasticoceans.org.
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CONTACT: Lauren Cozzi
(202) 853-9608, lauren@laurencozzi.com
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