Film Info2 minutes
Dream Tree Film & Productions Available for Free AND Ticketed events Synopsis: Feeling tired, irritable or stressed out? Try nature. This harmless prescription has been shown to relieve the crippling symptoms of modern life — indifference, cynicism, narcissism, even murderous rage — and is healthy for people of all ages and even pets. Side effects may include authenticity, confidence, spontaneous euphoria or being in a good mood for no apparent reason. Filmmaker Q & AWhat inspired this story?
Writer/Director Justin Bogardus was looking for a way to reach many many more people - beyond scientists, conservationists, and nature enthusiasts (what we might call the “nature-loving choir”) – and give folks the world over a fresh, entertaining, new look at the value of nature. He wanted to tell that story about the value of nature in a fun, innovative new way - at a time where a connection to nature and its value seems particularly important. |
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Jed Lazar, the main actor and college friends with Bogardus, had just had an idea about a drug commercial spoof about hiking. Bogardus and Lazar talked about it and after Jed did a mock clip of this spoof commercial they realized they were on to something and immediately put the whole thing together on their own dime.
Since then Justin Bogardus has dedicated his time to tackling this problem of how to better market nature, by appreciating what really matters to people these days (where we are now) and how nature and getting outdoors is a solution to our modern lives, just as it ever was for humans at any time, but especially now.
Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film
One of the biggest challenges was the shoe-string budget. Justin and Jed knew they were on to something and wanted to act quickly, so with no outside financing and with little time (as Jed was planning on being out of the country for a very long time right as the idea was coming together) the writing and the filming all happened quickly. It was a great fun and long time college friends Joe and Liz Victorine (who had worked with Justin before on several other filming projects) brought their immense talents to the project with camera and sound. We were very lucky. From our talented narrator actress, to the colorist, and music scored just for this spot – many talented folks lent their great work to this project just on the belief of its important fun and timely message.
How do you approach science storytelling?
This is a great question. As a writer/director I think science storytelling benefits from really putting yourself in the shoes of your audience. I know from communicating messages about science for documentaries I’ve done about DNA exonerations and wrongful conviction or social justice work I’ve done – it’s easy to approach the topic from what you as the creator already appreciate and value about the science or a particular topic. But in my experience audiences know when the story you’re telling is meant for those who already know something about the particular topic. We think innovative storytelling and comedy comes from avoiding making assumptions. It’s liberating for the audience and for us as creators in this way; you can have really creative and fresh ways of telling a science story, when you wipe the slate clean and think how can I tell this story in a way that connects with someone who likes science and also connects with someone who usually doesn’t go for “science-y” stuff. For instance, with Nature Rx we wanted to reach people who don’t think or consider nature’s value that often. How do we relate our message to anyone’s life in a way that’s resonant, inviting and meaningful? Certainly comedy and satire is a great way to do that, but ultimately for us and our Nature Rx films and future projects the fun creative challenge for us is to always put ourselves in the shoes of the audience. And sometimes that involves the willingness to make fun of ourselves or anyone who takes on the authority voice of knowledge. We believe nature and the outdoors is the great space for all to benefit from– a truly democratic space – and our messages try to communicate that basic value of inclusion and benefit.
What impact do you hope this film will have?
Nature Rx is a not just a series of comedy films, but a media movement we are creating, around the ironic branding of nature. Of course nature has not business being branded as such, but that’s the fun of showing what gets missed in many branded messages – the value of things that defy marketing campaigns and branding – like a parent’s love for a child or a person’s love for the outdoors. We intentionally wanted to come at the conversation about the relationship between humans and nature in a new and innovative way. The hope was to impact a much larger audience to reconsider what personally matters to individuals and what’s really possible in their lives and bettering their lives when they team up with nature – when they see nature as a necessary and vital part of being human. Nature might be the next serious civil right – because it’s a tremendous tool to live a rich and full life - to benefit from the outdoors – all folks should have access to. We think branded messages which are often about dividing the world into what we want and what we don’t have or what we want to have can tend to make people’s worlds feel more claustrophobic than neccessary. The democratic benefits of getting outside and seeing oneself as a part of nature and the web of life is a way to break through the claustrophobia of consumerism and reconsider a world that’s sustainable by teaming up with nature, not just dominating it.
We think something that feels personally valuable, intrinsically valuable, and not just abstractly valuable is what gets people motivated to engage, consider and protect something that’s personally valuable to them. It’s great fun for us to see that all kinds of things in marketing and advertising use nature as a positive association with their products – car commercials, beer commercials, drug commercials (obviously). All kinds of advertisements and focus groups have known for years what medical research is showing more and more: humans have an intrinsic positive association with nature. The science shows that humans are far more likely to have those experiences we all want in life – to feel happy, healthy, connected and free – when they get outdoors. Many brands in their ads have used nature to help sell their products. Perhaps, at this critical time in history - we can use the things ads do to help sell nature!
We believe comedy and getting outside are two timeless prescriptions for whatever ails you and that medicinal truth is our guiding light in our work with Nature Rx and its overall impact.
Were there any surprising or meaningful moments/experiences you want to share?
There’s a saying in Buddhism for teachers of that traditions that you end up teaching the lessons you most need to hear yourself. All of us who created Nature Rx can often get sucked up in our busy lives. Some of us struggle with anxiety, stress, or health issues from getting out of balance with life and work and busyness. Each of us who made this have different things, like many of us do to today. It’s particularly meaningful for us to remember that nature really is this resource in our lives and can make all the difference.
Anything else you would like people to know?
We thought we were on to something, but we are thrilled and delighted Nature Rx has made such a worldwide impact – unexpected to us. We are humbled and inspired to keep this work up.
What next?
Nature Rx Kids is our biggest project in the works – another spoof commercial, but this time geared specifically towards kids and families. We’re also currently partnering with US Parks Service, Parks Canada, Victoria Parks (Australia), Nature For All, Healthy Parks Healthy People, and IUCN’s World Conservation Congress to produce a very surprising twist on a nature documentary, where this time the animals are studying the humans. In this spoof BBC nature documentary the animals are trying to understand why it is that humans are suddenly in the last 20 years spending so much more and more time inside, away from the benefits and joy of being in nature.
Since then Justin Bogardus has dedicated his time to tackling this problem of how to better market nature, by appreciating what really matters to people these days (where we are now) and how nature and getting outdoors is a solution to our modern lives, just as it ever was for humans at any time, but especially now.
Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film
One of the biggest challenges was the shoe-string budget. Justin and Jed knew they were on to something and wanted to act quickly, so with no outside financing and with little time (as Jed was planning on being out of the country for a very long time right as the idea was coming together) the writing and the filming all happened quickly. It was a great fun and long time college friends Joe and Liz Victorine (who had worked with Justin before on several other filming projects) brought their immense talents to the project with camera and sound. We were very lucky. From our talented narrator actress, to the colorist, and music scored just for this spot – many talented folks lent their great work to this project just on the belief of its important fun and timely message.
How do you approach science storytelling?
This is a great question. As a writer/director I think science storytelling benefits from really putting yourself in the shoes of your audience. I know from communicating messages about science for documentaries I’ve done about DNA exonerations and wrongful conviction or social justice work I’ve done – it’s easy to approach the topic from what you as the creator already appreciate and value about the science or a particular topic. But in my experience audiences know when the story you’re telling is meant for those who already know something about the particular topic. We think innovative storytelling and comedy comes from avoiding making assumptions. It’s liberating for the audience and for us as creators in this way; you can have really creative and fresh ways of telling a science story, when you wipe the slate clean and think how can I tell this story in a way that connects with someone who likes science and also connects with someone who usually doesn’t go for “science-y” stuff. For instance, with Nature Rx we wanted to reach people who don’t think or consider nature’s value that often. How do we relate our message to anyone’s life in a way that’s resonant, inviting and meaningful? Certainly comedy and satire is a great way to do that, but ultimately for us and our Nature Rx films and future projects the fun creative challenge for us is to always put ourselves in the shoes of the audience. And sometimes that involves the willingness to make fun of ourselves or anyone who takes on the authority voice of knowledge. We believe nature and the outdoors is the great space for all to benefit from– a truly democratic space – and our messages try to communicate that basic value of inclusion and benefit.
What impact do you hope this film will have?
Nature Rx is a not just a series of comedy films, but a media movement we are creating, around the ironic branding of nature. Of course nature has not business being branded as such, but that’s the fun of showing what gets missed in many branded messages – the value of things that defy marketing campaigns and branding – like a parent’s love for a child or a person’s love for the outdoors. We intentionally wanted to come at the conversation about the relationship between humans and nature in a new and innovative way. The hope was to impact a much larger audience to reconsider what personally matters to individuals and what’s really possible in their lives and bettering their lives when they team up with nature – when they see nature as a necessary and vital part of being human. Nature might be the next serious civil right – because it’s a tremendous tool to live a rich and full life - to benefit from the outdoors – all folks should have access to. We think branded messages which are often about dividing the world into what we want and what we don’t have or what we want to have can tend to make people’s worlds feel more claustrophobic than neccessary. The democratic benefits of getting outside and seeing oneself as a part of nature and the web of life is a way to break through the claustrophobia of consumerism and reconsider a world that’s sustainable by teaming up with nature, not just dominating it.
We think something that feels personally valuable, intrinsically valuable, and not just abstractly valuable is what gets people motivated to engage, consider and protect something that’s personally valuable to them. It’s great fun for us to see that all kinds of things in marketing and advertising use nature as a positive association with their products – car commercials, beer commercials, drug commercials (obviously). All kinds of advertisements and focus groups have known for years what medical research is showing more and more: humans have an intrinsic positive association with nature. The science shows that humans are far more likely to have those experiences we all want in life – to feel happy, healthy, connected and free – when they get outdoors. Many brands in their ads have used nature to help sell their products. Perhaps, at this critical time in history - we can use the things ads do to help sell nature!
We believe comedy and getting outside are two timeless prescriptions for whatever ails you and that medicinal truth is our guiding light in our work with Nature Rx and its overall impact.
Were there any surprising or meaningful moments/experiences you want to share?
There’s a saying in Buddhism for teachers of that traditions that you end up teaching the lessons you most need to hear yourself. All of us who created Nature Rx can often get sucked up in our busy lives. Some of us struggle with anxiety, stress, or health issues from getting out of balance with life and work and busyness. Each of us who made this have different things, like many of us do to today. It’s particularly meaningful for us to remember that nature really is this resource in our lives and can make all the difference.
Anything else you would like people to know?
We thought we were on to something, but we are thrilled and delighted Nature Rx has made such a worldwide impact – unexpected to us. We are humbled and inspired to keep this work up.
What next?
Nature Rx Kids is our biggest project in the works – another spoof commercial, but this time geared specifically towards kids and families. We’re also currently partnering with US Parks Service, Parks Canada, Victoria Parks (Australia), Nature For All, Healthy Parks Healthy People, and IUCN’s World Conservation Congress to produce a very surprising twist on a nature documentary, where this time the animals are studying the humans. In this spoof BBC nature documentary the animals are trying to understand why it is that humans are suddenly in the last 20 years spending so much more and more time inside, away from the benefits and joy of being in nature.