Chasing Ice (2012)

Follow National Geographic photographer James Balog across the Arctic as he deploys time-lapse cameras designed for one purpose: to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers.

Director:

Jeff Orlowski

Writer:

Mark Monroe

Stars:

James Balog, Svavar Jónatansson, Louie Psihoyos

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Balog	...	Himself - Photographer
Svavar Jónatansson	...	Himself - Photo Assistant
Louie Psihoyos	...	Himself - Photographer & Oscar Winning Filmmaker
Kitty Boone	...	Herself - The Aspen Institute
Sylvia Earle	...	Herself - National Geographic Explorer (as Sylvia Earle Ph.D.)
Dennis Dimick	...	Himself - National Geographic Editor
Adam LeWinter	...	Himself - EIS Engineer (as Adam Lewinter)
Jason Box	...	Himself - Climatologist, Ohio State University (as Jason Box Ph.D.)
Tad Pfeffer	...	Himself - Glaciologist, University of Colorado (as Tad Pfeffer Ph.D.)
Suzanne Balog	...	Herself - James's Wife
Jeff Orlowski	...	Himself - EIS Videographer
Synte Peacock	...	Herself - Oceanographer, National Center for Atmospheric Research (as Synte Peacock Ph.D.)
Terry Root	...	Herself - Senior Fellow, Stanford University Woods Institute (as Terry Root Ph.D.)
Thomas Swetnam	...	Himself - Directof of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona (as Thomas Swetnam Ph.D.)
Peter Hoeppe	...	Himself - Head of Geo Risks Research, Munich Reinsurance (as Peter Hoeppe Ph.D.)

Storyline

'National Geographic' photographer James Balog was once a skeptic about climate change. But through his Extreme Ice Survey, he discovers undeniable evidence of our changing planet. In 'Chasing Ice,' we follow Balog across the Arctic as he deploys revolutionary time-lapse cameras designed for one purpose: to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers. Balog's hauntingly beautiful videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. Traveling with a young team of adventurers by helicopter, canoe and dog sled across three continents, Balog risks his career and his well-being in pursuit of the biggest story in human history. As the debate polarizes America and the intensity of natural disasters ramp up around the world, 'Chasing Ice' depicts a heroic photojournalist on a mission to gather evidence and deliver hope to our carbon-powered planet

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Plot Keywords:

climate change | ice | arctic | camera | photographer | 

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Taglines:

As the debate polarizes America, and the intensity of natural disasters ramps up globally, a heroic photojournalist is on a mission to deliver fragile hope to our carbon-powered planet.

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 December 2012 (UK)

Also Known As:

Scigajac arktyczny lód

Filming Locations:

Bolivia

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$83,200, 21 December 2012, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,328,467

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,358,668

Company Credits

Production Co:

Exposure,Diamond Docs

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

James Balog - Photographer: If you had an abscess in your tooth, would you keep going to dentist after dentist until you found a dentist who said, "Ah, don't worry about it. Leave that rotten tooth in"? Or would you pull it out because more of the other dentists told you you had a problem? That's sort of what we're doing with climate change.

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Connections

References Nova: Extreme Ice (2009)

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Soundtracks

Installing the Camera
Written by Mark A. Crawford (as Mark Crawford)

User Reviews

Mesmerizing Photography Masks a Not-So-Hidden Agenda

Noted photog and National Geographic contributor James Balog leads us on a tour of the glacial north in this stirringly-framed argument against the sins of global warming. It's a three-pronged picture, stuffing a biography, research paper and technical adventure into one seventy-minute package, and often feels scattered as a result. The science makes for interesting brain food and Balog's personal journey is unique, if a bit overplayed, but the real show-stoppers are his long-form time lapses and breath-stealing snapshots of nature at its most profound. The centerpiece of this film, and of his argument, are a series of three-year-long panoramas in which we clearly watch several glaciers shrink and recede at an alarming rate; a convincing testament to both the presence and speed of the global melt. Though Chasing Ice can certainly be accused of getting caught up in its own self-importance (or lost in the data), those lingering tastes of proof are worth waiting for and the constant presence of Balog's powerful photo portfolio makes the ride there especially sweet.