Artist needs a kickstart to finish osprey documentary

When last we checked in with filmmaker Matt Clysdale he shared the story of filming a nesting pair of osprey that has made its home 40 feet off the ground on a disconnected Consumer’s Energy pole located on the abandoned Georgia Pacific property in Kalamazoo Township.

He began filming last year when the birds hatched three fledgling chicks. The project, "When Hope Hatches," is well under way, Clysdale says.

He describes the film as the natural next step in his evolution as an urban wildlife artist, work that was "born out of the notion that an exploration into the wild can begin right in your backyard."

Now Clysdale has turned to the crowd funding site Kickstarter as he works to get the money needed to finish the documentary of the birds that have become a popular local attraction as well as symbols for the returning health of the river.

Their nest in the abandoned lot of a former paper mill on Kings Highway, next to a Superfund stretch of the Kalamazoo River, and directly across from a PCB landfill, reflects the relationship of fish-eating raptors and the contaminated Kalamazoo River.

"I’m particularly excited about Kickstarter because it makes the documentary more of a community effort, with more interest and anticipation surrounding the project," says Clysdale.

The website Kickstarter gives artists and entrepreneurs an online fundraising platform to complete original, creative projects. At Kickstarter, Clysdale has his own webpage with a sneak-preview video, information on the project and pledge categories. Depending upon their level of giving, contributors receive different rewards.

Kickstarter is all-or-nothing funding, meaning the project must be fully funded before time expires or Clysdale receives nothing for his project. He has until March 1 to raise the funds.

Clysdale and his team will host a "Hope Hatches" pledge party open to the public at the Kalamazoo Nature Center from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26. There they will familiarize guests with the project, explain Kickstarter and have a computer available for online pledges. People also can go here for a direct link to the project’s homepage.

Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave
Source: Matthew Clysdale, Horsepower Pictures