Challenge:
Award-winning filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg has teamed up with mycologist Dr. Paul Stamets, authors Michael Pollan and Eugenia Bone, physician Dr. Andrew Weil, Reconsider, and actress Brie Larson to create an educational, inspirational and ultimately critical film called Fantastic Fungi. Communicating the magic of mycelium became effortless. Conveying the magic and mystery, the profound wisdom and power… it was an honor to to be an integral part of the creative team.
Solution:
Our project began all the way back in 2014! The film was released September, 2019 to global acclaim and continues to reach audiences to this day. We didn’t create a movie. We created a MOVEMENT.
Millions of viewers, global community events, passionate sparks of creativity, interest from corporate sponsors and global organizations… it all started with deep, personal respect for the wisdom of fungi.
We Created A Global Trend
This project was community-building at it’s very best. I quickly learned how extremely passionate each group was – and, often, how little they communicated with each other. Foodies and scientists didn’t hang out… until now. We brought people together through their mutual love and respect for fungi and the mycelium kingdom. Conversations began, community events sprung up. People started showing up to screenings in costume, and lines formed around the block.
And… A Music Album
Musical artists, like Jason Mraz, came together to produce Fantastic Fungi Reimagine, the album. Reconsider.org produced this beautiful project, and I was honored to design the cover.
My initial design – which I LOVED – turned out to contain a poisonous mushroom. Paul Stamets came to the rescue and took a photograph of his very own discovery, which is what made it to the final version. Click below to hear a sweet song from the album by Beautiful Chorus:
