One bat in Ouro Preto Cave in PETAR, Brazil

Just got back from two weeks of vacation in Brazil, where I visited, PETAR - Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira, home to over 300 caves. I got to see a few bats there. Most of the bats don't live in the caves where people are allowed to visit, for obvious reasons. Here is one solitary bat telling me to get lost while he's trying to take a nap!

:-)

Bats at Russian River Vineyards

The first of hopefully many, many more shoots! Looking forward to visiting more bat habitats in 2013!

a glimpse of magic

It was a magical zen-like experience waiting for the bats to emerge at twilight at Russian River Vineyards. Here is a small glimpse of what we saw.



We didn't see very many bats, but the setting was very picturesque and even felt haunted. Very fitting for bat viewing!

Happy Halloween - 12 Amazing Things About Bats

Halloween may be the one day of the year when bats get the most acceptance from humans. To celebrate the holiday, people hang decorative bats in their doorways and windows, and some people even choose to dress up like this creature of the night.

Today on Halloween, Wired published a fascinating list of 12 Amazing Things About Bats. Please read it to broaden your knowledge and appreciation about these magical mammals!

Report from first shoot at Russian River Vineyards

It seems every time you schedule a shoot, you can plan and plan and plan, but you can never expect what you're going to end up capturing. When my crew and I drove up to Forestville, CA on Sunday, we thought we were going to see one of the largest bat colonies in Northern California. But what we ended up with was the crux of this new film's storyline - the bat population in North America is in dramatic decline.


Director Kristin Tieche waiting for the sun to set and the bats to emerge.

And, even though we didn't see thousands of bats, we did meet a human bat advocate - Chris O'Neill, a friend of the bats, the winery owner who truly wishes to see the return of the four species of bats who very recently dominated his property. There were as many as 4,000 bats on the property only a handful of years ago.


Sound recordist Leandro da Rosa Marques preparing to capture bat sounds.

We sincerely hope the owners of Russian River Vineyards receive the funding to restore their barn - the bat habitat they inherited when they purchased the property four years ago.


Two bats emerge from the barn at Russian River Vineyards.

Please check back for clips from our successful and insightful shoot.

Shoot planned for October 2012 at Russian River Vineyards

We are thrilled about our first shoot on location with bat lovers in Northern California. In early October, our local film crew will head to Russian River Vineyards to witness the bats emerging to feed on insects at night.

We are inspired by these viniculturists here in the region who are promoting the symbiotic relationship between bats and humans, and working towards rebalancing the ecosystem.

Come back for updates on our shoot!

The Bat Movie Pitch

Bats in North America are disappearing at an alarming rate, while human beings have yet to recognize their great contribution and significance in our communal habitat. These fascinating mammals are crucial to the healthy equilibrium of our ecosystem. This film will bring to life the daily and existential struggle for the survival of bats, in particular, the little brown bat, the species most susceptible to White Nose Syndrome, the mysterious disease that has killed between five to seven million bats in North America.

Watch and listen to filmmaker Kristin Tieche explain why she decided to make a film about bats.