December 2023

SAKUMONO

360° Film
Documentary
Virtual Reality

SYNOPSIS

Sakumono is a dramatized 360 documentary which tells the story of how a group of friends decided to revive the Sakumono Lagoon; a rapidly declining wetland in Tema, their beloved hometown.

After the global pandemic slowed the momentum of We Have Decided, a movement they started to address the lagoon’s plight and propose a plan for restoration, the team was compelled to consider new and unusual creative ways to generate sustained interest and engagement around the challenge of saving this vital wetland they cared so deeply about. Their subsequent explorations have included public art installations on the wetland, online crowdsourcing campaigns, an open call to artists and even initiating an annual ceremony of appeasement.

This narrative-driven 360 documentary will immerse the viewer in the team’s collective imagination as they navigate the complexities of environmental activism, community involvement, and the details of the different mechanisms they’ve explored to address the ongoing crisis. Through the lens of VR, viewers will witness the highs and lows of the team's journey, experience the beauty of the Sakumono Lagoon, its unsavory parts and encounter the creative spirit spurring the team on to make a difference.

MOTIVATION

I was born and raised in Tema where the Sakumono Lagoon is situated. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by the lagoon and the magnificent birds that migrate there every year. I’ve always regarded these natural wonders as some of the main things that make this place really special. So when I became aware of the deplorable state of the lagoon which I’ve always held so dear, I felt compelled to do something about it. And that’s exactly what my team and I decided to do.

Furthermore, as an artist who cares deeply about nature, I always look for opportunities to use my work to tell stories about protecting the environment and being better stewards of earth. I’ve volunteered in various community service projects to this end and have also contributed artworks to exhibitions that center on these topics. And through We Have Decided, my team and I have already began an initiative to save the Sakumono Lagoon, which has involved carrying out field tests with scientists, publishing a book about our initiative, and creating an online crowdfunding campaign which was accompanied by a short film we shot and edited.

For my team and I, Sakumono Lagoon’s potential is clear: it could be transformed into a special eco-park with benches and nature trails where people, animals and nature could all coexist together beautifully. Something like this will only happen though if more people cared enough. I do, my team does, and given our passion and our experience telling stories with various new media technologies, we believe we are the right people to tell this story.