Section 3 – Marketing and Promotions
Introduction
The materials and suggestions offered in this marketing guide are intended to
assist you in developing your own marketing and promotional strategies. What
works for us may not work for everyone. We encourage you to:
 Use the messages and images as supplied or create your own within the
supplied guidelines.
 Remember to submit your marketing and promotional materials including
artwork to Science North for approval prior to placement or printing. Share
your marketing and promotional strategies and materials with Science
North for inclusion in the Marketing Guide website so others can benefit
from your experiences.
Be sure to review and adhere to the guidelines and mandatory requirements in
this guide and in your film lease agreement for Mysteries of the Great Lakes.
Positioning
Mysteries of the Great Lakes is film that takes audiences to the “inland seas” and
the largest source of freshwater on our planet in the only screen large enough to
reveal them. Once there, they will encounter spectacular scenery and wondrous
wildlife and gain an understanding of the environmental effects that human
inhabitation has caused.
Spectacular scenery
In Mysteries of the Great Lakes, audiences will visit all five of the Great Lakes,
from one end to the other and experience sweeping vistas, towering cliffs – some
etched with ancient native pictographs, expanses of sandy beaches, and
stunning islands populated only by birds and animals in the only format that
makes you feel as if youʼre there – IMAX®.
Wildlife from the Great Lakes
There is a wide variety of wildlife species found all around the Great Lakes,
including some that have developed unique adaptations to their environments in
a very short period of time. Others have teetered on the brink of extinction and
are currently rebounding. Through the magic of IMAX®, audiences can see
these animals in their native environments in Mysteries of the Great Lakes.
Water quality issues
Mysteries of the Great Lakes is ultimately a story of water. The Lakes are the
lifeblood of a continent - a vast reservoir vital to the health of millions of people
on both sides of the border. The Great Lakes contain approximately one-fifth of
the worldʼs freshwater and approximately 10% of Americans and 25% of
Canadians live along the shorelines – the equivalent of 40 million people.
Environmental stewardship
Taken for granted for centuries, and used as a dumping ground by cities and
industry, the Great Lakes are at a crucial stage in their history. Mysteries of the
Great Lakes explores the scientific efforts taking place to come to grips with the
problems and the decisions that will be made by all levels of government in the
next few decades will impact generations to come.
Target Audiences
Mysteries of the Great Lakes is a timely film, and its message spans all ages and
demographics, including families, school groups, bus and groups tours, mature
audiences and tourists.
The following information about target audiences is here to provide you with
guidelines in selecting marketing and advertising vehicles based on general
information available about giant screen audiences. Your markets may differ
slightly.
Primary Targets:
 Families with children 12 and under with a household income of $60,000
or over. Most of the adults in the families will be college or university
graduates.
 Women between the ages of 25 and 54.
Secondary Targets:
 School groups
 Group tour operators
 Travel enthusiasts
 Local and community youth organizations
 Seniorsʼ organizations
 Local environmental organizations
 Local wildlife organizations
 Outdoor enthusiasts
Page 18
 Boating, sailing, canoeing, kayaking enthusiasts
Developing marketing messages to direct at your key target audiences will
dramatically increase your success in attracting them to your theatre to see
Mysteries of the Great Lakes.
Promotional ideas
Local Promotions:
Successful local promotions can have huge impact on attendance. Here are a
few ideas to promote Mysteries of the Great Lakes locally.
 Hire speakers to tour secondary schools to promote environmental
careers with the film serving as the basis of each talk.
 Coordinate a fish release in a local lake to draw attention to threatened
species in the Great Lakes. Contact local fish & wildlife authorities before
doing so. (Canada: Ministry of Natural Resources / USA: US Fish &
Wildlife Service)
 Host a high-energy science competition to find creative ways to utilize
water to generate ʻgreenʼ power
 Build huge water tanks, or use water cooler containers stacked together,
prominently displayed at the entrance to your theatre to give the effect of
being filled with water. Use them to show how much water an average
family of four consumes in one day.
 The wildlife of the Great Lakes is a major storyline in Mysteries of the
Great Lakes. Many wildlife education groups in addition to zoos keep live
animals for educational purposes. Work with local wildlife education
groups to bring in a presentation of live animals/fish from the Great Lakes
region.
 Mysteries of the Great Lakes features stunning scenery of the Great Lakes
region – towering cliffs, shorelines, sparkling lakes, and raging rivers
abound! Partner with local tourism agencies as the film is sure to pique
Page 19
interest in Great Lakes tourism, and the tour companies can help promote
the film to their clients and in their offices.
 Outdoor enthusiasts are another key demographic. These are the people
who actively spend time in the wilderness hiking, fishing, hunting,
canoeing, etc. Partner with a local outdoor outfitter, and donʼt forget the
scuba dive shops! With all the underwater photography involved to tell the
story of a few of the Great Lakesʼ 5,000 shipwrecks, the film goes below
the surface in more ways than one!
 You canʼt make a film about the Great Lakes without including some
boats. Partner with a local marina, sailing or canoe club, to host an
antique boat show.
Prizes for media partners or for contesting
 Who wouldnʼt want to win a cruise on one of the Great Lakes? The beauty
of a cruise around Lake Huronʼs Manitoulin Island alone has been
compared to a cruise around the Greek Isles. You donʼt have to go far
from home to experience the exotic!
 There are plenty of adventure tour companies that offer all-inclusive
guided canoe expedition packages for the novice up to expert paddlers. A
great prize for those who seek physical challenges!
 The best way to experience the Great Lakes (or any lake for that matter) is
in a canoe or a kayak. Approach a local dealer or a sponsor to donate a
canoe or a kayak. This idea also helps to emphasize the need to move
away from motorized watercraft, which add greenhouse gases to the
atmosphere, and worsen the effects of climate change.
 How about an all-inclusive trip to experience each of the five Great Lakes?
Partner with a travel agent, and create a luxurious prize package including
accommodation at luxury lakeside resorts, tours of vineyards, fine dining,
fishing trips, golf outings, spa treatments, and of course a cruise on each
of the Great Lakes.
 Another fun option is to offer a self-directed trip to see all of the mysteries
of the Great Lakes featured in the film as a prize. Partner with a travel
Page 20
agent or local tourism bureau and allow the winner to choose from a
number of attractive opportunities and dates.
 Program a themed special exhibition such as Science Northʼs
WaterWorks: Soak Up The Science special exhibition to complement the
film and boost package sales. Water is a hot topic for the public today, and
this will only increase in coming years. The need to protect life-sustaining
freshwater is the main message of Mysteries of the Great Lakes. See the
Key Contacts list for more information about WaterWorks.
 Work with local water-protection and wildlife conservation organizations to
host a special event featuring fun and educational booths and live shows
themed to the Great Lakes to increase public awareness of the issues and
of the film, Mysteries of the Great Lakes. Consider distributing a coupon
for the film or for a discount at the concession stand to those in
attendance.
Opening Ideas:
Themed Gala Event:
An elegant gala event is an excellent way to generate word-of-mouth advertising,
cultivate your donors and sponsors, and create excitement around the opening of
Mysteries of the Great Lakes. In addition to a screening of Mysteries of the
Great Lakes, consider…
 Feature Great Lakes themed food (eg. Smoked salmon, whitefish, wild
rice, fruit grown in the Great Lakes region, etc.)
 Choose a few popular cocktails to feature and re-name them with a
Mysteries of the Great Lakes themed name (eg. “Superior Sunrise,”
“Niagara Nectar”). Be sure to include wines from the Great Lakes region
as well.
 Lake-themed décor: fill a birch bark canoe with ice to chill drinks in a
visible area behind the bar; bring in a large aquarium with specimens of
Great Lakes fish in them; add rocks that would be found on the Great
Lakes to a low wide vase, add water and then floating candles for eyecatching centrepieces; play a recording of the sound of crashing waves
outside to set the mood as guests arrive; project a slideshow of images
from the film onto a wall, or drape a piece of white fabric artfully in the
space and project the images onto that with an LCD projector.
Page 21
Lobby Décor:
The opening of a film is a special occasion! Express it in your lobby décor! Not
only will it look great, but even a few key effects will have your audience taking
notice. A few ideas for consideration are:
 Gobos that simulate the effect of light rippling across water
 Set up an aquarium or two containing specimens of fish from the Great
Lakes.
Previews:
Build the buzz! Positive word-of-mouth is one of the most effective and
inexpensive ways to drive audiences to your theatre. Host sneak previews for
representatives of:







local media
local environmental and/or conservation groups
travel agencies
local historical societies
secondary school student councils
post-secondary student councils
faculty of related programs at colleges/universities (geology, geography,
natural history, biology, chemistry, urban planning, engineering, tourism)
Media Competition:
Members of the media attend hundreds of media events annually. One way to
make your events stand out is to play on those rivalries that already exist
between media outlets and arrange a little healthy (and fun!) competition.
Chances are, theyʼll be motivated to let their audiences know how it went, and
promotion of the film will tag along with those messages.
A few ideas include:
 If your theatre/attraction is located near a body or water, consider a
paddling relay race – canoes or dinghies – itʼs up to you!
 Ever wonder what itʼs like to portage a canoe? Have members of the
media team up for a portage relay.
 Trivial Pursuit: The Great Lakes edition. Set up a special challenge for the
media by separating them into teams & asking interesting Great Lakes
trivia questions. Be sure to have lots of little prizes on hand for motivation.
Theyʼll all be vying for bragging rights!
Page 22
 A non-competitive, but still newsworthy idea for a media event is to invite a
guest speaker to make a public presentation about the film, and invite the
media to attend. Continue reading for more ideas regarding guest
speakers.
Guest Speakers:
Another highly effective way to attract both media and public attention is to
schedule a speaking engagement with special film-related guests. With the
popularity of “making of” features on DVDs, more and more people are curious
about how these films are actually made. And of course, thereʼs still a certain
cachet to having a film director present. In regard to Mysteries of the Great
Lakes, your options include Director/Producer, David Lickley and biologist, Ron
Bruch.
Invite local school groups to attend an afternoon presentation, and the public for
an evening session. Presentations would include a slideshow (PowerPoint)
featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, film clips, as well as
a chance for the audience to ask questions.
Guest speakers also work well at gala events and local premieres. A postscreening question & answer session is always appreciated, and a reception
immediately following the local premiere is another fun way to build excitement
around a film.
David Lickley, Film Director
Complete Speaker Request Form
…insert form
Ron Bruch, Sturgeon Biologist
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
625 E County Rd. Y, Suite 700
Oshkosh, WI 54901
[email protected]
T: 920-424-3059
F: 920-424-4404
For speaking engagements, please contact Ron Bruch directly.
Page 23
Editorial ideas
Mysteries of the Great Lakes is a timely film. All across the Great Lakes basin,
there is a renewed interest in the health of the Great Lakes, and an increased
awareness of the importance of this freshwater resource to North America.
Known as ʻinland seasʼ by early European explorers, the Great Lakes have some
of the most spectacular wilderness scenery on Earth, and a fifth of the planetʼs
freshwater. Today, 25% of all Canadians, and 10% of Americans live alongside
the Great Lakes. In addition, one in every three Canadians and one in every
seven Americans rely on the Great Lakes for their freshwater.
Mysteries of the Great Lakes highlights the need for preservation and
conservation. It also showcases the amazing geography, ecology, science, and
history of the lakes region. Each of these topics, including the making of the film
itself, provides a multitude of editorial opportunities.
The Making of the Film
If you could take everyone on this continent on a voyage of discovery from one
end of the Great Lakes to the other, you would change the way they look at these
amazing natural treasures. That of course is impossible to do, but we can take
them on that journey through the power of IMAX®, often dubbed “the next best
thing to being there”.
Mysteries of the Great Lakes is as much a celebration of Earthʼs greatest
freshwater ecosystem as it is a rallying cry for protection. The story takes
audiences on a beautiful journey through these amazing inland seas, with some
key stops along the way that highlight the different messages that can be shared
through the stories of three key species. The film also turns the camera on us, as
humans – touching on the human interface with the lakes including the vital role
of shipping to commerce, the use of water by the millions of people who rely on it
for life, and the general sense of wellbeing that people get from their association
with these massive bodies of water.
The scenery and wildlife captured through the IMAX lens for Mysteries of the
Great Lakes is spectacular, and unlike anything ever captured for this medium
before. Filming took the production crews from the Wolf River in Wisconsin –
where thousands of lake sturgeon, the worldʼs largest freshwater fish, thrashed in
the shallow rapids en route to their spawning grounds – to 80 feet above the
wilds of Wisconsin. It was there that wildlife photographer Neil Rettig managed
to capture extraordinary footage of wild eagle behaviour as the birds tended to
their tiny, fluffy eaglets. This spectacular footage was almost lost however, when
Page 24
the shoot was cut short due to a storm. According to Director, David Lickley, the
camera, footage, and crew almost became a part of Lake Superiorʼs shipwreck
lore when their boat began taking on water after picking up Rettig.
The filmmakers also captured some amazing footage of woodland caribou while
shooting in Lake Superiorʼs Slate Islands. Over the course of the first two days of
shooting, the crew saw almost 20 individual caribou of various sizes. The Slate
Islands are home to the largest remaining woodland caribou herd in the Great
Lakes region, and over the course of their 100 plus years on the Islands, they
have evolved some unusual biological adaptations. The caribou on the Slate
Islands werenʼt shy about settling their differences in the presence of humans
either, and this unusual situation provided our filmmakers with a picturesque,
once-in-a-lifetime shot of two male caribou battling for dominance, with a a
glorious Lake Superior sunset as a backdrop.
As with all giant screen productions, creativity is key when attempting to capture
the ideal shot. While shooting Niagara Falls for Mysteries of the Great Lakes, an
IMAX camera was suspended out over the edge of the Falls on a remotecontrolled crane. In Lake Superior, the crew used a flat rock that was a hundred
feet off shore and submerged under four feet of water to anchor the tripod before
carefully attaching the camera to it in order to get a shot that would do justice to
the primitive native pictographs on a cliff face.
These are only a few of the behind-the-scenes events that went into the making
of Mysteries of the Great Lakes. There are hundreds of stories to be shared by
the filmʼs director, and film footage that shows the majestic beauty of the Great
Lakes region and the wildlife that inhabit it. More of this information is available
to media.
By the time the filmʼs final credits roll, people will have uncovered many of the
mysteries of the Great Lakes in a powerful and unforgettable way. Studies
indicate that people remember IMAX films for years due to the immersive nature
of the medium. Mysteries of the Great Lakes is a film that will take all who see it
on a voyage of discovery that will lead to a greater appreciation of this vitally
important lake system, and foster a lasting commitment to preserving it.
Health of the Great Lakes-Environmental Issues
Taken for granted for centuries and used as a dumping ground by cities and
industries, the Lakes are at a crucial stage in their history. They are the lifeblood
of a continent, a vast reservoir vital to the health of millions of people, as well as
Page 25
flora and fauna, on both sides of the border. Water quality and sustainability are
major issues in todayʼs world—and both are at risk.
Over 360 chemical compounds have been identified in the Great Lakes - a
system that contains one fifth of all of the planetʼs freshwater. Many of these
identified chemicals in our water are potentially dangerous to humans. They are
also proving detrimental to aquatic ecosystems and are having an impact on the
survival of various species of fish, as well as the birds and mammals that
consume them.
Pollution is not the only stressor affecting the health of the Great Lakes. Climate
change, caused by human activity, is having an impact as well, and may be
leading to the high evaporation rates that are contributing to low water levels in
the Great Lakes. In fact, the Great Lakes are now at lows that have not been
seen since the mid-1920s. Over the last century, the difference in water levels
has ranged from nearly 4 feet (1.2 m) for Lake Superior and between 6 and 7 feet
(1.8 and 2.1 m) for the other Great Lakes.
One of the most disturbing developments in the Great Lakes story is the
introduction of nearly 150 invasive species to date. Theyʼve entered in the ballast
water of freighters; theyʼve swum up the river systems, and some have even
been purposely introduced. The results have been catastrophic for the
indigenous wildlife of the Lakes, as many of the aliens have overcome the native
species and are now part of the ecological makeup of the region. Notable
invaders include the lamprey eel, the alewife, the round gobi and the zebra
mussel.
Human consumption is also taking a hefty toll on the Great Lakes system. We
may live on a blue planet where 75% of the Earthʼs surface is covered in water,
but the real issue is the amount of freshwater available. Freshwater resources in
North America, and around the world, are unequally distributed. Only about 1%
of the water found on Earth is available for direct human use, with the rest locked
up in our oceans, glaciers and polar ice caps. In addition, the demands of the 40
million people who live on the Great Lakes, along with the water needs of
industry, power plants, farms and urban sprawl continue to grow.
Global water needs are increasingly attracting attention, and some experts are
predicting that a catastrophic water crisis is looming. The steps we take over the
next few decades with regard to water conservation, preservation and
sustainability will impact generations to come.
Page 26
The Story of the Lake Sturgeon
The life thread through the Mysteries of the Great Lakes story is about a
remarkable species of fish that pre-dates dinosaurs and the efforts to bring it
back from the edge of extinction. The lake sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish
in the world. This living fossil has survived for over 100 million years, virtually
unchanged. It can grow to weigh an astonishing 300 pounds (135 kg), and can
live to be nearly 200 years old.
At one point, lake sturgeon was so plentiful that it represented 90% of the Great
Lakesʼ biomass. In the late 1800s, due to over-fishing and the destruction and
pollution of their spawning beds, the sturgeon populations crashed.
Bringing back the sturgeon population is a momentous task. This fish species is
particular about the streams and rivers they spawn in. They need fast-moving
water, with a minimum flow-level for the larval fish to survive. Lake sturgeon will
travel huge distances over their lifetime, but will always return to the stream in
which they hatched to spawn.
Mysteries of the Great Lakes portrays the work that is being done to solve the
mysteries surrounding this fish species, and the efforts that are being undertaken
to bring it back from the brink. The sturgeon is a threatened species in the USA.
Biologists are working to study the sturgeon, and fertilize its eggs, which will be
protected in mobile hatcheries until the new fish can be released.
Work is also underway to clean up rivers to make them suitable once again.
Studies about the spawning beds these fish use have led to new experiments to
create spawning beds with a variety of artificial materials such as gravel and
boulders.
In many ways, the story of this fish is the story of the Great Lakes. If we can
save the sturgeon, we can save the Great Lakes.
The Story of the Bald Eagle
The amazing recovery of the Bald Eagle is another story featured in Mysteries of
the Great Lakes. The Bald Eagle was once a common sight in the skies
throughout North America, including the Great Lakes shoreline. However, due to
the effects of the pesticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) in the 1950s
they all but disappeared and the Bald Eagle faced the possibility of extinction.
DDT was a pesticide that was sprayed regularly along wetlands, shorelines and
in agricultural areas, from the late 1940s to the 1970s. Exposure to this toxic
Page 27
chemical interfered with the eaglesʼ ability to reproduce. Canada and the United
States restricted the use of DDT in the early 1970s, and over time, due to a
significant reduction in the use of toxic chemicals around the Great Lakes, the
eaglesʼ reproduction rates began to climb. Today, Great Lakes Bald Eagles are
recovering slowly. The highest concentration of Bald Eagles is in the Apostle
Islands of Lake Superior.
The story of the Bald Eagle is an important one. In fact, some scientists and
conservation groups consider the birds as a bio-sentinel species, due to their
sensitivity to toxic chemicals. They feel the birds should be viewed as a reliable
indicator of the health of aquatic ecosystems in the Great Lakes region.
The Story of the Woodland Caribou
The story of the woodland caribou introduces us to the Slate Islands – an
ecological haven, protected by the elements, that has allowed the caribou to
follow its own evolutionary path. The island is home to the largest remaining
woodland caribou herd in the Great Lakes region. Estimates put the number of
caribou living in this area at anywhere between 200 and 500.
The caribou arrived on the Slate Islands in the early 1900s when Lake Superior
froze over. They have since been thriving and over the course of their 100 plus
years on the islands, they have also evolved some unusual biological adaptations
– the female caribou on the Slate Islands have stopped growing antlers since
there are no natural predators on the Islands.
Another advantage of island life for the Slate Islandsʼ caribou, is that moose and
deer are absent, therefore, there is less competition for food. Also, moose and
deer carry a parasite that can be fatal to caribou, so their absence has direct
health benefits to the caribou.
In 1985, the Slate Islands were protected as an Ontario Provincial Park. There
are no facilities and the islands can only be accessed via boat or airplane. The
Slate Islands are located in northern Lake Superior, south of Terrace Bay. They
are also part of the new Lake Superior Marine Conservation Area that stretches
from Isle Royale to the Slate Islands, and includes territory on both sides of the
border. It is one of the largest freshwater sanctuaries in the world.
The Slate Islands were formed by a meteorite impact and are home to
spectacular rock formations.
Page 28
The Great Lakes – Geography and History
The Great Lakes – Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and Lake
Michigan – are the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth.
Lake Superior alone holds as much water as all four of the other lakes combined.
It is also the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. In the Ojibwe
language, the lake is called Gichigami, meaning "big water".
The size of Lake Superior creates a localized maritime climate, which is more
typically seen in locations such as Nova Scotia. The storms that lash Superior
are oceanic in scope and scale. Just such a storm sent the legendary lake
freighter, S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, to the bottom in a matter of minutes in
November 1975. The Edmund Fitzgerald is still one of the most famous
shipwrecks in the world, thanks – in part – to being immortalized in Gordon
Lightfootʼs song of the same name.
Lake Michigan is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume, and the thirdlargest by area. It is also the only Great Lake that is entirely in the US. This
long, deep lake has over 2,000 miles of coastline bordering on four different
states.
Like most of the Great Lakes, the bottom of Lake Huron is a graveyard of
thousands of floundered ships. At Fathom Five National Marine Park in
Tobermory, Ontario, the unusual clarity of the water and high concentration of
shipwrecks have made it a paradise for underwater exploration by recreational
SCUBA divers. There are over 30,000 islands in Lake Huron, including the
worldʼs largest freshwater island – Manitoulin Island - and that, along with the
purity of its waters, is why the area is renowned by sailing enthusiasts around the
world. The geological history of the region is also evident all around the Lake.
During the last ice age, the movement of glaciers carved the shoreline into
undulating, polished ribbons of rock.
The shallowest of all the lakes, Erie is somewhat of an ecological anomaly. Part
of its shoreline contains remnants of a Carolinian forest more akin to areas
further south. Long spits of land at Rondeau, Long Point, Point Pelee and
Presque Isle, stretch like fingers into the water and are stopovers for hundreds of
thousands of migratory birds and butterflies.
Years of industrialization and development have taken their toll on Lake Erie. It
was declared an ecological disaster a few decades ago. A massive cleanup effort
appears to have had some effect, as water quality has improved, and fish
populations are rebounding. However, new threats are on the horizon. Climate
Page 29
change models predict a significant drop in lake levels, drastically altering the
coastline of all the lakes.
The smallest of the Great Lakes in surface area, Lake Ontario is home to a
thriving sport-fishing industry worth millions of dollars.
The first Lake to see significant European settlement, Ontario has a long and rich
history, by new world standards, with centuries-old forts still dotting the shoreline.
The first and last war to control the Lakes was fought in the early 1800s and
today all the Lakes but Michigan are split in half by an imaginary border
separating Canada and the USA. With environmental control of the water lying in
multiple jurisdictions, the ongoing effort to clean up the Lakes is an international
undertaking, requiring co-operation among scientists and governments on both
sides of the border.
No tour of the Great Lakes would be complete without a plunge over one of the
acknowledged Wonders of the Natural World. All of the water from the upper
Great Lakes eventually must drop 360 feet (110 m) from Lake Erie through the
Niagara Gorge to Lake Ontario. Niagara Falls is constantly flowing, and loses
nearly a foot (0.3 m) of its rock face per year.
As the ultimate outlet to the sea, the St. Lawrence is the final part of the Great
Lakes story. At one end, a series of locks connects Lake Ontario to the river and
on peak days cargo ships, each measuring more than two football fields in
length, are backed up waiting their turn to enter. Commerce and transportation
have always been driving forces in the Great Lakes story. Lumbering, mining,
shipping and fishing have all played a role in the continentʼs development. The
attempt to balance human needs with the needs of the environment is an
ongoing struggle throughout the region.
Shipping on the Great Lakes
While the Great Lakes have a long history as a major mode of transport for bulk
goods and for moving people, these days, domestic ships mainly move bulk
cargoes. Iron and steel products, and grain exports, are among the major
shipping commodities on the lakes.
The opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, in April of 1959, opened up the Great
Lakes basin as an economical inland navigation route for international shipping.
The Seaway extends 2, 340 miles (3,700 km) from the Atlantic Ocean to the
head of the Great Lakes and includes a system of locks that lift ships up and
down over three areas where barriers to shipping are encountered.
Page 30
Together, the locks make up the world's most spectacular lift system. The
Seaway can accommodate vessels 740 feet (225 m) long, 78 feet (24 m) wide,
and loaded to a draft not exceeding 26 feet, 6 inches (8.08 m). Ships are
routinely raised to more than 590 feet (180 m) above sea level, as high as a 60story building. The ships are twice as long and half as wide as a football field and
carry cargoes the equivalent of 27,000 tons (25,000 tonnes). Annual commerce
exceeds 200 million net tons (180 million net tonnes).
Shipwrecks
Despite its advantages, commerce is a risky business. The Great Lakes are
prone to sudden and severe storms, and have claimed many ships often with
partial or total loss of crew. It is estimated that between 6,000 and 10,000 ships
have sunk or been stranded since the early 1800s.
The most famous shipwreck happened on November 10, 1975 when Lake
Superior claimed the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald – the last major freighter to be lost
on the Lakes.
The Great Lakes Storm of 1913 is the worst Great Lakes storm on record. The
storm included hurricane-force winds, whiteout snow squalls and produced
waves over 25 feet (11 m) high. The storm affected ships on four of the five
Great Lakes. More than 250 people were killed, 19 ships were destroyed and 19
others were left stranded. This was the deadliest, and most destructive natural
disaster ever to hit the Lakes. More than 75,000 tons (68,000 tonnes) of cargo
was lost, and the financial loss in vessels was nearly $5 million dollars (or about
$100 million at current value).
One of the most concentrated and best preserved archeology sites in the world is
the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. An estimated 116 historically
significant shipwrecks are found in this area of Lake Huron.
Fathom Five National Marine Park, located at the mouth of Georgian Bay, is
another diverʼs paradise featuring 22 shipwrecks and several historic lighthouses.
This underwater national park is Canadaʼs first National Marine Conservation
Area and is a popular destination for SCUBA divers and glass-bottom boat tours.
Page 31
Sample media release
FOR
RELEASE
IMMEDIATE
(insert
date)
EMBARK ON A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY WITH
MYSTERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES
OPENS AT (Your Theatre) ON (Insert Date)
(Your city) – Forty million people live around the Great Lakes, and most have no
idea the mysteries they hold. Mysteries of the Great Lakes takes audiences on
a journey from the tip of Lake Superior to the edge of Lake Ontario, and unveils
several mysteries along the way. Visit (your theatre) to discover extraordinary
Great Lakes mysteries that hide in plain sight. Discover these Mysteries of the
Great Lakes on the only screen large enough to reveal them - IMAX!
•
Why are prehistoric creatures still living in Lake Superior?
•
How could a million trillion litres of water reduce to a trickle, then return
once again?
•
Why, on a remote island, did evolution take a left turn?
Explore the beauty of these “inland seas”, and discover the dramatic story of
human degradation – and redemption. Over the past hundred years, the Great
Lakes have experienced some of the worst environmental atrocities in North
America, but are now the subject of one of the most extensive cleanup projects in
history. Now, in the age of redemption, international efforts have resulted in bird
and fish species rebounding from the brink of destruction to sustainable
populations once again.
Mysteries of the Great Lakes is a timely film. All across the Great Lakes basin,
there is a renewed interest in the health of the Lakes, and an increased
awareness of the importance of this fresh water resource to the social and
economic vitality of North America. The Great Lakes contain a fifth of all of the
Page 32
planet’s fresh water. Today, 25% of all Canadians, and 10% of Americans live
on the Great Lakes. In addition, one in every three Canadians and one in every
seven Americans rely on the Great Lakes for their fresh water.
Mysteries of the Great Lakes is a film that will take all who see it on a voyage of
discovery – one that will help lead to a greater appreciation and a lasting
commitment to preserving these wonders of the natural world.
Mysteries of the Great Lakes opens at (your theater) on (insert dates) at (insert
times).
For showtimes visit: (your website) or www.mysteriesofthegreatlakes.com.
BACKGROUNDER
Mysteries of the Great Lakes is a Science North production, produced and
directed by Science North’s David Lickley. The film includes spectacular scenery
and wildlife footage that is unlike anything ever captured for this medium before.
The production budget for Mysteries of the Great Lakes was $6 million dollars.
Mysteries of the Great Lakes has already been leased to eleven theatres across
North America. Many other giant-screen theatres in Canada, the U.S.A., and
other parts of the world are also interested in leasing the film.
Several Canadian and American organizations are backing this film. FedNav
Limited is the presenting sponsor for Mysteries of the Great Lakes. Their early
commitment to the film allowed this project to move forward.
Unilever Canada is also a major sponsor, as well as the film’s promotional
sponsor. Unilever is supporting the film through a generous cash sponsorship
and their Go Blue campaign. The campaign aims to make people mindful about
water and includes a call to action that will encourage and enable Canadians to
change their water consumption habits.
Other major funding partners of the film include the Northern Ontario Heritage
Fund, Fed Nor, Parks Canada, Ontario Power Generation, Presque Isle
Partnership of Erie, Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources. The Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation and the St.
Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation are also providing funding to
support the film.
Page 33
The Port Authorities of Hamilton, Toronto, Quebec and Thunder Bay, along with
the Ports of Indiana are also supporting Mysteries of the Great Lakes. Giant
screen theatres at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto and the Great Lakes
Science Centre in Cleveland are on board as well.
For more information about Science North’s giant screen film Mysteries of the
Great Lakes visit: http://mysteriesofthegreatlakes.com.
To find out what you can do to help preserve our Earth’s most precious natural
resource visit http://goblue.com .
-30Media Contacts:
(Insert Media Contacts)
Page 34
Educator Resources
We have developed a comprehensive online Educatorʼs Resources site to suit
students of all ages. The materials have been designed to provide educators
with a complete set of tools to teach a wide range of curriculum-based topics
relevant to the Great Lakes. This is an excellent tool to promote to local and
regional schools as well as with educational tour companies to sell along with
their educational tours.
Film Reviews
Please be sure to provide us with all press clippings and reviews from your local
media!
Success stories from other theatres
Let us know how you successfully promoted Mysteries of the Great Lakes and
weʼll post is here for others to learn from!
Page 35