Difference between revisions of "Fracknation"
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| − | ''FrackNation'' is a pro-fracking documentary made by directors [[Phelim McAleer]] and [[Ann McElhinney]] and [[Magdalena Segieda]]. Touted as 'a journalist's search for the fracking truth', it claims to address 'misinformation' about the process of hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking. | + | [[File:Fracknation-poster-300x300.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]{{Template:Fracking badge}} ''FrackNation'' is a pro-fracking documentary made by directors [[Phelim McAleer]] and [[Ann McElhinney]] and [[Magdalena Segieda]]. Touted as 'a journalist's search for the fracking truth', it claims to address 'misinformation' about the process of hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking. Its release was timed to coincide with the release of ''Gasland 2'', an HBO-funded sequel to filmmaker [[Josh Fox]]'s critique of the fracking industry. |
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
Their past films include ''Not Evil Just Wrong'', which challenges [[Al Gore]]'s film ''An Inconvenient Truth'' by suggesting that the evidence of global warming is inconclusive and that the impact global-warming legislation will have on industry is much more harmful to humans than beneficial. | Their past films include ''Not Evil Just Wrong'', which challenges [[Al Gore]]'s film ''An Inconvenient Truth'' by suggesting that the evidence of global warming is inconclusive and that the impact global-warming legislation will have on industry is much more harmful to humans than beneficial. | ||
| − | Another film, ''Mine Your Own Business'' (2006), focusing on protests against a proposed large-scale open-pit goldmine project in Romania, was billed as 'the world's first anti-environmentalist documentary'. [[Gabriel Resources]], the Canadian mining company behind the project, partly financed the filmakers, who also travelled to Madagascar and Chile where international environmental groups oppose planned mining operations. The ''New York Times'' reported that the film 'portrays environmentalists as condescending elitists while impoverished locals insist they would welcome the jobs and development the mines would bring'. <ref name="STRAUSBAUGH"> JOHN STRAUSBAUGH, [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/movies/19stra.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 A Maverick Mogul, Proudly Politically Incorrect], ''New York Times'', 19 August 2007 </ref> | + | Another film, ''[[Mine Your Own Business]]'' (2006), focusing on protests against a proposed large-scale open-pit goldmine project in Romania, was billed as 'the world's first anti-environmentalist documentary'. [[Gabriel Resources]], the Canadian mining company behind the project, partly financed the filmakers, who also travelled to Madagascar and Chile where international environmental groups oppose planned mining operations. The ''New York Times'' reported that the film 'portrays environmentalists as condescending elitists while impoverished locals insist they would welcome the jobs and development the mines would bring'. <ref name="STRAUSBAUGH"> JOHN STRAUSBAUGH, [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/movies/19stra.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 A Maverick Mogul, Proudly Politically Incorrect], ''New York Times'', 19 August 2007 </ref> |
==Fracknation funding== | ==Fracknation funding== | ||
| − | To raise money, the filmmakers launched a 'grassroots' Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Within a month they had achieved their target of $150,000 (over $22,000 in the first two days alone); within 60 days they had | + | To raise money, the filmmakers launched a 'grassroots' Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Within a month they had achieved their target of $150,000 (over $22,000 in the first two days alone); within 60 days they had reached $212,265.<ref> [http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1009530098/fracknation FrackNation.com], Kickstarter.com, acc 26 August 2013 </ref> |
One backer who pledged $5,000 or more was offered an additional 'a special thank you phone call from the Directors where you will be thanked for your generous support of our film and talk about whatever you want during the call'.<ref> [http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1009530098/fracknation FrackNation.com], Kickstarter.com, acc 26 August 2013 </ref> | One backer who pledged $5,000 or more was offered an additional 'a special thank you phone call from the Directors where you will be thanked for your generous support of our film and talk about whatever you want during the call'.<ref> [http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1009530098/fracknation FrackNation.com], Kickstarter.com, acc 26 August 2013 </ref> | ||
| − | Questions were raised over the independence of some those who donated money: they reportedly included 'the director of an Ohio-based oil and gas outreach program and the head of external affairs at [[Cabot Oil and Gas]], | + | Questions were raised over the independence of some those who donated money: they reportedly included 'the director of an Ohio-based oil and gas outreach program and the head of external affairs at [[Cabot Oil and Gas]], a company that's fought accusations of water contamination in Dimock, Pa., for the past several years'. As the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' explained, |
| − | :[T]he roster of "executive producers" who have donated at least $1 includes scores of energy industry associates. The filmmakers said Thursday they plan to return any donations given by "senior" workers in the industry, which they define as executives. | + | :[T]he roster of "executive producers" who have donated at least $1 includes scores of energy industry associates. The filmmakers said Thursday they plan to return any donations given by "senior" workers in the industry, which they define as executives. <ref name="debate"> [http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/business/news/industry-gets-cast-in-fracknation-the-latest-documentary-on-the-drilling-debate-220871/#ixzz2U2RDJlk5 Industry gets cast in 'FrackNation,' the latest documentary on the drilling debate], ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', March 4, 2012, acc 26 August 2013 </ref> |
| − | == | + | The Kickstarter campaign was promoted by pro-industry lobbying groups [[Energy in Depth]] and the [[Marcellus Shale Coalition]]. <ref name="debate"/> |
| − | Following high profile anti-fracking protests in August 2013 against [[Cuadrilla Resources]]' proposed drilling in Balcombe in the UK, ''Fracknation's'' director Phelim McAleer penned an article for the libertarian online magazine [[ | + | |
| + | =='Big fat fracking lies'== | ||
| + | Following high profile anti-fracking protests in August 2013 against [[Cuadrilla Resources]]' proposed drilling in Balcombe in the UK, ''Fracknation's'' director Phelim McAleer penned an article for the libertarian online magazine [[Spiked]], entitled 'Ten big fat lies about fracking'. <ref>[[Phelim McAleer]] [http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/ten_big_fat_lies_about_fracking/13944#.UhkVP2Q6URg Ten big fat lies about fracking], ''Spiked'', 22 August 2013, acc 25 August 2013 </ref> | ||
==Affiliations== | ==Affiliations== | ||
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*[[Gabriel Resources]] | *[[Gabriel Resources]] | ||
*[[Moving Picture Institute]] - McAleer and Ann McElhinney were MPI fellows in 2006 <ref name="STRAUSBAUGH"/> | *[[Moving Picture Institute]] - McAleer and Ann McElhinney were MPI fellows in 2006 <ref name="STRAUSBAUGH"/> | ||
| − | *[[Donors Trust]] / [[Donors Capital]] - partially funded ''Fracknation'' filmakers' first two films <ref>Steve Horn, [http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/06/03/exposed-fracknation-deploys-tobacco-playbook-response-gasland-2 "FrackNation" Part Two: The Koch Industries Ties That Bind], Desmogblog.com, 4 June 2013 </ref> | + | *[[Donors Trust]] / [[Donors Capital Fund]] - partially funded ''Fracknation'' filmakers' first two films <ref>Steve Horn, [http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/06/03/exposed-fracknation-deploys-tobacco-playbook-response-gasland-2 "FrackNation" Part Two: The Koch Industries Ties That Bind], Desmogblog.com, 4 June 2013 </ref> |
*[[New Bera media]] | *[[New Bera media]] | ||
*[[Ann and Phelim Media LLC]] | *[[Ann and Phelim Media LLC]] | ||
==Website and social media== | ==Website and social media== | ||
| − | *http://fracknation.com/ | + | *Website: http://fracknation.com/ |
*Twitter: @FrackNation | *Twitter: @FrackNation | ||
*Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phelim.mcaleer | *Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phelim.mcaleer | ||
Latest revision as of 13:51, 27 January 2017
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This article is part of the Spinwatch Fracking Portal and project |
FrackNation is a pro-fracking documentary made by directors Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney and Magdalena Segieda. Touted as 'a journalist's search for the fracking truth', it claims to address 'misinformation' about the process of hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking. Its release was timed to coincide with the release of Gasland 2, an HBO-funded sequel to filmmaker Josh Fox's critique of the fracking industry.
Contents
Background
McAleer and McElhinney say they are independent journalists working independently of corporate funding. The San Francisco Chronicle describes McAleer as 'climate denial's Michael Moore'. The climate change-denying Heartland Institute lists both McAleer and McElhinney as 'experts'.[1]
Their past films include Not Evil Just Wrong, which challenges Al Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth by suggesting that the evidence of global warming is inconclusive and that the impact global-warming legislation will have on industry is much more harmful to humans than beneficial.
Another film, Mine Your Own Business (2006), focusing on protests against a proposed large-scale open-pit goldmine project in Romania, was billed as 'the world's first anti-environmentalist documentary'. Gabriel Resources, the Canadian mining company behind the project, partly financed the filmakers, who also travelled to Madagascar and Chile where international environmental groups oppose planned mining operations. The New York Times reported that the film 'portrays environmentalists as condescending elitists while impoverished locals insist they would welcome the jobs and development the mines would bring'. [2]
Fracknation funding
To raise money, the filmmakers launched a 'grassroots' Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Within a month they had achieved their target of $150,000 (over $22,000 in the first two days alone); within 60 days they had reached $212,265.[3]
One backer who pledged $5,000 or more was offered an additional 'a special thank you phone call from the Directors where you will be thanked for your generous support of our film and talk about whatever you want during the call'.[4]
Questions were raised over the independence of some those who donated money: they reportedly included 'the director of an Ohio-based oil and gas outreach program and the head of external affairs at Cabot Oil and Gas, a company that's fought accusations of water contamination in Dimock, Pa., for the past several years'. As the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explained,
- [T]he roster of "executive producers" who have donated at least $1 includes scores of energy industry associates. The filmmakers said Thursday they plan to return any donations given by "senior" workers in the industry, which they define as executives. [5]
The Kickstarter campaign was promoted by pro-industry lobbying groups Energy in Depth and the Marcellus Shale Coalition. [5]
'Big fat fracking lies'
Following high profile anti-fracking protests in August 2013 against Cuadrilla Resources' proposed drilling in Balcombe in the UK, Fracknation's director Phelim McAleer penned an article for the libertarian online magazine Spiked, entitled 'Ten big fat lies about fracking'. [6]
Affiliations
- Market Aces LLC runs Fracknation's email list
- Gabriel Resources
- Moving Picture Institute - McAleer and Ann McElhinney were MPI fellows in 2006 [2]
- Donors Trust / Donors Capital Fund - partially funded Fracknation filmakers' first two films [7]
- New Bera media
- Ann and Phelim Media LLC
Website and social media
- Website: http://fracknation.com/
- Twitter: @FrackNation
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phelim.mcaleer
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrackNation
Resources
- Steve Horn, Exposed: "FrackNation" Deploys Tobacco Playbook in Response to "Gasland 2", Desmogblog.com, 3 June 2013
- Steve Horn, "FrackNation" Part Two: The Koch Industries Ties That Bind, Desmogblog.com, 4 June 2013
Notes
- ↑ Steve Horn, Exposed: "FrackNation" Deploys Tobacco Playbook in Response to "Gasland 2", Desmogblog.com, 3 June 2013
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 JOHN STRAUSBAUGH, A Maverick Mogul, Proudly Politically Incorrect, New York Times, 19 August 2007
- ↑ FrackNation.com, Kickstarter.com, acc 26 August 2013
- ↑ FrackNation.com, Kickstarter.com, acc 26 August 2013
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Industry gets cast in 'FrackNation,' the latest documentary on the drilling debate, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 4, 2012, acc 26 August 2013
- ↑ Phelim McAleer Ten big fat lies about fracking, Spiked, 22 August 2013, acc 25 August 2013
- ↑ Steve Horn, "FrackNation" Part Two: The Koch Industries Ties That Bind, Desmogblog.com, 4 June 2013
