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California dreamin' Changing the World in "2112"

September 26, 2008

Climate activist sets sights on 'global warming' movie set in year 2112

by Dan Bloom

HOLLYWOOD (RUSHPRNEWS) o9/26/2008-- While most people go about their daily business, mindful of the news about climate change and global warming, Mike Roddy, 61, wants to do something about it.

He's not a climate activist, he's not a science expert, and he doesn't have a Ph.D. in climatology. But Roddy's steaming mad about the road the world may very well be headed down -- towards climate apocalypse! -- and for the sake of his son and future descendants, he wants to do something about it.So he's writing a screenplay, with some help from some Hollywood pals.

Roddy earlier had a long career as a housing developer and has built housing on four continents. In fact, after the big Kobe Earthquake in Japan in 1995, he travelled there to help build post-quake housing for survivors, too.

But what occupies his mind (and time) these days is climate change, and the possibility that global warming might turn the future into a nightmare of unspeakable sights.

So to work out his own demons and put his anxieites into creative play, he's working on a screenplay now about what humankind might face in the near future, if things go from bad to worse. The green activist wants to make a movie about the impact of climate change, and he wants the Hollywood production to serve as dramatic a wake up call -- to prod people and governments into taking action now!

The Yucca Valley, California resident has titled the movie "2112".

Part of Roddy's inspiration comes from a friendship with Hollywood screenwriter and UCLA writing professor Robert Roy Pool. Does that name sound familiar? Pool wrote the original story for the movie that became "Armageddon" in 1998. Roddy has discussed climate change issues with Pool and knows how Hollywood works as well.

"Bob has been a great inspiration to me on this project," Roddy said. When asked what got him started on the movie project, Roddy replied: "I've been reading up on global warming for about ten years and published an article last year about deforestation and climate change in the USA. I've also spoken to some of the top scientists in the field, like professors Schneider, Harmon and Harte. The biggest problem everyone seems to feel, is political will, which comes from public opinion."

"So I figured that since the media is timid and corporate, the best way to reach the public is to make a movie showing what the future may look like. The evidence shows that the world of 100 years from now is likely to be devastated and chaotic," he said.

"Plenty of scientists think that in 100 years, average global temperatures could easily be 5 degrees centigrade higher than today.

The consequences are vast, including mass extinctions, reduced arable land and fresh water, and unbearable climates in most of the world," He said.

When asked who has inspired him in his research and thinking about climate change and global warming, Roddy said: "I have been inspired by Mark Lynas' book "Six Degrees", the IPCC reports and supporting studies by Bill McKibben, Harte, and images of what future survivors cities might look like."

Roddy is also part of a global online community of climate bloggers.

"It has been fun and very educational to blog on Dot Earth, a very important blog run by science reporter Andrew Revkin at the New York Times," he said.

Roddy said he wants to place his movie sets inside underground Arctic cities, based on research he has done on the Internet, and he says these cities, located underground, "are very plausible in 100 years, since infantry even today can destroy most buildings."

About the movie script that he is working on day and night, Roddy had plenty to
say: "The working title is '2112', the year the movie takes place.

Locations
are Houston, where the remnants of the fossil fuel people live, and the a river valley in Alaska, where most of the action takes place. The theme? The theme is survival in desperate circumstances."

"James Lovelock in the UK says this time in human history will be called 'the cull, since vicious fighting over scarce resources is highly probable, and this fighting is central in the movie," Roddy said.

Roddy also explained what some of the locations will look like: "There will be a so-called polar city in the Tatshenshini Valley that is attacked twice, first by a group of refugees from Peru, and then again later at the movie's climax by an organized and well armed force of mercenaries from Houston."

"The defenders operate from underground, moving rapidly and using surprise and ingenuity," he added.

"Subplots include intermarriage with the new invaders, children in the settlement developing close and intuitive relationships with nature (similar to those of the original natives), descendants of the oil companies financing the second invasion- and a snapshot of their prior and current lives in Houston -- and indoor scenes showing how people have adjusted to a world of scarcity," Roddy added.
This is not Roddy's first attempt at a Hollywood screenplay. "This is my second time to write a movie script. The first script was a true story, about the Nuxalk Indians of the Bella Coola Valley of British Columbia defending their land against loggers. Bob Pool, who wrote the story for the movie 'Armageddon' in 1998, helped me on that one."

When asked how he intends to find a producer to greenlight his movie script, Roddy noted: "My current script is well under way, but it will take a few months to polish it. I know a few people in Hollywood, and I will work with an agent and through my own contacts to try to sell it. We will probably need to find private money, from a wealthy and concerned individual.

The movie's impact would far exceed that of 'An Inconvenient Truth', which only grossed US$30 million domestically. A hit action movie these days can gross US$200-300 million, not counting video and overseas. A lot more people will pay to see an action movie than a documentary, and it affects them more viscerally."

"This is what we need to effect change. Even 'The China Syndrome', which was a modest hit, had a lot do with closing down the nuclear power industry."

As for who will star in the movie, Roddy said he had a few ideas: "I'd like to see Viggo Mortenson play Nigel, the lead character, because he can play a military leader who is a little haunted and unconventional. Penelope Cruz would be good as the Peruvian love interest. Ned Beatty could play the oil company executive in the drunken golf cart scene. I would like to see the director chosen among Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, and Oliver Stone."

Money? As always, there is the issue of money. Lots of money.

"We will need around US$120 million for production, to attract talent and pay for the production values we will need for a polar cities war movie.

Another $100 million is needed for sales and marketing, but that could come from joint venturing with a studio at that point," Roddy said.

In terms of a time frame, Roddy said he hopes to get the movie made as soon as possible, adding:
"I'd like to see a 2012 release date. So the movie will be set 100 years in the future.

We need to get to work on changing the way we use energy and work the land, and quickly."
Mike Roddy has big dreams and high hopes for his movie project about climate change and global warming, to use it as a wake up call for humanity. Meanwhile, his daily life in California keeps him grounded and busy.

"I traveled all over the place as a kid, including a year in Japan, because my father was a colonel in the U.S. Army," Roddy recalled. "I graduated from UC Berkeley, majoring in social science, but took a lot of hard science courses, too."

Roddy also commented: "For 15 years, I have been a relentless enemy of the timber industry, and feel the same about the oil and coal companies as well. I'm a fighter, for important causes. Climate change is a very very important problem that we need to tackle. That's why I am devoting my time now to bringing this Hollywood screenplay to the silver screen."

It is Roddy's son who inspires him in many ways, he says.

"My son Malcolm is 12, and concern for his future is my main motivation," he said. "If this movie succeeds, it could be the single most important step toward his having a decent future. With all the talk about global warming, governments aren't really doing much because the people don't register it closely enough. This could help."

Is Roddy optimistic or pessimistic about the future of our planet Earth? He explains his feelings this way: "I'm not optimistic about massive and short term switches to alternative power, for the reasons we've talked about on the New York Times' Dot Earth blog:
too many entrenched financial interests, inertia, greed, and reluctance to act decisively to improve things in the distant future.

We can solve this problem if we act quickly and aggressively in the next 10 years, but I see no evidence that this will occur."

Regarding the use of the idea of polar cities in his movie script, Roddy said that "polar cities are central to the movie, because that's where most of the action located."

He added: "The town is underground, strictly for military defense. The world of 2112 will be full of desperate climate refugees and invaders.

Earlier sci fi movies that took place underground were 'Outlander', 'Twelve Monkeys', and 'A Boy and his Dog'. These were eerie, surprising movies. Others that had key underground locations were 'Resident Evil', 'Wargames', 'Stargate', and the 'Mummy' movies. Underground settings are actually very cinematic."

Here's hoping Mike Roddy finds an angel to greenlight his very important climate change movie project. God knows, there must be an angel out there, somewhere. Sir Richard Branson? A young philanthropist who feels strongly about fighting climate change?

"I'm hoping we can get this movie made," Roddy said. "This one is not about money or fame, it's about the Earth, our home planet. I am doing this for my son."

About the Author: Dan Bloom is a Rush PR News environmental news columnist. He is currently doing research on climate change as international director of the Polar Cities Research Institute. Write him at danbloom@RushPRnews.com

 photo: Kathryn Blume in The Boycott

 

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