Kickstarter

When the Rain Stops is a documentary about the 2011-2012 drought in Texas and the subsequent wildfires. This was one of the driest, hottest years ever recorded, and Texas saw more land burned than ever before, over 6,000 square miles. Industries such as agriculture, cotton, and the cattle sector suffered monetary losses in the billions, while over 3,000 Texas families lost their homes to fires which roared across the state, at one point burning an area equal to the size of Connecticut. The goal of this documentary is to put faces to these numbers, to show and tell the story of just what the consequences are when it stops raining. Hopefully, by doing this people will be reminded and won't forget the tragedy of the drought. Because, as the state of Texas almost doubles its population by 2050 and the climate continues to get warmer ushering in a new dry period for Texas, water management is an issue critically pertinent to all Texans, and time is ticking. It is our responsibility to be prepared for when the next drought like this comes, because it will. The documentary, by looking at the consequences of an unprepared, drought-stricken state, will explore the current water management strategy and ask wether or not we are on the path to protecting ourselves in the future. 

My name is Hugh Ratcliffe, and I am an undergraduate student at Bowdoin College. I have lived in Texas my whole life and have experienced these events first hand. From observing a changing landscape, to having friend's houses threatened by advancing fires, this is a very personal issue for me.  At Bowdoin I am studying Earth and Oceanographic Sciences and Environmental Studies with a minor in Film Studies. I consider environmental work and film to be two of my greatest passions. I have always been an outdoorsy person, and have spent 4 consecutive summer in the mountains in West Texas. I have also been heavily involved in film for the past 5 years, having made numerous shorts with my friends.

I need people like you on kickstarter to help me be able to make this documentary. I already have most of the equipment I need, but I still need money to get additional film equipment such as lenses so that I can really show these areas as they are. The rest of the funds will go towards things like gas, Texas is a big state, food and shelter as my crew and I travel, and a soundtrack that hopefully can be entirely original. I plan on travelling throughout the state, to areas hit especially hard by the drought and fires and interviewing people to hear their own stories. I have numerous contacts with Texas water policy officials including former heads of the LCRA. With these interviews and footage of the effects of the drought, I will create a collective story.

 But, I can't make this without you. I have all I need to get going on this project besides a financial backing.  Any amount of contribution is a huge help.  Help me save the events of 2011 from slipping into the fog of forgotten memories, and help play a part in shaping the future of Texas water policy.