A Look at ‘The Devil’s Road Experience’ at the California Academy of Sciences

The Devil’s Road production team at the booth at the California Acadey of Sciences.

Last week, the production team and contributing scientists behind The Devil’s Road: A Baja Adventure were invited to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco as the featured guests of the August 29th Desert NightLife event.  

Attendees sipped craft cocktails, grooved to some music, and paid a visit to The Devil’s Road booth beside the iconic Rainforest Dome.

Amid the Academy’s regularly scheduled programs, NightLifers caught a glimpse into Baja’s past through the retelling of an unprecedented adventure at the turn of the century—and our quest to recreate it.

Visitors took a peek at historic photographs from the original 1905-1906 expedition, along with bird and rodent specimens, collected by Nelson and Goldman and housed in the Academy’s archives, on display at the booth. The specimens included a species of cormorant, acorn woodpecker, warbler, and pocket mouse. With incredible preservation methods clear, some specimens dated back to the late 1870s.

Many mutual adorations for Baja were shared, as well as stories of adventures along the peninsula by travelers and scientists alike.

Later in the evening in Africa Hall, all seats were occupied for the anticipated panel discussion, part of The Devil’s Road Experience.

On the panel were JT Bruce, Devil’s Road Director, Greg Meyer, Devil’s Road Scientific Advisor, Moe Flannery, Ornithology and Mammology Collection Manager, and Shannon Bennet, CalAcademy Chief of Science, to speak to the film and its many themes, the collection of species, and conservation in Baja and the world at large.

Interspersed with short segments from the film and a longer sneak peek of the film’s first ten minutes. The discussion ended with a moving Q&A that offered a behind-the-scenes look at the filmmaking process and attendees inquired as to how they can become involved in the protection of Baja’s ecosystems

Real stories like the many weaving throughout The Devil’s Road are vital in gaining public support to protect Earth’s ecosystems. It’s crucial to reach as wide an audience as possible.

Please consider supporting our project by making a donation.

The Devil’s Road booth just outside the Rainforest Dome at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.

Standing room only in Africa Hall for the panel discussion.

Filmmakers of The Devil’s Road Set to be Featured Guests of the California Academy of Sciences’ Desert NightLife

The filmmakers behind The Devil’s Road will be featured guests of the California Academy of Science’s August 29th “Desert” NightLife event.

The evening will feature music, cocktails, and intrigue, as well as give attendees a sneak peek of the feature-length documentary The Devil’s Road: A Baja Adventure, in addition to an exciting panel discussion with the filmmakers and scientists behind the film.

The filmmakers embarked on a 5,000-mile journey across Baja California to recreate the century-old expedition of two of the region’s most prolific—and obscure—naturalists. The film gives viewers an up-close and personal account of the history, culture, and biodiversity of Baja California.

Based in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the California Academy of Sciences is a renowned scientific and educational institution dedicated to exploring, explaining, and sustaining life on Earth. The Academy is home to a world-class aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum—all under one living roof.

The event will also highlight a history on the Mexican agave-based spirit mezcal and will have on display unique specimens of desert climates from the scientific research collections.

Desert NightLife will begin at 6:00pm. The Devil's Road Experience screening and panel discussion starts at 8pm in Africa Hall.

To learn more about the event or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.calacademy.org/nightlife/desert-nightlife

Broken Wagon Films at the California Academy of Sciences

Last week, Broken Wagon Films’ The Devil’s Road producer, Todd Bruce, and director, JT Bruce, attended the 2018 Annual Fellows Gathering as guests at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California.

The exclusive event, which took place on Tuesday, October 9th, comprised of an evening of intriguing lectures, awards, and special recognitions. The crew was honored to have been invited among many esteemed scientists.

The Devil’s Road Producer, Todd Bruce, at the Fellows Gathering.

A Visit to the California Academy of Sciences

So what does the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California have in common with Nelson and Goldman and our documentary film, The Devil's Road? Aside from the obvious scientific research and the institution's exploration of our natural world, the connection was formed on a fortuitous day in 1905. Nelson noted in his 1921 book Lower California and It's Natural Resources that he “reached Ensenada on July 5th and found the schooner Academy, from San Francisco, in port on it’s way to the Galapagos Islands with a scientific expedition from the California Academy of Sciences.” Nelson had several weeks’ worth of specimens that he and Goldman had collected from northern Baja, and needed to have them shipped to Washington D.C. The crew of the Academy welcomed Nelson aboard, agreeing to stow his cargo, and Nelson enjoyed a fine supper aboard the vessel.

On July 11, 2017, our film crew had the honor of conducting an interview with several of the California Academy of Sciences research specialists. We were met at the back door of the Academy by Katie Jewett of the Press Office. She would accompany us during our tour of the Department of Ornithology and Mammalogy. In the basement of the museum we entered the climate controlled room full of specimen collections. Maureen “Moe” Flannery, the Collections Manager has been put in charge of the hundreds of thousands of bird and mammal specimens and introduced us to several specimens that Nelson and Goldman collected over one hundred years ago.

The first specimen was a Mexican cormorant that was collected in 1902 by Nelson and Goldman. The bird was incredibly well preserved. Next, we were shown specimens of seaside sparrows. The particular specimen that Nelson and Goldman procured was collected in 1874 in Washington D.C. and was donated to the Academy many years ago. The last specimen was a Bailey's pocket mouse, collected by Nelson and Goldman in December 1905 from a location just south of La Paz, Baja California Sur.

A well-preserved Mexican cormorant. Note the tag states "Nelson & Goldman."

Seaside sparrow specimens, several of which were collected by Nelson & Goldman in 1874.

Maureen "More" Flannery, collections manager at the California Academy of Sciences, shows us the seaside sparrow specimens.

Specimens of the Bailey's pocket mouse.

Jack Dumbacher, Curator of the Ornithology and Mammalogy Department, rounded off the morning with a well-presented perspective of what naturalists like Nelson and Goldman's fieldwork would have been like. He explained how they would have collected, preserved, and organized their specimens during an expedition. We also learned how valuable these specimens are to science. These thousands of study skins and mounts provide a glimpse into the past, how and where these animals lived, and even what they were feeding on when they were collected. As technology and new research methods change, their value will certainly increase over the next century and beyond.

Interview with Jack Dumbacher, Curator, Ornithology and Mammology Department

We would like to thank the California Academy of Sciences for their continued support of Nelson and Goldman's work and of our film.