NZ Metal Band Release Controversial New Video

For immediate release Tuesday 20th January 2009

On Thursday, 22nd of January 2009, New Zealand metal band 8 Foot Sativa will have the first public screening of their new controversial animal rights music video for their epic new single "Sleepwalkers".

The video, made by Meat Free Media, Sunset Studios and New Zealand Open Rescue shows the shocking reality of animal based food production in New Zealand.

The all vegan band initially formed in 1998 as a covers band, but exploded onto the New Zealand scene in 2002 with their debut album Hate Made Me.

"Making a music video with a strong animal rights message is something we have been wanting to do for some time." says vocalist Ben Read. "We are not filmmakers but were going to attempt the video ourselves when fate intervened and a vegan director offered to make the video for us. Seeing the final cut, it was so much more than we could have achieved ourselves. It's phenomenal."

Sunset Studios is a film studio for hire in Henderson, Auckland and one of the co-owners, director Duncan Eastwood is a vegan passionate about animal rights. When told of the band's request for footage Duncan didn't hesitate to offer his servics to the band. "I’ve been looking for a way to express my belief in animal rights, and to have been able to do it with a band I admire is great" says Duncan.

Meat Free Media is a New Zealand based animal advocacy organisation focusing on promotion of animal rights through informative and entertaining media. Formed in 2002, Meat Free Media has a regular internet radio show, promotes the issue of animal rights and documents animal rights activism in New Zealand. When approached by Sunset Studios, Meat Free Media jumped at the chance to get involved in the production of the video. "The opportunity to create a video on animal rights, for a band as notable as 8 Foot Sativa, is something we are very proud to have been a part of" says Aaron Koolen, founder of Meat Free Media.

New Zealand Open Rescue is an organisation whose aim is to expose the suffering that animals undergo in modern farming in New Zealand. The organisation provides a resource of undercover footage of animal abuse to media organisations but also undertakes “open rescues” of abused and injured animals from farms around the country. New Zealand Open Rescue was initially approached by the band for footage of farming and slaughter in New Zealand, they then put the band in contact with director Duncan Eastwood who subsequently offered to make the band a video.

Like many videos in New Zealand the video was made on a shoestring budget with many people contributing their time and talents to make it happen. "We had to beg and borrow almost everything" says producer Aaron Koolen. "Without the generous contributions of time and talent from all of the cast and crew, there is no way we could have achieved what we did. We are sincerely in their debt".

The video contains a mixture of band performance, staged scenes and undercover footage taken from factory farms and slaughterhouses around New Zealand.

Members from 8 Foot Sativa will be available for interviews after the screening.

SCREENING DETAILS Thursday 22nd January 7:30pm Sunset Studios B7-50 Keeling Rd, Henderson. Tickets are $10 which includes the cost of a drink and food. All profits are to go to the funding of video.

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