PORTLAND, OR, Apr. 8, 2022 - “Solving For Zero,” a documentary created by video production company Blue Chalk Media for Wondrium, is now available to stream exclusively on the Wondrium platform.

Based on Bill Gates' best-selling book, "How to Avoid a Climate Disaster,” the documentary follows five innovators from around the world whose organizations are fighting climate change in bold ways. The film also features commentary by Gates and other experts.

“Solving for Zero” is the first commission for Blue Chalk by Wondrium, the leading streaming provider of lifelong learning content.

“We are excited to work for a company like Wondrium that places a high value on conveying knowledge and critical insight to the broader public through documentary television,” said Blue Chalk CEO, Greg Moyer.

Speaking about the project, the film's co-director Rob Finch said, “Climate change is not a new topic for documentary makers, but what is exciting about this film is that it treats climate change as a forgone conclusion and focuses on what we can do now to mitigate its worst impacts.”

Principal photography for the project took our team to five countries — the US, Sweden, Dominican Republic, France, and Kenya — in two months. Twenty different members of the Blue Chalk staff, plus a team of freelancer creatives from around the world, were involved in bringing the documentary to life.

“Producing a story with such a wide range of sources, subjects and locations required an exponential amount of logistics and a great team effort,” said Finch.

Filming around the world during a pandemic also presented its challenges. From travel restrictions that constantly changed to varying testing requirements, the global circumstances required our team to be hyper diligent to make sure filming went smoothly in each location.

Although production was complex, learning more about the technological innovators involved in this project was an inspiring experience for everyone involved. 

“It was exciting to see these potentially world-changing inventions up close and to understand their potential. Getting to meet such intelligent, creative minds and learn about their work was incredible,” said co-director and producer Julianne Sato-Parker.

Senior editor Sarah Bourscheid was also excited for the chance to be part of telling a solution-centric, character-driven climate story. “The challenge in this film was to be honest about the problem and simultaneously inspire hope, which is not that hard once you meet the characters at the forefront of these climate innovations,” she said. 

“My family is very environmentally conscious, but working on this film has changed the way I talk with my children about climate change,” said Finch. “We’re having more nuanced conversations about what impact we’re making in the world and how our choices have impacts.” 

Discussing what she hopes the audience will take away from the film, Sato-Parker said, “I think the overall message of this film is one of cautious hope. The thing we kept hearing again and again from these scientists was that the solutions to combat the worst effects of climate change are possible, but it’s a matter of having the political and social will to invest in and support the process of innovation, and the willingness to rethink and fundamentally change our current industrial systems.” 

“Solving For Zero,” which premiered on Fri., April 8, 2022, and can be streamed here. Read more about the project here and download a packet of press material here. The documentary is a companion to a 10-part educational series produced by Wondrium called The Search for Climate Innovation, which highlights the relevant details and tangible solutions we already have, or that are on the way soon, to reaching net-zero emissions.

About Blue Chalk Media: 

Established in 2013, Blue Chalk Media is an award-winning production company based in Brooklyn, NY, and Portland, OR. Since its inception, it has produced almost 1,000 projects for clients such as Magnolia Network, The Food Network, The New Yorker, and TIME.