Vulcan Productions Explained

Vulcan Productions
Type:Private
Founder:Paul Allen and Jody Allen
Hq Location City:Seattle, Washington
Industry:Motion picture
Products:Movies, documentaries, television films and specials

Vulcan Productions produced documentary films, television programming and virtual reality experiences that drove awareness around environmental and social issues. The company was founded in 1997 by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and his sister Jody Allen. It closed in 2021.

The company financed and co-produced films with directors such as Martin Scorsese,[1] Clint Eastwood[2] and Robert Redford.[3] Its films and TV series had aired on video on-demand services like Netflix, HBO and Hulu and across networks like The Discovery Channel and National Geographic.[4] Films produced by Vulcan Productions won Peabody Awards[5] and received Academy Award nominations.[6] The company focused on raising awareness on issues like mental health, girl's education, veterans, parenting, wildlife conservation, ocean health, climate change and modern-day slavery.

History

Vulcan Productions began under the name "Clear Blue Sky Productions"[7] and received its first critical success with the feature film Titus (1999). The company continued to produce feature films including Far From Heaven, Where God Left His Shoes, and Hard Candy. With a name change in 2011, the then-Vulcan Productions shifted its measure of success from box office numbers and critical ratings to driving social impact and world change.[8] The company exclusively produced Social impact entertainment with a focus on topics ranging from wildlife and conservation, global health, contemporary social issues, science, technology, history and exploration.

As part of the larger Vulcan Inc. organization, Vulcan Productions’ mission was to “change minds and ignite action through the power of storytelling.”

On May 27, 2020 Vulcan Inc. announced that Vulcan Productions would be shutdown in 2021 citing the "economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis"[9] as well as "the ongoing transition after Paul Allen's passing in 2018."[10] A few weeks after winning top honors at the Sundance Film Festival for Summer of Soul, Vulcan Productions ceased operations.[11]

Films

YearFilmTypeRelease DateDirectorCo-producersStarringDistributorAwards
1997Inspirations (film)Documentary film1997Michael AptedArgo Films
1999Titus (film)Feature film25 December 1999Julie TaymorOverseas Film GroupAnthony HopkinsJessica Lange

Alan Cumming

Colm Feore

Fox Searchlight Pictures
Me & Isaac NewtonDocumentary film1999Michael AptedGertrude B. ElionAshok Gadgil

Michio Kaku

Maja Matarić

First Look InternationalHome Vision Entertainment
2001Nova: Cracking the Code of LifeTelevision documentary17 April 2001Elizabeth ArledgePBSRobert Krulwich (Journalist)PBS
EvolutionTelevision special2001David Espar "Darwin's Dangerous Idea"Susan K. Lewis "Darwin's Dangerous Idea"

Joel Olicker "Great Transformations"

Kate Churchill "Extinction!"

Richard Hutton "Extinction

"

Gail Wilumsen "Evolutionary Arms race"

PBSLiam Neeson (Narrator)PBS
2003Far from HeavenFeature film10 January 2003Todd HaynesFocus FeaturesJulianne MooreDennis Quaid

Dennis Haysbert

Patricia Clarkson

Focus Features
The Blues (film series)Documentary series28 September 2003Martin Scorsese "Feel Like Going Home"Wim Wenders "The Soul of a Man"

Richard Pearce (director) "The Road to Memphis"

Charles Burnett (director) "Warming by the Devil's Fire"

Marc Levin "Godfathers and Sons"

Mike Figgis "Red, White and Blues"

Clint Eastwood "Piano Blues"

Road Movies FilmproduktionB.B. KingLaurence Fishburne (Narrator)

Ray Charles

PBS
2004Documentary film3 October 2004Sandy GuthrieJill Shinefield

Scott B

Gail Willumsen

Discovery ChannelGemini Productions

Antenna Films

Burt RutanPaul Allen

James Benson

Discovery Channel
Lightning in a BottleDocumentary film5 August 2004Antoine FuquaJigsaw ProductionsAerosmithIndia Arie

John Fogerty

Gregg Allman

Sony Pictures Classics
Strange Days on Planet EarthTelevision series2004David EliscoSea Studios FoundationNational Geographic SocietyEdward Norton (Narrator)PBS
2005Hard Candy (film)Feature film21 January 2005David SladeLaunchpad ProductionsElliot PagePatrick Wilson

Sandra Oh

Lionsgate Films
Success at the CoreEducational film2005Richard HuttonEducation Development CenterTeaching Channel
Rx For SurvivalDocumentary series2005Mike Beckham (Producer) “Disease Warriors”

Sara Holt (Producer) “Rise of the Superbugs”

Andy Young (Producer) “Deadly Messengers”

Tabitha Jackson (Producer) “Back to the Basics”

Rob Whittlesey (Producer) “How Safe Are We?”

WGBH Educational FoundationBrad Pitt (Narrator)PBS
2007Documentary film13 November 2007Gary JohnstoneJoseph McMasterWGBH Educational FoundationPBS
Where God Left His ShoesFeature film2007Salvatore StabileJohn LeguizamoLeonor Varela

David Castro (actor)

IFC Films
2010This Emotional LifeDocumentary series4 January 2010Matt Boatright-SimonKunhardt FilmsMcGee MediaDaniel Gilbert (psychologist)PBS
2013Girl RisingDocumentary film2013Richard E. RobbinsThe Documentary GroupDouble Exposure StudiosNarration by Anne Hathaway Cate Blanchett

Selena Gomez

Liam Neeson

Meryl Streep

Kerry Washington

CNN FilmsNetflix
Pandora's PromiseDocumentary filmRobert Stone (director)Robert Stone ProductionsCNN Films
2014We The Economy: 20 Short Films You Can't Afford To MissDocumentary film201422 directors including, but not limited to:Morgan Spurlock

Catherine Hardwicke

Adrian Grenier

Adam McKay

Lee Hirsch

CinelanMorgan SpurlockJames Schamus

Adrian Grenier

Judah Friedlander

among others

45 different distribution partners Including, but not limited to: Amazon Video

Netflix

Comcast

Google Play

Time Warner Cable

2015Body Team 12Documentary film2015David DargRYOT FilmsHBO
Racing ExtinctionDocumentary film18 September 2015Louie PsihoyosOceanic Preservation SocietyOkeanos

Li Ka Shing Foundation

Insurgent Docs

Elon MuskJane Goodall

Leilani Munter

Joel Sartore

Discovery Channel
2016Midsummer in NewtownDocumentary film1 April 2016Lloyd KramerParticipant MediaJimmy Greene
Naledi: A Baby Elephant's TaleDocumentary film5 June 2016Ben Bowie Geoffrey LuckOff the FenceNetflix
The Ivory GameDocumentary filmNovember 12, 2016Richard LadkaniKief DavidsonTerra Mater Factual StudiosMalaika Pictures

Appian Way

Elisifa NgowiCraig Millar

Andrea Crosta

Hongxiang Huang

Ofir Drori

Ian Craig

Georgina Kamanga

Netflix
Ocean WarriorsTelevision series4 December 2016Marc BenjaminMarc LevinSundance ProductionsBrick City TVSid ChakravartyPeter HammerstedtAnimal Planet
2017Unseen EnemyDocumentary film7 April 2017Janet TobiasSierra/Tango Productions

CNN Films

CNN FilmsAmazon Video
2018Ballet NowDocumentary film4 June 2018Stick Figure StudiosTiler PeckHulu
X-Ray Fashion VR short29 August 2018Francesco CarrozziniMANNDFrancesco Carrozzini
Chasing the ThunderDocumentary film2 February 2018Marc BenjaminMarc LevinBrick City TVSid ChakravartyPeter HammerstedtAnimal Planet
Memphis Belle: The RestorationDocumentary film2018William WylerCreative Differences
2019USS Indianapolis: The Final ChapterDocumentary film8 January 2019Kirk WolfingerLone Wolf MediaPBSAmazon Video
Everest VRVR short10 April 2019Jon GriffithMatthew DejohnAlpine ExposuresLegend 3DSherpa TenjiJon Griffith
Drop in the OceanVR short25 April 2019Philippe Cousteau Jr.Vision3Conservation InternationalPhilippe CousteauAshlan Cousteau
Guardians of the KingdomVR short26 April 2019Sophie AnselChristophe BailhacheUnderwater EarthSeaview 360

Projects for Good

ITRAMAS

Spinifex

Sylvia EarleFinau Molisi
The Cold BlueDocumentary film6 June 2019Erik NelsonCreative DifferencesHBO
Ghost FleetDocumentary film7 June 2019Shannon ServiceJeffrey WaldronSeahorse ProductionsPatima TungpuchayakulTun Lin

Chutima "Oi" Sidasathian

Bustar Maitar

TBD
Oliver Sacks: His Own LifeDocumentary filmAugust 31, 2019Ric BurnsSteeplechase ProductionsMotto Pictures

PBS American Masters

Oliver SacksPBS American Masters[12]

Where God Left His Shoes

Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas

Hard Candy (film)

Coastlines

Far from Heaven

The Safety of Objects

The Luzhin Defence

Titus

Men with Guns

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Blues PBS. www.pbs.org. 2019-06-20.
  2. Web site: Martin Scorsese's The Blues - Vulcan Productions. www.vulcanproductions.com. 2019-06-20.
  3. Web site: Robert Redford & Animal Planet Team On Ocean Conservation Series. Petski. Denise. 2016-11-14. Deadline. en. 2019-06-20.
  4. Web site: Four Vulcan Productions Films You Can Stream At Home. Paul Allen. en-US. 2019-06-20.
  5. Web site: Vulcan Productions Wins First Peabody Award. www.spaceref.com. 2019-06-20.
  6. Web site: Body Team 12 Oscar Nomination - Vulcan. www.vulcan.com. 2019-06-20.
  7. Web site: Clear Blue Sky Productions. https://web.archive.org/web/20190620234847/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9922e983. dead. June 20, 2019. BFI. en. 2019-06-20.
  8. Web site: Geek of the Week: Vulcan Productions GM Carole Tomko drives social change through storytelling. 2015-07-16. GeekWire. en-US. 2019-06-20.
  9. Web site: 2020-05-27. Future of Seattle's Cinerama and Living Computers museum in doubt as Paul Allen's Vulcan shutters arts and production divisions. 2022-01-31. GeekWire. en-US.
  10. Web site: McNary. Dave. 2020-05-27. Film News Roundup: Paul Allen's Vulcan Productions to Close in 2021 Due to Pandemic. 2022-01-31. Variety. en-US.
  11. Web site: 2021-03-08. Vulcan Productions shuts down, 23 years and more than 80 films after Paul Allen launched the venture. 2022-01-31. GeekWire. en-US.
  12. Web site: American Masters Pictures Co-Producing Oliver Sacks Documentary Blog American Masters PBS. American Masters. 25 October 2017 . en-US. 2019-09-20.
  13. Web site: The Humanitas Prize, Past Winners. May 2, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20100511190423/http://www.humanitasprize.org/Prize_PastWinners.html. May 11, 2010. dead. mdy-all.
  14. Web site: Imagen Awards 2008 Nominees. May 2, 2011.
  15. Web site: Imagen Awards 2008 Winners. May 2, 2011.
  16. Web site: IMDb > Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas (2006) > Awards . . May 2, 2011.
  17. Web site: IMDb > Hard Candy (2005) > Awards . . May 2, 2011.
  18. Web site: Nominees & Winners for the 75th Academy Awards. May 2, 2011.
  19. Web site: Twenty-Six Years of Nominees & Winners (.pdf). May 2, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110304042517/http://www.spiritawards.com/files/SPIRIT%20AWARDS_26%20Years%20of%20Nominees%20and%20Winners.pdf. March 4, 2011. dead. mdy-all.
  20. Web site: 2003 Golden Globe Nominees and Winners . May 2, 2011.