There's no better way to connect with the power of an eclipse than to get out and experience one for yourself.
With our documentary, we are reaching out to the general public in a call to everyone willing to utilize the power of their mobile phones to collect as many HDR (High Dynamic Range) image sequences as possible during totality at their location. At any given location, the duration of totality will be no greater the 2.5 minutes, but with observers scattered across the entire path, we can effectively create an uninterrupted view of the entire event. A custom "app" will aid this volunteer army of photographers in this endeavor. The features of this app will be discussed fully in a subsequent white paper, but it will take advantage of all the remarkable features that these devices place in our hands.
Being that the entire observable path falls exclusively upon the USA, we also have the remarkable advantage of not having national borders to contend with, a sophisticated roads and telecommunication infrastructure, and also a common language. These factors — missing in most other eclipses — allow us to propose that we establish a coordinated array of thousands and thousands of observers all along the "path of totality" in the undertaking to capture potentially millions of images which we will then aggregate in REALTIME, into one unified experience.
This requires a coordinated effort. We propose using 100 skilled video camerapersons strategically placed at locations equally spaced along the path. They will be using professional video cameras that produce HRD video in RAW format. In essence, raw video is also a series of essentially still images but all linked into a video file. RAW video offers a High Dynamic Range, which is required in order to capture all the subtleties of the corona. With these 100 cameras it is also possible to cover the entire eclipse but with the benefit of creating video files immediately.
The entire effort will be documented, broadcast and streamed live to all those who are not able to actually either be there or to participate live. There will be a global audience!
The experience of seeing the Total Eclipse of the Sun is not simply seeing a black disk in the sky surrounded by the ephemeral milky white corona. Yes, if you are there seeing that, you are indeed blessed with a remarkable sight but you are also experiencing many other sensations. The temperature drops, people gasp with delight and shout for joy, animals act weird! The daylight dips first to a silvery grey and then suddenly you are plunged into darkness in the middle of the day.
It is nothing you have seen or experienced before. It is completely new. Your own emotions are alive as are all those around you.
In short, it is overwhelming. So, get out there, and be forewarned: this is how an eclipse chaser is born!
