True South Film: Last Push Equipment Raise – Rodney & James

In February of 2025, Nat Geo Award-Winning photographer Rodney Bursiel and filmmaker James Douglas Cooper will embark on a month-long journey in a purpose-driven sailing yacht to Antarctica to create a documentary and bring awareness to the wildlife and environment.

They have had two successful fundraising campaigns but still need to raise $25,000 to purchase film equipment and dive gear. Examples of the equipment are 2 x dry suits, cold weather gear, diving equipment, 1 x second camera for James, 2 x underwater camera housings, camera memory cards, hard drives and lenses.

Please help us reach our goal and donate ANY amount you can.

For those who'd like to give a little more... we have some goodies to offer those who donate certain amounts. (Rodney will be touch with you via email if you donate these amounts.)

1) USD$250 or above (1 x Rodney Bursiel Photographic print signed and delivered)

You'll get a signed 12" x 18" Rodney Bursiel photographic print on metallic paper, delivered. Choose from 1 of 3 images taken in Antarctica Feb 2025. Rodney will email you after donation to confirm.

2) USD$3,800 (1 x Billy Gibbons Signed Epiphone SG, 1 x signed Bursiel print, 1 x Billy Gibbons book, first in first served)

You'll get an exclusive, one-off Billy Gibbons signed cherry red guitar, and a signed 12" x 18" Rodney Bursiel photographic print on metallic paper, delivered. Choose from 1 of 3 images taken in Antarctica Feb 2025. A copy of Billy's book 'Gearhead' and a congrats phone call from Rodney. Rodney will email you after donation to confirm. Once this is gone, it's gone - we'll update this page.

3) USD$9,500 (2 x EP credits available, first in, first served)

You'll get an Executive Producer credit on the film. 1 x framed, signed print 36" x 54" (on metal in a wood float frame), delivered. A thank you call from both Rodney and James. (You'll also get 1 x satellite phone call from Rodney and James during the journey in Antartica so you can check in on progress in real time.) Rodney will email you after donation to confirm. Once these are gone, they're gone - we'll update this page.

True South Website

True South Instagram

From Rodney and James:

"Hey there. I'm Nat Geo Award-winning photographer, Rodney Bursiel. Hey folks. I'm filmmaker James Douglas Cooper, and we are making a documentary film in Antarctica. We're here to say a big thank you to all those who have already donated and came to our first two fundraising events to help us get to Antarctica, this coming February.

We've raised enough to get there and back… Which is a huge deal. However, we still have one more hurdle to jump. We still need to assemble our filmmaking equipment, our diving equipment, and our kit for onboard the yacht, while we're at sea for 27 days, we're in the process of securing two pretty expensive dry suits, which will allow us to get in the 28 degree water to get up close with the orcas, humpbacks, and leopard seals... in a very unique and fragile ecosystem.

We also need to purchase two underwater housings for our camera rigs and a second film camera with accessories for James to shoot with. We also have a lot of equipment and cold weather gear to purchase, and that all adds up. So we're asking for your help to get us across the final hurdle for a final push this year for our film endeavor. We're looking to raise another $25,000 to get us over the line and fund our production phase.

We'd like to offer some really juicy and fun perks. If you donate, if we've got signed prints… You can become an executive producer on the film...

And a one-off signed Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) guitar. So browse below and donate now, small or large, it's all going to add up, and we're super grateful for your help already. We need to purchase this list before the end of the holidays, so we'd really appreciate your help. As soon as you can. Stay tuned for True South an Antarctica story. Thanks so much."