May 13, 2014 2.10 pm This story is over 130 months old

Sir Joseph Banks film needs £100k from crowdfunding campaign

The Banks Endeavour: A Lincoln film company is crowdfunding for a film about the life and achievements of Lincolnshire botanist Sir Joseph Banks.

Lincoln-based production company Red Dog Films has launched a crowdfunding campaign for a £100,000 film bringing back to life the story of Lincolnshire botanist Sir Joseph Banks.

The 40-minute drama, bookended by 10-minute documentaries, will feature interviews with Sir David Attenborough as he talks about the role Sir Joseph played on the famous Endeavour voyage.

Supporters of the project, in association with the Sir Joseph Banks Society and the Lincolnshire Community Foundation celebrated the campaign launch on May 9 along with the final day of the Sir Joseph Banks exhibition at The Collection museum.

Dr Cheryle Berry MBE kicked off the donations on the evening with a contribution of £1,000 on behalf of the Sir Joseph Banks Society.

Lincolnshire Community Foundation’s Gordon Hunter then presented the project with a cheque for £12,000.

To make a donation and find out more about the project you can visit the crowdfunding website here.

Phil Stevens, Creative Director of Red Dog Films said:

“Sir Joseph Banks is one of the most enigmatic and compelling figures of the 18th and 19th century, the fact that his name and legacy are now largely unknown in this country is a great injustice.

“Our hope is that this film will go some way to raise his profile in the public consciousness and affirm his place as one of the great scientists and explorers of the age of enlightenment.”

In April, the company released a short preview documentary which sparked the beginning of the expanding project, which will also include an interactive educational website.