Edison Award-winning social innovator Illac Diaz and his Liter of Light solar lamp initiative to light up the Philippines’ and the world’s poor communities have made it to the Dreamworks screen at the Comcast Tower’s Universal Sphere and will continue to be seen by the public visiting the new entertainment venue.
Diaz, whose meeting with producer Steven Spielberg at the April 17 unveiling of his new project was reported exclusively by Good News Pilipinas, is heard on the Dreamworks film talking about the Filipino technology for inexpensive solar lamps which were first used to light up Super Typhoon Haiyan-stricken areas in the Philippines in 2013.
“I wanted to create solar lights in the cheapest possible way. Sometimes there are three generations that have not had access to light. My idea is to create an emergency lighting system with reused plastic bottles …, “ Illac Diaz says onscreen as images of the story and the Liter of Light solar lamps being used around the world were seen by the innovators gathered at the special screening at the new Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia.
The Liter of Light story is seen at the 2/3 mark of the new Spielberg Dreamworks film sharing how simple solutions create global impact, Diaz relayed to Good News Pilipinas.
Dreamworks film director Gary Trousdale, known for directing films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Atlantis: The Lost Empire, revealed to Diaz why he chose the Liter of Light idea to be part of the new film.
“We were looking for great ideas on the internet and this one (Liter of Light) checks out – It is a fine, simple, a brilliant idea that basically anybody could have but nobody had until now. And we could get hold of the guy (Illac Diaz)! It was so easy to get. You didn’t have to explain a lot of things. Of course! Of course it’s a great idea!” explained Trousdale in a video interview.
“And it was visual, that was the key,” added Dreamworks director Steve Hickner who is known for his Dreamworks Animation films the Prince of Egypt, Father of the Pride, and the Bee Movie. Hickner also shared how they found out about the Liter of Light through Facebook and eventually an e-mail from Karen Foster was sent to Diaz.
Foster said in the e-mail: “This project has been a true collaboration… bringing together the best of the best across Comcast NBCUniversal to create something magical.”
Diaz reacted to the Dreamworks invitation with incredulity at first saying, “I thought it was a joke for a while. I thought, who’s gonna write from Dreamworks to an island in the Pacific?”
“The Universal Sphere short film that features Liter of Light and that was backed by Spielberg is a project that was months in the making and was only released now,” revealed Ami Valdemoro, Liter of Light’s Director and Board of Trustees member.
Diaz and Valdemoro recently ended their circumnavigation of the world on the 100-day Voyage of Light on the Peace Boat bringing the Filipino-developed solar lamp to light up remote communities on the Japanese cruise boat’s 19 ports of call from December 2018 to March 2019.
Illac Diaz and the Liter of Light team are preparing to participate in the UNESCO International Day of Light on May 16.
JOIN Illac Diaz on his Liter of Light journey as he promotes the Philippines’ talent and ingenuity with Exclusive Stories here on Good News Pilipinas!
WATCH this Illac Diaz Exclusive Video Interview with Good News Pilipinas for the full story of the Liter of Light and leave your comments below!
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