‘The Million Dollar Duck’ Documentary To Air On Animal Planet

Every year, a somewhat unique and very prestigious art contest is held. There is only one specific subject, but independent artists across the nation enter in the hopes of having their original artwork chosen as the winner. There is no prize money, so what is it that drives so many to submit their entries year after year?

Dozens of competitors create beautiful works of duck art in the hopes that their creation will be the one chosen for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s stamp, which is affixed to every hunting license and entry pass that provides access to the National Wildlife Refuge system. Wetlands acquired with duck stamp dollars help to purify the water, aid in flood control, reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities. Purchasing federal duck stamps is one of the easiest ways to support bird habitat conservation, and the Hollywood Reporter noted that 98 percent of proceeds goes toward the refuge system. The stamp currently sells for $25 and raises approximately $25 million or more every year.

According to Variety, The Million Dollar Duck documentary follows a half-dozen dedicated artists as they prepare their artwork for the annual 2013 Federal Duck Stamp competition. Although there is no prize money given out through this juried competition by the federal government, artists can still see a substantial profit from selling the rights to their work, which is the reason the stamps have earned the “million dollar” label.

Director of The Million Dollar Duck, Brian Golden Davis, based the film on Martin J. Smith’s nonfiction book, The Wild Duck Chase. What Davis came away with was a fascinating look at what drives these artists to spend a year or more creating something that stands out from the competition. Several of the artists have gotten to know each other quite well over the years, and their friendly rivalries come through, resulting in several funny moments and a lot of down-to-earth humor.

“The Million Dollar Duck is a humorous and quirky film that reveals the excitement and tension around the art competition that has brought in over 800 million dollars to protect America’s wetlands… with a duck stamp,” said Patrice Andrews, general manager of Animal Planet.

“This Animal Planet Presents film perfectly supports our goal to galvanize our audiences around animal welfare and the environment while showing how we can positively impact the natural world.”

Dee Dee Murry is one of the artists featured on The Million Dollar Duck, and she recently won the the Delaware Duck Stamp competition for 2016. The beautifully rendered stamp can be viewed on her website, and her bio states that she has garnered several regional and national awards, including the Washington State Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year, and first place in the Artist’s Magazine national competition.

Adam Grimm won the competition in 1999 as a young man, and on The Million Dollar Duck, he is working hard for another win to help support his growing family. Grimm recently posted to his Facebook page regarding the airing of The Million Dollar Duck, “It’s getting close!” along with a link to Animal Planet’s The Million Dollar Duck page that includes a sneak peek of the film. According to his “about” section on Facebook, Adam pays very close attention to the smallest details in his work, and it definitely shows.

“If God thought it was important enough to create it, then it would be disrespectful if I didn’t make the extra effort in my attempts to paint it accurately,” Adam stated.

Tim Taylor met Adam Grimm in 1999, and the two have been friends ever since. Tim states on his website that he considers Adam to be his mentor, and they have spent many hours painting and photographing waterfowl in the wild together. In 2009, he came in second place for the California Duck Stamp contest, and then went on to win the next year. The 2010 California Duck Stamp Contest was his first win. Taylor is considered one of the world’s foremost artists in glass carving, and his work is visible everywhere from exclusive homes and hotels to casinos and restaurants.

The Million Dollar Duck is part of Animal Planet Presents, which features the best films from top filmmakers that explore a myriad of topics including conservation, animal rights, and welfare. The Futon Critic noted that Animal Planet has the television rights to the film, and Lionsgate will handle theatrical/VOD release in North America and the U.K.

The 22nd Slamdance Film Festival named The Million Dollar Duck the 2016 winner of both the Jury Award and Audience Award for Documentary Feature. Executive producers are multiple Academy Award-winning filmmaker Mark Jonathan Harris, and Richard Prager. The editor is Derek Boonstra, the cinematographer is Christian Bruno, with Laura Young Lee and Kye Woo Lee serving as the co-producers.

Will you be checking out the documentary? Leave your comments, thoughts, and opinions below. The Million Dollar Duck premieres on Wednesday, September 14 at 9 p.m. ET on Animal Planet.

[Image via Animal Planet]