In addition to actual set design and construction the Society provided consultation on all nautical aspects of the film. Although, in the final cut, most all of the nautical scenes were removed because of time contraints. A Brooksfilm production presented by Castle Rock Entertainment in association with Gaumont. The story of a schooner anchored off the West African coast. The year is 1869, and even though most nations have outlawed the slave trade, twenty four men find themselves chained in the hold as human cargo.
Resistance finds a release as a voilent uprising rocks the schooner.
The ship scenes were filmed aboard the Californian in early 1997. Once again the Californian was transformed into a slave ship and the sounds of chains could be heard along the ship's deck. During the 1850s the SS Central America carried gold and passengers who came across the Panama Peninsula from vessels arriving from San Francisco. During the voyage the vessel was caught in a fierce storm and the ship's hull sprang a leak which eventually sank the vessel with the loss of 400 lives and 30 billion dollars worth of gold on today's market. The disaster was the worst maritime loss until the Titanic sinking.