San Francisco Ocean Film Festival

Filmmaker Q&A: Jeff Litton,"Save Sharks, Don't Serve Them"

2011-03-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

“Save Sharks, Don’t Serve Them” comes at a timely moment with CA Assembly Bill 376 being hotly debated. Almost all species of sharks all over the world are threatened by humans, despite stereotypes saying the opposite. Shark finning is a cruel and inhumane practice, and is impact is not just moral it’s ecological. Jeff Litton’s film highlights the plight sharks are facing, as well as their powerful and graceful presence. We should not serve, or fear, sharks, we should all work to save them. Catch “Save Sharks, Don’t Serve Them” on Saturday March 12^th at 1:00pm. Click here to get your tickets now.

What is your overall summary for the film?

“Save Sharks, Don’t Serve Them” is a film that brings viewers face to face with beautiful sharks from around the world, and then exposes the crisis that all sharks are in today. San Francisco has the perfect ability to set the example for the world of shark conservation.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

Looking a shark in the eye proves wrong every fear Spielberg ever gave you. Sharks are peaceful, and more afraid of us. In fact they have every right to be.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

The most challenging part of the film is searching for the bottom of a story as big as illegal shark fishing. The effects of shark fin soup don’t weigh only on the pockets of the buyer, nor even the life of the shark; the illegal industry fuels the operations of narcotics and slavery, not to mention a heavy hand in governments. It all ends when Shark Fin Soup ends.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

People leave the theatre with a better appreciation for sharks and the gravity of their peril. Hopefully enough people can join together in a coalition of citizens interested in saving sharks, and if our message coincides with those of our officials, then we can come a long way towards protection.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

Surely the best part of filming sharks is the connection you feel in the presence of a giant. If dogs and bees can sense fear, then imagine what could be sensed with the sophistication of a hammerhead shark.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

A shark approaches from the distance, and it’s swimming straight for you. Camera’s rolling & you keep looking between the camera and the real thing. It approaches until 2 feet away, turns left, and you feel the gentle currents wash past. That’s not inspiration, it’s zen.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

One day a friend and I were towing a trash net across San Francisco Bay, and we pulled out a piece of plastic as big as your palm. It was the corner of a bag of chips, and by the branding, the plastic was more than 40 years old. The problems of the ocean aren’t controversial, it’s as simple as a sustainable future. Ocean health has nothing to do with race, nor geography, it is a world endeavor. The answers are in every question like, ‘How do we stop killing all the sharks from the ocean?’

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?

The message from the Governor of Galapagos is addressed to government of San Francisco, and the people, a plea for shark conservation. San Francisco is part of a huge shark conservation movement taking place now and to continue in the future. The bay represents the mix of rich culture met with founding ideas and principles from the entire state of California.

Filmmaker Q&A: Jordan Plotsky,"Home for Hawksbill"

2011-03-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

In his film "Home for Hawksbill" Jordan Plotsky uncovers the amazing story of three rival tribes cooperating to save the turtles they had hunted to near extinction. Sacrificing their own livelihoods the people of the Arnavon Islands are helping this ancient species make a come back and are creating a model of conservation for communities all over the world. Catch "Home for Hawksbill" Sunday March 13th at 10 am as part of Program 10. Click here for tickets.

Filmmaker Bio:

Jordan Plotsky has a passion for wildlife and wilderness. Since 1998, he has been producing films and television on subjects ranging from sea turtles to bison, and archaeology to culture change. He has bushwhacked through the jungles of Papua New Guinea and shuffled through the snows of Yellowstone to capture the world’s beauty and drama. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Teledramatic Arts and Technologies from California State University Monterey Bay, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Natural History Filmmaking and Communication from the University of Otago. He is married and lives in Santa Cruz, California.

What is your summary for the film?

The Hawksbill turtle has been swimming in the southern oceans since the time of the dinosaurs. But now over-fishing has brought the Hawksbill to the brink of extinction. One of the turtle’s last stands is the Arnavon Islands, three small islets nestled in a far corner of the Solomon Islands. Even here their survival is at risk, as three rival tribes hunt the hawksbill to the breaking point. “Home for Hawksbill” tells the remarkable story of how these rival tribes overcame cultural conflicts and disputes over land ownership to protect the islands and save the turtles. Success in the Arnavons has inspired other communities, and is now a model for conservation across the globe.

What inspired you to make this film?

In a world of environmental challenges and degradation, I think it's critically important to tell stories of hope. This is an inspiring story of peace through conservation and the survival of an ancient species.

What were the biggest challenges in making the film?

Short shooting schedule and language gap

What message do you want viewers to take away from your film?

People around the world are doing important work and there are lessons for all of us.

What was the most enjoyable part of making the film?

Being on location and meeting the locals.

What was the most memorable moment in the film?

Watching hatchlings race to the sea.

Filmmaker Q&A: Lucia Duncan,"Whales of Gold"

2011-03-04T22:36:00.000-08:00

Grey whales: huge, fascinating, critically important to the economy of San Ignacio Lagoon. Lucia Duncan’s film “Whales of Gold” sees the migration of whale, and the researchers and tourists that follow them, through the eyes of the local residents of this small fishing village in Baja California Mexico. “Whales of Gold” is part of Program 7, Saturday March 12^th at 1:00 pm. Click here to get tickets now.

What is your overall summary for the film?

Every winter, following the migration of grey whales, tourists, scientists, and conservationists descend upon the San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja California, Mexico. Their presence - and the establishment of Latin America's largest biosphere reserve - brings profound change to the lagoon’s small fishing community. Twelve-year-old Antonio negotiates between the different points of view of locals and outsiders about the changes and what the future will bring. “Whales of Gold” raises questions about how to conserve habitat and species in a way that also sustains the livelihoods of local people.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

I am fascinated by the way in which ecotourism is marketed as a trip to paradise – a form of tourism that does no harm, a win-win situation for tourists, local people, and the environment. Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the global tourism industry and is especially important to the economies of developing countries. While tourists delight in their immersion in untouched nature - beautiful scenery and exotic animals - they often have no real contact with local people. I wanted to make a film that would explore the impact of ecotourism on one community from the perspective of local people.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

It was challenging to make a film at a distance and in such a remote location. It was also challenging to make a film about issues that are complex and changes that are gradual.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

My hope is that "Whales of Gold" will help viewers think more critically about the multiple impacts of ecotourism and conservation and who bene_ts from the changes they bring.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

I enjoyed learning about the fishing culture in Baja California Sur and filming in such a beautiful place.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

I was inspired by the relationship that residents of the San Ignacio Lagoon have with the place that they live and with their desire for their kids to be able to continue to live there.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

This is my first environmentally focused film.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?

I hope your festival will draw viewers interested in ecotourism and conservation in Baja California Sur, Mexico.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

The visit by El Hijo del Santo (Mexican wrestler) to the San Ignacio Lagoon was the most memorable moment. It was such a clear example of how U.S. environmental organizations use the community to create media campaigns.

Director’s Bio:

Lucia has directed films about labor, tourism, culture, and the environment. Her film Making History: SEIU and the Labor Movement won a CINE Golden Eagle Award. As a Fulbright Fellow in Brazil, she made Olinda: World Cultural Heritage Site and Lord of Olinda, and worked for Video in the Villages, teaching documentary production to indigenous youth. She has a BA in Development Studies and Portuguese/Brazilian Studies from Brown University and an MFA in Film/Video from the University of Texas.

Filmmaker Q&A: Nannette Van Antwerp,"Raja Ampat"

2011-03-04T19:29:00.000-08:00

Nannette Van Antwerp, newcomer to the Ocean Film Festival, is an experienced and passionate diver whose love for the ocean its intriguing life shines through her film “Raja Ampat.” Filmed in Indonesia’s Raja Ampat the film highlights a wealth of exotic creatures sure to delight audiences and inspire viewers to consider how we can all preserve the oceans for future generations. Catch “Raja Ampat” on Sunday March 13^th as part of Program 10. Click here to buy tickets.

What is your overall summary for the film?

A sampling of some of the amazing marine life found in Indonesia’s Raja Ampat archipelago, from giant manta rays to seahorses smaller than your fingernail.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

After seeing first-hand the beauty and diversity of Raja’s reefs and the life that lives there, I wanted to be able to share that in some way with other divers and non-divers alike.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

Shooting video underwater is always challenging, as you have to deal with currents, surge, variable light conditions and time limits imposed by the rules of diving, among other things. But the most challenging thing may have been choosing from the many hours of footage shot on the trip, which clips to include in the film.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

I hope that they can get some of the same sense of the wonder I feel when I see these amazing creatures and their behaviors and adaptations that allow them to each live in their own little niche on the reef.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

I love the ocean, and spending time on a boat in a remote Indonesian paradise while diving multiple times a day is my idea of heaven!

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

Mostly I’m inspired by all the amazingly alien life that lives in the ocean. The underwater world is a constant source of wonder for me. After more than 1000 dives all over the world, I still see something I’ve never seen before every time I get in the water. It makes me want to share these wonders with people who would otherwise never get the chance to see them, and hopefully inspire them to want to respect and protect the ocean as well.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

I got certified to dive in 2000 and started shooting video underwater in 2002 as a way to share our adventures with friends and family. Over the years my editing style has evolved from making longer travelogue-style videos into creating more natural history-style short films. I’m still strictly an amateur with a lot to learn and I create the videos because I enjoy making them and sharing them with others.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?

I’m always happy to support events that educate people and create awareness about issues related to the ocean, and I’m very excited to be part of this film festival.

Is this your first time participating in an ocean-focused film festival?

Yes, in fact it’s my first film festival of any kind.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

After many dives all over the world, one of the creatures my husband and I most wanted to see that had so far eluded us was a blue-ringed octopus. At the end of one dive in the middle of our Raja Ampat trip, I looked over to see one of the dive guide frantically gesturing for me to come over. Sure enough, there was a beautiful little blue-ring out in the open crawling across the reef—a spectacular sight! Unfortunately, my husband wasn’t feeling well that day and had sat out the dive. I could hardly bring myself to tell him about it when we got back to the boat. At least he got to see it on video…

Filmmaker Q&A: Allan Smith,"Rescue Men: The Story of the Pea Island Surfmen"

2011-03-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

“Rescue Men: The Story of the Pea Island Surfmen” documents the extraordinary story of an all African American rescue crew based in North Carolina in the 1890’s. The crewmembers posthumously received the Gold Lifesaving Medal but their story has never been told before. Learn the historic tale of these rescue men whose accomplishments contributed to the creation of the U.S. Coast Guard as part of Program 11, Sunday March 13^th at 1:00 pm. Click here to watch a clip of the film.

What is your overall summary for the film?

On the night of October 11, 1896 in hurricane force winds, one crew known as the “Pea Island Surf Men” accomplished the impossible. Led by Keeper Richard Etheridge, this historic all black rescue crew etched themselves into history rescuing stranded sailors whose ships had succumbed to the harsh Atlantic. “Rescue Men” is the story of the men that manned the Pea Island Lifesaving Station on the outer banks of North Carolina. Due to the heroics and accomplishments of these brave men, we now have what is called “The United States Coast Guard.”

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

My inspiration for creating this film was knowing that these men deserve to have the world know what they accomplished and that the story lay hidden for over 100 years.

These men 100 years later posthumously received the Gold Lifesaving Medal, and now they finally receive a film about their heroic actions and accomplishments.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in making “Rescue Men”?

The most challenging part of creating was garnering the trust from the African American community and locals in rural North Carolina.

What message do you want your audience to take away?

That regardless of our race or ethnicity, these men lent a hand when normally it never would have been taken. They swore to do a job and they did it to the best of their ability.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

The most enjoyable part of the creating Rescue Men was traveling to the White House to meet and film Admiral Steven Rochon. He is currently the Chief Usher at the White House for President Obama.

Who or what is your inspiration?

My inspiration is a gentleman I met some time ago in Alaska named Norman Vaughan who, at age 87, summited a mountain named after him in Antarctica by Admiral Richard Bird. Atop that mountain Norman stated “Dream Big & Dare to Fail”. That is my inspiration!

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

For us, the most memorable moment in creating Rescue Men was when Daniel Gardner, the great-grandson of Captain Gardner from the ES Newman rescue, looked at us and stated, “if it was not for these African American heroes, were it not for these men, then I would not be here today”.

Filmmaker Q&A: Ariela Stern,"Physics of Surfing"

2011-03-03T20:05:00.001-08:00

Wildly popular in coastal cities and towns the world over, surfing is more than a sport, it is a culture. But how does surfing actually work? “Physics of Surfing” delves into the mechanics of surfboards, surfers, and waves. The film puts a new spin on surfing documentaries by exploring and explaining the forces, energy, and mechanics of this popular sport. You can see “Physics of Surfing” at the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival, Saturday March 12^th at 10:00 am.

What is your overall summary for the film?

Unlike other surfing documentaries, ‘Physics of Surfing’ is an educational film that uncovers the physical science of ocean waves and the art of surfing. Further, the film looks at how the modern technology of surfboard design affects a board's performance on the wave. Surfers play with nature's purest form of energy and power in this cinematic experience.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

When creating the film, we didn’t want to produce just “another surf movie.” We really wanted to explore and explain the physical science of ocean waves in the context of modern surfing.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

Obviously one of the most difficult aspects of shooting a film that is so contingent on weather conditions is timing of the production. We were very lucky that on our second trip to the North Shore of Hawaii we caught a truly epic winter swell that made for some very amazing footage.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

We really wanted to present the magnificent and awe inspiring power of the natural energy of ocean waves and mankind’s ingenuity and skill.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

The film is a collaboration of a lot of talented and motivated people. The surfers are true artisans of their craft. For all members of the crew that had the opportunity to travel to beautiful exotic locations to create the film, it was an experience of a lifetime.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

We were certainly inspired by the deep influence that surfing has had not only on American youth culture but on many cultures around the world.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?

We chose to submit to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival because we believe this venue is the perfect opportunity to showcase a film not just about surfing and waves, but the science behind the oceanic sport and the components which contribute to this beloved art-form. We hope that viewers will gain a better appreciation for our ocean while experiencing the thrill of surfing at the same time, and we feel the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival shares this same type of mission.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

Probably the most memorable part of the project was the sheer camaraderie of the cast and crew. The whole project was a wonderful experience for everyone involved. I think everyone was disappointed when the production came to an end.

Filmmaker Q&A: Scott Drucker, "Between The Harvest"

2011-03-02T18:21:00.000-08:00

Filmmaker Scott Drucker’s film “Between the Harvest” explores the complex story of legal, but controversial, harvesting of endangered sea turtle eggs in Ostional. The film does not pass judgment, but seeks to illustrate the need for balance between the needs of human populations and the effects that populations have on our shared environment. “Between the Harvest” is playing as part of Program 11, Sunday March 13^th at 1:00 pm. Click here to buy tickets and here to watch the trailer.

What is your overall summary for the film?

Between the Harvest is the story of Ostional, a small coastal community that relies on the legal harvest and sale of endangered olive ridley sea turtle eggs. Told through the eyes of these two fragile species, this short documentary delves into one of the biggest controversies in the marine world: is this harvest really an exemplary sustainable project?

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

Five years ago, for a study abroad project, I spent two months developing a library for the kids of Ostional. I taught some English, researched the olive ridley by night, and occasionally filmed samples of life. When I screened the footage for a final presentation, my good friend Jess said, “You have to do this. You have to come back one day and make this film.” When she died two years ago it all became clear to me. All the craziness of grad school at USC drifted away and I knew that I had to go back and make this film, despite the lack of support from the school.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

Ensuring the people that I was not there to harm them or to stop the project. It was not easy to gain their trust since so many people go to Ostional, film them taking the eggs without ever asking, and then disappear without anyone ever hearing from them again. I feel like Adam Beals (another student from my abroad program) said it well since it applies to these filmmakers and photographers as well. He said, "I realized then that tourists and turtles both have a virtually identical impact on the community of Ostional; they arrive out of the blue, bestow untold riches upon the town, and then return to their glorious lives in other parts of the world, thereby leaving the people of Ostional no choice but to wishfully burn the days until their beneficiaries return." A good documentary is connecting with the people that you are filming so that both elements, story and style, become one. When I went to research the project idea over the summer, people were very hesitant, but in the end we sat and listened to what they had to say and genuinely cared about their perspective and livelihood. For almost everyone in the town it was the first time anyone with a camera had ever asked them about the project and what it meant to them.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

That there are these whole communities and people behind everything the ocean experiences. Ostional is just a microcosm for this bigger picture. It illustrates how interconnected we all are.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

Jacque Cousteau. That might be cliché, but I take one look at one of his spots and I can’t help to love what he did, just anything Cousteau. Life Aquatic is a brilliant parody that just inspires me that much more to create ocean-focused films, both fiction and non-fiction.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?

I wanted to premiere or screen at a festival where people actually cared about the ocean and the communities that surround it, as opposed to a festival that was more concerned with juging the work, or with distribution and industry networking. I genuinely care about the work and the people and am excited to be in an environment where people share a common passion.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

One of the very last days filming when we were in the fish market and it all just came together. After two months of intense conversations about the purpose of the film, what we were trying to say, etc. and then the intensity of filming the whole arribada, we finally had the chance to follow the eggs to their final destination. After interviewing a woman who owned a store in the market, we all just sat in this café and could not help but to smile at each other. We knew we had just finished this incredible journey.

Filmmaker Q&A: Teresa Demarest, "Keiko The Untold Story"

2011-02-28T22:01:00.000-08:00

“Keiko the Untold Story” is filmmaker Theresa Demarest’s passionate telling of the life of Keiko, the orca who starred in the blockbuster “Free Willy”, after he was released into the wild. Watch the film Thursday March 10^th at 7pm. Click here to get tickets.

What is your overall summary for the film?

Nowhere in recent history has a captive mammal garnered so much attention as Keiko, the orca star of the 1993 hit film, “Free Willy.” The film’s success, partnered with growing public interest in animals held in captivity, launched a children’s crusade that called for Keiko’s release into the wild. The result: a multimillion dollar project that spanned four countries, weathered endless controversies and lasted nearly a decade. Yet, the question of whether or not the mission su

cceeded continues to frame the debate regarding the fate of the other 42 orcas still held in captivity around the world. Through first-hand accounts by the marine mammal experts charged with his care, “Keiko The Untold Story” follows Keiko and provides insight into the unique culture of orcas, and explores what the impact of being taken from his pod had on Keiko’s survival instincts.

Four years in the making, this compelling documentary by first-time filmmaker Theresa Demarest presents never before seen footage of Keiko in the wild, along with exclusive accounts of his day-to-day existence by Keiko’s last two caretakers, Colin Baird and Thorbjorg (Tobba) Valdis Kristjansdottir and explores unanswered questions about his life, his legacy, and the untold story of his extraordinary years in Iceland and Norway.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

Keiko first swam into my life in 1996, while I was recovering from several major surgeries related to my second battle with breast cancer. The day Keiko arrived in Oregon, I barely had the strength to watch the move from Mexico to Oregon on TV. But soon I found myself mesmerized by his spirit after an eleven-year ordeal surviving in a tank that was never designed for anything larger than an eight-foot bottlenose dolphin. There was something about the story, something about the people involved in the story, something about him and his spirit that got me going.

Several months later, I drove to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. I just had to see him. I worked my way through the crowd, and finally got my chance at the viewing window. To my amazement, Keiko swam directly to me and banged the window with his head with a noise so loud as to be slightly frightening. The bang of his head against the glass echoed throughout viewing room and caused a stunned silence in the crowd. Then he just hung motionless in the water directly in front of me, just staring at me. You could hear a pin drop. My heart was pounding. I nodded my head up and down at him. He nodded back at me. Then he banged the window again… boom… It was kind of scary… the force of it was so powerful I thought the glass might break…. Then he took off real fast down to the opposite end of his tank out of view. I thought that was the end of it.

Then all of a sudden, he’s swimming sideways across the front of our window. Really fast, with his tongue hanging out, as though he were saying, ‘Look Look at what I can do… Look at me!!’” Then a small child squeezed through the crowd to stand in front of me and Keiko seemed mesmerized by the child and move down to pay attention to the child. I stepped away, and that was the moment this movie began for me.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

Everyone told me that this couldn’t be done and even if it someone did it … no one would care. I was primarily a musician, and had only minimal experience as a filmmaker. When I started this project, I didn’t even have the most basic tools necessary with which to put paint to canvas. Without going into the sad details of the humungous learning curve, suffice to say that it became immediately clear that I needed to become a good leader. I needed help and I needed skilled competent folks to follow my lead. My horse and a poem by Rudyard Kipling became my constant companions. I knew a part of the story that the majority of the public did not know. How to tell it, affording the right footage, securing interviews from places all over the world, writing the music, refining the narrative.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

Because I have spent most of my career as a musician, creating the music for the film was the most gratifying, and yet more difficult than I had imagined. The first rough cuts of the film contained way too much music and overpowered the voice-overs and I had to adjust to the facts of movie-making and music. Naomi Rose, a prominent marine mammal biologist with Humane Society International is a key cast member and science consultant on the film. She has seen the most rough cuts of any member of the team. In the beginning of the process, she would say quite politely: Theresa, this rough cut is pretty good, flows well, maintains the integrity of the story.. but….. “ …. The music is way too loud”.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

Keiko, his apparent courage and willingness to just keep going in the face of the most extraordinary adversity. That adversary would be us unfortunately. The chief predator of orcas is man. He was an immense character that most people didn’t really know. Then comes all the cast members. Key characters in Keiko life… awesome individuals who I continue to admire daily.

Is this your first time participating in an ocean-focused film festival?

Yes and I am very excited to be there.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

Interviewing Thorbjorg (Tobba) Valdis Kristjansdottir over Skype with a film crew from Iceland because we didn’t have the money to actually go there. Sigurdur Grimson and his crew at GrimsFilm in Iceland did an awesome job with our unusual requests.

Filmmaker Q&A: Rob Holmes, "Finding A Balance in Rough Waters"

2011-02-27T22:43:00.000-08:00

“Finding a Balance in Rough Waters” follows the work, challenges, and successes of Equilibrio Azul, a marine conservation organization in Ecuador. Though small, the organization works wi

th locals, eco-tourists, and the Ecuadorian government to positively impact the marine ecology and wildlife of Ecuador. Equlibrio Azul’s many pro

jects include work with and for sea turtles, sharks, whales, and sea birds. Learn more about the organization, and how you can get involved, at Program 8 of SFOFF, Saturday March 12^th, 4:00 pm

What is your overall summary for the film?

The Galapagos Islands receive the bulk of global support and funding for marine conservation in Ecuador. Here is the story of a small feisty organization that’s pushing for a bigger piece of the funding pie. Through

extensive wildlife research, g

rassroots community education, and popular voluntourism opportunities, Equilibrio Azul is making ground in their important efforts to protecting key marine species (turtles, sharks, fish, birds) and their habitat, while trying to develop a more sustainability-focused local and commercial fishing industry that makes everyone happy.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

We love to work with organizations that are truly making a difference and have a unique approach to environmental sustainability. We got the chance to partner with Equilibrio Azul and help tell their story to the rest of the world.

What was the most challenging p

art of creating the film?

There's never enough time to get all the information and footage that is necessary.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

Hopefully this film will make people examine their own footprint on the world. Even if you don't live next to an ocean, you have a large role to play in the environment's overall health.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

Getting to know Andres and his wonderful team was certainly the best part of the process. Everyone has a unique story to tell.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

There are a large number of documentary filmmakers that inspire our work. One piece that never cea

ses to amaze me is the Planet Earth series from the BBC.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

Most of our films are actually not ocean-focused, but we try to cover the gamut of sustainabil

ity and document enthralling projects across the globe.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

Actually viewing the trash up close and personal that an animal consumes is quite a shocking experience.

Filmmaker Q&A: Maggie Franks, "The Board Meeting"

2011-02-26T23:52:00.000-08:00

Adventurous, athletic, lighthearted. These are words that typically describe surfers. A much less common description is “retired businessman.” Maggie Franks’ movie “The Board Meeting” introduces the audience to Don and Ross, her surfing partners whose goal it is to surf into their 80’s. Catch “The Board Meeting” Saturday March 12^th at 7:00 pm as part of Program 9. Click here to get your tickets.

“The first time I went to San Francisco, I left my heart and my wallet at Fisherman’s Wharf. While I was posing for photos with pals at the wharf, I reached into my purse for lipstick but my wallet flung up and went into the bay, drifting down out of sight.

Several weeks later, I received a bulky package in the mail. When I opened it up, my wallet was in it; along with ID, important papers and precious photos. Everything was perfectly intact. The only thing missing was my last twenty dollars. But a handwritten note explained the mystery: two divers had discovered the wallet on a scavenger hunt in the bay. They took the liberty of using the twenty dollars for postage and beer money. It was the best twenty dollars I ever spent.

The ink on the note has long since faded but San Francisco was etched in my heart forever.”

What is your overall summary for the film?

The Board Meeting follows two 79 year old retired executives who surf three times a week with one goal on their agenda: keep surfing into their 80s.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

My parents didn’t age well. So I didn’t know how to grow old, let alone, gracefully.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

I have surfed with my stars, Don and Ross for many years. They are two retired business men who have mastered the balancing act of surfing, working, family, and fun

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

Life is a balancing act. That’s half the fun of it. We can’t be afraid to fall down or get back up; whether we’re 18 or 80.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

Trying to keep a straight face while directing Don and Ross. They are very comfortable on screen and their humor was alive and well.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

My parents, my sons, the ocean, and those two old guys…

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

I literally grew up on the ocean, surfing since I was 12. I want our kids and grandkids to be able to enjoy our planet, long after we’re gone.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?

It is an education and a wake-up call yet a celebration of the ocean and the passion to preserve it. And San Francisco is near and dear to my heart.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

Watching two men reflect on a lifestyle and friendship that spans over half a century that is driven by the changing tides of life.

Filmmaker Q&A: Steve Goodall, "Someplace With a Mountain"

2011-02-25T11:03:00.000-08:00

Climate change has been a huge topic of discussion for decades now, but little has changed in our day to day lives. Steve Goodall, sailor and creator of “Somplace With a Mountain” discovered first-hand the profound impact our past and current choices have had on the future of a small group of Pacific Islanders. Before Steve’s arrival the Lapita people had not heard of climate change but they were already grappling with the effects of sea level rise on their small, flat island. See “Somplace With a Mountain” March 12 at 4:00 pm. Click here to buy tickets.

What is your overall summary for the film?
It is a documentary about a special group of pacific islanders: the Lapita Navigators, the forefathers of many cultures in the tropical Pacific. They are losing their homes and crops because of sea level rise. Their livelihood and culture are dramatically threatened as the islands they live on are flooding day by day. A sailor, Steve Goodall, came across them on his travels and discovered they knew nothing about the current forecasts for sea level rise. Once informed they asked for his help. Steve took their statements, filmed their lifestyles and traveled to the Island of Yap to look for land.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

My inspiration was that these people don't use any fossil fuels and they are going to be wiped out because of our lifestyles.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
A sense of loss and responsibility if we lose this culture, and a willingness to help preserve it.

This is my first film. I didn't want to make a film I was just a sailor seeing the world. I didn't know what else I could do to help these people so I just tried to document their story. The San Francisco Ocean Film Fest seemed like a logical fit.

These people don't think like we do, there is no "I, ME, MINE" in these villages. They are all so happy. As you walk around the villages you hear only laughter coming from their huts, these simple people with nothing are so happy, and we with everything are not.

What was the most enjoyable part of making the film?
Receiving the thanks from the people for trying to help them.

Who or what is your inspiration?
The people’s lifestyle. They use no fossil fuels and live in a true village. I have never seen people so dedicated to their friends and families’ well-being. It does exist, but for how much longer?

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
When the Chief from Lamotrek said on camera "We are not the ones who polluted the whole world" and at that moment I realized the true extent of what we had done.

Marine Protected Areas Program and Filmmaker Q&A: Kip Evans, "A Wave of Change"

2011-02-23T15:54:00.000-08:00

The San Francisco Ocean Film Festival has often provided a forum for off-the-screen conversations on leading topics facing the world's ocean and its resources.

On Friday, March 11, the 1pm film program features three films, including Kip Evans's A Wave of Change, on establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in California, along with one following the development of Mexico’s Loreto Bay National Park, and a film highlighting ways in which an unlikely alliance of surfers and fishermen successfully battled to save Baja’s most iconic spots.

"The ocean is in serious trouble right now. If you consider that 50% of the world's coral reefs are in trouble, the growing problem of ocean acidification, over fishing and many other issues, you will see that we need to act now — we are running out of time,” says Kip Evans, filmmaker for A Wave of Change. “As a filmmaker, I want to highlight the positive steps that are being taken, actions that precipitate significant change. Marine protected areas may be our last chance to protect the ocean before it's too late."

Fishermen, scientists and conservation leaders from California and Mexico will lead a panel discussion, following Friday's films, on the challenges associated with MPAs. This unique opportunity engages festival goers and educates them about the future of international ocean protection. Confirmed panelists for the discussion include:

Everado Marino Melendez (Loreto Bay National Park Director)
Noe Bustamante Flores (San Pedro Mártir Island Biosphere Reserve fisher and monitoring technician)
Jorge Torre Cosio (Comunidad y Biodiversidad, A.C. Executive Dircetor)
Mike Sutton ) Monterey Bay Aquarium, Vice President- Center for the Future of the Oceans)
Samantha Murray – Ocean Conservancy, Manager, Pacific Ocean Ecosystems
Melissa Miller Hensen – CA Department of Fish and Game MLPA, Program Manager
Mike Ricketts – Commercial Fisherman, Monterey Bay

Click here to purchase your tickets for Friday's 1pm film program on Marine Protected Areas, or learn more about the films, here.

What is your overall summary for the film?

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are vital to safeguarding what’s left of the world’s ocean. A "Wave of Change" is a short film designed to ignite passion for the newly established marine protected areas along the central California coast. Marine scientist John Pearse and the Ocean Conservancy's Kaitliin Gaffney, help highlight the need for MPA's and why they are vital to Californian’s future.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

I was inspired by the positive changes that have taken place along the California Coast and in other parts of the world. As a diver and filmmaker, I have spent a great deal of time both inside and outside of reserves, and I have seen first hand how protecting large areas of the ocean can make a huge impact. Marine reserves work and we need to get the word out to the general public in a way that is inspiring.

The most challenging part was dealing with the logistics of working along the coast Anyone who has ever worked along the coast, or in the ocean, knows that there are days when it’s too rough, or too dangerous to jump in and film. Days, or even weeks of rain can really restrict your ability to get anything accomplished.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

Marine protected areas work and we should push nations across the globe to designate at least 10-20% of their coastal waters into some level of protection.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

I love spending time in the field and watching the frustrations of bad weather and despair turn to gold when you finally get the break you have been looking for. I also enjoyed working with my production team – Dr. Tierney Thys, Phillip Powell, Blaise Douros, Robyn Ellisco, Dennis Long, Danielle Brown and the EcoViz team at Cal State University of Monterey Bay.

Who is your inspiration?
Dr. Sylvia Earle has inspired a great deal of what I have created in the past 10 years. She has the ability to energize and motivate people into action.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?
The San Francisco Ocean Film festival is in my own backyard and the people here care a lot about ocean issues. I think it’s a great venue for making a difference.

Is there anything else that you would like to share?
I’m thrilled to be a part of this film festival and all the positive attention it brings to the environmental challenges we face today.

Filmmaker Q&A: Robert Pittman, "Concrete Coast"

2011-02-21T10:52:00.002-08:00

Robert Pittman’s film “Concrete Coast” documents the social and environmental impact of major development along the coast of Spain. The relationship between governments, locals, tourists and the environment is complex and it is the latter that most often suffers the most. How can man continue to use the rich resources provided by coastal areas and preserve them for future generations? What is the real cost of tourism to these beautiful, and socially and commercially critical areas? Explore these questions with “Concrete Coast,” Saturday, March 12 at 4:00 pm. Click here to buy tickets.

What is your overall summary for the film?

The documentary film "Concrete Coast" is about the

social, cultural and environmental effects of the last bit of un-urbanized Spanish Mediterranean coast being built up for residential tourism in the region of Murcia. Agriculture is disappearing along this 140 mile long coastline and is being replaced by 60 golf courses, marinas, freeways and new large scale planned communities with 1,000,000 residences, built mainly for sun-seeking British retirees, doubling the population of Murcia within few years.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

I have always been very much drawn to the coast. To see it being destroyed at such a rapid pace alarms me. The destruction is irreversible. This is the case not only in Spain but wherever there is a sunny coastline in the world. This film is to serve as an example for coastal communities around the world of the dangers of uncontrolled coastal development.

I have always been fascinated by the void in culture on the Spanish coast. It is a transient space where people come and go, much like an airport. 20 years ago when I first visited the Spanish Mediterranean coast it was the only place where the signs were multilingual.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

At times it was difficult getting access to places, especially the resorts. Not everyone was willing to let me film. The other challenges were, as with most films, financial. This is one of the hardest aspects of documentary filmmaking, especially for films dealing with critical social and environmental issues. I am grateful to the Fulbright Commission Spain for their financial help.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

Murcia has the last stretch of un-urbanized Mediterranean coastline in Spain. Everything else has already been paved over with high rise hotels, resorts and golf courses. It seems that we as humans do not easily learn from our past mistakes. This documentary is intended for an international audience and especially one which lives in or visits such touristic coastal areas. The idea of the documentary is to create awareness of the environmental and cultural impacts of large-scale touristic developments. By destroying nature we are also destroying ourselves.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?

In Los Angeles I made a documentary film "Oak #419" about a man who lived in a 400 year old oak tree for 71 days to protect it from being cut down for a new highway which was to be built to provide access to a new development with 20,000 houses. Interestingly, just as in "Concrete Coast", the access highway, which leads to the new development, is built before the urbanization is even approved to put pressure on the government. I have been working with both photograph
y and film on the spread of this type of architecture and urban planning, of the master-planned community, around the world. I have seen this model of development spread to Murcia and other parts of Spain.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

Travelling and sleeping on an old Danish fishing boat on the Mediterranean with environmentalists counting whales. (This did not make it into the final edit!)

Filmmaker Q&A: Elizabeth White, "The Coral Gardner"

2011-02-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

Coral reefs are one of the world’s most diverse and fascinating habitats and it is no secret that many human activities have devastated these marine ecosystems. Coral itself, a symbiotic animal, is extremely fragile and slow growing. But dedicated ‘coral gardeners’ are making a difference by nurturing corals to maturity. BBC filmmaker Elizabeth White shares her thoughts about her award-winning film “The Coral Gardener.”

Don't miss "The Coral Gardener," included in the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival's Family Program at 10am on Sunday, March 13th. Click here to purchase tickets.

What is your overall summary for the film?

“The Coral Gardener” is the inspirational story of one man's passion for the world in which he lives. Austin Bowden-Kerby is a coral gardener. He has brought together his love of gardening, and passion for the underwater world, to do something very special for the coral reefs, and communities, of Fiji.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

Emma was working with Corals for Conservation and came to visit with footage she'd been shooting of the community coral project in Fiji. Watching it, we all fell in love with Austin - his passion for the people and environment was obvious, and we felt his personal story would be really engaging to people who may know nothing about these issues or ocean conservation in general. Emma went back to Fiji and shot the footage and interviews with Austin, and I edited and produced the film back here in the UK for the channel BBC TWO. It was a finalist at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival in 2009 and won the award for Best Short film at Wildscreen in 2010.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

It's always tricky making a film for television that tells a conservation-based story but is still an attractive and enjoyable watch for people simply flicking through the stations. By approaching this story through Austin’s eyes, and using his very positive outlook, we tried to make a film which is moving and inspiring while still conveying information about the problems many coral reefs are facing.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

Inspiration - that individual people really can make a difference. It's a positive, uplifting story of hope for the future.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

Hearing Austin's interview pieces - he has a great character with an unconventional approach which is very engaging.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

I learned to SCUBA-dive at university while studying zoology, and that led me to do a PhD on colour vision in fish - working with specialized cameras to understand their physiology and visual behaviour. Since moving into filmmaking I find myself coming back to underwater topics - I worked a lot with freediver/presenter, Tanya Streeter, with Bajau sea gypsy tribes in Sulawesi and, most recently, have spent time in the Canadian and Russian Arctic filming ice whales, under-ice marine life and sea ice stories for the series Frozen Planet.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?

The Coral Gardener felt the perfect film to submit to an Oceans festival - it felt like an audience who would identify with Austin’s passion for the underwater world.

Filmmaker Q&A: Pangolin Pictures, "Killer Whales"

2011-02-16T10:33:00.000-08:00

Pangolin Pictures’ “Killer Whales” follows many unique pods of orcas all over the world. Orcas are social mammals and effective hunters, with different pods specializing at hunting specific types of prey. Orcas are found in all the world’s oceans but little is known about their conservation status. Join the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival at the first Family Program 10 am on Saturday, March 12 to follow these great marine hunters.
Click here to purchase tickets for the program.

For the first time, all San Francisco Ocean Film Festival programs will include complimentary admission to Aquarium of the Bay. Located next door to Theatre 39, the Aquarium provides the opportunity to continue your underwater exploration, after the last film credits have rolled. View the full Festival lineup at: http://www.oceanfilmfest.org/films.html

What is your summary of the film?

Razor sharp teeth pierce through flesh. Blood flows freely. A two hundred pound mammal is tossed through the air. The ocean’s great predators have fed again. They are known as Orcas… Killer Whales… Wolves of the Sea. Highly social and highly deadly, they stand at the top of the aquatic food chain.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?

We’ve been inspired by the extreme intelligence and hunting ability of the orca for some time. It had been years since someone made an entire film about them, following different pods all throughout the world. We were excited to be given the opportunity.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?

Definitely finding the orcas. They can travel hundreds of miles each day. They can disappear in an instant. We spent many, many days not seeing any at all.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

How amazingly individual each pod is. They are so sophisticated, so specialized and ever adapting.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

Having the opportunity to look in the eyes of an animal that is easily one the world’s most ruthless killers, and seeing intelligence. We would never get that close to a lion when it’s hunting, but orcas know what they want and we’re not on the menu.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

Both Kevin Bachar and Joey Allen were former employees at National Geographic. We’ve always had a love of the capturing the natural world. Oceans are, of course, the largest natural world we have to explore.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?

The film takes place in numerous oceans all over the world. It seemed like a perfect fit for the festival.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?

Swimming with the orcas in New Zealand

Filmmaker Q&A: Shawn Heinrichs, "Manta Ray of Hope"

2011-02-11T13:50:00.000-08:00

Huge and graceful, manta rays capture the hearts and imaginations of those who see, or are lucky enough to swim with them. But a disturbing trend is threatening their populations. Filmmaker Shawn Heinrichs documents the plight of these majestic creatures in “Manta Ray of Hope.” The film follows researchers on a heart-wrenching journey as they study manta and mobula rays and their subsequent overfishing. Though ray fishing has only recently emerged it may irreparably damage manta and mobula ray populations before the world takes notice.

To see more images and preview the film visit http://www.mantarayofhope.com “Manta Ray of Hope” will be included in the Sharks & Vanishing Marine Life program of the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival, taking place at 1pm on Saturday, March 12. This program is a Festival favorite and sure to sell out – click here to purchase your tickets today. For the first time, all San Francisco Ocean Film Festival programs will include complimentary admission to Aquarium of the Bay. Located next door to Theatre 39, the Aquarium provides the opportunity to continue your underwater exploration, after the last film credits have rolled. View the full Festival lineup at: http://www.oceanfilmfest.org/films.html

--Veronica DePaolis

What is your overall summary for the film?
“Manta Ray of Hope” takes the viewer on a breathtaking journey to some of the most remote and exotic places on earth, to personally experience the magnificence of these rays. Through the eyes of naturalists and researchers, the people who know these animals best, we begin to unravel the mysteries of the manta. We experience their joy of new discoveries and also their pain, watching mantas they know fished in front of their very eyes. We then go deep under cover, from the remote fishing villages to the bustling cities to better understand and expose the trade that is threatening their very future. And we challenge the medicinal health ‘claims’ that are driving this destructive trade. Finally, as a ray of hope, we meet those who are making a difference, from scientists, to politicians, to local businessmen, and learn how we all can make a difference for these magical creatures too.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
While conducting a decade long investigation into the global shark fin trade we began to notice another heart-wrenching trend in fish markets around the world - manta and mobula rays being sold for their meat and gill-rakers. In fact, in just one small fishing port in Indonesia, we documented up to a dozen mantas and mobulas lined up in the street. Repeat visits to this market revealed the same grizzly scene, time and time again.

Similarly, in a fishing port in Sri Lanka, we counted 23 dead mobula rays in one morning, and according to the fishermen, mobula rays were landed here every day. We had never seen so many mobula rays in one place – either dead or alive. Further investigation led us to the traders where we discovered a row of sacks, each containing gill-rakers from about 100 manta and mobula rays. On the roof, we were shown the gill-rakers from a recent catch of hundreds of mobulas being dried prior to export.

We also learned that often manta and mobula cartilage is used as filler in shark fin soup. We had to know what was driving fishermen to target mantas and mobulas. Our research and discussions with marine scientists and traders revealed that the gill-rakers were increasingly being used in Chinese medicine as a health tonic, driven by a belief that gill-rakers cool the blood. Demand for gill rakers now reached across oceans, giving rise to unsustainable manta ray fisheries off the coasts of Mexico and the Philippines. As these manta populations tumbled, the governments of Mexico and the Philippines that had once made it illegal to capture and kill mantas, in the face of fisheries pressure, lifted the bans. Through our research, we truly believe that demand for manta and mobula gill-rakers is rapidly approaching a critical inflection point. Whereas the shark fin trade has sadly become deeply entrenched, both culturally and economically, there may be time to intercept and head-off the gill-raker trade before it becomes completely entrenched. With this realization, we have set out to tell this story in the hopes of driving real change before it is too late.
What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
The general public, and even most ocean enthusiasts, are largely unaware of the gill-raker trade and the tragic toll it is taking on manta and mobula populations throughout the oceans. This could be due to global attention now focusing on other species such as cod, tuna, and sharks – although shark finning and manta fishing tend to be closely interconnected. While addressing overfishing of these species is extremely important, if the manta/mobula fisheries are not addressed with urgency, these charismatic animals will be gone before the world takes notice.

The short film presented is a prelude to the full documentary that is currently under development. Given the lack of awareness for the issue, garnering the necessary support to advance the project is an ongoing struggle. In addition, the story takes place in remote corners of the planet, often way off the beaten path in logistically challenging locations. Getting to these areas and gaining access to the people and shooting the footage is always a serious obstacle.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
In partnership with WildAid and the Silver Crest Foundation we are creating a documentary connected directly to ‘demand-side’ awareness and educational campaigns.

This film is geared for audiences around the world – for everyone truly can make an impact on the future of mantas and mobulas. And there are clear ways both western and eastern consumers can get involved. Ultimately the future of manta and mobula populations rests in the hands of consumers.

Globally, mantas attract millions of dollars in eco-tourism and are among the top experiences divers are seeking. Eco-tourism can generate the income and foster the attention necessary to increase public awareness of the plight of mantas and influence governments to protect them. For example, mantas contribute an estimated $8.1 million to the Maldives and $2.5 million to Hawaii annually through manta ray eco-tourism. And in both areas, mantas are protected. And if there is no consumer demand for manta and mobula products there will be no more fishing of these rays.

Through education and awareness we also hope to limit demand for gill-rakers, and increase consumer intelligence about the use of manta and ray byproducts (meat, cartilage, skin). If we can help consumers make the connection between the gill-rakers and these amazing creatures; if they understand the global impact gill-raker consumption is having on manta and mobula populations; and if they decide enough-is-enough then perhaps there is truly a ray of hope for future of manta and mobula rays.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
Manta and mobula rays are some of the most graceful and elegant creatures in the ocean. Interacting with these amazing beings during the filming of the underwater segments was truly one of the most incredible and moving experiences of our lives.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?
As it relates to this project, the mantas themselves are our greatest inspiration. Humans have hunted and exploited them, yet even in the face of these insults they welcome us into their world and grace us with their presence. The intimate encounters we share with these creatures are truly a gift from beyond.
How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?
I was born in Durban South Africa and from a very young age, I have shown a passion for adventure and nature. As a child I traveled with my father to remote villages in southern Africa, explored South Africa's Drakenberg Mountains and the Wild Coast, and spent countless hours playing on the beaches. My passion for the oceans ultimately led me to become a cinematographer, scuba diver, and marine conservationist.
Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival? The San Francisco Ocean Film Festival is a celebration of the Oceans with a true commitment to inspiring its conservation. I have participated in the festival in prior years and have always been impressed by the quality of films, the passion of the filmmakers, and the commitment of the organizers.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
The most memorable moments were also the hardest moments. Witnessing the manta and mobula rays dragged ashore, lined up in mass and chopped up by machete are images that will never leave our minds. Our hope is that these images will become a thing of the past.

If there is any way this film, or the larger documentary can make a real difference in the conservation of manta and mobula rays then it was all worth it. To accomplish this goal will require the support and collaboration of many who care.

Filmmaker Q&A: Jon Bowermaster, "SoLa, Louisiana Water Stories"

2011-02-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

Filmmaker Q&A: “SoLa, Louisiana Water Stories”

By Veronica DePaolis

More than half of the world’s population lives within 30 miles of the coastline so it’s no wonder that so many have their own ‘water stories’. Jon Bowermaster’s “SoLa” explores the water stories of Southern Lousiana focusing on the complex relationship between people, politics, culture, and the water.

Poignantly filmed as the BP Gulf Disaster unfolded, SoLa’s intent is to capture the unique water culture in this often environmentally-troubled area.

You can see “SoLa” at 7 PM on Saturday March 12. Get tickets here: http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaID=216163

What is your overall summary for the film?
When we first went to Louisiana, in July 2008, to make a film about the complicated relationship between man and water there we had no idea that our reporting would conclude with the worst manmade ecologic disaster ever.

“SoLa” is a poignant look back at a way of life that may now be gone forever as well as a prescient look at exactly how the gusher in the Gulf was allowed to happen … thanks to corruption, malfeasance and an industry and political climate that environmental pollution simply a cost of doing business.

See the preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhumuFcMvlQ

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
To show the intertwined links among Cajun culture, water and environmental issues along the Gulf Coast.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
The filming was relatively trouble-free … other than being held by Louisiana State Troopers for two hours for filming a petrochemical plant without permission. And of course we were finishing the film as the BP explosion and leaking occurred, which meant ripping up the edit we had and starting from the top.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

As most documentaries, to educate viewers about the recent history of this incredibly unique corner of America. I am convinced that of the 50 states, Louisiana is the most one-of-a-kind, known for specific foods, music, dance, language, culture … and environmental messes.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?

The food, music, dance, language and culture of southern Louisiana. As well as the fact that everyone in southern Louisiana truly is related, which meant being introduced to new interviewees and helpers was easy.

Who is your inspiration?

My longtime contact for all environmental issues in Louisiana is Marylee Orr, director of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network … who introduced me to both the subject matter and the incredibly committed people working on environmental issues across southern Louisiana.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?

It started with the first OCEANS 8 project I did with the help of National Geographic in 1999 – sea kayaking in the Aleutian Islands. Since then we’ve made a dozen films about the relationship between man and the sea around the world. The easiest part is that there are limitless stories, given that 60 percent of the world’s human population lives within 30 miles of a coastline.

Filmmaker Q&A: Kip Evans, "Isla Holbox / Whale Shark Island"

2010-01-21T13:55:00.000-08:00

Don't miss the World Premiere of "Isla Holbox / Whale Shark Island," by Bay Area filmmaker Kip Evans, at the 7th Annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival.

The film will premiere during the shark program on Saturday, February 6 at 10am.
Check out the full festival lineup and purchase your ticket today!

What is your overall summary for the film?
Whale sharks are widely distributed in all tropical and warm temperate seas throughout the world. One particular island off the coast of Mexico boasts a large population of migratory whale sharks. Isla Holbox (pronounced "hole-bosh") was a well-kept secret until 6 years ago, when whale sharks were discovered right off its coast. Once a small fishing village with just 1600 year-round residents, Holbox has since become a popular summer tourist destination. Although whale sharks are generally considered solitary animals, they congregate in the waters surrounding Holbox to feed and mate during the summer months. The island is now one of the top places in the world to see and swim with these gentle giants. This film highlights some of the successes and concerns as Holbox transitions from a fishing community to an ecotourism destination.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
I was inspired by the positive changes that have taken place on Holbox and by the concern that the pendulum could swing in the opposite direction if steps aren’t taken to limit the number of tourist operators in the area.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
The most challenging part was dealing with the logistics of getting to the whale sharks. Normally the sharks are within a 30 – 40 minute boat ride, but during our trip they were over 50 miles from shore. Once we were on site, it was relatively easy, but there were long trips to and from the island.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?

Despite their large size, whale sharks are actually quite vulnerable. Not only are they still being fished commercially, they are being run over by commercial ships in the open sea. You can’t just project the whale sharks in small reserves like Holbox. They need protection throughout their migration range.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
Without a doubt swimming with the whale sharks was the most enjoyable part of creating this film. There were times when I would just sit in the water and watch theses giants swim by without even lifting my camera.

Who is your inspiration?
This film is part of a series we are creating to highlight “Hope Spots”, areas in the ocean that need our protection, or that can serve as ambassadors for hope. Dr. Sylvia Earle is the inspiration for this film.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?
I’ve worked on ocean-related projects for more than 20 years. It was a natural evolution to transition into film because of my love for photography.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?
The San Francisco Ocean Film festival is in my own backyard and the people here care a lot about ocean issues. I think it’s a great venue for making a difference.

Is there anything else that you would like to share?
I’m thrilled to be a part of this film festival and all the positive attention it brings to the environmental challenges we face today.

Filmmaker Q&A: Jefferson Gray, "Tragedies in the Mist"

2010-01-19T21:21:00.000-08:00

Plunge into the inland ocean of Lake Huron and explore some of the 200 shipwrecks of the justly named Thunder Bay. Timber-shivering storms, towering waves, lashing winds, and treacherous fog have all taken their toll. This film chronicles 12,000 years of navigation, from birch bark canoes to modern ROV-equipped vessels, and the marine sanctuary’s work to preserve those still at sea. "Tragedies in the Mist" will be showing in Program 7 on Saturday, February 6th, 2010.

What is your overall summary for the film?
The film is a historical documentary on the history of Great Lakes shipping as told through the exploration of shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary was created to preserve and protect the amazing collection of shipwrecks that span the entire time period that ships have sailed the Great Lakes. The film was created to take that story to the public.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
My inspiration for creating the film was from the infectious enthusiasm for the wrecks and their stories that come from the archeologists, historians and educators that work at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
The most challenging part was to condense over 200 years of maritime history into a 26-minute film.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
The sense of value that historic shipwrecks have for us in terms of understanding a significant chapter in our history as a Nation.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
Working with the staff at Thunder Bay and the people of Alpena, MI.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?
Pat Labadie and Jeff Gray.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?
I have been involved in ocean-focused films for over 30 years and the reason is because all of us have had a misconception that the oceans are infinite – so vast that we cannot hurt them. We have assumed that there was no limit to the resources and that anything in the sea was ours for the taking. As we all know now, none of that is true and we have to treat the oceans and all their resources, both historical and natural, as we treat our own bank accounts – with restraint, protection, and make a constant effort to maintain the resource.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?
In order to share the incredible stories of these shipwrecks that rest in America’s “inland seas.”

Is this your first time participating in an ocean-focused film festival?
No

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
Recreating the scene of the drowning passengers on the night the steamer Pewabic sank.

Is there anything else that you would like to share?
Enjoy life because you never know when the ship you are sailing on is going down!

Filmmaker Q&A: Jonathan Hughes, "The Whale that Ate Jaws"

2010-01-19T15:44:00.000-08:00

Jonathan Hughes has been making documentaries, particularly on natural history, for 8 years. His work has taken him to all parts of the globe and delivered some amazing experiences. Before film-making, he worked as a journalist and biology lecturer. He has a degree in Ecology from Leeds University, UK, and a Masters in Science Communication from Imperial College, London. He is currently taking a short break from film-making to write a popular science book. "The Whale that Ate Jaws" will be featured in Program 9 of the festival on Saturday, February 6, 2010.

What is your overall summary for the film?
The great white shark and the killer whale are the most formidable predators in the sea, animals so dangerous, they would never challenge each other; or so we thought… One morning, off the coast of San Francisco, a boatload of tourists witnessed the ultimate clash of the titans. The outcome left biologists mystified, but now with the help of a team of experts, this film re-examines this extraordinary incident, and reveals an astonishing new perspective on the relationship between the ocean’s two top predators.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
The unique sighting of a killer whale attacking and eating a great white shark at the Farallons was a natural mystery waiting to be solved. Looking through the accounts of the event, it was clear that many people still had a host of big questions about what had gone on that day. We wanted to solve the case once and for all.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
We had to put together an accurate and entertaining reconstruction of that day back in 1997. Luckily, we had fantastic co-operation from many of the people that had witnessed the event, and we had two sources of original footage - a video shot by a whale-watching tourist above the water, and the scientist’s underwater polecam footage of the killer whales eating the shark. Together with a commissioned computer animation of the attack, the great work of our cameraman Simon Niblett, and a good bit of luck with the weather, this proved to be enough to satisfy the brief. In the film we used the reconstruction[of the event] in a non-linear way - starting with the point of view of the key Farallon scientist Peter Pyle, then going back in time to explore the events that led up to the attack. We felt this best captured the drama that all involved must have felt on that day.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
Several different things: the excitement of a natural drama that took place just offshore of one of the biggest cities in the US, an admiration for both the species involved (we are only now discovering how remarkable they really are), and the exhilaration of conducting a scientific investigation in, what is essentially, a new territory.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
I was brought up next to the sea, but I have never spent so many consecutive days on boats! It was wonderful to get an opportunity to take out so many different watercrafts in so many different locations. And of course, when you are working on a marine natural history film you inevitably cross paths with the luckiest people on Earth - the guys that set sail every day to work on the ocean. It's a lifestyle that either makes characters or attracts characters because everyone we met was great fun to be with.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?
My favorite documentary-makers are people like Mark Lewis and Errol Morris, but this film was commissioned to fit into a regular cable schedule - it couldn't be "authored". The trick was to make it "popular", for which you could supplant "predictable", yet also keep it engaging, which kind of means "unpredictable". There are a number of people that I know that manage to walk this tightrope: Jo Scofield, Mark Brownlow, and Brian Leith. I think they're some of the best people working in mainstream natural history television today.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?
Our little section at Tigress is jokingly dubbed the "Natural Mystery Unit", we've been making films about odd occurrences in nature for several years now. It's no accident that many of these involve the marine world, we are still so ignorant of what really goes on in the ocean, and the animals that live out there are endlessly fascinating because they are, to some degree, still alien to us.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?
The natural event that this film investigates is now part of Bay Area lore; two marine leviathans involved in a death match within sight of Mt Tamalpais! … Springing from a local event, it establishes a new perspective on life in the oceans - I can't think of a better choice for your festival!

Is this your first time participating in an ocean-focused film festival?
Yes, I haven't made a film about marine life before, though I can't think why!

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
We were lucky throughout the filming, but our fortune peaked when we arrived at Monterey to interview Alisa Schulmann-Janiger. She had just spent the day with killer whales, and had witnessed them attacking and killing a grey whale calf. In all her years as an orca expert, she'd never seen this. It meant that she knew exactly where the pod would be at dawn - because it takes all night to eat a grey whale! Sure enough, we raced straight to them the next day, and filmed alongside the satiated and playful pod for several hours. That was the first time I'd seen killer whales and it took my breath away.

Is there anything else that you would like to share?
I film around the world, and I just wanted to say that California is still the best place for on-screen characters! Everyone we met on our filming trip was gold-dust on screen. Thanks to all who took part.

Filmmaker Q&A: Julia Szucs & Steve Smith, "Arctic Cliffhangers"

2010-01-16T20:12:00.000-08:00

Arctic Cliffhangers can be viewed on Saturday, February 6 at 4pm in the 7th annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival. If you're interested in seeing the film, click here to buy tickets.

What is your overall summary for the film?
Climate change is affecting sea ice cover in Arctic waters, influencing marine life and altering the traditional lifestyles of northern peoples. For over thirty years, scientists have been examining how environmental changes are affecting Arctic Seabirds. By examining the lives of these hardy creatures of the northern seas, Arctic Cliffhangers provides an in-depth understanding of the relationships between reduced sea ice cover and the health of the Arctic ecosystem.

Can you tell us a bit about the filmmakers?
Along with being a filmmaker, Co-Director/Co-Producer, Steve Smith is also a wildlife biologist. He has been working with seabird specialists for decades, both in Antarctica and Canadaʼs Arctic. He began learning about seabird ecology in the early 1980s, when he was hired by Dr. Tony Gaston (who is the inspiration for this film) to conduct field studies in the High Arctic. In recent years, it has become evident through Dr. Gastonʼs long-term dataset of information on seabirds that global climate change is impacting the Arctic marine ecosystem. This important discovery was the original inspiration for making the film.

Co-Director/Co-Producer Julia Szucs began her work in environmental education and leadership training in the late 1980ʼs. In recent years she has lead numerous multi-week sea kayak expeditions along the Pacific Coast between Baja, California and Alaska, as well as in Canadaʼs High Arctic. When she heard that there was strong scientific evidence about the impacts of climate change on Arctic Seabirds, she was inspired to get involved with the film project, to communicate the real risks of altered ecological balance as a result of climate change.

Can you share more about your inspiration, Dr. Tony Gaston?
He is featured in the film at the High Arctic colony of Prince Leopold Island, and it was Tony who inspired and encouraged us to take on the project. Tony has spent 35 years of his life studying Arctic seabirds and he is one of the worldʼs leading seabird scientists. His dedication to fieldwork and to understanding the ecology of the Arctic is inspirational, as well as the hard work he has put into managing and coordinating several multi-decade research projects around the Arctic.

What do you want to impart on your filmʼs viewers?
Probably the most important idea of the film is that no matter how far away we live from the Arctic, we all play a part in influencing its future. Thereʼs a ripple effect to all of our decisions that we often arenʼt aware of, whether itʼs purchasing items with flame retardants that ultimately end up in the eggs of Arctic seabirds, or itʼs turning the ignition key that boosts the atmosphereʼs carbon dioxide levels, creating a loss of polar sea ice habitat. We are all connected - thatʼs what this film reminds us of - and we all need to be cognizant of our actions and how they affect even the most remote places of our undeniably finite planet.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
The filming! We were so fortunate to be invited to join scientists and to follow Inuit to some of the most spectacular seabird colonies of the Canadian Arctic. And joining the Newfoundlanders out on the high seas in a 20 foot skiff in the middle of February was a gripping adventure!

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
While we had hoped to do an educational film that was told only through the words of scientists and seabird hunters, once in the editing room we realized how difficult it would be to piece together all of ʻtalking headsʼ and all of the technical information into a cohesive and compelling story. We had to find a way to create a story that would be told in a manner that would not intimidate non-technical audiences.

Since Steve had a long history of Arctic exploration and study that included several years of working with seabird biologists, we felt that he was the most passionate narrator for the story. And once we made that decision, the idea of making a story about Steve going on a ʻfield tripʼ across the Arctic came together pretty easily... we could craft the questions that we wanted to answer as well as Steveʼs observations in ways that a general audience would be able to follow. And Steveʼs first-person adventure makes the learning aspect of the film easier to digest.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
At one of the colonies, Steve was doing double-duty as filmmaker and field researcher. He was helping to capture birds in order to collect electronic recording devices that hadbeen attached to their legs, and he realized that the bird he was holding was the same bird that he had once banded in 1985! This bird (featured in the film) had to be at least 30 years old! And of the millions (literally) of seabirds that we were around during the production, it was quite amazing to be holding the very same bird that he had worked on
23 years previously.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?
Steve Smith and I (Julia Szucs) both have a huge passion for the ocean. We are both certified sea kayak expedition guides and ocean naturalists we have spent many seasons of our lives traveling and living on different oceans and coastal areas in various areas of the planet. So making films about the ocean is a natural outlet for sharing our passion and concern for the ocean.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?
We wanted to share our film with those who have a passion for the ocean and marine related environmental issues and we feel that this audience will be willing to share what they have learned with a general public in a geographic location that is far from the filmʼs location in the Canadian Arctic. It is also exciting for us to be able take part in the festival and be inspired by other ocean filmmakers. We look forward to meeting other filmmakers; sharing ideas, concerns, victories and challenges of this type of documentary filmmaking.

Filmmaker Q&A: Maria Jose Calderon, "The Edge of the Sea"

2010-01-13T10:37:00.000-08:00

Maria Jose Calderon's Film Festival debut will be at the 7th annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival. Her film, "The Edge of the Sea," will be screened during the 7pm program on Saturday, February 6, 2010.

What is your summary for "The Edge of the Sea"?
The Edge of the Sea explores the issue of privatization of public areas and the social and environmental consequences of excessive coastal development that is quickly changing the character of Puerto Rico’s beaches.

The film tells the story of Edwin ‘Pauco’ Font, a 61-year old third generation fisherman from Rincón, a small surfing town on the West coast of Puerto Rico. Since the late 1960’s, small fishing villages like Rincón have undergone expansive costal development, driven by tourism and the growing demand for beachfront property. The film follows Pauco in his battle against a local developer planning to build a mega condo project on one of Rincón’s most popular public beaches.

Throughout the film, we come to understand Pauco’s motivation to fight the development. Since the explosion of tourism, he and other residents of Rincón have seen the white sand beaches of their hometown lose between 1 and 3 meters of volume a year due to erosion. Interviews with Marine Science experts explain that coastal development is one of the primary factors causing beaches in Rincón to disappear. Coastal development is not only worsening the problem of erosion but is also limiting beach access.

In 2001, Pauco sued the Puerto Rican Planning Board for granting the developers fraudulent permits to build the project. After an 8-year battle in court, the fishermen were able to prove that the “Reina del Mar” project would be in public domain lands. The ruling created an unprecedented victory and a source of inspiration for hundreds of communities around the island that are dealing with similar issues, in what seems to be an out of control quest to develop Puerto Rico’s coastline.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
I was inspired by Pauco´s determination to fight for what he considered a worthy cause. When he realized that excessive coastal development was causing serious environmental problems in his community, and that it was also violating people´s right to enjoy their natural resources, he began a fight that he didn´t abandoned until he win it, and he did.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
The most challenging part of making"The Edge of The Sea"was to win the trust of developers in Puerto Rico, without their collaboration the film wouldn´t be as powerful. It was really important for me to make a film that would be accurate, balanced and ethical, and for that to happened I needed to have both sides of the issue.

Another challenging aspect of making this film, was to explain in a visual and compelling way very complex events such as coastal erosion and what causes it.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
I want viewers to be able to see that the same or similar issues as the ones covered in the film are also going on in their own communities and that it´s up to regular citizens to defend beach access for all and to demand stricter development regulations that don´t interfere with sensitive ecosystems.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
The most enjoyable part of making this particular film was to be able to meet wonderful people like Pauco and astonishgly beautiful places like Rincon.

What is your inspiration?
I´m inspired by nature to make films that educate and inspire others to protect our planet and all beings that live in it. When people are aware of the importance of ecosystems that surround them, there are better chances that those people will care and engage in the protection of their natural environments.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?
At the end of my first year at the UC Berkeley graduate school of journalism, I had the opportunity to do an internship with the Surfrider Foundation in Rincon, Puerto Rico. Part of my job there was to make a half an hour film about the efforts of a community to protect an endangered coastal area. The film is titled, Salva Tres Palmas tells the story of the environmental victory that gave life to the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, the first marine reserve on the main island of Puerto Rico.

While making Salva Tres Palmas, I realized that I from now on I was going to make films about the environment.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival? This is the first time that I submit a film to the festival and I´m very pleased to had been accepted to participate with "The Edge of The Sea." The festival is a great venue and the perfect place to get my film exposed to a community of conscious people that love the ocean and that might find inspiration to get involved in similar fights in their own communities.

Is there anything else that you would like to share?
After making "The Edge of The Sea" I decided to travel across the Américas (From California to Chile) documenting the efforts of community based organizations that are fighting to protect the environment and live in a more sustainable way. My husband and I left California in November of 2010 and right now are in Central America. We hope to be able to share some of our work soon through our website: http://www.biodieseldiaries.com/

The full lineup of more than 50 films included in the 7th Annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival is available now.

Check it out and purchase your tickets today!
7th Annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival

When: February 3-7, 2010

Where: Theatre 39The Embarcadero and Beach Street, San Francisco

Info: http://www.oceanfilmfest.org/

Filmmaker Q&A: Caroline Brett, "In Awe of the Shark"

2010-01-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

What is your overall summary for the film?
“In Awe of the Shark” is a passionate plea from marine scientists all over the world to rethink the shark. Sharks are not vicious man hunters. They are sensitive, inquisitive, even playful and intelligent. Sharks have cruised the seas since the time of the dinosaurs. The oceans are delicately balanced. Take out sharks and it will tip the scales. The consequences could be devastating.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
We had a unique opportunity to interview a collection of shark scientists at a shark symposium and wanted to give the scientists a chance to "speak out" for sharks.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
What was most challenging was, the blue screen work, keying in the background and doing special effects on a low budget.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
We hope to show that there are many people who love sharks and care deeply about the devastating slaughter of so many species.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
Well, filming the scientists and having time to talk to them was special. Getting the green screen backgrounds to work was fun as well.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?
The natural world is my inspiration.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?
Save Our Seas is a marine foundation and films enhance its activities.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?
We attended the festival last year and were impressed.

Is this your first time participating in an ocean-focused film festival?
No - see above.

Filmmaker Q&A: Morgan Kirkham, "Herring Gut Learning Center, Alternative Education in Action"

2010-01-07T17:35:00.000-08:00

Morgan Kirkham is a freelance photographer and filmmaker hailing from the great state of Maine. After picking up his first video camera in the summer of 2008, Morgan has produced over 30 online multimedia narrative productions using photography, video and audio and is currently working on a film with David Conover of Compass Light Productions about the new wind turbines built last summer on his home island of Vinalhaven, ME.

His film "Herring Gut Learning Center, Alternative Education in Action" was filmed last spring and follows a group of students involved in a dynamic, marine-based alternative educational program located in the fishing village of Port Clyde, ME. Traditionally ignored, separated from their peers or placed in the back of the classroom, these alternative education track middle school students are given a second chance through this program that promotes real-life application of knowledge through the raising and selling of farm-ready seed oysters grown by the students themselves.

Morgan actually lived in San Francisco for the first half of 1999 while taking a semester off from Vassar College and now visits his brother and family in Berkeley on a regular basis.

What is your overall summary for the film?
A non-profit marine education facility provides an alternative, environmentally sensible learning opportunity for students struggling in a traditional classroom.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
Once I saw these students interacting with each other in the classroom, I knew this was a great story and that all I had to do was not screw it up.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
Audio was the biggest challenge for sure -- lots of whirring pumps and fans due to the nature of oyster farming.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
I hope this film helps people realize the great need our country has for serious, fundamental and dynamic change to the way we educate our children.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
The most enjoyable part of creating this film was watching the students reaction to the final product. They loved it, and for that I am most grateful.

Who (or what) is your inspiration?
The power narrative filmmaking has to engage people.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?
I began creating films about where I live because I think it is a special place. This place is the coast of Maine so the ocean is there, but up to this point it has been more of an implicit, rather than explicit, presence in my filmmaking. Also, I don't have any underwater housing(s) for my cameras yet.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?
I submitted this film to your festival because I want to get the story of “Herring Gut Learning Center” to a wider audience.

Is this your first time participating in an ocean-focused film festival?
Yes

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
The first day I came to Herring Gut, sans camera, to just get a sense of what the place was about. The students were in a classroom planning out their day and I just couldn't believe that kids of any age, let alone alternative education track 6th, 7th and 8th graders, were interacting with such passion, respect, and maturity.

Is there anything else that you would like to share?
I like eggs benedict a lot.

Filmmaker Q&A: Andy Brandy Casagrande IV, "Great White Shark Song"

2010-01-07T12:38:00.000-08:00

The "Great White Shark Song" will be included in the Shark program of the 7th annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival, on Saturday, February 6 at 10am.

What is your overall summary for the film?
The "Great White Shark Song" is a wildlife music video, in honor of the ocean's ultimate apex predator - the Great White Shark! The song is meant to inspire protection, conservation and expand research efforts surrounding Great White Sharks and all of the oceans fragile creatures. The song was written for adults and children alike and strives to give the Great White Sharks a voice for their survival in an increasingly dangerous world.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
Playing the guitar underwater with Great White Sharks swimming around me and not messing up the chords or the lyrics!

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
"IF I WAS A GREAT WHITE SHARK - I WOULDN'T BITE YOU"

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
Watching the reaction of the Great White Sharks while playing the guitar for them underwater and uncaged - priceless!

Who (or what) is your inspiration?
National Geographic Television and Great White Sharks.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
When my "safety diver" decided that it was not safe to get outside of the cage and I decided to dive without him.

What message would you like to share with Festival goers?

"BE NICE TO STRANGERS & BE NICE TO SHARKS"

The full lineup for the 7th Annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival is available now. Check it out and purchase your tickets today!

7th Annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival
When: February 3-7, 2010
Where: Theatre 39The Embarcadero and Beach Street, San Francisco
Info: http://www.oceanfilmfest.org/

Filmmaker Q&A: Jennifer Galvin, "Free Swim"

2010-01-02T13:10:00.000-08:00

What is your overall summary for "Free Swim"?
Free Swim is an award winning documentary film about the paradox of coastal people not knowing how to swim. Taking place on Eleuthera, an island of The Bahamas, we follow a group of kids as they overcome their fears, gain confidence and reconnect with their environment by learning to swim in open waters. With fresh memories of a friend drowning and the conflicts of growing tourism, for these kids it’s not just about floating, but gaining new skills for their future.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
The idea for Free Swim grew out of personal adventures and public health work with coastal populations around the world. I was increasingly aware that many people, young and old, who
live surrounded by water, do not know how to swim. As a doctor of environmental health and a filmmaker I saw swimming as a node for environmental, economic and social determinants of health, and the implications of this dynamic as a connector for two troubling issues:

1 - Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death for children globally and is underreported. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 60% of children of color are unable to swim and they drown at disproportionate rates - three times the rate of Caucasian children.

2 - Modern living has created a disconnect between people and nature, and the gap grows, especially for youth. Teachers, parents and physicians recognize its impact on health, achievement and creativity of our future decision-makers.

I wanted to explore the interconnection of these two critical concerns with a story that merged the harms of the past with hopes for the future. Once I learned that The Bahamas had the 4th highest drowning rate per capita in the world and that Swim to Empower (http://www.swimtoempower.org/) was giving lessons on Eleuthera, the location for what would become Free Swim was clear.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
Documentary filmmaking is all about real people, in real places, in real time. There’s a high level of sensitive professionalism that is required to gain the trust of the story and oftentimes the story takes unexpected paths. I try to let the story speak for itself and to allow the characters to use my camera as a vessel for their voices and actions.

Technically, Free Swim was challenging because I was a one-woman crew and my equipment was constantly exposed to the hot sun, sand, saltwater and bumpy dirt roads. Capturing sound during the swimming lessons was a little tricky at times. Free Swim was envisioned from the beginning as having a more poetic, episodic style, which is not often seen in today’s character-driven documentary market. Free Swim’s talented editor, Diana Logreira, had worked with Kiarostami (one of my filmmaking heroes) so she easily adapted to the idea of a different creative process and was very open to telling Free Swim in a non-linear fashion.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
I strive to create a dialogue between the audience and moving image, music and voice because environmental and public health challenges need people to feel connected to the problems – and to the solutions. Free Swim is an empowering film that combines the individual human experience of learning to swim with larger societal topics, exploring complicated socio-economic and environmental challenges with which communities’ worldwide struggle. These include the influences on community function by the media, drowning, tourism, education and ecological health – to name just a few. While the documentary’s emotional trajectory unfolds in a new island destination for many audience members, the process of learning to swim allows viewers to tap into personal fears and have an experience with the ocean. For young and old, it is a story about access to untapped potential for achievement and to a renewed opportunity for the future of our own health, and of the health of the planet.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
The most enjoyable parts of creating Free Swim were living on Eleuthera, making life-long friends and shining a light on a cause – and of course, getting to spend a lot of time in the ocean.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?
I grew up on Long Island, NY, and my heritage has always been deeply rooted in the ocean. Having spent time in the academic environment and in the non-profit world, I saw the need for scientists like me to use their backgrounds in a more creative and communicative way. Merging my skills and sensibilities to make movies seemed to be a natural fit and reelblue, LLC (http://www.reelblue.net/) was founded in 2006 with my friend and colleague Sachi Cunningham.
What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
There are really so many memories, especially now that it is being shared with audiences
around the world. While filming it was incredible to witness such a consistent, human
response when people of any age learned to float. I’ll never forget those faces.

Is there anything else that you would like to share?
The film’s companion book – We, Sea – is available for sale and starting in
early 2010, individuals, organizations and schools will be able to host their own screenings
of Free Swim. Visit us at http://www.reelgreen.net/ and http://www.freeswimmovie.com/ to learn more!

Don't miss "Free Swim," at the 7th Annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival

When: February 3-7, 2010

Where: Theatre 39The Embarcadero and Beach Street, San Francisco

Info: www.oceanfilmfest.org

Filmmaker Q&A: Nancy Iverson, "From the Badlands to Alcatraz"

2009-12-30T13:52:00.000-08:00

What is the focus of “From the Badlands to Alcatraz”?
“From the Badlands to Alcatraz” weaves the past and present of both Alcatraz and the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation into a vivid depiction of the awe-inspiring journey five Lakota youth—Alkapoane (ironically, pronounced Al Capone) White Calf, Lisa and Kelly Waters, and Arlo and Philip Iron Cloud—navigate as they arrive in San Francisco from South Dakota and prepare for the extreme challenge of swimming from Alcatraz Island to the San Francisco shore in September 2005. It follows the group’s first plunge into the San Francisco bay through their personal and collective challenges, disappointments and triumphs as they strive to conquer both the Alcatraz swim and the dispiritedness connected to conditions on Pine Ridge.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
I became inspired in 'steps' along the way. First, I wanted to have a film record that the participants could see to really relive and acknowledge their incredible accomplishment. As the filmmaking progressed, the inspiration of the story itself kept me going. Words alone only capture a part of the sights, sounds and the 'coming to life' that happens so beautifully in a film.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
I've never made a film before, and by starting this one, knowing almost nothing about filmmaking, I put myself on one of the steepest learning curves of my life. I learned that making a film requires much more than just the desire to share a beautiful story.

I started this project and kept it going for the first three and a half years using only my personal funds; working with extremely limited resources (including often needing to serve as producer, director, and my own support staff!) was incredibly challenging.

What do you want to impart on your film’s viewers?
I want viewers of "From the Badlands to Alcatraz" to be awestruck both with the extraordinary beauty of the San Francisco Bay and the incredible heroism of each Lakota participant.

I also want to share the vision of the impossible becoming possible. Whether the focus is on something as vast as making inroads into the bleak conditions on the Pine Ridge Reservation or as individual as encouraging someone to do the Alcatraz crossing, change can happen, one person at a time, enhanced by support and community building.

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
As I reviewed sequences of this film, I got to relive moments of humor and triumph over and over. Even though I've seen some footage hundreds of times now, I still laugh, cry or get shivers up and down by spine. It's also been wonderful to see the impact the film-in-progress has had on the participants and their families and the way they've greeted it with such enthusiasm.

What is your inspiration?
Our wonderful San Francisco Bay is a huge inspiration for me. I swim almost every morning in the Bay as part of the South End Rowing Club, often with a group called the 'Sunrisers.' To live in a major world city and be totally immersed in fantastic natural beauty every morning is an amazing gift.

The sense of community and support, both through the members of the South End Rowing Club and of the Dolphin Club, has helped develop and sustain the PATHSTAR Alcatraz swim program. The enthusiasm of everyone who has helped with the program and the making of the film has kept the momentum going. I've experienced many times in this project that when people give of themselves so generously the energy takes on a life of its own.

Imagining someone from Pine Ridge participating in an Alcatraz swim inspired me to start the PATHSTAR program, and picturing the Pine Ridge swimmers in the theater at the end of 'their' film in the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival is the dream that kept me going making this film.

Each of the Lakota participants were awesome. Working with them and getting to witness their struggles and successes has been an enormous blessing.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
Possibly one of the most profound times I remember in making this film was in South Dakota. Richard Iron Cloud, his son, Arlo, and I were watching some of the rough footage we had from the San Francisco 2005 filming which included an interview Arlo had done; in it he talked about what an inspiration his father has been to him. The next afternoon Richard took us out to a spot in the Badlands for filming and shared generously about his personal experience and Lakota values and spirituality.

Don't miss "From the Badlands to Alcatraz," at the 7th Annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival!
When: February 3-7, 2010
Where: Theatre 39
The Embarcadero and Beach Street, San Francisco
Info: www.oceanfilmfest.org

Filmmaker Q&A: Gavin Newman, "To Save the Whale"

2009-12-28T15:12:00.000-08:00

The 2010 San Francisco Ocean Film Festival has the honor of showcasing the world premier of Gavin Newman’s film, “To Save the Whale”, which tells the inside story of a group of Greenpeace activists as they attempt to stop Japanese whaling in the Antarctic. Although this is not a Greenpeace film, it is a film made about Greenpeace and their anti-whaling campaign

Synopsis:
Since 1975 the environmental organization Greenpeace has been defending the worlds dwindling populations of whales by placing themselves between the hunters harpoons and the whales.

Since the worldwide ban on commercial whaling was introduced in 1982 the Japanese fleet has continued to hunt whales using a loophole in the regulations that allows for “scientific” whaling. Greenpeace ioppose even this scientific hunt, exposing it as little more than thinly disguised commercial whaling. “To Save The Whale” follows the Greenpeace crews as they go to extraordinary lengths to defend the whales from the explosive tipped harpoons of the Japanese fleet amid the icebergs and beauty of the Antarctic Southern Ocean.

This hard-hitting documentary exposes the reality of this hidden hunt whilst also trying to understand the reasons for its continuation and the human faces behind those trying to stop it. Far from the stereotypical environmentalists portrayed elsewhere, the Greenpeace crews are comprised of a surprisingly varied group including seafarers, activists, scientists, doctors, and even ex-nuclear submariners and ex-White House staff. They all have a varied tale to tell, yet never fail to impress with their understanding of the issues at hand, their commitment to the Greenpeace principles of non-violence, and their absolute dedication to save the whales. The story told exclusively in the words of the Greenpeace crews starkly contrasts the hunting with the beauty of the environment and the hopes of the activists for the future.

What was your inspiration for creating the film?
I always wanted to make a film about a Greenpeace campaign and as a diver and underwater filmmaker the campaign to protect the whales was an obvious choice. The annual Japanese whale hunt in the Antarctic goes on so far from the public eye that few realize the true horror of what goes on from a Government backed commercial enterprise that is thinly disguised as scientific research. Whilst it doesn’t make for a pretty or comfortable viewing, the medium of film enables me to bring the real story to the attention of as many people as possible. Secondly, whilst Greenpeace has a very high public profile I always felt that most people have a distorted view of environmental activists and often fail to understand the people involved and the work that goes on behind the scenes of such a global organization. In recent years much television time has gone to promoting the efforts of others to engage the whalers, often openly belittling the Greenpeace campaign. In doing so the role of the activists has become sensationalized and the issue reduced to little more than a reality TV show. By telling the story of the campaign through the eyes of those who have been working on this issue for over 30 years, I hope that I can go towards returning the focus to the real issue -- that of Saving The Whales.

What was the most challenging part of creating the film?
Working as a one-man band on this project, lack of budget, and having to work alongside other film crews also trying to make a documentary on board the same ship!

What was the most enjoyable part of creating the film?
Being in the Antarctic, the most pristine environment on earth, having the satisfaction of completing such a challenging project and [for those that have seen it] the audience response to the issue.

What was the most memorable moment in creating the film?
Being woken early one morning to be told that the ship was surrounded by whales and then spending the next few hours on an inflatable boat amongst the icebergs filming nearly 50 humpback whales both above and below water.

How or why did you begin creating ocean-focused films?
I've always loved the ocean. I started diving when I was a teenager and always loved to capture the underwater world first on still pictures and later on film and video. Working as a cameraman for both the BBC Natural History Film Unit and Greenpeace has over the years allowed me to see both the best and worst sides of what goes on in our oceans. Hopefully through the medium of film we can bring both the best and the worst sides to the attention of those who don't have the opportunity to go out there and see for themselves.

Why did you choose to submit your film to the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival?
I decided to submit this film to the festival because there is not a more iconic symbol of both the ocean and man’s relationship with it, than the whale. It’s the perfect event at which to premiere this film.

Other stuff…
Whilst the organization had put no editorial or financial input into the project, the film would not have been possible without the fantastic support from Greenpeace in giving me open access to their extensive video library and the trust shown in me by the crews onboard the ships. I have sailed as a cameraman on many Greenpeace ships in the past and this inside knowledge of the organization and their knowledge of me undoubtedly gave me the edge to be able to make this film.

Newman also recently won an Emmy Award for cinematography on the BBC Travel Channel's “Wild China” Natural History Series.

Krist Jake, Festival Founder

2009-12-23T19:53:00.000-08:00

We open our blog with an interview with Krist Jake, who along with his wife Laurie, founded the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival in 2004.

Krist, this is the 7th year of the festival, what is new and exciting this year?
First is our partnership with the Aquarium of the Bay, which is taking a large role in publicizing and producing the festival. Second is our move to Pier 39 where film goers will have better access by public transportation, a wider choice of dining options, along with reasonably priced parking.

What was your original inspiration for creating the film festival?
Well, I’m curious and prefer non-fiction books and films. The waterfront is a place I like to be because of the interesting things and people there. In the late 90’s, after being exposed to the Banff Mountain Film Festival traveling program, I attended a screening of several short silent films from 80 or so years ago on various sea creatures - octopus, jellyfish, seahorses, and the like. They were by a French filmmaker I’d never heard of, Jean Painlevé, and they were wonderful. Soon thereafter a light went on – why not a festival that would screen ocean-related films? At the time there were over 20 mountain film festivals all over the world, but nothing we could find called an “ocean” film festival.

What has been your favorite memory through the years?
The many “thank you’s” proffered by attendees after they’ve enjoyed a program. Also, the enthusiastic interaction between our audience and the filmmakers or special guests who enliven our programs.

What about your proudest moment?
It hasn’t been one moment per se, but the growing feeling that SFOFF has legs - that it will continue to gain advocates as a unique channel that increases the visibility of under-distributed films and the filmmakers’ messages in an interactive setting to a growing audience, an audience which will be better informed on the ocean and its issues.

What have been your greatest lessons learned since you started the festival?
The overall lesson is that, while putting on a film festival could be easy, producing one that maps in some sense to the scale of the ocean, what it deserves, and its many stakeholders, is a large undertaking. There are many moving parts to this film festival, and I’m thankful for our team of volunteers. A second lesson, or at least a reality, is that the economics of a non-commercial film festival are challenging and need creative thinking and a lot of elbow grease. A third is that starting a non-profit, assembling a board, creating some infrastructure, and producing even an annual event can absorb a lot of time. But that’s the cost of doing business.

What film/film maker has been your favorite and why?
Every film we’ve screened has merit and audience surveys convey a range of audience favorites. In part because they screened at the first Festival, I’ll mention two personal favorites - Flip Flotsam, because of its story and storytelling, its production values, music, etc., and that it interweaves the ocean and human cultural issues. Also because it is an excellent film on what is certainly an underappreciated item of apparel, the lowly flip flop. Another favorite is Berserk in the Antarctic – this is a low budget but very well done reality film with a story line, humor, scenery, wildlife, and some tension. Of course another was Heart of the Sea. These were all in Festival #1 and we hope to bring them back before long.

Some of the shorter pieces I’m fond of are Selling Songs of Leyte, The Sinking Ship, Nobody Loves You, Abridged, Christmas at the Bait Shop, etc. Shorter pieces are often creations of filmmakers early in their career, often made for a university class. The shorts we screen are delicacies – they tell a story or convey a message without fluff.

Is there anything else you want SFOFF enthusiasts to know?
SFOFF volunteers work hard to make the Festival come to life, sourcing films, selecting them, publicizing the festival, producing it, etc. We welcome inquiries from prospective volunteers.

Thanks Krist!

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