AU’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking and Filmmakers for Conservation presented The 6th Annual Fall Film Series Fall 2010 hosted by Chris Palmer and Justine Schmidt.

Screening Schedule

Pressure in Paradise: Telling the little known stories from December 7th 1941

Film screenings followed by Q&A with Chuck Dunkerly, Aditi Desai, and Ted Roach
Spending six weeks working for the National Park Service (NPS) on the Island of O'ahu and editing 50 hours of interviews in order to tell the seldom told stories from the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, was all AU grad students Ted Roach and Aditi Desai knew about their summer when they stepped on the plane bound for Honolulu. Forty two days later Ted and Aditi had developed roughly 45 minutes of final programming that retell some of the forgotten tales from WWII's Pacific theater from those who lived it. Viewers saw selections from the shows they produced, and heard the saga behind the edit as AU MFA candidates Ted Roach, and Aditi Desai, with NPS Producer Chuck Dunkerly, talking about the production and present these unique programs.

Opportunities in Online Video

Lecture and clips by Filmmaker Vanessa Serrao
Internet video can be a powerful tool for filmmakers, providing a means to reach a large and diverse audience. But in many ways, producing and distributing online video is still a big experiment. What style and aesthetics work online? How are web viewers different than television viewers? How can you make your videos stand out from the ones of cats cuddling with chickens? Award-winning filmmaker Vanessa Serrao drew on her experiences as a new media producer for Discovery Channel and as the founder of NatureBreak.org, the online wildlife video series and social network for nature lovers, and discussed how filmmakers can make a successful online video.

Animal Planet and BLOOD DOLPHINS

Lecture and clips by Jason Robey and Dawn Sinsel
Dawn Sinsel and Jason Robey from Animal Planet provided a behind the scenes look at the creation of the BLOOD DOLPHINS television series and website. Inspired by the award-winning documentary THE COVE, BLOOD DOLPHINS follows dolphin activist Ric O'Barry and his son Lincoln as they travel the world to expose dolphin drive hunting and the captive dolphin trade that helps sustain it. Senior Executive Producer Dawn Sinsel discussed the production process, including the unique challenges that BLOOD DOLPHINS presented, and Senior Interactive Producer Jason Robey explained how the website helped to promote, balance, and extend the series online.

Bayley Silleck: Life & Lessons in the Motion Picture Industry

Film screening followed by Q&A

Veteran documentary filmmaker and Oscar nominee Bayley Silleck, whose career has ranged from early assignments as an MGM production publicist for David Lean and John Huston to writer-director of TV documentaries and giant-screen IMAX films, shared highlights (and some "low-lights"!) of his life in the motion picture industry, summarizing some of the important lessons he has learned and would like to pass along to the next generation of filmmakers -- including the creative challenges, constraints, and pressures of production.

Classroom in the Wild

Film screenings followed by Q&A

Students heard first-hand about the extraordinary experiences of Classroom in the Wild in Florida and Alaska! This past year, students ventured into the Florida Everglades and trekked through Alaskan mountains and glaciers to produce original films and shorts. In a presentation of photos, videos, and student testimonials, they learned more about this unique program as well as future opportunities to practice environmental filmmaking with Classroom in Wild in 2011.