Blog posting written by Andrew Ronald, Film, Photography & Visual Arts '15, FLEFF Social Media Manager, Mahopac, NY

Although FLEFF is just a little over a month away, there is so much that has yet to happen. And there is so much to be excited for. At this point in my FLEFF-tastic journey, I have had a lot to reflect upon.

One of these upcoming events in particular is the Upstate Filmmaker's Showcase premiering at downtown Ithaca's independent art cinema, Cinemapolis. On March 3rd, the entire staff will come together and converge with fellow audience members consisting of local professors, other interns, and of course, the entire Ithaca community. 

People will converge. Ideas will collide. And conversation will occur.

Because isn't that what festivals are all about anyway?

Of course there are other very exciting events that the interns have been preparing for, including our efforts to revamp urban exploration in a new was using the Derive app and our positive stories that we will be covering through an exciting partnership with EngageMedia. But we will save these for later. In the meantime, let us reflect.

My role as a Social Media Manager has truly allowed me to ascertain a newfound perspective towards the idea of film festivals, and FLEFF was the perfect vehicle to explore this attitude. Festivals are fast-paced, and the only way to respond to this celerity is through the ability to adapt. You have to be pliable. The fellow interns and bloggers have understood this, and they are all so willing and eager to contribute to the festival's success.

And what a successful festival it is going to be.

Working with their enthusiasm has given me the passion to work harder, strive to serve as a positive role model, and also have a lot of fun on this journey!

What can you take away from your own FLEFF-tastic experiences?

 Blog posting written by Karly Placek, Documentary Studies and Production '15, FLEFF Social Media Manager, Monroe, Wisconsin 

This is a continuation of my interview with Enrico Aditjondro, writer/producer/content manager for EngageMedia and Jury for the Distributed Microtopias Exhibition. Please check out the first part of our interview where we discussed Null_Sets and the prize selection process here! 

Aditjondro shared some opinions on new media and secrets of working for EngageMedia, a major media hub based in Indonesia that focuses on human rights and environmental issues. 

Karly Placek: So EngageMedia allows voices from many different countries to be heard. How will - or is - EngageMedia changing the world? 

Enrico Aditjondro: We don't know whether we're changing the world or not yet. When people watch the videos, that's when true change begins. EngageMedia is about video distribution, not video production. A lot of people are producing videos but they're not being watched by the right people. The NGO's, organizations, and other activists are producing many videos - which is great, but they're only being watched by their fellow group members. Activist videos being watched by activists - we want to go further than that.

KP: And how do you go further?

EA: Well that's where  distribution, promotion, and making videos accessible to the right people comes into play. Sometimes getting your videos watched by five senators means a lot more than one million views from people in L.A. You have to know who you're targeting. EngageMedia is actually working with MIT to do research measuring video impact. Hopefully we can come up with a way to see exactly how a video impacts individual communities. 

KP: Where do you see the future of video distribution sites such as EngageMedia? 

EA: The future is mobile. Mobile internet, mobile phones. Everyone and everything is going mobile - which can be a bit difficult for us. We're independent, which means we make our own software that can be expensive. We're in the same arena with giant sites such as Youtube and Vimeo. All video sites have realized that people are producers now, not just users. If all of our producers are using mobile internet, we have to do that as well because that's where the future lies. However, at EngageMedia we remind ourselves that there are many great producers out there who lack computers. We want to help videos throughout places such as the indigenous communities in Borneo and Malaysia be distributed for others to see. We need to create various initiatives that can be used both online and offline.That's where mobile technology will help. 

Special thanks to Enrico Aditjondro for his time and insight. Do you agree with Aditjondro? Do you think the future is mobile? 

Blog posting written by Erica Moriarty, Documentary Studies and Production, ’16, FLEFF Intern, Houston, Texas

Some of the biggest exchanges of ideas between people happen at film festivals. FLEFF is no exception. In fact, the exchange is international, and the movement is colossal.  

This year, FLEFF will bring in films and scholars from around the world. Fulbright Scholars from Africa, specializing in film and media as well as Kevin Lee from dGenerate films make up only a few of the international crowd coming to this year’s festival. However, the mobility of the Finger Lakes does not stop there.

There’s more than just an international movement of people. The partnership between FLEFF, the Derive App and EngageMedia make the festival move through cyberspace and into international territory in order to enhance the distribution of ideas.

During the week of April 7^th, the Finger Lakes will become mobile in sharing people, ideas, objects and even environments. This year’s theme of Mobilities is more than just a motif; it describes what will actually transpire.  

Are you ready to join FLEFF for the international movement? 

Blog posting written by Amber Thibault, Cinema and Photography '15, FLEFF Intern, Lewiston, Maine

What does the theme of mobilities mean to me?

That was the question that presented itself. As I was thinking about this year's theme, I started to think about FLEFF and all the hard work that goes into coordinating and funding such a globally significant event. Then I had an epiphany. FLEFF draws people from all our the world. It mobilizes people to come to Ithaca for one week, to share in the same experience, and then take that experience and spread it around the world. And our collaboration with this year's international partners, EngageMedia and Derive App, will only expand FLEFF's global influence even further. 

At the same time, the international scholars and filmmakers who attend FLEFF add to the local culture of Ithaca and your own cultural exploration.

So I ask you, what cultural experience are you looking for?

Blog posting written by Erica Moriarty, Documentary Studies ’16, FLEFF Intern, Houston, Texas

Hello, fellow film fest enthusiasts, and welcome to the 16^th Annual Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival!  

I’m so excited to get started on this year’s blogging staff! This is my first year on the staff, so I’m looking forward to… well pretty much everything. From interviews with the artists to live blogging, I cannot wait to jump in!

Before I dive deeper into the exciting things FLEFF has to offer, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Erica Moriarty all the way from Houston, Texas. Currently, I’m majoring in Documentary Studies and Production here at Ithaca College. Perhaps the most exciting part about this major is exploring the many different facets of journalism from writing to photography to film.

As always, FLEFF will be bringing some amazing films to Ithaca in April. However, there have been some new additions. The new partnership with EngageMedia, an international social justice media forum, will allow the FLEFF movement to be seen around the world.

Also new this year is the partnership between FLEFF and the Derive App. This innovative app allows you to create maps of your city in order to provide others with a different way of taking a walk. The partnership perfectly fits in with this year’s theme of Mobilities.

It’s all about the movement of people, ideas, objects and environments this year, folks! So let’s get this ball rolling. How will you get going to join the FLEFF movement? 

Blog posting written by Dorothea Hinman, Cinema and Photography, '15, FLEFF Intern, Rochester, New York. 

Greetings, FLEFF world!

I, Dorothea Hinman, am a sophomore at Ithaca College studying Cinema and Photography with a concentration in screenwriting. A theater minor is also in the works. I come from a small town outside Rochester, NY, and this is my first time on the FLEFF Blogging team! In fact, it is my first year of involvement in the festival, and I cannot wait to take the first step in my own personal FLEFF narrative. 

Speaking of movement, this year's theme is "mobilities." Not only is this theme pertinent to the films and environmental issues at the forefront of the festival, it speaks to me on a personal level. A large reason I am so excited to be involved in FLEFF is the professional opportunity it gives me. I see it as an open door into the professional world surrounding film festivals, conversation and networking. 

Beyond a personal prevalence, the theme of mobilities resurfaces in all of the aspects of this year's sixteenth annual festival. Whether this be our partnership with EngageMedia or the Dérive app, an innovative urban exploration application, or flash mobs, (coming to a food court near you!) FLEFF is about creating a movement of conversation about environmental issues in Ithaca and around the world. How will you help progress the FLEFF movement forward? 

Blog posting written by Kimberly Capehart, Documentary Studies and Production ’16, FLEFF Blogger, Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Get ready, FLEFFers, the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival is back and better than ever!

My name is Kimberly Capehart and I’m more than excited to start my first year of blogging with FLEFF.

I’m a freshman Documentary Studies and Production major and I’m currently pursuing a minor in Environmental Studies. So, naturally, FLEFF is my collegiate Prince Charming.

I grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, a suburb of Philadelphia. Living in South Jersey has given me the benefit of being only fifteen minutes away from a major city, and only forty-five minutes away from the infamous “Jersey Shore." Somewhere in between those two landmarks lie the Pine Barrens: Jersey’s own stretch of national forests, and a place I’ve been lucky enough to call home for my last twelve summers. The experiences I’ve had there and the outdoor education I received has really sparked my interest in all things environmental.

 This year’s festival will be exploring the theme of mobilities, a theme I feel is very important, in not just my life, but also my lifetime. As a teenager in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s I’ve had the privilege of a cell phone and my own car for several years. Along with the trust of some very awesome parents, I’ve been given considerable leeway to explore different places on my own.

I’m excited to bring my own experiences to the table as the festival explores the theme of mobility in the context of both film and new media.

Speaking of new media, FLEFF has some really cool, new partnerships with various new media outlets. I’m most excited to work with EngageMedia, a social media site that explores environmental and social issues in the Asia Pacific.

Why are you excited about this year’s FLEFF?