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

“Stories are at the core of understanding people.”

Liz Miller’s words during the Transmedia Workshop stuck with me during the entire week of FLEFF. Now more than a week later, I find myself still reflecting on her words. In fact, she defined my entire festival experience in such a simple sentence.

During the festival, I met more filmmakers and scholars than I ever could have met on my own. I spoke with people working on projects in China, Indonesia, Korea and more. I watched films from around the world. Most importantly, I learned so many people’s stories.

For something that I had no clue what to expect going into it, I’m certain that FLEFF and the stories I heard will soon define my first year of college. After Liz’s presentation and the sessions with other guests, I now know why I chose to do FLEFF. I know why I chose my major of Documentary Studies. I even know why I’m going into a career where so many people keep saying, “You won’t make any money.”

The reason why is bigger than just a pretty film on a big screen. It’s not about money or prestige. It’s about hearing people’s stories and sharing them for others to hear as well. It’s about understanding and creating change where it needs to be created. 

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

Hello FLEFFers! Can't make it to the FLEFF Lab in Park 220? No problem! I'm here live blogging to bring you the highlights!

And due to a last minute change, filmmaker Bo Wang, the first Chinese filmmaker to attend FLEFF, will be doing a presentation this hour.

Bo directed a film called China Concerto at 4PM and 9PM tomorrow at Cinemapolis. dGenerate films brings underground, new generation Chinese cinema out of China. This new generation of films emerged post-Tiananmen with a new, radical spin. 

"Set the stage for us and walk us through China," Dr. Patricia Zimmermann began the 

Bo described a brief history of China. After Mao died in 1976, the country began to adopt capitalism.

"It's been described as socialism with Chinese characters," said Bo. 

After 1989 and the incident at Tiananmen Square, a new movement emerged. It began with the avant-garde movement which was politically driven in the form of personal expression. However, many movies continued to be censored. In the 90s, many artist began making movies and used connections in the western world to distribute the Chinese independent filmmaking. 

In August, Bo attended a film festival in Beijing, one of the biggest in China. During this time, there was a significant party shift in Chinese government. 

Bo described the interruption by the government: "After a half hour of the festival beginning, the electricity was cut...There was a back and forth resistance from the festival, but eventually, the festival was shut down."

After the festival shut down, the films became even more independent, often being shown in artists' studios or houses. Therefore, Bo's film, China, was never shown in an actual festival.

Although he is very involved in Chinese filmmaking today, Bo did not begin college as a filmmaker. He originally planned to go into the sciences, but he felt that he could connect with people more through art and film. 

"Do you worry about censorship at all?" asked a member of the audience.

"I'm not attacking any specific person or authority," answered Bo. "I also did not expect this film to have a public showing in China. I think it should be okay. It should be safe." 

In all of east and southeast Asia, the film screened at only one shut down film festival. We're lucky enough to have it this week at FLEFF! Come to Cinemapolis Saturday at 4PM or 9PM to learn more.

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

Last night, Hockett Hall filled with the sounds of the medieval, the baroque and the 20^th century all at once with Ithaca College’s rendition of Carmina Burana, bringing the audience to their feet in the end.

I met with producer, Phil Wilde, after the show to gather his feelings on the concert.

The goal of the concert was to reinvent Carmina Burana. The producers accomplished this goal by incorporating visuals. In addition, the typically choral concert was done entirely by instruments, other than a few sung pieces.

“It took months of production,” said Phil with an exhausted, but proud look.

The material ties perfectly into FLEFF’s theme of Mobilities . The concert was able to tie in the movement of people, passions and environments with the use of the visual and harmonic.

Phil described the connection: “We took material from the 11^th and 12^th century and reimagined it in 2013 in a totally new way.”

Although the concert is over, FLEFF certainly is not. Many more concerts and films are to come in the next few days. In the words of Phil, “It’s just the beginning.”

Did you make it to Carmina Burana last night? Which was your favorite piece? 

Blog posting by Erica Moriarty, Documentary Studies and Production '16, FLEFF Blogger, Houston, Texas

Hello FLEFFers! 

Can't make it to Sarah Dupont's discussion of Amazon Gold? No problem! I'm here, live blogging away and bringing you the highlights!

We're over in Williams 202 with a full class! Sarah's trailer of Amazon Gold is great! This film will definitely be one you don't want to miss this Thursday night at Cinemapolis. This beautifully crafted film shows the destruction of the Amazon, particularly Peru, due to illegal gold mining. 

Sarah worked in the Amazon Rainforest where the Andes Mountains meets the Amazon Basin to study the unique biodiversity. Here, the gold from the Andes streams down into the Amazon River. Since the price of gold has gone up so much, the area, once rich in biodiversity, is being destroyed. 

In order to extract the gold, miners place the water in a barrel with mercury. Sarah described the mercury attaching to the gold as miners place their legs in the barrel to mix the solution. Then, the mercury is burned off the gold, releasing toxic chemicals into the air and leaving workers with mercury poisoning.

Sarah described the difficulty of filming the documentary in such a dangerous place. In making the documentary, she brought along war journalists to be safe. She said, "The war journalists is also a metaphor for war against ourselves and our planet." 

She briefly explained the making of the film and engaged the class. "When did you first begin seeing climate change?" she asked.

Students in the classroom described experiences with temperature increases and flooding increases. A small uproar in the class began when one student commented, "There's nothing we can do about climate change. It's still going to change. It's something we have no control over." 

Sarah responded, "I've seen a lot of changes over the past five years and it has a lot to do with our consumption. I think there are things we can do to mitigate it. I'm really inspired and hopeful because I think your generation is incredible. I think you have the ability to create change." 

After a brief discussion on responsible consumption, Sarah returned to why she created a film. She said, "What's the most important thing I can do to create change, so I thought 'Make a movie!'" 

She organized the film beginning by corresponding with a war journalist. She then contacted Sissy Spacek who knew more about production. After three years, the film was finally done. Currently, Sarah is slowly distributing the film through various festivals.

She described the process: "When you start something from a seed, it's never what you think it's going to be. You make all kinds of mistakes, but then one thing leads to the next." 

Sarah then showed a short film called 40 Beauty and Destruction that juxtaposes the beauty in the Amazon next to the destruction. The title comes from the idea that the Amazon can be protected for only 40 more years at the current rate of destruction. 

After the film, one student asked how we can help as U.S. citizens with policy in another country after our gold trade is what is driving this destruction. 

"Be aware as a consumer and your power as a consumer," Sarah answered. She went on to describe the importance of raising awareness of policy that does not allow trade of illegally mined gold. In addition, she described being responsible in what you purchase as well as contacting government representatives. 

The conversation turned to the role of the U.S. in the situation and whether or not it is our responsibility to save the Amazon if it is not in our country. 

"There needs to be a re-thinking in the interconnections between different parts of the world," Dr. Patricia Zimmermann commented. 

The class continued to discuss increased globalization and the ability of countries to regulate each other. The debate only switched at a student's question regarding the toxicology of the rainforest. Sarah responded with the fact that 70 tons of mercury go into the river daily, so there will be a big mess in cleaning the destruction. 

Sarah ended the discussion with another short film called 60 seconds. The point of the film was that every minute an acre of the Amazon Rainforest is lost. She also shared her organization called the Amazon Aid Foundation, where people can work to learn, connect and protect the world. 

Sarah also shared an important fact: "It takes 250 tons of earth to make a wedding band." This fact is important to keep in mind next time you're finding that special piece for your loved one.

Join us on Thursday at Cinemapolis for the full film! But how about we start the conversation now? How can we create change in the Amazon? 

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

No color. No sound. No movie?

How about we add in a live orchestra… Sounding a little better?

And have the event at the home of silent films… You interested yet?

Did I mention the film is showing at one of the best festivals to hit this side of the Finger Lakes?

In the upcoming week, FLEFF is bringing back some of the Ithacan silent film culture of the 1920s with October. In the 1920s, the natural beauty of Ithaca inspired silent filmmakers to create works of art often in the form of the cliffhanger serial. Although October does not take place anywhere near Ithaca, the town’s history is easily seen in the form of the silent film.

The classic Russian film premiered in 1928 under the direction of Sergei Eisenstein and Grigori Aleksandrov. October celebrates with dramatization the 1917 October Russian Revolution. To add to the drama, the Cloud Chamber Orchestra will accompany the film with live music.

Perhaps, there will be no color, but there will definitely be sound and a movie you do not want to miss. So what do you say? Put on your Sunday best and join FLEFF Sunday, April 7^th at Cinemapolis for October featuring the Cloud Chamber Orchestra.

Which other films are you interested in seeing this year? 

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

I both love and hate scary movies. Call me a masochist, but I find fun in jumping out of my chair and squealing at the top of my lungs. However, the nights following my viewing of a scary movie are not so enjoyable.

Last night, I listened to Carmina Burana right before bed, which proved to be a less than intelligent decision. As the first song, O Fortuna, played through my computer, I grew increasingly uneasy. I felt myself return to the same fear in the nights after I watched The Exorcist.

My skin clammed up from being tightly cocooned in my comforter. My refrigerator suddenly emitted demon noises. Ghostly shapes kept popping up in my closet, later to be revealed as sweaters.

To calm my nerves, I looked up more on the meaning of O Fortuna. The translation of the last line reads, “Fate strikes down the strong man. Everyone weep with me!” After seeing this, my fear suddenly subsided. Instead, I was sad.

The song wasn’t about demons or ghosts at all. The lyrics simply follow this poor man’s terrible bout of ill fate and misfortune. With this revelation, I continued with my listening and researching of Carmina Burana. My anticipation for the concert during FLEFF in a month grew more than ever before.

Which songs from Carmina Burana are you most excited to hear? Click the link to hear more!

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

Ironically, a whole mess of I-don’t-knows and I’m-not-really-sures define my first year in college. My experience thus far with FLEFF mirrors this same uncertainty.

I applied to be a blogger simply knowing that I love documentary films and written journalism, and I knew the film festival would give me the opportunity to do both. However, I never expected the experiences of the past few weeks.

So far, I interviewed a coding genius and an animation guru. I mobbed around campus promoting the event I already love. I even learned more about social media than I thought possible to know. And the festival isn’t even here yet.

As FLEFF draws closer, I still am not sure as to what awaits me on April 1^st. Despite being debriefed every Monday from 7 to 9 by Dr. Zimmermann on the ins and outs of the festival, I cannot seem to pinpoint exactly what will happen.

I know I’ll be challenged to be more social than ever and to think in a way I never did before, but these are both very broad. I’m not sure exactly what will happen or who I will meet along the way. All I know is I cannot wait!

Perhaps I don’t know what to expect, but I think that’s the best part. 

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

This Sunday, March 3^rd, FLEFF will kickoff at Cinemapolis with The Upstate Filmmaker's Showcase, including two pieces by Ithaca College’s very own Jason Harrington.

Jason Harrington is a professor in Cinema, Photography and the Media Arts. While obtaining his undergraduate degree in film, he discovered filmmaking as a way to combine his previous experience in other forms of art.

“I discovered the filmmaking process allows me to put all of what I’m doing with music, painting and sculpture and allows me to put them together. Filmmaking is just this composite medium that I can do everything together,” Jason said.

After realizing the amalgam of filmmaking, he began using more and more animation. At the showcase, he plans to show two of his older animated films, The Tree With the Lights in It and My Mind. 

Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek inspired Jason to create The Tree With the Lights in It. In the book, a chapter called Seeing stuck with him. The chapter discusses the different ways in which we learn to see and how what we learn influences what we see in the world. Specifically, the chapter uses a case study of people who have cataract surgery to see.

“There’s a line in the book where the doctor takes this girl’s bandages off and leads her into a garden. She sees the tree and she sees it as full of light. I love that image of the tree being filled with light. It struck me. Then, I went with the notion of the tree and took it a step further and made it about ancestry and perception,” described Jason.  

His other piece, My Mind, explores a poem he wrote while living in Queens in a tiny apartment. Living in such a giant metropolis, yet confined to this small space, he wanted to explore the concept of scale.  

Jason commented, “My Mind is about this butterfly girl who represents the imagination. She goes on this journey which basically illustrates how she can go anywhere she wants. With your mind you can go and do whatever you want. Otherwise, you’re grounded and stuck in the same place.”

He completely hand drew My Mind, using a crosshatch style. Despite the challenging work, he finally finished the film after three years. On the other hand, The Tree With the Lights in It took about a year, incorporating a layering technique focusing on movement, design, composition and texture.

Each piece represents FLEFF’s idea of mobilities in a unique way. How do you feel that Jason’s work incorporates the idea of mobility? 

Blog posting by Erica Moriarty, Documentary Studies and Production '16, Houston, Texas

Great music? Beautiful cinematography? Compelling stories? Name just about anything, and FLEFF will have it this year.

Personally, my list of interests is insanely eclectic. Yet, this year’s line up includes at least one movie covering nearly every interest. Somehow, I managed to narrow them down to my top three.

1. Wild Style

This 1983 hip hop film produced by Charles Ahearn, covers everything a hip hop dancer like myself would want to know about the genre. The film showcases quite a few big names from the decade such as Fab Five Freddy, Lee Quinones and Lady Pink. Love any part of hip hop culture from MCs to b-boys to graffiti? This is one film any hip hop lover won’t want to miss.

2. Silenced Voices :Tales of Sri Lankan Journalists in Exile

Here in the United States, I know I can be a journalist with very little repercussion. Freedom of speech allows me to print and upload essentially anything on my mind. Sri Lanka is a very different case. This film explores journalists risking their life to practice their profession. Silenced Voices is a must-see for any budding journalist.

3. Habibi 

I am one sucker for a love story. Habibi does not fall short of the ultimate “chick flick”, but the film also presents the interesting human rights issues surrounding traditional and religious environments. As Qays and Layla fight for their love, they must choose between their people and their heart. Habibi is perfect for those who root for the star-crossed lovers.

Be sure to check out the rest of this year’s line up! Which films are you most excited to see? 

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

Just by opening a laptop, we are presented data with the goal of processing that data into information. But what happens in between during that process?

More importantly, what gets lost?

Null_Sets looks at the gap between data and information. The data is represented in the computer, or the quantities. The information is the more human aspect – how we interpret data.

Alongside Evan Meaney, Amy Szczepanski took on a new project to explore this gap between data and information. As Shawn explained in the previous part, Null_Sets takes a text as data and turns it into a jpeg image file. The project is a new form of art that puts large-scale data through an aesthetic lens. However, computer coding is the backbone behind this project.

Essentially, the team takes the 0s and 1s that is data to computers and translates it as the image instead of the text. According to the project’s website, you can see Hamlet as a jpeg and find meaning with the literature’s computer code. One could say the pictures look at how we interpret what the computer does.

However, looking at the image does not solve the question Shawn posed. Instead, new questions arise. When the computer translates the data, does it become information? Or is information only valid when we interpret it?

What do you think? When does your data truly become information? 

Blog posting written by Shawn Steiner, Film, Photography, and Visual Arts '13, FLEFF Intern, Elkridge, MD

Imagine that before you leave for work your roommate says that he/she is going to make soup for dinner. You get excited wondering what kind and mentally prepare yourself for the meal. But, when you arrive at home you find a series of bowls on the counter. One has broth, one has chicken, one has noodles, etc…

That’s not soup. That’s data.

Now, because you are starving you elect to just compile the ingredients yourself. Now you are looking at a nice, steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup. That’s information.

Evan Meaney and Amy Szczepanski with their project Null_Sets took on the idea of data versus information. What is what? And is it really?

So, if we look at this analogy of data and information and look at Null_Sets we can make some comparisons. 

The project takes the text as data and converts it into a jpeg image file. Simple enough concept. The text must be data and the image is the information.

Wait. The original text is a book. Isn’t that information? It takes words and creates meaning with them. It seems to be both.

Now, the jpeg image must still be information, right?

But what if you could re-process the image and convert it back into the original text document? Wouldn’t that make it data?

It seems that data and information are very difficult terms to use properly. It also seems very situational.

But, another question is what is the original data?

Is it the 26 letters that make up the alphabet? So wouldn’t everything written be a derivative of that data. So everything isn’t quite as original as we thought.

Is everything a copy? Is everything data? Is everything information? 

What do you think?

Stay tuned for Part 2, written by fellow blogger Erica Moriarty.

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

She’s no artist.

In fact, her background is in mathematics and computer science. However, Amy Szczepanski, a professor at the University of Tennessee, helped mobilize the different worlds of visual arts and computer science last year when she won the Jury Prize in FLEFF’s Distributed Microtopias Exhibition .

Szczepanski and Meaney joined forces to produce the award winning Null_Sets, a project that explores the gap between data and information using digital images. According to Szczepanski, the idea for the project stemmed from an interest in combining large computing with Meaney’s work in the visual arts.

Szczepanski said, “The pictures look at how we interpret what the computer does.”

She went on to explain that the project takes the 0s and 1s the computer uses to understand data and looks at it from pictures instead of text. The data that is represented by a computer is numbers in quantity. Null_Sets makes the information more human by interpreting it in an aesthetically pleasing way through images.

The project looks at several ideas, including the gap between data and information. In looking at this gap, the idea of the glitch particularly interested the pair.  

“The glitch looks at what went wrong in computing,” explained Szczepanski. “By understanding the glitch, we get a better sense of how things should be.”

Now, Szczepanski continues to look at what went wrong through the collaboration of different areas of expertise. She utilizes this year's theme of mobilities by moving between multiple areas of expertise to make a collaboration. Through her persistent work on Null_Sets, she mobilizes the discussion of artists and scientists everywhere. 

In addition, Null_Sets physically moves. Through coding, text moves into images, creating a true representation of the movement of people, ideas, objects and environments. 

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 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?