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

It's been a good three years since I started college and I haven't missed a single Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival. I was a blogger my freshman year, a willing participant under Dr. Zimmermann's tutelage my sophomore year and yet again a blogger this year, my junior/senior year at Ithaca College.

Each experience was different but equally amazing. 

This year was especially great. With a revamped meeting structure and more diverse projects to work on I really got involved with the festival. And, since I'm a senior I didn't have any of those nerves popping up when I was talking to festival guests.

And, if there was one point to take away from all this it is this: "We need to do something together."

During each presentation, film or chat in the hallway where a couple people of differing skills were together it always seemed to lead to that conclusion. Transmedia especially seemed to be at the forefront of this.

Great projects require collaboration. Different people from different environments coming together to make something. Because if I have learned anything during my college experience it is that your good friend and editor that leans over your shoulder to tell you that your fade out doesn't work is in it for your best interest.

You have to listen to one another and evolve and move through various mediums to tell your story. Hopefully, after a few years in the field I'll be able to tell mine.

Thank you to everyone involved with FLEFF this year for the great time and learning experience.

Blog posting by Kimberly Capehart, Documentary Studies and Production '16, FLEFF Intern, Cherry Hill, New Jersey 

I'm sitting in at what is arguably the most exciting FLEFF event: FLEFF Lab Friday!

Directors, producers, distributors, and scholars have been sitting in Park 220 all day long, speaking with students and amongst themselves about a wide variety of topics.

Right now, Yong Ki Jeong (film director, Couples, Once Upon a Time) and translator, Changhee Chun (Cinema, Ithaca College), Peter Miller (film director, AKA Doc Pommus), Carlos Gutierrez (Cinema Tropical), Bo Wang, (director, China Concerto), Kevin Lee, (dGenerate Films), Dominica Dipio (film director and film scholar), and Vanessa Domico (Outcast Films) are sitting together at the front of the room, waiting to share their secrets of the industry and answer questions.

Moderator Steve Gordon (TVR, Ithaca College) has each guest introduce himself or herself by sharing his or her own personal story. Their backgrounds are all extremely different; some guests started in film, others started with Physics degrees, and still others began their careers as activists.

What did they do to end up where they are? What advice do they have to offer to other people looking to pursue similar careers?

Here are some quotes from the conversation:

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Kevin Lee: "Whatever you do, do with a real sense of purpose. Don't do anything because you feel trapped or pressured into it."

Vanessa Domico: "I couldn't agree with Kevin more. Do what you're passionate about. This sounds like a cliche, but I really mean it: embrace the moment. You need to keep your eyes open to see all the opportunities."

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Peter Miller: "I had many breaks along the way. I basically apprenticed for a very long time with a lot of different people. Now I make my own films, but working with people who have done this for a while, who really know what they're doing, is so important. It's something I really think we have to do to learn how to tell the stories we want to tell."

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Kevin Lee: "A lot of students in the past have been really surprised that I had a day job for about ten years that was completely unrelated to film. If you're planning on going to Los Angeles or New York, looking for your big break, don't expect that things will just fall into place. You need to hustle and work hard."

"Pursue your passion any way you can and stay open to different things. Sometimes things just organically crystalize into opportunities that you never expected. Your life and your career are things that happen when you're busy working on other things." 

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The group discusses the power of social media, with Lee and Dipio referencing the Kony 2012 video as an example of a film that gained support through outlets like YouTube and Facebook.

Yong Ki Jeong:"Social networking allows films to reach larger, international audiences. Korean filmmakers get more support for international works than they do for domestic works."

Discussing activism, and film's ability to introduce activist notions in the minds of viewers, as well as playing off of Jeong's mentioning of Seoul, South Korea, Miller offers: "Go into a co-production with your soul, do something that means a lot to you." 

Peter Miller: "It's especially important, since you're young and trying to change the world, to get inside yourself and realize what you're trying to do. Just because you're trying to make money, doesn't mean you should do something. The world needs your talent to make things better."

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Vanessa Domico: "Know yourself and know your strengths and weaknesses. It's good to work with collaborators. A lot of the time you're going to have to assemble a team of people to work with who can fill in your gaps." 

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The panel is open to questions!

Q: Are there any outlets that are especially supportive of independent films?

Peter Miller: "There are some organizations that give money out to independent films, but the budgets are growing smaller and smaller. Sometimes individual people give money. When asking for money, you need to know two things:

1. Learn to write well. Being able to write about and explain your film is as important as your film itself.

2. Have a sample of your film to show."

Vanessa Domico: "There's also programs like Kickstarter and Indiegogo"

Carlos Gutierrez: "That's an open issue. Sometimes individual fundraising sites like that take away from a larger discussion of independent distribution and production. I think that we need to come together as a community of independent filmmakers to find more sources of funding."

The conversation continues about various sources of funding and questions about receiving and asking for grants. It opens up to a conversation about the need for a close film community with which to collaborate and on which to depend.

Q: If you have something you're very passionate about, but don't think that anyone would be interested in, do you still make it?

Kevin Lee: "That question is different in regards to Chinese film. In China, a lot of things can get banned or removed from the internet, but a lot of Chinese filmmakers are very persistent. Audience is very important, so filmmakers aren't making films just for themselves, they're making films on social issues that they want other people to see. 

Carlos Gutierrez: "Thinking about the audience can be tricky, because you're just projecting your own ideas on how the audience will react. I think it's more about the relevance of the film: social and economical relevance is most important."

Dominica Dipio: "Personally, a lot of the filmmakers in my country are independent and self-motivated, and a lot of things that motivate them are relevant social issues and the potential for change. So when I feel passionately about something, I am the first judge of its relevance. But sometimes it turns out to be what people want to hear and what they would like to reflect on."

Q: Do you think having a graduate education is beneficial or necessary in establishing yourself in a film-related career?

Peter Miller: "If you want to teach, you probably need an advanced degree. Teaching is one way that people subsidize their filmmaking habits."

Kevin Lee: "I'm pursuing a higher degree because I'm based in Chicago, and a lot of the community there is academia-based. That's just me, though. Sometimes you can learn more from collaboration or apprenticeship than you can learn in school." 

The conversation ends with the discussion of a need for a film community. Use FLEFF as your opportunity to start establishing YOUR own community of filmmakers, audience members, and professionals! 

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 Shawn Steiner '13 & Andrew Ronald '15, Film, Photography, and Visual Arts, FLEFF Interns

New media and an experimental filmmaker? Be prepared for some very unique and inspired thoughts during this next hour of FLEFF Lab Friday. Make sure to stop by Park 220 sometime today as it will always have something exciting going on.

A very good start to the conversation. Everyone is introducing themselves and seeing the variety of interests in the room.

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Evan Meaney talks about transmedia and how his method is to destroy everything. He takes apart files and then tries to create something new from the pieces.

QUESTION: What is it to live in a world where media is decaying?

Mansoor Behnam discusses his obsession with images and how the ideals of mystical Persian literature has led him to produce his experimental films. He is experiementing with the idea of god with the help of digital media and technology.

SCREENING: "When You Are Blind" (2001) Short Film By Mansoor Behnam (video embedded below)

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"It's the burden of representation."

Mansoor believes that in order to experience the non-representational one must embrace the experimental format. It is necessary to represent the invisible and create mystical work through a lot of abstract effort and imagery.

One major goal of his projects are to bring "new and hidden truth to a body of knowledge."

Another point is that collaboration can bring out new heights and thoughts in each work.

The issues of suppression and public viewpoints are a serious consideration to talk about and unfortunately we need to give some time to Evan Meaney so find Mansoor and ask him questions!

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"Art-math high five?"

Evan takes a stab at explaining Null_Sets. It basically is a way of converting text into images, similar to the method of a QR code. And theoretically if you have a camera with a high enough fidelity you could translate these images back into their original data.

QUESTION: "At what point does noise become useful data?"

Now, you can even download the Null_Sets toolkit right here.

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QUESTION: How do these works connect?

Mansoor sees it in the images that come out of new media attributed to the presence of the infinity. Also, if anyone has seen Middle Eastern rugs, many people have seen a connection to telling stories through patterns in these carpets to the visuality of the Null_Sets jpegs.

Evan discusses compression and how if something becomes so compressed it becomes something unreadable and unreachable. We don't have access to it. "It becomes invisible." Which is what Mansoor attempts to describe in his work.

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Fortunately, a lot of their work is available online. So go watch it, use it, download it and let us know what connections you find.

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

Elizabeth Miller has begun her presentation so there is still time to get here if you can! We are in The Park Center for Business room 111.

TRANSMEDIA WORKSHOP: ELIZABETH MILLER

"The beauty of transmedia is that both of us can present at the same workshop and show drastically different things."

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"Stories are at the core of understanding people."

SCREENING: Mapping Memories

This is a participatory transmedia project Miller worked on in which youths of Montreal were able to tell their stories on their terms. It is important to understand that transmedia is more than a digital environment.

Miller does a lot of her work in a documentary setting, but that hasn't stopped these projects from evolving into multiple forms across mediums. And, after watching a couple clips from some projects I am getting more excited for On the Waterfront screening at Cinemapolis tomorrow night.

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"People protect people from violence."

Transmedia projects and the idea of using media to bring information to the public is necessary to helping society. Educating the public is a way to change the world.

And, as a plus, this movement between and through medias is a "mobility."

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Issues of Privacy and Protection

The key is working in a group with people with similar stories. A safe environment is where it starts. But, the purpose of these stories is to create a shift in thought.

Evan: You can't outrun it. Instead of fighting it you have to get right in front of it. Accept you don't have privacy and work in that realm.

Miller: The huge thing in transmedia is public vs. private.

Evan: "Facebook me is better than me." Facebook opens you up to the public sphere in a way in which you cannot recover from.

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Elizabeth Miller is a huge supporter of web documentaries. It allows people to access the databases of information available and travel through it in their own way. And while it is still evolving we don't know what will happen next.

"We are still seeing such a large range. It is a question that is up to you to answer."

QUESTION: Where do you see transmedia evolving?

Blog post written by Amber Thibault, Cinema and Photography ’15, FLEFF Intern, Lewiston, Maine.

I was doing homework in my dorm, listening to Carmina Burana and, all of a sudden I started to feel uneasy. I didn't know why. I lifted my foot that was dangling off the bed and tucked it under me, preventing the monster from my childhood from snatching my foot and dragging me under the bed for a snack. I felt like something was creeping up on me. I looked behind me, nothing there. What was this feeling? I looked to my door expecting someone to barge in. Nothing. Why was I feeling like this? Then the cymbals crashed and thousands of men on horse charged into my room! 

Ok, that part did actually happen but if Carmina Burana can evoke that powerful of a feeling in me through the weak speakers of my computer just imagine what it can do to an audience member during a live concert! 

Carmina Burana is an exciting and dangerous sounding piece of music that evokes all types of emotions in it's listeners. Written by Carl Orff and based on poems and dramatic texts written by medieval student vagabonds were fed up with the Catholic Church and spoke out against all authority! You can feel their angst, anger, sweat and tears as tiptoed around Fate and his games. Come with them on their journey to climb to the highest heights and swim to the deepest depths. You won't be disappointed.

If you are a music fanatic or just someone who appreciates good music, the Carmina Burana concert is the FLEFF event for you! Featuring sixteen trombones, a baritone singer, a flautist, and a violinist, this is going to be arguably the most adventure filled night at FLEFF!

How can this be? Classical music isn't fun…or is it? What has been your experience with classical music in the past?

Blog post written by Amber Thibault, Cinema and Photography ’15, FLEFF Intern, Lewiston, Maine. 

This past week, I had the privilege of interviewing Becky Lane. Becky Lane is a part time TVR professor at the Roy H. Park School of Communications. She has submitted two works to next week's March 3rd kick-off event happening THIS SUNDAY at Cinemapolis! The event starts at 4pm and tickets are $8. 

Now a little bit from Becky Lane...

Amber Thibault: How did you hear about FLEFF?

Becky Lane: Ithaca is my home so I've followed FLEFF from it's inception. When Karen Rodriguez, the curator of the Upstate Filmmakers Showcase, program invited me to present my work, I was honored. Ithaca College has been an instrumental part of my education as a filmmaker, and I was so excited to become a part of FLEFF and screen alongside the other fantastic pieces.

AT: What is your project that you are presenting at the March 3rd kick-off event?

BL: Well I'm actually presenting two works "Hens and Chicks" and "Happy Hour."

AT: Can you tell me a little bit about those films?

BL: "Hens and Chicks" is a family film about a young girl who is a sperm donor offspring who begins to question who her father is. "Happy Hour" is teaser for a dramatic series I'm working on entitled "The Chanticleer." It's set in 1955 and one of the storylines involves underground gay and lesbian culture.

AT: I know there is going to be a whole collection of different types of works at the event this on March 3rd. Can you tell me about the kind of work you are presenting?

BL: Well, "Hens and Chicks" is a short film while "Happy Hour" is a more of a performance piece with dance and music. It tells a story about how two women make a connection that only they can see, reflecting the invisibility that was required at that time period. The series that follows will have a broader scope, reflecting the cultural and political shifts occurring at that time period, which were significant. The goal is to have distribution with some episodes exclusively made for the web.

AT: What made you interested in doing films like these? 

BL: I like to portray strong women characters, families and gender and sexualties that are usually unrepresented, misunderstood, and/or not favorable. In the first film, Hens and Chicks, I wanted to show that there are different types of well-adjusted families. For "Happy Hour" I wanted to highlight the oppression many people faced then [during the mid-twenty century in regard to their sexuality]. in regard to their sexuality]. People are resilient, though, and will find ways to live their lives the way they want. I wanted to honor that. I see these women as courageous and subversive.

Having already been aware of the suppression of women during this time period, I am anxious to see Becky Lane's physical representation of these circumstances. Also, having been involved in theater before coming to college, I can't help but loving the melding of dance and music to create an emotionally charged scene. I hope you all found this interview as intriguing as I did. Please come out and support Becky Lane and all the other filmmakers as we raise money to help Cinemapolis with it's conversion from film to digital. 

One final question: What interests YOU most about Becky Lane's projects?

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 Chloe Wilson, Television-Radio ’14, FLEFF Intern, Ashland, Massachusetts.

Getting excited for the FLEFF March 3rd Kickoff Screening? I know I am! I'm even more excited for the screening after getting the chance to speak with Karen Rodriguez, the curator for this year's screening.  Read on to learn about the purpose of the screening, the filmmakers you can expect to meet, and the works you can expect to see!

Chloe Wilson: For those who aren't very familiar with FLEFF, can you give a quick description about what this year's Kickoff Screening is for?

Karen Rodriguez: This screening is for two things.  It starts the FLEFF season is comprised of films that have already been screened at FLEFF in the past years and that are made by local filmmakers. The second reason is that it’s a also a fundraiser for Cinemapolis.  The theater is in the process of transitioning to digital projection and we’re helping to raise money for them for their purchases of new digital projectors.

CW: Are the filmmakers from the entirety of upstate New York or specifically Ithaca?

KR: Some of them are faculty at IC, some of them are faculty at other colleges in the areas - like Hobart and William Smith Colleges.  It’s an opportunity to highlight local filmmakers and to get the FLEFF season off to a start.

CW: As the curator of this year's screening, can you tell me about your role in organizing this event?

KR: As the curator, I look at work and talk to people about what is new, what do they have available to be screened. Then once I have a list of potential films, I try to choose films that work together and that compliment each other as well as show diversity in the subject matter and also in the approach.  Then I coordinate information and such – working with the filmmakers and figuring out how to get the files from them to Cinemapolis.  I also contacted Leah Shafer and I asked her to moderate the discussion after the screening.

CW: Each year, FLEFF has a new theme, and this year it's mobilities.  Does the Kickoff Screening also have a theme?

KR: I didn’t choose a theme for the screening.  I think there are some approaches or stylistic approaches that have emerged from this group and I think there’s a strong emphasis on the visual overall, but there is no explicit theme.

Blog post written by Amber Thibault, Cinema and Photography ’15, FLEFF Intern, Lewiston, Maine.

Let me take you on a blast into my past for a minute. Last year, I was a freshman and very new to the cinema world. It was spring semester and I had heard about FLEFF but I wasn't really sure what it was. When I thought about the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival I thought it was going to be a bunch of films about conservation and being environmentally friendly. Plus the theme that year, Microtopias, unsettled me because I didn't know what it meant. I now find it an intriguing concept but last year I had no idea what it was or what it had to do with the environment.

Then, the week of FLEFF, my Architecture of Health class screened a FLEFF film. It was definitely nothing like I expected and made me feel vulnerable. I was confused, for reasons I couldn't explain, and was curious as to why it fell under the category of microtopias and how my professor had managed to get it screened in our class.

I now know that in class screenings are common with FLEFF. They create a smaller environment that allows for more engaging with the films and discussion with others.

Towards the end of that week in April 2012, I was told by my friend (who was an intern at the time) that there was a FLEFF workshop in the Park School and I could meet filmmakers from around the world. However, I was intimidated and thought I would have nothing to say so I did not go. 

I regret that, knowing what I know now. Filmmakers are just people who want to share their films and ideas with someone. They would've have been happy if I had just shown up, but I didn't, and I'll never know the magnitude those once-in-a-lifetime discussions would have had on my life. Please don't make the same mistake I did. Come to the festival, even if you have no idea what you are talking about. Just listen. One of my favorite quotes is by Woody Allen, and most of you are probably familiar with it. He said, "Eighty percent of success is showing up." How true is that?

This year, I was determined not to let fear get in my way again. So I threw myself completely into the festival by becoming a FLEFF blogger and I'm so glad I did. In just four weeks I've learned more about FLEFF and the world around me than I ever could have imagined.

So come one, come all and talk to me! Who are you and what do you know about FLEFF? Better yet, what do you want to know?
 

Blog post written by Amber Thibault, Cinema and Photography ’15, FLEFF Intern, Lewiston, Maine.

Below I have assembled my top three list of films to see at Cinemapolis during this year's FLEFF. Your tastes may be different, but that's ok! This is just a sampling of the different types of films offered. You can access a full list of films for Cinemapolis at FLEFF 2013 Line Up To Date At Cinemapolis.

The first film I would like to see is All Together. It's a French comedy about five old friends who decided to live together to avoid having to move into a retirement home. The twist? A young ethnology student requests to live with them in order complete his degree with a thesis on the aging population. This film stars Jane Fonda, Pierre Richard, Claude Rich, Geraldine Chaplin, Daniel Brühl and Guy Bedos. This distributor Rodrigo Brandao will be attending the festival. This is a clever and enticing comedy about the life's later years that you are not going to want to miss! 

The second film I'd like to see is a little more serious. It's called Everyone's Child. It depicts the story of two children who are forced into early adulthood after their parents are killed by AIDS. Their uncle sells their plow and cattle to pay for their father's debts and the older brother and sister, Tamari and Itai, are forced to find a way to support their younger siblings. This is a thoughtful and heart-wrenching film about the triumph of human condition in the face of tragedy. Filmmaker Tsitsi Dargarembga will be attending the festival!

The third film I would like to engage in is AKA Doc Pomus, a documentary about successful songwriter Doc Pomus. He is known for writing much of the popular music that we still remember today, from big band music and classic rock and roll to love songs and classic R&B. Some of his credits include Save the Last Dance performed by The Drifters, Hushabye performed by the Beach Boys, and Lonely Avenue performed by Ray Charles along. If you like any of the songs you should check out this behind the scenes look at the life of Doc Pomus. Director Peter Miller will be attending the festival!

Don't forget to purchase you FLEFF passes at the Ithaca College Bookstore or downtown at Cinemapolis. One pass will get you into FIVE FILMS! $20 dollar discounted price for students and $40 for all other FLEFF fans.

So many films to see, so little time! Which will you choose to partake in?

Blog post written by Amber Thibault, Cinema and Photography ’15, FLEFF Intern, Lewiston, Maine.  

Upon a further conversation with Anne Spalter, artist of Sky of Dubai, she divulged more about why she was inspired to recreate the modern landscape:

"Part is trying to acknowledge what the landscape looks like and then also technological ways of moving through the landscape. So some of my earlier work I have drawings that are of mountains but I took all the photos from an airplane. So it's about that perspective you never could have had before. The viewpoint is modern. I take photos and shoot video driving in my car flying in a plane, helicopter, from high rises in the city. Points of view and ways of moving through the landscape that are modern."

So your videos were prints originally?

"Originally I scan in charcoal and pastel drawings and made prints. But it seemed like without the 3D perspective and just the pattern, it got very flat. I wanted some way to have some sort of motion and space in it and that's when I began doing the videos."

Can you tell me more about 3D perspective and why it is so important to your work?

"When you look at a photograph you have a sense of space because things that are parallel in the real space converges at a point. If you use a camera or do a drawing, an aesthetic representational western style, you have that way of making a sense of space. The receding lines are joined together, objects are overlapping, there are a bunch of visual cues that give you a sense of 3D space. 

In Islamic artwork they are mostly not interested in representation. Their religious artwork is forbidden to use representation. So their art is more abstract. Calligraphy and patterns, a lot of interesting tiling and geometrical patterns. Some of it's intuitive mathematics, and I was a math major as an undergraduate at Brown so it's always really appealed to me. It's just a sense of organization, a higher order and rationally describing space."

Is there a reason that the last shot of the film is static?

"When you're experiencing the landscape in the artwork, there's all different types of motion. Such as in a painting you might have different types of brush strokes to evoke different feeling. For me working with the video the different types of motion are like the brush strokes of the video.

For me it's sort of more the internal part, that's all from me and not from the landscape. It's more of the subjective internal feeling about the experience and the straight video shots are made to be more objective. All the pieces are a back and forth between external and internal landscape - the objective thing that you see and also the internal part for me as an artistic, how I'm feeling and experiencing the landscape. It's not like a documentary, it's very personal."

After talking to Anne, I feel enlighten about the intricatcies of the modern landscape. I grew up in the middle of the digital age, but, after talking to Anne, I feel like I've never really seen the world around me.  I've never thought about how artistic all the different modern structures around me can be. I've, also, never known a time when I couldn't use computers to create media, so I've taken for granted how powerful they are in creating a relationship with the world around you and sharing that relationship with others.

How do you, or would you, use art to personalize your own experiences in our modern world?

Blog posting written by Chloe Wilson, Television-Radio '14, FLEFF Blogger, Ashland, Massachusetts.

One of my favorite parts about FLEFF is the festival's partnership with Ithaca-based theater Cinemapolis.  It's one of my favorite downtown spots - I frequent the place all the time - but I'm even more excited to head down during FLEFF because of the great programming the theater is offering!

Here are three FLEFF films at Cinemapolis that I'm most excited for:

1. Dear Governor Cuomo

The film is both informational and emotional - it discusses the dangers of fracking in the state of New York while also including the spoken and musical testimonies of those affected by fracking.  "Dear Governor Cuomo" features celebrities like Mark Ruffalo, Natalie Merchant, Melissa Leo, and many other New Yorkers Against Fracking.  If you love concert films, documentaries, or New York in general, this film is worth checking out.

2. Once Upon a Time

No, it's not the ABC show of the same name.  This Korean comedy heist follows various individuals - including a jazz singer and a con artist - as they each try to steal a diamond from the government.  The critically-acclaimed film is set in 1940s Korea, but don't think that the political drama of the time period makes this film any less fun to watch.  You can check out the trailer (with English subtitles) here!

3. Sherlock Jr.

FLEFF is well-known for its tradition of showcasing silent films that are accompanied by live musicians and this year - the film is "Sherlock Jr.". A comedy that originally premiered in 1924, the film stars Buster Keaton as a man who falls for a beautiful girl and when her pearl necklace goes missing, he imagines himself the detective who solves the crime.  Time Magazine named "Sherlock Jr." one of its Top 100 Films of All-Time and I can't wait to see if I agree.

Based on the current programming list (which you can find here), those are the films I'm excited to see!  What are some of yours?

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 Shawn Steiner, Film, Photography, and Visual Arts ’13, FLEFF Intern, Elkridge, MD 

I’m not the only person coming back to FLEFF this year!

Evan Meaney is a professor of transmedia design at the University of Tennessee. And, he is both an Ithaca College graduate and FLEFF alum. He will be returning this year due to his involvement with Null_Sets, winner of the Distributed Microtopias jury prize.

First, what is transmedia?

Meaney described transmedia as the communication of ideas through different forms. It has a lot to do with everything. It includes the science behind the work, the math in the program, and anything else that may be involved.

An interesting definition. Now, what is the big deal with Null_Sets?

He said that people are obsessed with ordered sets. Which makes sense, we like being able to understand information. But, this takes that data and converts it over to a new form (this time a jpeg image file). Now, we can look at and compare two things in a new way. Or we can simply look at the image created by a text file of Moby Dick and be intrigued with how pink is turned out.

And being familiar with the idea of FLEFF themes, Meaney has his own take on Mobilities.

Meaney was immediately reminded that there are so many systems in place to keep people from moving. 

What immobilities can you think of?

Update: Profile: Amy Szczepanski written by Erica Moriarty. Stay tuned for a joint post on Null_Sets.

Blog posting written by Chloe Wilson, Television-Radio '14, FLEFF Blogger, Ashland, Massachusetts.

If you haven't gotten the chance to check out FLEFF's Distributed Microtopias Exhibition, I highly recommend you do so!  It's a great collection of media that explores the world in new ways.

Over the weekend, I got the chance to talk to Ezra Wube, one of FLEFF's featured exhibition artists. Two of his pieces, Hidar and Mela, are featured in the Distributed Microtopias Exhibition.

Here are some quick quotes from Wube in regards to himself, his work and his thoughts on FLEFF.

On his artistic style: "I was trained in painting as an undergraduate, and in graduate school I got really interested in video and photography and performance - so my work is generally a combination. Usually [my work] is hand-painted or drawn and it's a performance in how I'm documenting my progress in life."

On Hidar's inspiration: "It's based on a piece of literature - the Fikir Eske Mekabir. I'm always trying to find a way to keep my past together with the present, so it's like bringing this book - I was really inspired by a chapter of it.  It's like bringing a way of communication to life."

On how he relates to FLEFF's theme of mobilities: "I'm originally from Ethiopia and now I live in the U.S., I'm always in this back and forth between here and there so most of my work reflects the idea of mobility or movement. Like the difference between home and your always continued flow."

Definitely check out Wube's work on the FLEFF website - and also on his online portfolio!  Which one of his works is your favorite?

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

Can we spray paint? No.

Can we chalk the sidewalks? No.

Can we put pamphlets out across campus? No.

Can we still get people’s attention? Yes.

We can form a group and walk into IC Square. We can talk to people. We can pass along information. That’s what is great about the flash mob.

FLEFF is only two months away. The kick-off event is only one month away!

So pay attention. If you see a FLEFF shirt, or a FLEFF sign, that could mean something exciting is about to happen. And, that you are about to learn something new about what’s happening at FLEFF this year.

Maybe you were in IC Square today just grabbing a bite to eat when we appeared en masse. That was our first flash mob! And if you weren’t there you can check it out right here!

So, if you have any questions for us, or simply want to get involved, let us know! Ask us right here about something you may have only gotten a hint at during the flash mob. 

Blog posting written by Kimberly Capehart, Documentary Studies and Production '16, FLEFF Blogger, Cherry Hill, NJ 

How much time do you spend on the Internet?

In a society that is constantly connected to smartphones and laptops, researchers have determined that the average teenager spends around seventeen hours a week online. But with the modern potential the Internet has for communicating with others, how can you blame them?  

Popular websites like Twitter and Facebook make it childishly simple to share thoughts and ideas; and once that idea is put out on the Internet, it's as simple as the click of a mouse (or the click of a trackpad, for all of you wireless folks) to share that idea and to spread it to more people. The "retweet" option on Twitter and the "share" option on Facebook promote a global network of idea sharing: a tweet can be tweeted in Ithaca, New York and in a matter of seconds can be seen by people as far away as Berlin, Germany and Koriyama, Japan. 

The potential for idea sharing isn't limited to social media. Smartphone applications like Instagram and the recently-popular Snapchat allow users to share pictures in a matter of seconds. Internet-based computer applications like Skype and Oovoo allow people from around the globe to video chat while simultaneously allowing them to share files. 

This list of websites and applications that connect people and their ideas goes on and on and is constantly growing each day. The number, and diversity, of users is also growing daily; teenagers aren't the only ones taking advantage of idea sharing. Major corporations, local businesses, non-profits, musicians, artists, and so many more people reach a huge audience through this global idea network and can easily tweet, post, share, etc. their own ideas much more easily.

Mobilities is what makes this massive sharing of ideas possible, even when people are sitting at home. Mobilities allows ideas to spread around the globe and spark new ideas in others with ease. Connections and communications that never would have been able to happen are able take place thanks to the global idea network that Mobilities accommodates. 

FLEFF is what brings these ideas, and the people responsible for said ideas, together. If so much idea sharing is able to take place around the world without people meeting, imagine how much more occurs when people come face to face. 

This year at FLEFF, members of this global network of ideas will connect face to face. People from all over the world will be coming to Ithaca, NY to share their ideas on a wide range of topics, and the best part is YOU can join in on this global conversation and share YOUR ideas.

Are you ready to network? 

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? 

Perusing all of the blogger introductions I realized that while we as FLEFF interns are united by a common purpose, our reasons for working for the festival are varied. Those reasons are shaped by our different experiences, our passions and our aspirations for the future. I was intrigued by my fellow intern's stories and wanted to know more, so I sat down with Freshman Television and Radio major Julia Manchester. Julia is from Orlando Florida, but don't ask her if she goes to Disney World all the time; she's more of a Universal Studios person. That isn't to say that she doesn't like Mickey Mouse.

Hana Raskin- Why did you decide to intern with FLEFF?

Julia Manchester- I'm interested in broadcast news journalism, but I think the environment is such an important part of news today. It's important to learn about, and FLEFF will give me the opportunity to do that.

HR- Can you talk a little bit about your experience so far?

JM- I tabled at Cinemapolis, which was cool because we got an inside look at how a movie theater works and how a festival fits into that.

HR- Do you feel like this internship has made you more a part of the downtown community?

JM- I definitely think so, I've gotten to speak to lots of people who live in Ithaca when I've been tabling at Cinemapolis or at events.

HR- What are you looking most forward to?

JM- I'm interested in seeing the films and meeting the directors. I'm more of a newsperson, so I'm interested in learning about the film side.

Blog was written by Kelsey Greene, Documentary Studies and Production, '13, FLEFF intern, Buffalo, New York

Recently, I had the chance to catch up with Brianne Riviello.  She is currently an assistant to the internship coordinators.  As a senior television radio major and integrated marketing and communications minor, Brianne has contributed a lot to FLEFF as her statement shows.

Brianne describes her experience with FLEFF by saying:

The Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival caught my eye as a freshman as simply a way to combine getting involved with my love for films. As I took my seat in the auditorium for my first intern meeting, I had no idea the overwhelming effect the festival would have on me over the next four years.

I started as an operations intern, learning the ropes, meeting guests, and watching how the festival operated. I also immersed myself in the content, from a deeply intense film about abortion in 1980's Romania to an incredibly inspiring documentary about refugee children in Uganda using dance as an escape from their war-torn lives. Needless to say, I walked away from the week immediately hooked on everything the festival had to offer.

The following year I worked as a team leader for FLEFF, leading the Blogging team, and am currently serving as an assistant to the internship coordinators for the 2011 edition of the festival.

I couldn't be more thrilled to have FLEFF landing, physically, back at Ithaca College and Cinemapolis once again. Every year, co-directors Dr. Patty Zimmerman and Dr. Tom Shevory, continue to surpass themselves in their selection of thought provoking and boundary pushing films, performances, and guest artists.

Essentially, I am involved with FLEFF because it makes me think. And it makes those around me think as well. And then we get to talk about it, with producers and directors of the films, no less!

I have still yet to find a place where so many diverse ideas are laid out to be revealed, discussed, argued about, and shared.  So often in college, we as students fall into weekly routines, focused on campus life and the grind of writing papers and taking tests. FLEFF brings something more to the table, and inspires us to look a little deeper and a little wider at the world we live in.      

Blog posting written by Abby Sophir, Television/Radio '14, FLEFF Intern, St. Louis, Missouri.

Hi! My name is Abby Sophir.

I am a freshman Television/Radio major, Politics and Outdoor Pursuits double minor at Ithaca College. When I chose to come to Ithaca, I was eager to leave my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. However, I have come to miss the Great Midwest dearly (toasted ravioli and the mild weather in particular).

I am an athlete, an environmentalist and a storyteller.

Growing up, I was always either dribbling a ball through our hallways, hanging upside down on the couch, or playing catch in the yard with my dad and brother. To this day, I am in constant motion and enjoy any activity that gets my heart beating.

As an avid backpacker, the outdoors is my home. I feel a strong connection to the natural world and an obligation to change the deep-rooted ways that people view nature. I support a more simplistic way of living.

I am a strong believer that everybody has a story to tell, a story that all people can relate to and learn from. We must simply take time to listen. I aim to share these stories in visual and creative ways.

It would not be accurate to define myself by only one of these labels. My various interests, passions, and values intertwine to make me the person that I am. Though each facet of my personality is critical, and the puzzle would not be complete without them all, it is the cumulation of assets that matters most.

Likewise, the world is made up of many complex systems. On-going issues that affect our everyday lives and the lives of people around the globe result from the interactions between these systems.

FLEFF offers an opportunity to explore the interrelationships of fundamental, vital, topics such as health, the environment, education and diversity, that are often separated and studied independently. The festival focuses on the “bigger picture” which is necessary in order to understand the true global impacts of ideas and activities. 

FLEEF challenges you to think critically, question your current beliefs, and broaden your knowledge.

It is an opportunity and a challenge. That is why I joined FLEFF.

What interests you about FLEFF?