Mary L Kish, 2/5/2009 · 0 comments
The Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival (FLEFF) at Ithaca College is a one-week multimedia interarts extravaganza that “embraces and interrogates sustainability across all of its forms: economic, social, ecological, political, cultural, technological, and aesthetic” (FLEFF mission statement). This year’s festival, March 30 to April 5, will focus on four new content streams: Spice, Syncopation, Toxins, and Trade.
Ten communication management and design (CMD) students were accepted this year as festival interns: Brian Cicero ’10, Kelly Raneri ’09, Bryan Davis ‘10 , Catherine Keenan ’10, Michele Maciejewski ’09, Sarah La Rosa ’09, Dan Bogan ’10, Veronika Jokel ’12, Drea Kasianchuk ’11, and Eddie Lemonier ’09.
As a team leader on the Blogging team, Brian Cicero returns for a third internship with FLEFF. "I have seen it develop from a small grassroots operation to a festival with important global reach," he comments. "I especially enjoy the after parties at Lost Dog Lounge and Castaways because you have a chance to really sit down and get to know the filmmakers, artists, and activists that visit the festival."
His internship work aligns with his CMD concentration in instructional technology. "We design creative ways to train the incoming interns on the history, operations, and marketing of the festival. Also, we will be documenting the film events on the FLEFF blog." With a career goal of working in children’s media, Cicero believes the FLEFF internships have given him a greater understanding of how to break into the industry.
CMD senior Sarah La Rosa is interning for a second year with FLEFF. She works "to create a buzz" about festival events as a team leader for the Operations and Event Management team. She also works collectively with Gordon Rowland, Practicum Coordinator, and the other team leaders to plan intern training sessions. She sees her leadership role as an opportunity to put all her CMD studies into practice.
"This internship is a great way to meet other students, and a great place to practice networking," says La Rosa. "As a FLEFF intern, I am exposed to wonderfully creative people who are eager to hear what I have to say. Perhaps doing publicity for film festivals will be an avenue I pursue after graduation." She concentrates in corporate communication and looks forward to a public relations career.
Though she has never attended the festival, Catherine Keenan applied for the internship in order to gain hands on experience and meet new people. She is on the Hospitality team which focuses on greeting guests, answering their questions, and building positive relationships with them.
"I am learning about the films and events so I can share this knowledge with guests," she explains. Learning about the various entries makes her eager to attend festival events as well. "This internship will help support my career goals because I hope to work in entertainment promotion in the future," she adds.
Junior Bryan Davis approaches his internship from a different perspective. "I've attended FLEFF events every year since arriving in Ithaca. I enjoy everything planned, especially the silent films and live music performances," he says. "The festival reminds us that Ithaca was once a premier film and arts locale pre-Hollywood."
As a Marketing Team leader, Davis helped screen intern applicants and develops promotional materials. "The real job begins the week before the festival, where we are all coordinating a number of artists, films, and installations that are being set up around Ithaca, and the logistics that go with screenings and concerts. I will generally be an ambassador for the film festival."
Like Davis, Dan Bogan views his FLEFF internship as a learning experience, as well an opportunity to engage with the creative community. "I have a continuing interest in media art, film, and animation, and I see FLEFF as a great way to view some amazing work, and get some valuable experience and connections at the same time," he states. As a member of the Operations and Event Management team, he will assist by setting up merchandise and hanging posters before shows, greet guest speakers and film makers, and finish up by sending thank you messages to festival visitors.
“This internship is appealing because it speaks to my interest in the environment,” says Drea Kasianchuk. “I will learn more about the environment through the films and my interactions with guests and my fellow interns.” She also hopes to increase her teamwork experience by working in Operations and Event Management, and looks forward to the diversity of people and media the festival will bring.
Michele Maciejewski applied for an internship after attending the festival in 2008: "I was required to attend films for my politics classes. I loved the on-campus films and discussions so much that I also saw films downtown at the local theaters. It was great to see artsy films and have an excuse to watch movies non-stop all weekend!"
As a marketing intern she brainstorms innovative tactics, assists with facebook event postings, and distributes marketing material. The internship supports her concentration in corporate communication and interest in event planning, and she hopes to learn more about networking and about how film festivals operate. "I am considering going to graduate school for environmental studies, film history, or communications, so this will help me decide if I enjoy being in the industry."
First-year student Veronika Jokel was signing up for the Film Festivals online course before winter break, and heard about the internship from course instructor, and FLEFF co-director, Dr. Patricia Zimmermann. "She told me about FLEFF and it sounded so cool. I'm interested in event management, so I handed in my application that night," exclaimed Jokel.
She is on the Operations team, responsible for coordinating aspects of each event. "I love the arts and I want to be involved in art festivals or art organizations. This internship will give me a better idea of what goes into planning and managing events and a great experience within the arts field."
CMD Professor Gordon Rowland stepped in as the FLEFF Practicum Coordinator this year. The three practica are one-credit courses in the Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies that are associated with the FLEFF internship. The courses meet once per week, expose interns to the many aspects of film festivals and help prepare them to carry out their responsibilities during FLEFF. Rowland states, "It’s terrific to see the great enthusiasm of 100 FLEFF interns, and the 10 team leaders are fantastic to work with."
According to its mission, FLEFF is in the spirit of UNESCO’s initiative on sustainable development which has redefined and expanded environmental issues to explore the international interconnections between war, disease, health, genocide, the land, water, air, food, education, technology, cultural heritage, and diversity. Through film, video, new media, installation, performance, panels, and presentations, the festival engages interdisciplinary dialogue and vigorous debate, linking the local with the global. It showcases Ithaca College as a regional and national center for thinking differently—in new ways, interfaces, and forms—about the environment and sustainability.
IC's Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies is the major presenting sponsor of FLEFF. The festival has also been made possible in part by a grant from the Park Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Experimental Television Center Technical Assistance Fund, supported by the New York State Council on the Arts, a public agency and by the Strebel Foundation.
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