It's Wednesday morning at Reel Engagement in Bolinas, CA and I am happy to report that we have sunshine! 

Yesterday, one of the highlights of a very rainy day was a conversation about collaboration between the seven films here at the residency.  With all of these powerful films and passionate filmmakers, it would be a cryin' shame to not work together to support the climate change and clean energy movements.  The Fledgling Fund truly believes that collaboration between filmmakers, non-profits, activists and the existing movement is the only real way to achieve movement around a critical social issue. 

Yesterday, we started off by "drilling down" (pun intended) with each of the filmmakers and their plans for audience engagement.  We worked together to think about target audiences, key messages and unique delivery methods for those messages to reach their intended audiences.  The filmmakers worked together to move each plan forward and raise new questions to help ensure long-term success.  One of the most exciting parts of that work was that similar themes were repeated with many of the films.  And we chalk that up to an asset instead of a challenge. 

In the second half of the day, we took those shared assets into a brainstorming session about concrete collaboration methods.  The major take away from that session went something like this - There is not nearly enough time, energy and resources for all of these filmmakers to duplicate eachother's work or compete against one another.  Concrete suggestions like shared high schol curricula, an "energy" film festival and a shared online platform will help us maximize the impact of each of these films. 

We started off today's work here at the Reel Engagement Residency with one of my favorite activities - an ice breaker!  We asked everyone to bring one thing that represented their inspiration or what sustains their work.  Documentary film making and activism is no easy task and we all need something to get us up in the morning and keep us burning that midnight oil.  Film makers and activists, we salute you.  Check out what sustains Lora Smith, the Appalachian Regional Coordinator for the fantastic film, Deep Down:

Filmmakers on a cliff by Emily Verellen.

The Fledgling Fund is pleased to continue our collaboration with Chicken and Egg Pictures.  Natalie Difford of Chicken and Egg and I took this video to celebrate this collaboration. 

Seven films, four facilitators, a cliff over looking the Pacific ocean, no cell service and healthy local food.  That is my week.  How is yours?  Yesterday, we all arrived in Bolinas, CA at the Commonweal retreat for a week of intense strategizing and collaboration about these seven powerful films - all on the subject of climate change and the energy challenges and solutions that we face.  I was so impressed yesterday with the collaborative spirit in the room as we discussed the films, the audience engagement goals and the challenges that these brave independent filmmakers face.  We started the day by discussing our goals for the residency.  Check out Robbie Gemmel of Cape Wind below as he waxes poetic about the upcoming week:

I am excited to head to San Fransisco this weekend to participate in Reel Engagement for the Energy & Natural Resource Revolution - a residency we are hosting in collaboration with Working Films and Chicken & Egg Pictures.  This week-long workshop will nurture the work of seven Chicken & Egg Pictures and Fledgling Fund supported filmmakers, all of whom are focused on the impact of unchecked natural resource extraction and/or innovative solutions for turning things around before it is too late.

This opportunity is designed for filmmakers, on-the-ground activists, policy shapers and foundation funders to creatively explore and strategize about how they can effectively leverage the launch of the respective films and their distribution venues.

Participants will focus on the design of community engagement campaigns for non-fiction films that explore the consequences of our relentless demand for energy and natural resources and that reveal glimmers of hopeful change from the emerging energy revolution. The selected films will tell character-driven stories that personally take us into these issues. Some will be based in the U.S. and others will take place in continents where the same issues are "hot" and in flux. On the ground activists will serve as truly "natural resource" people over the course of the retreat.

The underlying concept: Grassroots organizers who are in it for the LONG HAUL need more than one great film about their issue to catalyze real sustained social change.

The workshop will be held May 24-28, 2010 in the San Francisco Bay Area.
We have developed an exciting format for the week long event. Filmmakers will spend the first three days learning about audience engagement methodology, honing their individual audience engagement plans, and preparing a pitch for how their films could be a tool for the participating, allied organizations.  Days One, Two and Three will also feature peer-to-peer education by participating filmmakers. On Day Four, filmmakers will come together with representatives from several non-profits and funders. This group will be strategically selected to ensure that we have a cross section of organizations that are working on state, national, and international levels. Importantly, the group will be curated to include organizations that work on the specific micro-issues that each film addresses so that each filmmaker has at least one potential non-profit match in the group, though current partners will also be taken into consideration. Filmmakers will have the opportunity to present their ideas to non-profits leaders working on these crucial environmental issues who may become partners or are in a position to offer valuable feedback on the feasibility and impact potential of their plans. 

Finally, on Day 5 filmmakers will come back together for a half-day to begin implementation of the ideas generated throughout the workshop.

Participating films include: Cape Wind, Deep Down, Dirty Business, Gasland, Split Estate, Sun Come Up and When Two Worlds Collide. Click here to watch trailers from all 7 films. 

In May 2008, CA courts voted FOR same-sex marriage. In May 2009, CA courts voted AGAINST same-sex marriage...This May, 2010, Christie Herring will screen work-in-progress excerpts from one of the greatest LOVE CONQUERS ALL stories ever told!

The Campaign is a feature documentary-in-progress that rides the daily emotional rollercoaster of the community of people-turned-activists who worked to defeat Proposition 8 - the 2008 initiative that outlawed same-sex marriage in California. Herring was granted exclusive access to the "No on 8" campaign headquarters in San Francisco.

Thursday, May 20th at 7:30 pm

-

SCREENING DETAILS:
Evening starts at 7.30PM

From The Fledgling Fund

Congratulations to Ali Codina and all of those involved in the fantastic film, Monica and David, a Fledgling grantee.  After a premiere and award at Tribeca Film Festival, the film just received a glowing review in Variety Magazine.  Check it out here.

Last month, The Lottery, directed by Madeleine Sackler and produced by Blake Ashman-Kipervaser and James Lawler, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival to outstanding press and reviews.

The Lottery will be playing on approximately 100 screens nationwide on Public Education Day: June 8 at 7:30pm, and will then open in select cities. 

To buy tickets and for theaters near you, visit www.thelotteryfilm.com.


Participate in Public Education Day!

If you are interested in The Lottery, or if you represent an organization that would like to hold a screening of The Lottery to activate discussion about education reform in your community, now is your chance to become involved! 

Here's how: 

1) Email contact@thelotteryfilm.com and tell us where your organization is located and how many people you think would be interested in attending your event. We will work with you to find a convenient location to show the THE LOTTERY near you. 

2) As a sponsor, you will help drive attendance to your screening. The movie will play at a regular movie theater and tickets will be sold at the regular movie-theater price. You can buy individual tickets to the screening, an entire screening (at an average cost of $1,500 for 150 seats, depending on the location), or simply help spread the word. 

3) After the screening, there will be an opportunity to host a Q+A or panel discussion about education issues in your community. You can be in charge of leading the discussion or inviting others to be on the panel. We will provide you with a list of questions to help guide the discussion. 

Check out this fantastic TED Talk from Graham Hill about why he is a weekday vegetarian and how it allows him to live out his morals, become healthier and satisfy his appetite all at the same time.

MTM: IMPACT

Make. Activate. Educate.

June 3, 2010
11:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.

Ten years of Media That Matters. Time to celebrate. Ready to innovate.

On June 3, the day after the NYC premiere of the tenth annual Media That Matters collection, Arts Engine will host a free, day-long series of conversations for filmmakers, activists and educators who are working to harness the power of media to enact change.

Join Arts Engine staff, Pat Aufderheide, Abigail Disney, MTM filmmakers past and present and many more for an exciting day of provocative conversation and practical strategies for impact.

This won't be a re-hashing of the same old tips (set up a Twitter account!) and laments (documentary distribution is in crisis!).

Instead, we'll take up targeted questions about the state of social issue media like: What are the advantages and drawbacks of short films vs. long format media in spurring audiences to action? What does it mean to be a fast-acting filmmaker when it comes to social change media? Do you sacrifice craft to effect change quickly? And how do you inspire students to connect media to their own lives and realize their potential as changemakers?

The day will be organized into three interactive 75-minute sessions. You can sign up for one or for all three. Since this event is designed to be a series of intimate conversations, space isextremely limited. While we are able to offer these conversations at no cost to participants, youmust register in advance. You can register and find detailed descriptions of the sessions and panelists here.

We hope to see you there!

This event is made possible by the Fledgling Fund.

From The Fledgling Fund

For those of you that didn't go to Making Your Media Matter in D.C., check out this great wrap-up of the conference.  I am so thankful for people who do these summaries!  

Part of the Citi Series on Asia in America

Dir. Stephanie Wang-Breal.
USA. 2010. 76 min. Digibeta.

Wo Ai Ni (I Love You) Mommy is the compelling story of a young Chinese girl's journey from an orphanage in Guangzhou, China to a Jewish American family in Long Island. Filmmaker Stephanie Wang-Breal follows Donna Sadowsky to Guangzhou to adopt the eight-year old Fang Sui Yong, who is now Faith Sadowsky. The film documents the emotional confusion, language barrier, and cultural shock experienced by little Faith, as well as the struggles and joy experienced by the family.

Post-screening Q&A with filmmaker and Donna and Faith Sadowsky.

Buy tickets here.

POV, public television's premier showcase for independent nonfiction film and video, seeks programs from all perspectives to showcase in its annual national PBS series. All subjects, aesthetic approaches and lengths are welcomed.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.pbs.org/pov/filmmakers/submit-your-film.php

Learn how to submit your film online:
http://cfe.pov.org/

ENTRY ARRIVAL DEADLINE: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

Questions? Email cfe@pov.org