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In the summer of 2009, the BLUE Ocean Film Festival held its inaugural event in Savannah, Georgia. Presenting both ocean-themed films and discussion panels covering a range of ocean conservation and filmmaking topics, it was very well received by an amazing mix of conservationists and media professionals. I was honored to moderate a discussion panel on shark conservation and it was at this event that I got to have my first extended conversations with people like Dr. Sylvia Earle, underwater photographer Brian Skerry, marine scientist Dr. Carl Safina, and many more. For a brief few days, I was in ocean advocacy heaven.
In 2010, a move was made to Monterey, California, and the event grew in scope to become BLUE - A Global Oceans Film & Conservation Event. Once again, great films from leading studios and filmmakers were presented and there were important discussion panels, and 
presentations. In fact, the biggest challenge was trying to be in more than one place at the same time - there was so much going on. Once again, I was honored to chair the discussion panel on shark conservation and was able to have as panelists Peter Knights, executive director of WildAid; Dr. Greg Stone, senior scientist for the oceans at Conservation International, Stefanie Brendl of Hawaiian Shark Encounters; and Laleh Mohajerani, executive director of Iemanya Oceanica. Additionally, I conducted an underwater video workshop which included some remarkable dives in Monterey Bay as the bay was experiencing a massive invasion of Sea Nettle sea jellies that summer.
The executive board of the festival decided to make the festival a bi-annual event and with that extra time to plan an even bigger and better event, BLUE returns to Monterey in 2012, scheduled for September 24-30. Between events, the festival crew has been busy with the BLUE on Tour, a traveling, educational ocean media show that has played to universities and communities from Mexico to Australia.
If you are an experienced underwater filmmaker, I encourage you to submit your films to the festival. There are a wide range of categories for pros and aspiring greats, ranging from theatrical to online shorts and you can submit through the festival's website or through Withoutabox.com, the online service that has come to dominate the film festival submission circuit. The regular deadline for submissions is March 16th but they have an extended deadline, so there's still time.
If you are an avid ocean lover, this is simply an amazing opportunity to not only learn about what is going on in the world of ocean conservation, science, and policy management, but it is also a chance to meet many notable names in a relaxed casual environment as there are social events in the evening that bring all the participants together in both a common cause. . . and a little wine and cheese.
BLUE - A Global Oceans Film & Conservation Event - September 24-30, 2012 in Monterey, California. Passes go on sale May 1st. Film submission's regular deadline is May 16th with an extended deadline to April 6th.
If you love the oceans, if you enjoy ocean films - then this is the place to be.
Source: BLUE website
The BLUE Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit, which took place last month in Monterey, California, was a resounding success. It brought together aquatic film industry types, respected ocean conservationists, and a fascinating and diverse slate of films about the ocean and many of the issues that threaten its survival. I was fortunate to attend and honored to have been asked to participate in it.
But it's not an event that pats itself on the back, rolls up the welcome mat, and looks forward to next year. When the dust has settled and all the attendees have gone home, the festival takes to the road with BLUE on Tour. Over a dozen venues on three continents, from academic institutions to public viewing facilities, have voiced their interest and are ready to present the traveling mini-festival. This form of educational outreach has always been a part of the non-profit BLUE Ocean Film Festival's mission and the festival's founders, Debbie and Charles Kinder, are dedicated to its realization. But it costs money and they have determined that it will take $20,000 to launch the BLUE on Tour for 2010.
To move things forward towards that goal, one of the festival sponsors, beBLUU filtered water bottles, has promised to donate three dollars of each sale to the festival through November 30th. But support from the public will also be needed if the festival is to reach its financial goal.
beBLUU has an interesting product - the next generation in portable water bottles. The beBLUU bottle is constructed of 100% recyclable, FDA-approved food and medical grade resin which contains none of the harmful chemicals that have been found in many of our plastic products. No BPA, DEHA, or DEHP. And the bottle includes a replaceable filter that cleans and purifies the water. So no matter the tap from whence it came, your water will be filtered clean, just like the pricey name brands we buy. And that can eliminate the single-use of thousands of plastic bottles - a major source of plastic pollution, right up there in importance with disposable plastic bags.
BLUE on Tour is a great way for people across the globe to see some of the very best in ocean wildlife and ocean conservation films. It can motivate people of all ages by using the power of the visual image to educate and enlighten. Let's hope the festival can reach the financial goals that will guarantee the start of the BLUE on Tour journey. beBLUU is lending a hand; you can too.
For information on the BLUE Ocean Film Festival & Conservation Summit, visit its website or contact Ashley Huffman at ashley@enviro-rel.com. And to learn more about beBLUU filtered water bottles, click here.
Read the beBLUU press release about their commitment to the BLUE Ocean Film Festival & Conservation Summit.
I just returned from Monterey, California, where a press conference was held at the Monterey Bay Aquarium to announce the relocation of the BLUE Ocean Film Festival & Ocean Summit to the Monterey Peninsula.
I had the pleasure of attending and participating in the inaugural festival that was held last June in Savannah, Georgia, and what I found most exciting with this event compared to others of its kind was that it was more than a film festival, more than an industry event for filmmakers. It was a celebration of the ocean and an opportunity for the general public to learn from those who are dedicated to preserving it, from filmmakers to leading scientists to recognized conservationists.
Savannah, with its "Old South" charm was a great place to hold the first BLUE Ocean Film Festival but, I'm sure for the festival's organizers, the opportunity to put on an event in such a picturesque ocean community with the support of one of the world's leading aquariums and other important ocean-based organizations, well, it's just to good of an offer to pass up.
“Films play a key role in connecting people everywhere with the beauty and wonder of the oceans,” said Julie Packard, Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. “Done well, they can compel people to care more, then do more to protect the oceans. The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s expertise is in exhibiting living creatures, but some stories are best told through film. We’re very pleased to support BLUE as the festival’s presenting sponsor. It’s an event we feel is both important and needed.”
For 2010, the festival will be run from August 24th through the 29th with over 50 films to be presented, discussion groups and seminars for both filmmakers and concerned citizens alike, and educational events for kids and grownups of all ages.
At the press conference, Fabien Cousteau, grandson of famed oceanographer and filmmaker Jacque Yves Cousteau, recounted one of his grandfather's favorite sayings, "'People protect what they love. But how can they protect what they don't understand?'"
It is to address that very challenge that events like the BLUE Ocean Film Festival & Ocean Summit exist.
I had a chance to sit in on discussions with CEO Debbie Kinder and her husband, Charles, along with Charlotte Vick, communications director for Dr. Sylvia Earle's Deep Search Foundation, and I can tell you there are some great things planned for this event. Mark your calendar: it's summer time in Monterey with the Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman's Wharf, and some gorgeous scenic ocean views.
And, of course, the BLUE Ocean Film Festival & Ocean Summit. I'll see you there!
Read complete press release.
Well, once again I have been derelict in my duties, but it has been a very busy week here in Savannah, GA at the BLUE Ocean Film Festival. A lot of great ocean-related films and the opportunity to meet with many ocean conservation colleagues (Boy, do I have a lot of emails to get out!).
Of particular note at the festival was the screening of "The Cove." This is an incredibly powerful film and a righteous indictment of Japan's slaughter of dolphins. Not your cup of tea? Ah, but that's the point; this is not something to be swept under the rug. Check out their web site to learn more and where you can see it. It is a MUST SEE.
On Saturday, I moderated/participated in a shark conservation panel discussion. My fellow panelists were Melanie Marks, CEO of Shark Trust Wines, and Dr. Greg Stone, SVP of Ocean Projects for Conservation International, providing a consumer/commerce and scientific perspective respectively, along with my perspective as a filmmaker. It was a lively discussion with much input from the receptive audience, different ideas, and some healthy differences in opinion. But in the end, we were all united in the same goal: to make the public and the decision makers aware of the consequences of losing top predators like sharks through large-scale commercial shark fishing. Afterwards, festival staff congratulated me on a panel discussion that held the audience's interest - even as we ran late and made some folks late for their next event.
Just a couple of quick reminders: tomorrow - June 8th - will be World Oceans Day 2009, 
sponsored by the Earth Project. There will be many events taking place to support this international recognition of the oceans, so check out their web site to learn more . . . and at the very least, wear blue that day!
And if an entire day committed to the oceans makes you develop a strong thirst, Shark Trust Wines will not only quench it with quality varietals but will also donate 30% of your online purchase to the Earth Project. Following World Oceans Day, Shark Trust Wines will continue its mission of donating 10% of sales to organizations involved in shark conservation and research. In the conservation field, that's business done right!
Then mid-week starts the BLUE Ocean Film Festival in historic Savannah, GA. This event is far and above the usual ocean film fare, with exclusive film showings and sneaks from Disneynature, Nat Geo, and important films coming out like A Sea Change (ocean acidification) and The Cove (Japan's dolphin slaughter). In addition, there will be distinguished leaders in ocean conservation there and numerous conservation seminars and discussion panels (I'm moderating one on shark conservation), so there will be plenty to see and do for the curious and the committed. Check out the full slate of events at the BLUE Ocean Film Festival web site.
So put on some blue, pour a glass of red, and take in some good ocean films and discussion.
There are several interesting ocean film festivals that take place each year, but in June there is one of particular note: the BLUE Ocean Film Festival set in beautiful Savannah, Georgia. There are several features to this event, scheduled for June 11 thru 14, that I think will set it apart from others.
First, there will be a full slate of exciting and thought-provoking films - from professionals to student films - for the public to view. My documentary, Island of the Great White Shark, has been accepted but the final slate of films to be screened has not been determined yet, so check their web site as the dates approach.
Secondly, there will be several presentations, panel groups, and awards - particularly, a Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Ocean Advocacy to be given to Dr. Sylvia Earle, who I featured in a previous post. Many of the people involved in the panel groups are colleagues or mentors so I know the events will be enlightening for marine conservationists, filmmakers or just the curious.
Lastly, and perhaps in many ways most importantly, the festival is planning a road show of sorts, bringing many of the participating films to a broader audience through aquariums, festivals, and other public events. This is key to building greater public awareness (My loyal readers of this blog are dedicated conservationists, but are we reaching the unenlightened as well? - that is an important long-term goal.).
I will be attending the BLUE Ocean Film Festival and will be soaking in some of Savannah's historical ambiance and Southern hospitality. Hope to see you there.
For more information:
info@blueoceanfilmfestival.org
813-885-4142
Facebook: BLUE Ocean Film Festival group
In the summer of 2009, the BLUE Ocean Film Festival held its inaugural event in Savannah, Georgia. Presenting both ocean-themed films and discussion panels covering a range of ocean conservation and filmmaking topics, it was very well received by an amazing mix of conservationists and media professionals. I was honored to moderate a discussion panel on shark conservation and it was at this event that I got to have my first extended conversations with people like Dr. Sylvia Earle, underwater photographer Brian Skerry, marine scientist Dr. Carl Safina, and many more. For a brief few days, I was in ocean advocacy heaven.
presentations. In fact, the biggest challenge was trying to be in more than one place at the same time - there was so much going on. Once again, I was honored to chair the discussion panel on shark conservation and was able to have as panelists Peter Knights, executive director of WildAid; Dr. Greg Stone, senior scientist for the oceans at Conservation International, Stefanie Brendl of Hawaiian Shark Encounters; and Laleh Mohajerani, executive director of Iemanya Oceanica. Additionally, I conducted an underwater video workshop which included some remarkable dives in Monterey Bay as the bay was experiencing a massive invasion of Sea Nettle sea jellies that summer.
BLUE - A Global Oceans Film & Conservation Event - September 24-30, 2012 in Monterey, California. Passes go on sale May 1st. Film submission's regular deadline is May 16th with an extended deadline to April 6th.
