May 2020

Experiential Learning 

Report from Classroom in the Wild (CITW)
In early March during Spring Break, AU School of Communication student Sophia Nelson joined Classroom in the Wild: Chesapeake Bay. Her reflections provide insight to the work our students do to communicate engaging information through environmental film. Sophia is a film and media arts major with a minor in environmental science. “This [trip] is how I knew I chose the right major,” Sophia said, “It was an amazing peek into my future career.” She was among a dozen students who participated in this week-long field experience, filming in nature preserves and interviewing expert subjects. 

CEF Associate Director Larry Engel ran the Chesapeake Bay CITW. “During the trip, Larry’s decades of experience made tutorials and demonstrations full of laughter, while also showing us a sense of gravitas for the art,” Sophia said.
Sony donated gear for the use of the trip, allowing for students to practice using long lenses to capture shots, such as a supermoon. “I was able to practice with equipment I would not have been able to otherwise,” Sophia said, “This made capturing the supermoon [possible], and it was one of the most beautiful experiences, while also teaching me techniques with nighttime exposure and long lenses.”
The final night of the trip, Sophia and her peers received the news that classes were being moved online for the remainder of the semester due to Covid-19. “It felt surreal,” Sophia said, “I truly do not think any of us realized this was the last social interaction we would be experiencing for a while.” Now, as she and other students work from home, she is finding opportunity within quarantine.

“Seeing the videos people have put together and going through my own footage is a rewarding process,” Sophia said. “Even now, I find myself walking around with a newfound creative eye, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me.” The first short film produced from CITW has been released and can be seen here. Stay tuned to view more work from our CITW students! 

Masters Editing Course with National Geographic
During the Spring 2020 semester, students were given the opportunity to take a Masters Editing course in partnership with the Archive Film team at National Geographic Society. It was organized through CEF and taught by award-winning broadcast executive Michael Cascio. The class was given access to archival footage, most of which has never been released outside of NatGeo, to create short videos. “We were really given the opportunity to transform this footage into something with a modern edge,” CEF grad student Nicole Wackerly said.

Nicole is a primatologist who is now studying Environmental and Wildlife Filmmaking, and she utilized footage from Gombe National Park to create an interactive video to identify primates. “Having access to this footage was beyond exciting,” Nicole said. “By parsing through and piecing together this footage, I created an interactive, educational video.” Nicole’s short film selects characteristics of chimpanzees so audiences can learn to identify individuals and recognize various behaviors. “I hoped to inspire viewers to learn more about our primate cousins,” Nicole said, “which in turn could motivate them to want to conserve this species.”

Summer Internship Announcements
Fortunately, several of our CEF graduate students will have internships this summer, continuing their practice of creative resilience as many formats switch to online platforms. Kathleen Gaeta will be working with NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center as a video producer intern. “I’ll be working with their news team, covering topics from climate change to Landsat,” Kathleen said. “I’m thankful the team at NASA was able to work out the fine print of a work-from-home internship, I can’t wait to collaborate with the brilliant minds and tell stories through NASA’s worldwide platforms.” 

Lia Nydes had accepted the Biosphere Fellowship with the National Park Service, which lasts through the end of this year. The original intent for the fellowship was for Lia to travel to three National Parks that are recognized biospheres and create short films about the locations. “Due to travel restrictions, I am working closely with my project sponsor at the park service as to how to adjust the films,” Lia said. “We are looking at focusing the films to be more archival-based and conducting virtual interviews.” While projects are shifting and filmmakers are adapting to the era of working at a distance, there are still ways to unlock captivating and engaging stories with creativity. “As a filmmaker, my favorite part is being in the field,” Lia said, “but I am grateful for the ability to adapt in order to create films.”

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