{"id":93805,"date":"2017-06-12T12:00:22","date_gmt":"2017-06-12T11:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=93805"},"modified":"2017-06-12T11:21:28","modified_gmt":"2017-06-12T10:21:28","slug":"oscar-winning-industry-heavy-weights-team-with-sea-shepherd-on-student-film-contest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2017\/06\/oscar-winning-industry-heavy-weights-team-with-sea-shepherd-on-student-film-contest\/","title":{"rendered":"Oscar Winning Industry Heavy Weights Team with Sea Shepherd on Student Film Contest"},"content":{"rendered":"

8 Jun 2017 – <\/em>Sea Shepherd Conservation Society partnered with a group of Hollywood industry heavyweights and a middle school from the Los Angeles Unified School District on a student filmmaking contest.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The winner\u2019s film will released as Sea Shepherd\u2019s official PSA for World Oceans Day on June 8th<\/sup>, 2017, on the organization\u2019s website and across social media platforms.<\/p>\n

Last December, the 7th<\/sup> and 8th<\/sup> grade Cinematic Arts Academy students at Millikan Middle School in Sherman Oaks, CA, were challenged to create a short film about what World Oceans Day means to them.<\/p>\n

Double Oscar winning sound editor Karen Baker Landers (Skyfall<\/em>, The Bourne Ultimatum<\/em>), Academy Award winning documentary filmmaker Louie Psihoyos (The Cove<\/em>), twice Oscar nominated editor Joe Walker (Twelve Years A Slave<\/em>, Arrival<\/em>), Participant Pictures executive vice president of documentary films Diane Weyermann, and Sea Shepherd founder and CEO Captain Paul Watson were among the contest\u2019s judges.<\/p>\n

Documentary filmmakers and producers Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish<\/em>), Kief Davidson (The Ivory Game<\/em>), Kip Andersen (Cowspiracy<\/em>), Ross McCall (The Grind of the Faroe Islands<\/em>), Lesley Chilcott (An Inconvenient Truth<\/em>), and Sea Shepherd Youth Ambassador, actor Zach Callison, rounded out the list of judges.<\/p>\n

The winning film, Oceans<\/em>, by 14-year-old Carson Strassman, edged out runner up 13-year-old Herschey Liss\u2019 film, Every Ocean<\/em>, by one vote.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have always maintained that the camera is our greatest weapon,\u201d said Captain Paul Watson. \u201cThese young filmmakers demonstrate the power of filmmaking and its ability to affect change. Carson\u2019s stunning visuals were beyond impressive and showed us how urgent it is to take a stand for our Oceans. Runner up Herschey\u2019s direct-to-camera message gave a personal viewpoint that hit right in the heart. Congratulations to both the first and second place winners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Due to the close race, contest judge Karen Baker Landers of Hollywood post-production facility Formosa Group extended her part of the prize package to both filmmakers:\u00a0 having the two student short films sound remixed by Jared Marshak\u00a0under Baker Landers\u2019 supervision on Formosa Group\u2019s stages in Hollywood prior to Sea Shepherd releasing the films.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m absolutely blown away by how articulate both kids are as filmmakers,\u201d said Baker Landers.<\/p>\n

First place winner Strassman\u2019s prizes also include spending the day on the set of a commercial or music video produced by Supply & Demand Integrated. The bi-coastal company is behind music videos for such artists as Taylor Swift as well as commercials and promotions for brands like Tesla, Nike and Coca-Cola among others.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are two amazing shorts and hard to believe they were made by a 13 and 14-year-old; both films are passionate and moving,\u201d said Weyermann, who, as an executive, has overseen the release of such Participant documentaries as the Oscar winning CITZENFOUR<\/em> and An Inconvenient Truth.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWatching Carson and Hershey\u2019s films was a great pleasure,\u201d added Walker, who is currently editing Sony\u2019s upcoming Blade Runner 2049<\/em>. \u201cTwo film-makers responding to the issue with dynamically different styles but equally endearing personalities. \u00a0I\u2019m so encouraged that the environment has two great advocates in the making and that they used film so thoughtfully as their means of communication.\u201d<\/p>\n

Said Strassman of his project being chosen as the winning film and Sea Shepherd\u2019s official PSA: “I am really excited about winning this competition because it gives my film the opportunity to be seen and inspire people to help save the Ocean.”<\/p>\n

*********************************<\/p>\n

Here are among the judges\u2019 statements on the first and second place winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup> Place Winner Carson Strassman, 14 Years Old<\/strong><\/p>\n

httpv:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=t9xvN4-cIj4<\/p>\n

Ross McCall: \u201cCarson has not only made an incredibly informative piece, but also a visually stunning film, hauntingly accurate and a must see for everyone with an interest in ocean conservation. I was completely drawn in to this young visionary\u2019s short.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lesley Chilcott: \u201cCarson\u2019s film is poetic, thoughtful, gives you something to think about without preaching, and has a nice tone that inspires you to do something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kip Andersen: \u201cCarson\u2019s hit me emotionally. Send him our way please if he is looking for some more gigs. Literally please do.\u201d<\/p>\n

*****************************<\/p>\n

Runner-Up Herschey Liss, 13 Years Old<\/strong><\/p>\n

httpv:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XBwu4ShZpLk<\/p>\n

Gabriela Cowperthwaite: \u201cI felt Herschey tried to do something visually different with his film and it engaged me. And engaging audiences in new ways is what will help attract new people to the cause. We need everyone we can get.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kief Davidson: \u201cHerschey\u2019s film felt very personal with specific information about what is going on in our own backyard in Los Angeles, which I think will resonate with viewers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe Walker: \u201cHerschey\u2019s simple message is made strong by being delivered straight and from the heart. \u00a0I was impressed by the line “No amount of post-processing is going to be able to cover up the fact the ocean is being destroyed\u201d – it was a great expression drawn from his personal vantage point and spoke to the digitally sophisticated generation who inherit this duty to protect the analogue world.\u201d<\/p>\n

____________________________________________<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Sea Shepherd is the world’s leading direct-action ocean conservation organisation.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Go to Original \u2013 seashepherd.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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