2017 Blue Horizons Student Film Premiere

  • Friday, August 25, 2017 PDT

Join us for the premiere of several engaging and topical short films produced by students in the Blue Horizons Summer Program for Environmental Media. During this nine-week summer program, students learn elements that are essential to producing documentary films – from developing a film’s core idea and story, to thinking about its impact on its audiences, to the nuts-and-bolts of video production. After examining the critical issues of our region’s oceans and seashores, students develop their own stories and produce their own short documentaries.

Shark Bight

The Great White shark population is rising in Southern California, with uncertain implications for divers, fishermen and the beach-going public. How can we adapt to the increased number of these predators in our ocean and coexist safely with these dangerous creatures?

Crew: Noah Goodman, Stephanie Foster, Brad Miller, Ana Ascher, Ian Blake

Searching for Khosla

This is the story of two girls on a mission to interview tech billionaire Vinod Khosla. In 2008, Khosla bought 89 acres of coastal property in Half Moon Bay, California. On that property lies the only access to Martin’s Beach, which Khosla was instructed to keep open to the public. He keeps the gate to the access road locked at all times, despite being fined and losing many lawsuits regarding the matter. His motivations still remain a mystery, a mystery that these girls hope to unravel by interviewing him.

Crew: Madeline Cooke, Paloma Lamb, Violet Guo, Esteban Alvarado, Jiabi Li

Out of the Ashes

Santa Barbara, situated between the cascading Santa Ynez mountains and the serene Pacific Ocean, harbors a beautiful community and … wildfire? Beyond the picturesque Spanish-style settlement is the looming threat of an insatiable blaze, poised to devour all that lies in its path. Do people really belong here?

Crew: Hallie Brown, Rose Ettleson, Habib Habibi, Zac Main, Kevin Willefert

Blue Horizons is sponsored by the Carsey-Wolf Center, the Associated Students Coastal Fund, the Department of Film and Media Studies, Pond5, Sony Pictures Entertainment and UCSB Summer Sessions.