"Our generation is still looking to be activist in a way that relates to us," says Cal Arts student at March 5 panel co-hosted by FYI and Cal Arts

Admin — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 18:26:00 -0500

A young woman stood up at the March 5 panel hosted by FYI and Cal Arts to explain that her generation is as engaged and concerned as those previously -- "but we haven't found the way to be activist that fits us," she explained, comparing her generation to the legendary marches and public protests by baby boomers during the 1960s Vietnam-war era.

Her assessment -- and confusion -- echoed sentiments we've heard repeatedly at public events elsewhere as the 2007 FYI competition unfolds.

The latest panel, screening and student Q&A was held at the Bijou Theatre on the Valencia campus of Cal Arts.

Overall, young adults appear as engaged and aware as previous generations.

While a young woman in the audience said that she didn't herself and her peers as equally engaged as those past, others were vehement that being aware and caring about pressing social issues was widespread among young adults.

There was heavy participation in the audience, as students clamored to discuss the current political landscape during the Bush era, the numerous media options available today, and the role of print within the landscape that now includes internet and other options.

The lively 45-minute Q&A followed the screening of winners of the last round of FYI Film Your Issue as well as a description of the international initiative which launched during the Sundance Film Festival, soliticing one-minute films from anyone age 16 to 25 on issues that matter to them. The panel of media experts and academics focused on this year's FYI theme, "Expressing Your Issue in the Digital Age," a broad overview of the activist landscape that now factors in filmmaking technologica advances and the World Wide Web to previous forms of activism, including marches.

The panelists, led by moderator HeathCliff Rothman, founder of FYI, included Deborah LaVine, Film Directing, Program Co-Director, School of Film and Video, Cal Arts; Travis Wilkerson, Documentary filmmaker and Cal Arts professor; Joe Werlinich, General Manager, Los Angeles regional office, USA TODAY; Barr Potter, Film producer and consultant; and Gabor Kalman, documentarian and film professor at USC and Art Center, Pasadena.

Several panelists remarked that documentary films focusing on social issues are becoming more popular and commercial, both in this country and overseas. Even feature films with a message are being produced, which is very evident in the themes of those pictures nominated this year for an Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film, proving that mainstream filmmakers recognize the universal appeal of films that address major social issues. One panelist pointed out that certain production companies will only finance and produce movies that deal with such issues, indicating that Hollywood is embracing the concept that films can be both socially relevant and entertaining at the same time.

As Kalman said afterwards, continuing the discussion, "In my opinion, today's students are becoming more and more engaged in social activism, compared to students of the previous couple of decades. In the documentary production classes I teach both at USC and Art Center College of Design, the subjects students choose for their documentaries are often dealing with issues of our times both on the local and global level. At Art Center, an institution-wide initiative called Designmatter was created to explore social and humanitarian applications of design and responsible business practices. In my Non-Fiction Film and Video Workshop students make short videos for non-profit organizations dedicated to humanitarian and social issues. These works examine some of the most pressing current concerns, including educational, environmental and public health issues; from reduction of violence, programs for at risk youth, aging populations, homelessness etc. The experience of working on these films is often the first exposure to these subjects for many students."

Lastly, Kalman noted that "FYI is a terrific opportunity for a large number of students to engage in an immediate, easy access and personal way, expressing their critical concerns facing us in an empowering alternative to traditional forums. I would be happy to promote it in all my classes."

FilmYourIssue Blog: "Our generation is still looking to be activist in a way that relates to us," says Cal Arts student at March 5 panel co-hosted by FYI and Cal Arts

"Our generation is still looking to be activist in a way that relates to us," says Cal Arts student at March 5 panel co-hosted by FYI and Cal Arts