Using a screening and discussion format, our gathering series invites women filmmakers, usually two for each event, to discuss their work, exchange experience, share their expertise and personal reflections about the making of films and the workings of the movie industry. 

2013 GATHERINGs

January 22, Meet the Filmmaker: Michelle Poppler

Michelle Jericho Poppler (AKA, Mab, Mabsy & Michy Moody) is a quirky Renaissance woman. While growing
up on the island of Kauaʻi, Michelle had two different career goals, either becoming an animator or an
astronaut. Since she wasn’t really keen on dying in space she opted for the first choice. As a child, Michelle
was encouraged to pursue the creative arts and follow her dreams by her parents Peter and Lupita Poppler.
She was classically trained in ballet through Michelle Cole’s Royal Ballet Academy, and musical theatre
through the Kauai Performing Arts Center after school program. She went on to pursue her studies as an
animator and graphic designer at Kapiʻolani Community College’s New Media Arts Program, where she
helped jump start the Animation Practicum program in 2000 that they still run to this day. Her short film
“Banished” was played at the ’Ohina Short Film Showcase and Cinema Paradise in 2001. Michelle ended up
in the journalism department at KCC and became lead layout artist and cartoonist for the Kapiʻo newspaper
graduating from the program in 2003. From there she went on to intern for The Honolulu Advertiser in 2003,
work at the Honolulu Weekly from 2004-2007, and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin from 2007-2009. In-between
her journalism career shifts Michelle also began dancing professionally and doing freelance graphic design
and production work with the IONA Contemporary Dance Theatre and the Cherry Blossom Cabaret. In
2009 she returned to her childhood dream, and received her Bachelors in Animation from the University
of Hawaiʻi’s Academy for Creative Media Program studying under Professor Linda Dorn in 2011. Michelle’s
animated short “Sealy” was played at the 2011 Guam International Film Festival and her Documentary short
“The Art of Tease” played at the 2012 Hawaii Burlesque Festival. Although Michelle ended up taking the long
route
to becoming an animator, she has gained many other useful skills along the way. Michelle now fuses all
her skills together as a freelance Animator, filmmaker, dancer and graphic designer under her own company,
Michy Moody Productions and is still working with IONA and CBC.

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2012 GATHERINGS

January 25, 2012  Meet Women in Film:  Leanne Ferrer, Micky Huihui, and Amber McClure.

January 25th, Hawai‘i Women in Filmmaking monthly gathering will be hosting Leanne Ferrer, Program Manager; Micky Huihui, Community Engagement Coordinator; and Amber McClure, Content Coordinator, at Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC).

The mission of Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) is to support, advance, and develop Pacific Island media content and talent that results in a deeper understanding of Pacific Island history, culture, and contemporary challenges. In keeping with the mission, PIC helps Pacific Islander stories reach national audiences through funding support for productions, training and education, broadcast services, and community outreach.

In the past 15 years, PIC has awarded more than $2 million toward television productions; assisted more than 14 Pacific Islander producers in broadcasting their shows on national public television and provided training to more than 120 emerging media makers. To know more about PIC, click here.

Join us to learn more from Leanne, Micky, and Amber about PIC, their programs and funding opportunities!

Leanne Ka’iulani Ferrer is the Program Director for Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC). She is currently producing the PIC series, Pacific Heartbeat, that will air on PBS in May 2012. She also manages PIC’s Media Fund Rolling Call, which funds projects with Pacific Islander content for broadcaston national public television. Leanne has over 20 years of experience in the film and television industry. She previously worked for Disney Films, PBS Hawaii, and 1013 Integrated, Hawai‘i’s longest running full-service production company. Leanne is a previously PIC-funded producer whose film, i scream, floats, and Sundays, airednationally on PBS.

Micky Huihui joined Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) in June of 2010 as Community Engagement Coordinator. She is responsible for maintaining existing partnerships within the Pacific community, as well as creating new networks, with the goal of increasing the pool of filmmakers who focus their works telling the stories of Oceania.  She also does outreach to communities through public screenings of PIC-funded films, special events highlighting Pacific filmmaking, and serves as a liaison for film festivals in Hawai’i and abroad. Micky came to PIC with more than 10 years of experience in community outreach in Hawai’i. She is a 1991 graduate of the Kamehameha Schools, and a 2000 graduate of the University of Hawai’i with a BA in Hawaiian Studies.

Amber McClure has been the content coordinator at PIC for 2 years.  Her responsibilities include creating, soliciting, and managing multimedia content for the organization.  She served as public relations manager for the statewide “More Than You Think/The Stronger Influence” underage drinking prevention campaigns.  She has worked for over seven years with Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawaii, REAL: Hawaii’s Youth Movement Exposing the Tobacco Industry, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and other local youth and community groups as a multimedia consultant. Amber has an MA in visual anthropology from Goldsmiths, University of London.

March 20, 2012 Meet the Filmmaker: Linda Dorn

Join our conversation with Linda Dorn on March 20th, 6:30pm at The ARTS at Marks Garage!

An Animator and Visual Artist, Linda created the Animation program at University of Hawaii. She developed the curriculum for Creative Academies which teaches animation to grades 2-12 in Hawaii. Her teaching career began at the California Institute of the Arts where she taught Advanced Animation and Life Drawing. She also taught at CSSSA an international summer school for the arts, and CAP, a outreach program for innercity kids throughout Los Angeles.

Some of her professional credits include: Visual Development for DIsney Feature and Hyperion Pictures, Character Layout on the first two seasons of Futurama, and Sequence Design, storyboarding and animation for July Film’s “My Little World”.
She received her MFA in Film Directing and BFA in Character Animation from Calarts where she had the opportunity to mentee with the great Visual Development Artist E. Michael Mitchell. Before Calarts, Linda studied acting at the American Conservatory Theatre and has appeared in over twenty stage productions.

You can see some of the awesome work of Linda, by visiting www.lindadorn.comCurrently Linda is pursuing an interest in writing and illustrating children’s literature.

May 21, 2012 Meet the Filmmaker: Edgy Lee + Screening

Edgy will introduce her film ICE, Hawaii’s Crystal Meth Epidemic, followed by a conversation with  ALAN JOHNSON, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition and Hina Mauka CEO; DEBRA KISSINGER, D.O. Ph.D. UH Medical School; ALAN SHINN, Coalition for Drug Free Hawaii; BIM STRAUSSER, Hina Mauka Psychiatrist

The ARTS at Marks Garage, From 6:00 to 8:00. To download the flier, click ice!

November 11, 2012 Meet the Filmmaker: Laura Margulies

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2011 GATHERINGS

February 23, Meet the filmmaker:  Kimberlee Bassford

Kimberlee Bassford is an independent documentary filmmaker born and raised in Hawai‘i with a passion for social issue, cultural and women’s stories.  Her recent film, PATSY MINK:  AHEAD OF THE MAJORITY (2008), explores the life of the late U.S. Representative Patsy Mink, the first woman of color in Congress and co-author of the landmark Title IX gender equity legislation.  The film won the Audience Award at the Hawai‘i International Film Festival and aired nationally on PBS.  She was the producer on two national PBS documentary series:  UNNATURAL CAUSES:  IS INEQUALITY MAKING US SICK? (2008), which investigates America’s health disparities, and THE MEANING OF FOOD (2005), which explores the social significance of food.  She had her directorial debut with CHEERLEADER (2003), a short documentary that follows a squad of young, bright-eyed California cheerleaders on its quest for the national cheerleading championships.  The film aired on HBO Family and won the Student Academy Award in Documentary and CINE Golden Eagle.   She is a graduate of Punahou School and holds a BA in psychology from Harvard University and a Masters in Journalism from the University of California Berkeley.  She owns Making Waves Films LLC, a documentary production company in Honolulu.

March 30, 2011 Meet the Filmmakers: Ann Marie Nalani Kirk & Anne Misawa

Ann Marie Nalani Kirk is an award winning filmmaker from Maunalua, O’ahu.  Her work has earned accolades nationally as well as locally.  Her resume includes two Emmy nominations, nine Telly Awards, three Aurora Awards, a Cine Award and the National Educational Media Award. Kirk’s productions include work in Pacific archeology; “Stories to Tell and Pacific Clues”, Pacific culture; “Te Pito o Te Henua,” Hawaiian culture;  Happy Birthday Tutu Ruth, Ke Ao Nei, Manomano Ka Ike,  Kulaiwi, Ka Makana Ike, Children’s Education and Music; Choices, Looks Good, Eazy Tunes, Eazy Kine and Voices and Wings.

In 2010 Kirk was honored by the Hawai’i State Legislature for her media work and for her community work in the areas of public rights of way to the ocean, the preservation and protection of sacred cultural and historical sites in the islands, and the protection of ocean and open wilderness areas. In 2010 Kirk was also recognized by the Star-Advertiser as one of Ten Who Made A Difference for Hawai’i in 2010 for her work as co-organizer of the ‘Oiwi Film Festival at the Doris Duke Theatre.  The ‘Oiwi Film Festival was the first film festival ever highlighting the work of Native Hawaiians filmmakers in the role of Director and/or Producer.

Kirk is currently continuing her work with Mauanlua.net and is in production for a series on Hawaiian language newspapers for the DOE titled “Ke ‘Imi No’i.” In 2011 Kirk will be screening her latest film , “Homealani” about the life of her grandfather, Oliver Homealani Kupau,throughout the islands.

Kirk is a graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy.  She received her BA from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Film and Mythology and her Masters from the Center for Pacific Island Studies at Manoa. She is a Director/Producer for the Hawai’i State Department of Education and owns her own production company, Blue Crater Media (www.bluecratermedia.com).

Anne Misawa grew up in Hawaii.  Having graduated from University of Southern California’s Graduate Film and Television Program, she has worked internationally in various aspects of film production.  Her primary work is as a Director and as a Cinematographer.  Directorial credits include–WAKING MELE, (Sundance Film Festival, 2000), and EDEN’S CURVE, (Emerging Film Best Feature Award, NCGLFF, 2003).  Anne teaches cinematic production at the Academy for Creative Media, University of Hawai’i where she produced & directed the feature length documentary, STATE OF ALOHA, which has garnered various awards, (Halekulani Golden Orchid Award Nominee for Best Documentary at Hawaii International Film Festival, 2009).

Her work as cinematographer include many award-winning films–TREELESS MOUNTAIN, (directed by So Yong Kim, Toronto International Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, and New Directors/ New Films, 2008), TIME OUT, (directed by Xelinda Yancy, executive produced by John Singleton, HBO Award, 2004), SALT, (directed by Bradley-Rust Gray, Caligari Award for Innovative Filmmaking at Berlin International Film Festival, 2003), and LIV, (directed by Edoardo Ponti, executive produced by Robert Altman and Michaelangelo Antonioni, Venice International Film Festival, 1998).  Her work in TREELESS MOUNTAIN was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography in 2010.

April 23, 2011 Meet the Filmmaker: Edgy Lee

Edgy Lee is a filmmaker – producer, composer and author. Her film, THE HAWAIIANS – REFLECTING SPIRIT, premiered at the opening of the Smithsonian Institution Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.  Other award-winning films include PAPAKOLEA, A STORY OF HAWAIIAN LAND (1998, Corporation for Public Broadcasting Silver Award, Independent Program); PANIOLO O HAWAI’I- COWBOYS OF THE FAR WEST (2000 CINE Golden Eagle; Chicago International Film & Video INTERCOM, Best Documentary History and Best Writing). WAIKIKI IN THE WAKE OF DREAMS garnered a 2001 New York Film & Video Festival Best Cinematography and Best Editing, and its Hawaii premiere also established the current “Sunset on the Beach” event on Waikiki Beach.

In 2004 and 2005 Edgy produced two feature documentary films on methamphetamine in unprecedented prime time commercial-free simulcasts (eleven television stations across the State of Hawaii) and her company FilmWorks Pacific continues to produce short films on various social issues. Edgy also produced a CD with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in a compilation of rare traditional Tibetan music performed by artists living in exile, with narration by the late Rev. Abraham Akaka and the late Kumu John Lake.

In 2007 she founded Pacific Network.tv, a Hawaiian internet portal to the world, a nexus for arts, culture, and environmental news, entertainment, and educational programming from the Pacific region, streamed free to the pubic. Her television work includes the hit weekly series, “Local Ventures” now in its 3rd season; “Aloha Waikiki” currently broadcasting throughout Waikiki, “Artists of Hawaii”,  “Local Justice”, America’s first interactive TV courtroom series, “Shaka Shakedown”, and a prime time one hour special on education entitled, “How We Learn”.  Edgy is happy to be living back in her hometown, “The only place where you get three starches in a single meal”.

May 25, 2011 Meet the Filmmaker: Marlene Booth & Heather Giugni

Marlene Booth is an award-winning filmmaker, who has worked in film since 1975, both as an independent filmmaker for her own production company, Raphael Films, and for public television station WGBH-TV in Boston. She has produced and directed several major documentary films screened on PBS, at national and international film festivals, and in classrooms nationwide.

Her major films include: Yidl in the Middle: Growing Up Jewish in Iowa (1999), When I Was 14: A Survivor Remembers,(1995), The Double Burden: Three Generations of Working Mothers, (1992), The Forward: From Immigrants to Americans, (1989), Orange Line Symphony, (1987), Raananah: A World of Our Own, (1981), and They Had a Dream: Brown v. Board of Education Twenty-five Years Later, (1980).

Among Ms. Booth’s awards is the Cine Golden Eagle, an Emmy nomination, a Bronze Apple from the National Educational Film and Video Festival, and Outstanding Independent Film at the New England Film & Video Festival.

Heather Haunani Giugni carved a career path for herself as an independent filmmaker over 25 years ago.  Supported by few and questioned by many, she left a secure broadcast news position and joined a small group of passionate activist filmmakers who understood not just the power of change in visual storytelling but the empowering of community using tools that were not accessible to the mainstream public.

From those early days, Heather has produced, directed and shot many projects.  These include: Enduring Pride: E Mau Ana Ka Haʻaheo – a series dedicated to stories about the Hawaiian community, Reflections of Lanaʻi an intimate look into a small-island community, Daniel K. Inouye: An American Story, and One Voice documenting a Kamehameha School tradition.

Heather is dedicated to her community.  Using the tools of her industry, she has spent her career perpetuating the Hawaiian culture through video.  She is a founding member of The Pacific Islanders in Communications, an early board member of ʻOlelo Community Media, a former member of the Hawaii Television and Film Development Board and presently sits on the board of Bishop Museum. She also produces the annual Kamehameha Schools Song Contest for television and is one of the primary producers for the Merrie Monarch Festival broadcast. She is the owner/operator of Juniroa Productions Inc.,  a multimedia company creating projects from concept to completion and a consultant to Hawaiʻi’s first state of the art film and video archive.

June 29, 2011 Meet the Filmmaker: Elizabeth Pepin Silva & Shirley Thompson

Elizabeth Pepin Silva is a filmmaker, photographer, writer, and surfer born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, and recently relocated to Oahu. For more than fourteen years she has been making films independently and for PBS and has won five Emmy Awards and several film festival awards for her television and documentary film work. Her numerous projects include “Slow the Flow,”“Coastal Clash,” and “One Winter Story.” Until moving to Hawaii, Elizabeth was a staff producer at KQED, the public television station in San Francisco, where most recently she was Series Producer of “Truly CA,” a documentary series featuring films about the Golden State. She was the station’s music licensing maven and archival research specialist, and she also oversaw the station’s New Proposals and the LINCS programs – helping guide and advise outside producers wishing to work with PBS and KQED. Elizabeth’s photographs have been shown in galleries and museums and featured in publications around the world. She has been the principal photographer for three women’s surf books and has written a book on the history of San Francisco’s Fillmore Jazz district, Harlem of the West, published by Chronicle Books in 2006. When not working on various projects, Elizabeth and her husband are obsessive surfers who were late for their own wedding because the waves were too good to get out. Elizabeth holds a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism from San Francisco State University.

Shirley Thompson is a seasoned PBS documentary film producer, writer and editor, best known for the PBS documentaries she has edited, including Pidgin: the Voice of Hawai‘i (2008), It’s Still Elementary (2007), Special Circumstances (2006), By Invitation Only (2002), Surfing for Life (2000), & It’s Elementary (1996).   She also writes, produces and edits promos and trailers which air on PBS, Documentary Channel, Sundance Channel, IFC and more. The films she has produced, written and edited have won Emmys, Peabodys and dozens of Best of Festival Awards, and they have screened in film festivals worldwide.  For 21 years she has collaborated with directors from New York to Dallas to San Francisco to Honolulu through her company Shirley Thompson Editorial. Shirley is a social media enthusiast and an old school storyteller, intrigued by the melding of new media and old media.  Along with her partner Stan Chang, she recently founded Chop Chop Media, a full-service production company that creates branded documentary-style videos for websites and social media pages, and short documentaries targeted for web-based distribution.  Chop Chop Media is currently in production with Aloha ‘Aina Cacao, a short documentary about Oahu cacao farmers and chocolate makers and cacao’s potential as a boon for small, local farmers.  She tweets @shirleythompson and @chopchopmedia.  She facebooks: https://www.facebook.com/chopchopmedia and https://www.facebook.com/shirleythompsoneditorial.  And she blogs: http://shirleythompson.net.

August 31, Meet the filmmaker: Lisette Flanary