Lights, Camera, Coral !

Pace University’s award-winning documentary production course continues its focus on the environment this spring. The course, created by Professor Maria Luskay some 15 years ago, has made films about efforts to conserve natural resources since 2011, when she was joined by the veteran New York Times journalist Andrew Revkin, the Pace Academy Senior Fellow for Environmental Understanding.

 

Previous documentary teams have examined Brazil's efforts to avoid environmental impacts from its mega-sports events, sea turtle conservation in Mexico's Baja region, the sustainably managed cork forests of Portugal, and low-impact shrimp farming in Belize.

 

Now, we are heading to Curaçao, an island near Venezuela that, so far, has maintained the health of its coral reefs despite its booming industry and tourism. The film will focus on the efforts of marine scientists at the Carmabi Research Institute to foster a culture of conservation in coastal fishing communities and land developers. Read this Carmabi report on the island's reef conditions for starters.

 

This blog will track the filmmaking process, as well as relevant news from Curaçao, as we go from pre-production through our busy week of shooting in March and on through the final sprint to the premiere at the Jacob Burns Film Center on May 12 (a public event).

 

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