Behind the Scenes with the America’s Wilderness Series

The government sends three graduate student filmmakers from Washington DC into the wilderness to make a film series. What could possibly go wrong?
With the approach of the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act, the National Park Service Wilderness Stewardship Division wanted to find a way to bring the wilderness to the American public-all the public.
In 2011, film Producer Chuck Dunkerly from the NPS Harpers Ferry Center, Garry Oye, Chief of NPS Wilderness Stewardship, and Steve Shackelton, NPS Associate Director of Visitor Resource and Protection hatched an unusual plan. Partnering with Chris Palmer from American University’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking, they developed a graduate student film fellowship program. Over the next several years, Sylvia Johnson, Sarah Gulick, and Erin Finicane had the dream job of capturing stories from Wilderness locations across the National Park Service.
As part of the Harpers Ferry Center’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Film Festival, we have brought the whole team back together to reflect on this unique project. Join us for a fun evening of behind the scenes tales and stories that didn’t make the screen. Why make films? How did you capture that sound? Did you have to camp? This will be an informal conversation, so watch the films and come ready to ASK US ANYTHING!
To watch the films: • America's Wilderness
This event is being live captioned. To access, use the CC settings in RUclips.
------------------------------------------------------------
Who’s Who - Then & Now!
-- Erin Finicane--
Then: NPS Film Fellow, American University MFA student.
Now: Producer at Richard Lewis Media Group.
-- Sarah Gulick --
Then: NPS Film Fellow, American University MFA student, co-founder of Studio Up, university professor.
Now: Film producer for the National Park Service.
-- Sylvia Johnson --
Then: NPS Film Fellow, American University MFA student, producer of Roaming Wild.
Now: Creative Director of Free Roaming Studios, National Geographic Explorer, Fulbright Scholar.
-- Chuck Dunkerly --
Then: Film producer for the National Park Service.
Now: Project manager for NPS Media Development, Alaska and Pacific West regions.
-- Garry Oye --
Then: National Park Service Chief of Wilderness Stewardship.
Now: Retired, world traveler, wilderness advisor.
-- Maggie Stogner--
Then: Blue Bear Films founder, film producer, American University professor, America’s Wilderness Series project advisor.
Now: Director of American University’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking.
------------------------------------------------------------
To view the full America’s Wilderness Film Series: / npswilderness
To learn more about the Harpers Ferry Center for Interpretive Media (HFC): www.nps.gov/hfc
To learn more about HFC’s 50th Anniversary Film Festival: www.nps.gov/subjects/hfc/hfc-...
To learn more about designated Wilderness areas in the National Park Service: www.nps.gov/subjects/wilderness
To learn more about American University’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking: www.american.edu/soc/environm...
For any additional questions, reach out to Sarah Gulick: [e-mail]

[@StallionWildMustang]

Let's be friends 👍