MASTER CLASS:  Intro to Underwater Filmmaking Boot Camp  (extra fee)
Presented by Richard Theiss
For beginners and emerging filmmakers, here is an opportunity to hone your underwater video skills while experiencing Monterey's incredible underwater world.  This full day boot camp combines a kelp bed dive aboard the boat Beachhopper II, followed by an informative classroom workshop. Cinematographer Richard Theiss will take you through many of the need-to-know technical aspects of underwater video, plus share information on how to build a dramatic storyline, tips on effective editing, and which distribution formats are best to utilize.
Sponsored by RTSea Productions
Location: Morning Session Dive - Beachhopper II Dive Boat (Dock K, Fisherman's Wharf Marina)
Afternoon Session: The Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room

MASTER CLASS:  In The Field - Out To Sea: Topside Mentoring  (extra fee)
Presented by: Bob Talbot & Chuck Davis
As every ocean filmmaker and photographer knows, working from the deck of a vessel at sea has its own unique challenges to be dealt with.  Join fellow professionals on this field trip of a lifetime with world-renowned ocean photographers & cinematographers, Bob Talbot and Chuck Davis for a day at sea in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary aboard the R/V Fulmar for a mentoring workshop highlighting tips on working effectively in the topside environment.
Sponsored by Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary | Talbot Productions  | Tidal Flats Ltd.
Boarding Location: Coast Guard Docks (Dock K, Fisherman's Wharf Marina)

Marine Medicine Seminar:  Diving 911
Presented by Karen Van Hoesen MD
Dr. Van Hoesen, a world leader in this field, will provide a review of common SCUABA diving related injuries, including a discussion on barotrauma, air embolism, decompression sickness, and other maladies of the deep.
Location:  Monterey Bay Aquarium Auditorium

Finding the Funding: Navigating the National Science Foundation's Informal Science Grantmaking Process
Presented by Sandy Welch & Valentine Kass
The National Science Foundation has a long history as a strong supporter of film and visual media for educational and broadcast television programs. Get an informative orientation to the fundamentals of the NSF grant application process from program officers.
Location: Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room

Independent's Survival Guide  |  Panel Discussion
Moderated by Dan Baron
Panelists: Mark Shelley, Tristan Bayer, Howard Hall, Kevin Bachar
Veteran award winning filmmakers share their insight on the challenges for today's independent trying to survive in a difficult economy and changing industry
landscape.
Sponsored by FootageSearch
Location: Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room

Commissioner's Insights
Presented by Allan Butler; National Geographic Channel
Get insights on program submissions, the co-production process and production specs with National Geographic Channel's Director of Development.  Allan is responsible for finding engaging content for the network's new programming.
Location: Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room

Making the Most of BLUE: Tips for Effective Networking
Presented by Chris Palmer
Networking is about building relationships and trust. It is an essential skill for professionals who want to grow their careers. Making new business friends can lead to fresh ideas, useful information, new partnerships.
Sponsored by Center for Environmental Filmmaking
Location: Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room

Crafting a Competitive National Science Foundation Proposal
Presented by Sandy Welch, Saul Rockman, Valentine Kass, and Mark Shelley
Get expert input from NSF Informal Science Program facilitation program officers and an experienced evaluator on the multi-dimensional process of winning a NSF Grant.
Location:  Monterey Conference Center - Colton II & III

Marine Medicine Seminar:  You Can't Touch This - Hazardous Marine Life & Common Marine Envenomations
Presented by Paul S. Auerback MD
From jellyfish stings to shark bites, Dr. Auerbach will provide an overview of the most common dangers associated with hazardous marine organisms.
Location:  Monterey Bay Aquarium Auditorium

Commissioner's Insights
Presented by Allan Butler, National Geographic Channel
Get insight on program submissions, the co-production process and production specs with National Geographic Channel's Director of Development.  Allan is responsible for finding creative and engaging content for the network's new programming.
Location: Monterey Conference Center - Colton I

Commissioner's Insights
Presented by Fred Kaufman, Nature/WNET
Join Fred Kaufman, an Emmy Award Winning Executive Producer of WNET's natural history series Nature for an informal discussion on submitting program ideas and other relevant information about working with this outstanding PBS network series.
Location: Monterey Conference Center - Colton I

Film Finalist Luncheon
Speaker:  Craig Eastman - "Music In Film"
Sponsored by Amphibico
Location:  Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room

Google Earth 5.0 Oceans:  Exploring the Layers
Presented by Jenifer Austin Foulkes & Charlotte Vick
From shipwrecks to shark tracking, get an overview of the Ocean layers in Google Earth and how to navigate under the water (non-technical). And then you can learn how to put your own OCEAN stories there for the over 600 million users of Google Earth using text, images, video and links back to your own web site. Bring your own computer and media for hands on learning, but feel free to simply observe as well.
To participate in the hands on parts, we recommend:
1) a laptop computer,
2) Google Earth 5.0 downloaded onto your computer and running; and
3) a digital photo or up to a three minute video that you feel tells an ocean story about a place. We'll provide you with a login and password to our upload site and help you post your first story.
Sponsored by Google
Location:  Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room

Speed Pitching
National Geographic, CBC, Nature/WNET, NHU Africa
Commissioners:  Alan Butler - National Geographic, Caroline Underwood - CBC, Fred Kaufman - Nature/WNET, Vyv Simson - NHU Africa
Here's your chance to land a deal.  For 8 minutes you get to sit face-to-face with some of the most sought-after network commissioners and film distribution executives in the business.
Sign-ups for Speed Pitching will take place Thursday Morning at the Festival Registration Office in the Portola Hotel.  Sign-ups are on a First-Come-First-Serve Basis.
Location: Monterey Conference Center - Colton I

Underwater Digital Photography
Presented by Karl Schreeves
Followed by pool session - bring swimwear
Location:  Monterey Conference Center - Colton II & III

Filmmaker Mentoring
Emerging Filmmakers get valuable insights and real world tips from award winning filmmaker Mike deGruy.
Sponsored by Make A Difference Media
Location: Monterey Conference Center - Colton I

3D:  Nature's New Dimension  |  Panel Discussion
Moderated by Barry Clark
Panelists: Howard Hall, Shaun MacGillivray, DJ Roller, Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, Tristan Bayer
With 3D the hot thing in cinema and now headed for TV, nature filmmakers face the challenge of learning a new visual language and developing entirely new skills for image-acquisition and post. Panelists discuss the unique issues involved in shooting nature programming in 3D
Sponsored by Panasonic
Location:  Golden State Theatre

Marine Medicine Seminar:  Cold As Ice - Cold Water Immersion & Survival
Presented by Howard J Donner MD, with Bruckner Chase
Cold shock response, immersion hypothermia, and other dangers of cold water exposure.
Location:  Monterey Bay Aquarium Auditorium

Intro to Tec Diving
Presented by Karl Shreeves
This workshop covers how underwater photographers can use tec diving for photo & filmmaking purposes, with a focus on time advantages: EANx for longer no stop time, dry suit argon for warmth, sidemount/doubles for gas supply, deco for duration, mix for depth (site access) CCRs for duration, quiet, longest no stop times, and short deco.
Sponsored by PADI
Location: Monterey Conference Center - Colton I

3D Challenges & Opportunities  |  Panel Discussion
Moderated by Andrew Gellis
Panelists:  Rick Baumgartner, Don Hahn, Michele Hall, Greg MacGillivray, Steve Schklair, Eisuke Tsuyuzaki
While many believe that 3D will revolutionize cinema and TV, real questions remain regarding the ability of the marketplace to reward the incremental investment involved in 3D production and post. This panel explores the costs and logistics of 3D production, post and distribution.
Sponsored by Panasonic
Location:  Golden State Theatre

MacGillivray Freeman Films Education Foundation Luncheon
Presented by MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation
Join fellow industry conference attendees for a relaxing lunch hosted by MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation.
Location:  Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room

Breaking the Ice: Working in Frigid Climates
Join renowned ocean photographers and filmmakers in an informal discussion about overcoming the special challenges of working in extreme cold conditions.
Location: Monterey Conference Center - Colton II & III

Commissioner's Insights
Presented by Vyv Simson, NHU-Africa
Join Vyv Simson, the creative director & commissioning editor for NHU Africa 9.
Location:  Monterey Conference Center - Colton I

Commissioner's Insights
Presented by Caroline Underwood 
Join Caroline Underwood, a Senior Producer with the CBC's Science and Natural History Unit.
Location: Monterey Conference Center - Colton I

Ocean Today
Presented by Katie Snider
Location:  Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room

Emerging Innovation In Visual Effects
Presented by Eric Hanson & Ethan Summers
The use of sophisticated visual effects, common in large-budget productions has been slow to be implemented in nature-based content. However, new developments in graphics technology offer compelling uses for conservation-based efforts. This session will show a range of emerging techniques such as gigapixel imagery, digital terrain modeling, authoring to planetarium fulldome format, time-lapse innovations, and the latest in digital photorealistic rendering and how these techniques can strengthen storytelling efforts.
Location: Monterey Conference Center - Colton II & III

Speed Pitching
National Geographic, CBC, Nature/WNET, NHU Africa
Commissioners:  Alan Butler - National Geographic, Caroline Underwood - CBC, Fred Kaufman - Nature/WNET, Vyv Simson - NHU Africa
Here's your chance to land a deal.  For 8 minutes you get to sit face-to-face with some of the most soughtafter network commissioners and film distribution executives in the business.
Sign-ups for Speed Pitching will take place Friday Morning at the Festival Registration Office in the Portola Hotel.  Sign-ups are on a First-Come First-Serve basis.
Location:  Monterey Conference Center - Colton I

Eye Opener Session: Scientists & Six Year Olds - Pleasing Them Both
Presented by Katie Snider
Multimedia at Museums: Tips and techniques for producing videos that hold the attention span of a 12 year old and keep the integrity of the science.
Sponsored by Ocean Today
Location:  Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room

Finding the Funding
Presented by Chris Palmer
Join veteran fundraiser Chris Palmer with tips and insights on the important fundamentals of successful fundraising that everyone needs to know.
Sponsored by Center for Environmental Filmmaking
Location:  Monterey Conference Center - Colton I

RED Hands-on Workshop
Presented by Gianny Trutman & Howard Hall
Join veteran RED One Cameraman for real world insights into the latest technological developments, operational basics and work flow tips.
Location: Monterey Conference Center - Colton II & III

Underwater Digital Photography
Presented by Karl Shreeves
The workshop will cover how underwater photographer's can use tec diving for photo purposes - including the upsides and downsides, with a focus on time advantages: EANx for longer no stop time, dry suit argon for warmth, sidemount/doubles for gas supply, deco for duration, mix for depth (site access) CCRs for duration, quiet, longest no stop times, and short deco.
Sponsored by PADI
Followed by pool session  - Bring swimwear
Location: Monterey Conference Center - Colton I

Bridging The Gap: Filmmaker Scientist Dynamic  |  Panel Discussion
Moderated by Chris Palmer
Panelists:  John Francis, Lisa Suatoni, Howard Hall, Andrea Marshall
Join this frank discussion in regards to the challenges inherent in the field between production crews and scientists. Veterans provide insights into how to overcome or adjust to the hurdles while nurturing this important synergy.
Sponsored by Make A Difference Media
Location: Monterey Conference Center - Colton II & III

Theatrical Distribution for Doc's  |  Panel Discussion
Panelists:  Mark Borde, Josh Tickell, Corrine Bourdeau, Mary Murphy
Sponsored by Make A Difference Media
Location:  Monterey Conference Center - Colton II & III

MASTER CLASS:  Using Your DSRL for HD Video (extra fee)
Presented by Kip Evans
As technology moves the worlds of photography and filmmaking closer, we are excited to offer a very special hands-on educational experience where you will be able to explore the opportunities now available by utilizing the DSLR technologies that blend the traditional boundaries between motion and still.
With instructional time spent in both the field and in the classroom this workshop will cover information on camera applications, menus, lighting, workflow, post-production options and tips specific to underwater asset acquisition. Balancing creative opportunity with technical understanding, this full day event is designed to provide you with skills to capture beautiful moving images by optimizing the creative possibilities of this breakthrough technology in the digital still camera.
8:00am - 12:00pm  |  In The Field: Pt. Lobos  (Transportation departs the Portola Hotel Lobby at 8:00am)
2:00pm -   4:30pm  |  Classroom Session:  Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room

MASTER CLASS: Amphibico Professional Underwater Filmmaking Workshop (extra fee)
Presented by Tom Campbell & Amphibico
This is a very special hands-on in depth instructional experience for cinematographers of all levels. State of the art professional camera equipment & Amphibico
underwater housings provided. Bring your own mask, fins, & snorkel or dive gear. Classes will be given on snorkel so need not be dive certified but should be a proficient swimmer.
Sponsored by Amphibico
8:30am - 11:30am  |  Classroom Session:  Portola Hotel - Bonsai Room
1:00pm -   4:00pm  |  In the Pool Session:  PG High School

Making Waves Forum  |  Panel Discussion
Moderated by Mike Sutton
Panelists:  Mark Shelley
Join a panel of veteran filmmakers and policy advocates in a thought provoking discussion on effectively leveraging the power of film to help protect the ocean and the life within.
Sponsored by Center for the Future of the Ocean
Location:  Golden State Theatre