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34 LIVEMAGS.NET FEBRUARY>>10 "My hope is that the results will be seen around the world," Ana Rothwell, the founder of LEAF (Leaders of Environmental Action Films) – and LIVE Magazine's Green Scene editor – said about LEAF's Orange County high school student contest to create an environmental public service announcement. Under the umbrella of non-profit Inside the Outdoors Foundation, the contest is backed by a number of sponsors and partners such as Ameriprise Financial, Poya Pictures and Adball.com. The contest as a whole is presented by the action sports brand Volcom as part of their V. Co-logical Series. Volcom's Director of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Derek Sabori, is particularly involved with supporting the student film competition. The 60 and 30-second winning PSA "ecommercials" will be aired on Volcom's Fuel TV and the winning students will receive packages of prizes from sports equipment companies such as Firewire Surfboards and Volcom. A part of the Newport Beach Film Festival, many ecologically-minded organizations are coming together for the student film contest and public screening event. The winners' ecommercials will be shown at the Orange County Parks' Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center during the Newport Beach Film Festival's 2010 Environmental Documentary Film Series. This screening is hosted by the 20th Annual Upper Newport Bay Earth Day celebration. organized by the Newport Bay Naturalists and Friends. The day-long festival and student-made film broadcasts are free and open to the public! The Muth Interpretive Center facility is located in the bluffs next to the protected wetland estuaries of Upper Newport Bay. The site was chosen for its natural beauty and because the environmentally-friendly Interpretive Center utilizes green building methods and recycled materials such as carpet made from recycled water bottles and re-bar melted down from confiscated firearms. LEAF's goal is "to empower youth to become the environmental solutions within their own communities and beyond." As pollution increases and air quality the world over ebbs, the next generations will inherit this call to action: to be the earth's stewards and innovators for climate rebalancing and healing. Starting locally with the high school population of Orange County – about 180,000 students – LEAF aims to connect Hollywood film industry producers, directors, teachers and actors with these future leaders. Rothwell believes that the youth of today can more effectively reach out to their peers and spread messages about environmental health. Young people are poised to learn how to build a more sustainable global community. Teachers along with their students will be recognized as an integral part of the contest. Public and private schools today readily incorporate environmental lessons into the curriculum; and issues involving pollution control are in the news daily. Emmy nominated actor, Ed Begley, Jr., is a longtime pioneering Hollywood environmental advocate. He stars in the Planet Green show "Living with Ed," and is on the Environmental Media Association board. Begley, as a founding member of LEAF, said this about his involvement: "I'm so proud to be a part of LEAF in their efforts to inspire and engage young people to try to make a difference. By involving them in LEAF's Ecommercial Contest, we can not only foster creativity in our youth, but also give them the tools to help tackle some of our larger environmental problems." Another founding member of LEAF is Iowa Independent Film Festival creator and actress Tanna Frederick. She is an avid surfer and has raised thousands for Project Save Our Surf and OCEANA organizations. Another LEAF participant is Louie Psihoyos, director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary The Cove. "Film is the most powerful medium in the world to effect positive environmental change. We need legions of young filmmakers out there learning the craft and understanding that through their creativity they can indeed change the world," Psihoyos stated. Though LEAF is a relatively young, budding organization, its branches reach major influential players in the dire game of saving the earth. For this contest, the City of Newport Beach, the Orange County Water District, OC Parks, Rethink: Plasticpollution.org, Festival of Children Foundation, Firewire Surfboards and Kéan Coffee are all partners. LEAF's momentum and intentions are expanding too. On the agenda in the near future are youth-created 5-minute documentaries and short films. Live webcasts featuring educational forums with panels on film technology, marketing and ecological issues are also in the works. Rothwell envisions these minute-long ecommercials to be a jumping off point for young producers to get involved in the film industry. Possibly the biggest prize for winners will be the certificate of accomplishment bestowed upon them. A celebration featuring Hollywood personalities, environmentalist leaders, action sports celebrities, local politicians and film schools will take place after the winning ecommercials are chosen. Students are encouraged to pick as their film topic any ecological subject that resonates with them. LEAF recommends students research these environmental subjects: clean oceans, plastic pollution, efficient water use, organic farming, renewable energy, permaculture, repurposing, sustainability and recycling. In addition to the 60 or 30-second ecommercial, LEAF asks entrants to submit a 2-page essay explaining their project and research process. And, in recognition of the variety of ways people learn, communicate and relate to the world, LEAF encourages students who submit ecommercials to be imaginative. Animation, visual art, music, dance, literature, technology, CGI, spoken word and live action are all acceptable cinematic formats for submission. The method high school filmmakers use to submit their ecommercials is internet- based. Students upload their PSA to the online contest platform powered by Adball.com. From Adball, the ecommercials are viewed by audiences and linked with various web pages and the social network sites Facebook, You Tube and Twitter. A total of five winners will be chosen by different panels and the Adball audience. The winner of the People's Choice LEAF Award will be determined by which film gets the most votes on Adball. The winner of the Celebrity Choice LEAF Award will be chosen by a panel of Hollywood celebrities and sports stars. The LEAF Grand Prize, Second Place and Third Place winners will be picked by a panel of judges who are experts in the fields of entertainment, environmentalism and technology. For opportunities to support and join the LEAF project contact Ana Rothwell at (949)547-8691 You can become a fan of the L.E.A.F. contest on Leaders of Environmental Action Films Facebook to enter the contest visit www.volcom.com/leaf" the deadline for entries is April 9, 2010" www.volcom.com/LEAF Leaders of Environmental Action Films' Student Ecommercial Contest Presented by Volcom and Inside The Outdoors Foundation Writer>>TOVA MORRISON