Montana State University’s Master of Fine Arts Program in Science & Natural History Filmmaking (SNHF), founded in 2000, continues to be the only MFA program of its kind in the world. It takes students with backgrounds in science, engineering, and technology and prepares them as filmmakers with the creative and critical skills necessary to produce work that contributes to the public understanding of science. Students in the program come from a wide variety of backgrounds including the physical sciences, the social sciences, engineering, technology, medicine, and law.
Social science is a category of academic disciplines, concerned with society and the relationships among individuals within a society. Social science as a whole has many branches. These social sciences include, but are not limited to: anthropology, archaeology, communication studies, economics, history, human geography, jurisprudence, linguistics, political science, psychology, public health, and sociology. The term is also sometimes used to refer specifically to the field of sociology, the original "science of society", established in the 19th century. For a more detailed list of sub-disciplines within the social sciences see: Outline of social science.
Engineering is the application of knowledge in the form of science, mathematics, and empirical evidence, to the innovation, design, construction, operation and maintenance of structures, machines, materials, software, devices, systems, processes, and organizations. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more specialized fields of engineering, each with a more specific emphasis on particular areas of applied mathematics, applied science, and types of application. See glossary of engineering.
Technology is the collection of techniques, skills, methods, and processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific investigation. Technology can be the knowledge of techniques, processes, and the like, or it can be embedded in machines to allow for operation without detailed knowledge of their workings. Systems applying technology by taking an input, changing it according to the system's use, and then producing an outcome are referred to as technology systems or technological systems.
The SNHF Program is part of Montana State University’s School of Film and Photography, which also offers undergraduate degrees in filmmaking and photography.
Experimental film, experimental cinema or avant-garde cinema is a mode of filmmaking that rigorously re-evaluates cinematic conventions and explores non-narrative forms and alternatives to traditional narratives or methods of working. Many experimental films, particularly early ones, relate to arts in other disciplines: painting, dance, literature and poetry, or arise from research and development of new technical resources.
Discovery Channel is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by Discovery, Inc., a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. As of June 2012, Discovery Channel is the third most widely distributed subscription channel in the United States, behind TBS and The Weather Channel; it is available in 409 million households worldwide, through its U.S. flagship channel and its various owned or licensed television channels internationally.
Cable News Network (CNN) is an American news-based pay television channel owned by WarnerMedia News & Sports, a division of AT&T's WarnerMedia. CNN was founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner as a 24-hour cable news channel. Upon its launch, CNN was the first television channel to provide 24-hour news coverage, and was the first all-news television channel in the United States.
Each year, SNHF student films are screened at the Element Film Festival in Bozeman, Montana.
Bozeman is a city in and the seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States. Located in southwest Montana, the 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 and by 2016 the population rose to 45,250, making it the fourth largest city in Montana. It is the principal city of the Bozeman, MT Micropolitan Statistical Area, consisting of all of Gallatin County with a population of 97,304. It is the largest Micropolitan Statistical Area in Montana and is the third largest of all of Montana's statistical areas.
Selected Awards and Festival Screenings
Student Emmy, Entertainment Category, 2010 – Montana Fare by SNHF alumnus Jaime Jelenchick Jacobsen
Official Selection, 2010 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival – 200 Block by SNHF students Andrew Sobey & Kate Lain
Best International Student Film, 2009 CMS Vatavaran Environment and Wildlife Film Festival – Why Don't We Ride Zebras? by SNHF alumnus Hannah Smith Walker
Official Selections, 2009 Montana Cine International Film Festival – Lessons in America - Episode 17: Montana by SNHF student Andrew Sobey, Ceiba by SNHF student Dawson Dunning, student film Disturbance by SNHF alumnus Jeremy Roberts
Telly award, Classic category, 2009 – student film Atlatl by SNHF alumnus Jeremy Roberts
Telly award, 2009 – student film Disturbance by SNHF alumnus Jeremy Roberts
Best Nonbroadcast Program, 2009 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival – SNHF student Jen Grace for Frog, Chemical, Water, You
Marion Zunz Newcomer Finalist and Best Conservation Program Finalist, 2009 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival – SNHF alumnus Eric Bendick for student film Division Street
Best Children's Program Finalist, 2009 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival – SNHF student Jen Grace for Frog, Chemical, Water, You
Best Newcomer Award, 2009 International Wildlife Film Festival – SNHF student Jen Grace for Frog, Chemical, Water, You
CINE Golden Eagle, 2009 – Montana Fare by SNHF alumnus Jaime Jelenchick Jacobsen
Official Selection, 2009 1 Reel Film Festival at Bumbershoot – 200 Block by SNHF students Andrew Sobey & Kate Lain
Best Newcomer Award, 2009 International Wildlife Film Festival – SNHF student Jen Grace for Frog, Chemical, Water, You
Best Music Video Award and Best Amateur Award, 2009 International Wildlife Film Festival – SNHF student Josh Cassidy for Life by the Tide
Merit Award for Artistic Approach, 2009 International Wildlife Film Festival – SNHF student Jeremy Roberts for Disturbance
Merit Awards for Educational Value, 2009 International Wildlife Film Festival – SNHF alumnus Ed Watkins for student film Into the Cool: The Living and SNHF alumnus Hannah Smith Walker for student film Why Don't We Ride Zebras?
Honorable Mention, 2009 International Wildlife Film Festival, Animation Category – SNHF student Andrew Sobey for Lessons in America - Episode 17: Montana
Student Emmy, Children's Category, 2009 – Frog, Chemical, Water, You by SNHF student Jen Grace
Director's Choice 3rd Prize, 2009 Black Maria Film + Video Film Festival – The Death of Grandma Gladys by SNHF student Kate Lain
Official Selections, 2009 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival – Lessons in America - Episode 17: Montana by SNHF student Andrew Sobey and The Mongolian Marmot by SNHF student Tom Winston
Act Locally Award, 2009 EarthVision Environmental Film Festival – Why Don't We Ride Zebras? by SNHF alumnus Hannah Smith Walker
Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting Fellowship, 2008 – SNHF student Rick Smith
Montana Filmmaker Award, 2008 International Wildlife Film Festival – SNHF student Rick Smith for Fish and Cow
Silver Telly Award Winner, 2008 – The Water Carriers by SNHF alumnus Jaime Jelenchick Jacobsen
Best Amateur, Montana CINE International Film Festival, 2008 – The Water Carriers by SNHF alumnus Jaime Jelenchick Jacobsen
Emmy Nomination, Outstanding Special Class: Short-format Nonfiction Programs, 2008 – Deadliest Catch: “The Real Dutch”, directed and edited by SNHF alumnus Vanessa Serrao
Student Emmy, Documentary Category, 2008 – Little Mom Full of Color by SNHF student Katy-Robin Garton Magruder
CINE Golden Eagle, 2008 – Malice In Wonderland by SNHF student Ed Watkins
Marion Zunz Newcomer Finalist, 2007 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival – SNHF student Rick Smith for Fish and Cow
Best New Media Finalist, 2007 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival - SNHF student Rob Nelson for the Ecogeeks Science Video Podcast
CINE Golden Eagle, 2007. CINE Special Jury Award 2007 – Lunacy by SNHF student Ed Watkins
Two Silver Telly Awards, 2007 – Beyond Road's End by SNHF student Ed Watkins
Student Emmy, Documentary Category, 2005 – Indian Leopards: The Killing Fields by SNHF student Praveen Singh
An Emmy Award, or simply Emmy, is an American award that recognizes excellence in the television industry, and is the equivalent of an Academy Award, the Tony Award, and the Grammy Award.
The BBC Natural History Unit (NHU) is a department of the BBC which produces television, radio and online content with a natural history or wildlife theme. It is best known for its highly regarded nature documentaries, including The Blue Planet and Planet Earth, and has a long association with David Attenborough's authored documentaries, their notably called Life on Earth.
Animal Planet is an American pay television channel owned by Discovery, Inc. First established on October 1, 1996, the network is primarily devoted to series and documentaries about wild animals and domestic pets.
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Related Research Articles
LifeOnTERRA , now in its tenth season, is the award-winning science and natural history podcast series that explores the natural connections that propel life on Earth. Overseen by graduate students in the MFA program in Science and Natural History Filmmaking at Montana State University, LifeOnTERRA distributes independently produced science, nature, cultural, and environmental films.
Stephen Low is a Canadian film director and screenwriter who works extensively in the IMAX and IMAX 3D film formats. Based in Montreal, Quebec, over his 30-plus year career Low has directed numerous award-winning film documentaries including Challenger: An Industrial Romance (1980), Beavers (1988), Titanica (1991), Super Speedway (1997), Volcanoes of the Deep Sea (2003), Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag (2004), Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D (2010), Legends of Flight 3D (2010), Rescue 3D (2011), Rocky Mountain Express (2011) and Aircraft Carrier (2017).
Cherub of the Mist is a documentary film based on the life of two red pandas, namely, Mini and Sweety, who were released into the Singalila National Park in the Darjeeling District, India. The documentary which was filmed by Naresh Bedi and Rajesh Bedi over 2 years, followed Indian biologist Dr. Sunita Pradhan who at that time had been studying red pandas for over 10 years. It was the first time that someone had filmed the rare red pandas in their natural habitat and shows the animals in courtship, mating, nest building, and the rearing of cubs. Red pandas are found in Nepal, through North-eastern India and Bhutan, and into China and are listed in the Red Data Book. The population of red pandas at that time was estimated to be around 2,500.
Sea Studios Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, headquartered in Monterey, California. Sea Studios was founded by Mark Shelley, a senior series producer for National Geographic. It is a team of filmmakers, scientists and public opinion leaders dedicated to raising public awareness and creating action on issues involving our planet’s health and sustainable development worldwide.
Crude (2007) is a 90-minute-long feature documentary made by Australian filmmaker Richard Smith attempting to explain the links between formation, extraction and refining as well the link between geology and economy. The film features interviews with oil industry professionals and geologists about the future of oil production and exploration. The interviewed include Dr. Jeremy Leggett, a geologist formerly working with oil exploration for BP and Shell; Dr. Colin Campbell, a retired British petroleum geologist who predicted that oil production would peak by 2007; Lord Ronald Oxburgh, former chairman of Shell; Professor Wallace S. Broecker at Columbia University; and journalist Sonia Shah.
Steven Thomas Fischer is an American film director, producer, and cartoonist. His work has been honored by the Directors Guild of America, The New York Festivals, the CINE Golden Eagle Awards, and Marquis Who's Who in Entertainment.
James Honeyborne is an executive producer at BBC Natural History Unit where he has overseen some 35 films, working with multiple co-producers around the world. His projects include the Emmy Award-nominated series Wild New Zealand with National Geographic, and the BAFTA-winning BBC1 series Big Blue Live with PBS.
IRrelevant Astronomy is a web series produced by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Each episode explains a general science concept or reveals science news relevant to Spitzer. The "IR" in the title stands for "infrared", making the title refer to "infrared-relevant astronomy." The first episode launched on January 15, 2008 on the Spitzer Space Telescope website.
Christian Baumeister is a German cinematographer and award-winning director focusing on nature and wildlife productions.
Yellowstone is a BBC nature documentary series broadcast from 15 March 2009. Narrated by Peter Firth, the series takes a look at a year in the life of Yellowstone National Park, examining how its wildlife adapts to living in one of the harshest wildernesses on Earth. Yellowstone debuted on BBC Two at 8:00pm on Sunday 15 March 2009 and has three episodes. Each 50-minute episode was followed by a ten-minute film called Yellowstone People, featuring visitors to the Park and locals who had assisted the production team. The series was the channel's highest-rated natural history documentary in over five years with audiences peaking at over four million.
The Disenchanted Forest is a 1999 documentary film that follows endangered orphan orangutans on the island of Borneo as they are rehabilitated and returned to their rainforest home. It centres on the three main Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS) projects - Wanariset, Nyaru Menteng and Mawas. It is narrated by Brooke Shields.
Spot Filmworks is a privately owned production company headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin that specializes in producing broadcast, interactive, and branded content work.
Da Vinci Learning is an educational TV channel for kids age 6-12 and families, broadcasting in 19 language versions to more than 35 million homes worldwide. It broadcasts STEM and soft skills based learning programs aimed at children and families during the daytime, and documentaries and educational series for grown-ups in the evenings.
A renowned international conference for over 25 years, the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival has become Jackson Wild, expanding their reach and impact around the globe. Jackson Wild believes in the power of media to inspire wonder for our living planet and action to restore and protect it through high-impact collaborations. Since 1991, Jackson's Summits have drawn together international leaders in science, conservation and cross-platform media. Through its initiatives, Jackson Wild catalyzes original voices and amplifies innovative global collaborations between science, conservation, corporate, public policy and storytelling partners who share its urgency of purpose.
Ric Esther Bienstock is a Canadian documentary filmmaker best known for her investigative documentaries. She was born in Montreal, Quebec and studied at McGill University. She has produced and directed an eclectic array of films from investigative social issue documentaries like Sex Slaves, an investigation into the trafficking of women from former Soviet Bloc Countries into the global sex trade and Ebola: Inside an Outbreak which took viewers to ground zero of the Ebola outbreak in Zaire - to lighter fare such as Penn & Teller’s Magic and Mystery Tour.
Zero Point Zero Production, Inc. is an American production company located in New York City. It was founded by executive producers Chris Collins and Lydia Tenaglia in 2003, with partner and managing director Joe Caterini joining in 2009. It has produced television in 80 countries. In 2009, it began an expansion into other media and content platforms, including interactive entertainment, publishing, and digital media. In 2011, the company launched Zero Point Zero Live, an events and talent management division.
Bluegrass Underground is a monthly musical event hosted at The Caverns in the base of Monteagle Mountain starting in 2018. From 2008 to 2018, it was held in Cumberland Caverns. In 2011, it became a nationally syndicated television show airing on PBS. The program also airs weekly on the AM radio station WSM.
Allison Argo is an American award-winning film producer, director, writer, editor, and narrator. She is best known for her documentaries that focus on endangered wildlife and conservation. Her films have received awards including six National Emmys. and the duPont-Columbia Award for journalism.
Last Day of Freedom is a 2015 American black and white and color animated short documentary film about racism, the US Criminal Justice System,and mental health issues. The documentary was well received by critics and earned numerous awards at various film festivals, and The International Documentary Association Best Short Documentary Award, at the 31st Annual IDA Documentary Awards. Last Day of Freedom was shortlisted with ten other documentaries from 74 entries submitted to 88th Academy Awards in Documentary Short Subject category, and eventually received a nomination in this category. In June 2016 the film won an Emmy Award for News and Program Specialty -Documentary-Topical, at the 45th Annual Northern California Area Emmy® Awards. The film was a finalist for a Documentary Short, 59th Cine Eagle Award.
