Sonic Sea and Post-Film Talks at Real Art Ways

Oceans are a sonic symphony. Sound is essential to the survival and prosperity of marine life. But man-made ocean noise is threatening this fragile world.

Sonic Sea is about protecting life in our waters from the destructive effects of oceanic noise pollution.

Starting at 5 PM, representatives from the Cetacean Society International will be on hand before and after each screening to educate, advocate and answer questions about the marine environment!

*Stay after the 6 PM film on Tuesday, May 24 for a talk with Cynde McInnis the Director of Cetacean Society International.

Cynde McInnis has worked with Ocean Alliance, the American Cetacean Society and Whale Center of New England developing educational programs and curriculum. Cynde coordinated and participated in teacher training programs through the University of Georgia and MITS (The Museum Institute for Teaching Science). She is an adjunct professor at Salem State University. She is also the owner of The Whalemobile. Her life-sized inflatable whale, Nile, is 43 ft. long and looks like the humpback whale, Nile, a 28 year old female who spends her summers off the coast of Massachusetts. Cynde brings Nile to classrooms around the country to teach students about whales and the oceans, inspiring our next generation of ocean advocates.

**Stay after the 6 PM film on Wednesday, May 25 for a talk with marine life conservation activist, Kate O’Connell

With a combined background in international relations and biology, Kate O’Connell has worked on whale and dolphin issues since the 1980s.  From Argentina to Sri Lanka, she has taken part in a variety of non-lethal field studies, organizing training programs for young biologists in several countries.  In addition to being an observer at meetings of a several international treaty organizations such as CITES, the InterAmerican Tropical Tuna Commission and the International Whaling Commission, she served for many years as the NGO representative on the International Review Panel of the AIDCP, a treaty for the conservation of dolphins affected by tuna purse-seining in the eastern Pacific Ocean.  A Marine Wildlife Consultant for the Animal Welfare Institute, Kate is a member of the American Translators Association and has served as an advisor to a number of natural history documentaries.

***Stay after the 6 PM film on Thursday, May 26 for a Skype talk with Sonic Sea Director, Michelle Dougherty

Michelle is an American designer and director. She was born in Mexico City and grew up in California. She is a graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. In her professional career, she has directed projects ranging from graphic design to commercial directing, including advertising, television and film title sequences, feature film marketing, and experiential design.

Michelle has created Emmy-nominated main title sequences and has directed global commercial advertising campaigns. Michelle’s projects have garnered awards as well as being featured at the Walker Art Center, Hammer Museum, and Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

More speakers to be confirmed – stay tuned!