Like a living being, institutions grow and change over time. The Eckerd College Community Farm, and the college itself, look to new leaders to lead them into the future. But can these new leaders meet the needs of today's students while honoring the original vision of their founders?

It all started with a small group of dedicated visionaries who saw the need for something new and bold; something that would inspire young people to learn about themselves and the world with an emphasis on the liberal arts, community service, body-spirit connection, and open communication. 

That describes the founding of Eckerd College. But it also describes the beginning of the Eckerd College Community Farm. Come explore both of these fascinating stories.

Everyone loves a plucky upstart. That was Florida Presbyterian College (now Eckerd College) in 1960; an early faculty-wide protest over civil rights, a celebration of “Homelycoming” where men dressed as women for the campus parade and women played in the football game. Fifty years later, in 2010, a group of students planted seeds for a garden. Like the college itself, the gardeners had a bold vision. And like the college, the garden has faced many challenges on its way to becoming a successful enterprise. Meet the people working to ensure these plucky upstarts will continue to change lives for years to come. 

The majority of filming will take place at Eckerd College with many scenes occurring at the farm/garden area. Some interviews will be shot at other campus locations. Other places in the community have connections to the farm and will be filmed as well (schools, other farms, meetings). Some original garden members may be tracked down at their current locations for interviews or other contributions. 

Allow the viewer to be a participant/observer at the farm. Strong artistic visuals will be balanced with impactful storytelling. Mimic popular streaming service documentary formats and style as I develop my own approach, but look for opportunities to be creative and unconventional. The story will be told with sit-down interviews, and possibly narration. I hope to use mostly natural documentary footage, but some graphics, produced imagery, or directed/scripted sequences may be necessary to round out the story.   

This is my first film and is meant to be a learning experience. I am doing this project because I am a proponent of the college and the farm. It should be known that I mean to highlight what is good about both, but always with honesty and integrity. The film will adhere to these documentary ethics principles:

• Honor/protect people shown

• Convey a real and true portrayal of subjects and events

• Be honest and upfront about my intentions and plans while making the film

I am producing, directing, filming, editing, and doing just about everything else on my own for this film. You can learn more about me here. I graduated from Eckerd College in 2002 with a degree in Environmental Studies (policy track) and minors in Biology and Religion. 

But I do need some help from others! See the next section for opportunities to help make this film successful.  

Eckerd College has always given students opportunities to be active participants in their educations; designing their own independent studies, having their own dedicated art studio spaces, and participating in research usually reserved for graduate students. In that spirit, I welcome student participation in this film. I am open to just about anything, but I have specific needs for:

• pictures or videos of the farm at any point in its history

• musicians to contribute to the film's soundtrack

• interviewees to share their stories about the farm

• graphic design artists who can help with logos, fonts, and other promotional materials

If you are interested in participating, please fill out the survey at the bottom of this page. 

I am producing this film independently for little to no cost. I am the primary participant/ contributor and will not be getting paid. Any additional participants (writers, narrators, musicians, other camera operators, etc.) will be asked to donate their time. Most costs would be associated with showing/ distributing the film (promoting, festival submission fees, etc.) and would only be incurred if the final product has the support to do so.

The film will likely host a premiere on campus. This could be at the farm and/or at the Miller Auditorium. The film will be submitted to the Eckerd College Visions of Nature/Voices of Nature Environmental Film Festival. Other festivals/locations will be identified as themes and budget allow. The film will be available for free online after any festivals/screenings take place…unless the film gets amazing buzz at Sundance at which point a global distribution deal will be pursued. Hey, you never know. 

Add your video, audio, or photo files for possible use in the project! All contributors will be credited accordingly. By uploading your files through this drive link, you agree to allow the film creators full use of the content without financial compensation.

Would you like to contribute to the project in some way? Do you have a skill or talent that could support the film? Do you have a story to tell? Are you interested in being interviewed? Please fill out this survey to help us make this the best film possible.