When Ayla Fox, Rhode Island based filmmaker, attended CMG's 2015 Catalyst Workshops, she worked with Sailors for the Sea's Social Impact Director, Hilary Kotoun, a fellow workshop attendee. They worked together with their team to develop a video concept that Sailors for the Sea could use for their No Trash, No Trail, No Trace (NT3) Campaign. After the workshops, Sailors for the Sea was interested in continuing this video campaign work and so CMG arranged to place Ayla as a fellow with them, fall of 2015.
Ayla's CMG fellowship with Sailors for the Sea was a part-time, 18-week fellowship where she developed strategy, creative direction, and produced 2 videos for the organization. What was exciting about their proposed video concept campaign was that there was a unique interactive component. Initially Ayla described the project as one that "[tiptoes] on the edge of an “interactive” commercial-PSA. Technology is constantly changing the way we interact with people, share content and feel connected. It is also changing how we subscribe to certain beliefs, stories and movements. This project, to me, is a step in the direction of merging social connection, sharing and building upon personal beliefs."
After meeting at the workshop, the campaign continued with a slightly modified call to action at the end of the two videos encouraging viewers to join the Sailors for the Sea team or to donate to help Sailors for the Sea prevent single use plastics from the ocean. The surrounding campaign also included awareness of the issues surrounding ocean health as well as continued communication, educating how individuals can help by changing their own habits.
About the Fellow
Ayla is a Rhode Island based filmmaker with eight years of experience in commercial, documentary, broadcast and feature film production. She holds a B.S. in Wildlife Conservation Biology, and a B.A. in Film Media from the University of Rhode Island. She is a Coastal Institute Senior Fellow. She is insatiably curious about the drivers behind human behavior and what connects people on a primal level. Ayla has made it her life’s mission to craft visual stories born out of the natural world that weave in our collective instinct to care for the planet that sustains all life.
Ayla’s knowledge and understanding of the environmental sciences has led her to consistently providing consultation and serving clients such as The Nature Conservancy and Plan International and NOAA, developing media solutions to often complex and sensitive subjects. Her projects have focused on topics ranging from coastal resilience to climate change, fisheries health to river restoration, sustainable development initiatives in West African nations and beyond. She is at home producing as a one-woman band, or, as part of a team. She absolutely loves this stuff.
About the Host
Sailors for the Sea is a leading ocean conservation organization that engages, educates, inspires and activates the sailing and boating community toward healing the ocean.
Project Updates and Milestones
The first video, Talking Trash, released in August, 2016 - specifically released during the same time period as the 2016 Summer Olympics. Talking Trash resulted in a 75% increase in traffic to the Sailor's for the Sea website, where SFTS is working to eliminate single-use plastics in the sailing community. The film was shared with over 100 media outlets and boating organizations, and displayed on social media and YouTube giving Sailors for the Sea a large digital presence. After only one week up there were over 100 new subscribers to the Sailors for the Sea email list.
The second video, Trashy Boyfriend, released in November of 2016. Stay tuned for it's impact results! Both videos are available to view below:
Ayla Fox: Sailors for the Sea
About the Project
When Ayla Fox, Rhode Island based filmmaker, attended CMG's 2015 Catalyst Workshops, she worked with Sailors for the Sea's Social Impact Director, Hilary Kotoun, a fellow workshop attendee. They worked together with their team to develop a video concept that Sailors for the Sea could use for their No Trash, No Trail, No Trace (NT3) Campaign. After the workshops, Sailors for the Sea was interested in continuing this video campaign work and so CMG arranged to place Ayla as a fellow with them, fall of 2015.
Ayla's CMG fellowship with Sailors for the Sea was a part-time, 18-week fellowship where she developed strategy, creative direction, and produced 2 videos for the organization. What was exciting about their proposed video concept campaign was that there was a unique interactive component. Initially Ayla described the project as one that "[tiptoes] on the edge of an “interactive” commercial-PSA. Technology is constantly changing the way we interact with people, share content and feel connected. It is also changing how we subscribe to certain beliefs, stories and movements. This project, to me, is a step in the direction of merging social connection, sharing and building upon personal beliefs."
After meeting at the workshop, the campaign continued with a slightly modified call to action at the end of the two videos encouraging viewers to join the Sailors for the Sea team or to donate to help Sailors for the Sea prevent single use plastics from the ocean. The surrounding campaign also included awareness of the issues surrounding ocean health as well as continued communication, educating how individuals can help by changing their own habits.
About the Fellow
Ayla is a Rhode Island based filmmaker with eight years of experience in commercial, documentary, broadcast and feature film production. She holds a B.S. in Wildlife Conservation Biology, and a B.A. in Film Media from the University of Rhode Island. She is a Coastal Institute Senior Fellow. She is insatiably curious about the drivers behind human behavior and what connects people on a primal level. Ayla has made it her life’s mission to craft visual stories born out of the natural world that weave in our collective instinct to care for the planet that sustains all life.
Ayla’s knowledge and understanding of the environmental sciences has led her to consistently providing consultation and serving clients such as The Nature Conservancy and Plan International and NOAA, developing media solutions to often complex and sensitive subjects. Her projects have focused on topics ranging from coastal resilience to climate change, fisheries health to river restoration, sustainable development initiatives in West African nations and beyond. She is at home producing as a one-woman band, or, as part of a team. She absolutely loves this stuff.
About the Host
Sailors for the Sea is a leading ocean conservation organization that engages, educates, inspires and activates the sailing and boating community toward healing the ocean.
Project Updates and Milestones
The first video, Talking Trash, released in August, 2016 - specifically released during the same time period as the 2016 Summer Olympics. Talking Trash resulted in a 75% increase in traffic to the Sailor's for the Sea website, where SFTS is working to eliminate single-use plastics in the sailing community. The film was shared with over 100 media outlets and boating organizations, and displayed on social media and YouTube giving Sailors for the Sea a large digital presence. After only one week up there were over 100 new subscribers to the Sailors for the Sea email list.
The second video, Trashy Boyfriend, released in November of 2016. Stay tuned for it's impact results! Both videos are available to view below:
Ayla Fox / Talking Trash
Ayla Fox / Trashy Boyfriend