James Ficklin - Biography

James Ficklin

An independent video procucer, activist and filmmaker dedicated to documenting radical social and environmental issues. Using mostly his own footage James Ficklin has accomplished the following during the past six years:
1995
Produced and edited “Torchlight March to Save Mumia” 28 min. video highlighting the rallies, marches and mass arrests in SF, during the summer of ‘95, in protest of the impending execution of former Black Panther, Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Produced and edited “Food Not Bombs International Gathering ‘95”, a 55 min. video highlighting 2 weeks of protests, civil disobedience and unrest coinciding with the United Nations 50th anniversary celebrations in San Francisco.
Produced and edited “Headwaters - No Compromise!”, 29 min. Story of the ‘95 mass rally to save the Headwaters Forest and the direct action campaign of Earth First! in Humboldt County. Screened at San Francisco’s Environmental Film Festival.
1996
Co-produced and edited with the National Peoples Campaign & People’s Video Network: “Public Housing Scandal - the Second Wave of Urban Removal”. 29 min. Exposed corruption in the SF Housing Authority and large real estate developers plans to rebuild the “projects” into upscale condos. Screened at "Bulldozed Film Fest."
Produced and edited “Food Not Bombs - Update ‘96” , 22 min. Exploring the police harassment of poor people and the anarchistic group that insist on feeding the homeless in public places. Premiered and Headlined San Francisco’s “Radical Video Festival”.
Shot footage for the Documentary "pickAxe", 72 min. About the Warren Creek eleven-month, road bloackade in Oregon.
1997
Co-founded Headwaters Action Video Collective - HAVC (pronounced “havoc”) with K. Rudin.
Co-produced and edited with K. Rudin and HAVC: “Headwaters ‘97 - Call to Action” , 29 min. An upbeat, overview of the largest forest protest and mass civil disobedience in US history.
Helped shoot, write, and edit with Johan Carlisle “Thinking Like a Watershed”, 28 min. The story of the Mattole river’s community efforts at restoring their native Salmon runs. Won award at the International Wildlife Film Festival, ‘98.
Worked with Environmentally Sound Promotions, providing audio for the “Who Bombed Judi Bari?” 72 min. spoken word CD. Judi’s story of the FBI lawsuit and her revolutionary views that made her a target of an assassination attempt.
Conducted interviews and shot footage for Salmon Forever’s video “Voices of Humboldt County - The Cumulative Impact”, 50 min. The story of disgruntled downstream neighbors who live next to Pacific Lumber’s industrial forestland.
1998
Produced and edited with Penelope Andrews & HAVC: “LUNA - The Stafford Giant Tree-sit” 20min. The inspirational story of Julia “Butterfly” Hill’s first 2 months in a record breaking tree-sit. Screened at Telluride MountainFilm Festival & Free Speech TV. Won "Best of Category Award" at Okomedia Festival '99 in Freiburg, Germany
Provided key footage for “Breaking Free Video Magazine” - a compilation of direct action stories.
Produced and edited with Penelope Andrews & HAVC: “Fire in the Eyes” 32 min. A startling look at the Humboldt police tactic of using pepper spray on non-violent protestors. Won prize at Black Maria Film Fest '99" Aired regularly on Free Speech TV.
1999
Produced and edited with Penelope Andrews "Timber GAP" a 18 min. About a small community's fight to save the forests from a new logging company financed by the owners of the Gap clothing empire. Screened at numerous Film Festivals & Free Speech TV. Won award at Earthvisions Film Festival '00.
Produced and edited segments on the video "Showdown in Seattle - 5 Days that Shook the WTO", a 2 hour and 30 min. 5 part program. A collaboration with the Independent Media Center (IMC). Aired regularly on Free Speech TV.
Provided key footage for "Butterfly" 72 min. a documentary about Julia Butterfly Hill. Aired on PBS' "Point of View" and numerous Film Festivals
Provided key footage for "Die Baum Frau" 57 min. A Germany TV (ZDF) Documentary also on Julia Butterfly. Winner of IDA Film Award.
2000
Produced and edited segments for "Breaking the Bank" a 72min. video about the IMF and World Bank protests in Washington DC in April 2000. A collaboration with the Independent Media Center (IMC) Aired regularly on Free Speech TV.
Shot footage for "Striptease to Save the Trees" 7 min. Produced by Penny Andrews, A short about the bare-breasted activist La Tigresa and her erotic, goddess poetry attacks. Screened at Tahoe International Film Festival. Aired regularly on Free Speech TV.
2001
Produced and edited with Penelope Andrews "TREE-SIT: The Art of Resistance" 120 min. (see synopsis) Won "Best of Category" award at Earthvisions Film Festival '01.
Provided footage for "Urban Warrior" documentary (work in progress) about the militarization of America's Police .
Provided footage for "Boom: the Sound of Eviction" 90 min. by Whispered Media, a documentary about the Dot-com "boom", and it's effect on gentrification, dislocation and real estate in San Francisco.
Provided footage for "Fed Up" a documentary (work in progress) about chemical-based agriculture, biotechnology and sustainable food production.
Shot footage and helped produce " 9.11" 28 min. New Yorkers respond to the Sept. 11 attack with heartfelt emotions and cries for peace. A collaboration with the Independent Media Center (IMC)
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Almost all of these videos have been played extensively on commmunity cable access stations, amongst grass-roots activist circles, road shows, campus screenings...etc. They have often been instrumental outreach and organizing tools used to garner support and inspire activism. They have helped bring attention to causes that are often overlooked or misrepresented by mainstream media. The soundtracks for many of them have been aired on community and micro-powered radio stations.