Featured Film Members

Featured Partner - Santa Barbara Applied Research

SBAR is a Woman Owned, Minority Small Business, incorporated in the state of California in 1980. Ms. Grace Vaswani, President & CEO, is a true American small business success story. The company has received many awards, including an U.S. Small Business Administration for 8a performance. SBAR now has offices across the US, with major division offices in Arlington, Pasadena, San Diego, and Colorado Springs.

SBAR has GSA Multiple Award Schedules for Corporate Contracts in Engineering and IT, this allows Government agencies to order directly from SBAR by purchase order for a range of technology and support services selected from an approved catalog and price list, such as Marine Engineering & Support Services (design/fab/install/test, vessel chartering, commercial diving, etc). The company’s corporate contracting provides added value by reducing administrative costs, shortening lead times for Government contracting, while ensuring quality services and products.

EISF's latest project, "Jewels of the Pacific: The Channel Islands", has many technical aspects requiring ocean engineering expertise and marine industry contacts for special equipment and services to enable dramatic underwater exploration filming. SBAR currently holds several Navy ocean engineering contracts, with personnel that are knowledgeable and experienced with manned submersibles, remote operated vehicles, local research vessels and associated deck equipment.

EISF and SBAR look forward to this new partnership for utilizing state-of-the-art marine technology to capture compelling underwater HD video images, which will enable the public to experience an exciting virtual journey, never seen before, beneath the ocean surface in our treasured Channel Islands.

Dr. Ford "Bud" Cross

Dr. Ford “Bud” Cross describes his coming to work with the Channel Islands film project and The Essential Image Source Foundation as an amazing journey of “serendipity.” When Dr. Cross met The Essential Image Source Foundation’s President and Founder, Susan Sember, he had recently retired from his 33 year career with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and was enjoying fishing, participating in field trials with his dog Scout, and spending summers with his wife, Pat, at their cottage in northern Michigan.

During his time with NOAA, Bud was never one to rest, though. He was an employee of NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and National Ocean Service, and was associated with the NOAA Fisheries and Habitat Laboratory in Beaufort North Carolina for his entire career. He also spent 10 years as Chief of the Ecological Research Division, 15 years as Laboratory Director, authored or co-authored approximately 50 scientific papers and symposia proceedings and presented invited papers at both national and international scientific meetings. As yet, even in retirement, Bud was and is, as always, open to new opportunities to study ocean habitats.

In 1999, Susan was discussing the newly formed non-profit documentary film foundation with a former client and friend she knew from her previous law practice and that she wished to see her organization make films about the marine environment, particularly those involving marine protected areas and sanctuaries. In turn, this former friend and client referred her to Dr. Bud Cross. As a result, Susan and Bud became fast and steady collaborators. Dr. Cross came on board as an advisor to the foundation in its marine projects and most recently, has taken on the role of Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee for The Essential Image Source Foundation.

Since the initial meeting 4 years ago, Dr. Cross has traveled from his home in North Carolina several times to help develop the Channel Islands film project and share his knowledge on the productivity and conservation of marine habitats. He believes that this cutting edge high definition docu-feature and accompanying image library will be used years from now to help track changes in the ocean, coastal habitats and land formation in the Park and Sanctuary.

On a recent trip to Anacapa Island with the Foundation’s film team, Bud was reminded of a Native American saying: “The world is a spider web and humans are just one thread of that web.” As such, Dr. Cross is confident that efforts such as those being championed by The Essential Image Source Foundation along with the “Jewels of the Pacific” film project will increase public awareness to preserve our natural habitats.

Dr. Cross is also excited to be involved in the new high definition (HD) technology. He states, *“It’s just like being underwater with the fish. You can see footage of a shark swimming by and there is so much detail and clarity you can actually see into the shark’s eye. There’s a connection with high definition and the audience that is unmatched in any other educational or outreach format.”*

Dr. Cross considers the “Jewels of the Pacific: The Channel Islands” HD project not only as a means for education and awareness but also “an exciting virtual visit to a remote ecosystem that most people will never get a chance to experience first hand. Even those previously unaware of the islands’ resources, will leave the theater valuing that the Channel Islands exist and feeling a desire to preserve and protect them.”

Thanks to Dr. Bud Cross a new level of experience and expertise is being contributed to the scientific research behind the Channel Islands High Definition film project, its accompanying media library and the many other ocean related projects of the Foundation

Article by Diana Bacon

Raymond Ordway

Raymond Ordway epitomizes the essence of "The Legacy of the California Vaquero." As a participant in one of the film shoots on that project, Ray demonstrated the timeless and graceful style that began in the 1700's in California.

Born in 1924 in Sacramento, California, Ray comes from a family heritage steeped in Vaquero traditions and it certainly showed as he maneuvered effortlessly in his handling of the cattle, as well as with his horse, during the filming in October 2007. Undoubtedly, Ray was one of the most inspiring horsemen to watch and his on-camera interview captivating. In turn, Ray saw his participation in the Essential Image Source Foundation's documentary as a way of "passing it on". In fact, Ray has made it his life-long mission to encourage and support others in the pursuit of this artistic style of horsemanship.

^{Photo of Raymond Ordway by Ron Dalzell}

Ray's father, Ira, was born in 1879 in Santa Cruz County, and at the age of 14, Ira joined his two older brothers in the cattle business on the Jesus Maria ranch (now Vandenberg AFB) in Santa Barbara County. So committed to learning from the vaquero masters on the ranch, Ray's father learned Castilian Spanish. Ira admired and respected the vaqueros' gentle way of working cattle, their use of the reata and the spade bit horsemanship. The skills acquired became a way of life and hence, were then passed onto the four sons Ira would have, including his third son, Ray.

Ray quickly became immersed in the lifestyle, learning from his older brothers, Kent and Oliver, with all of them becoming superb California reined horsemen. In 1942, at the age of 18, Ray, however, was drafted into the military during World War II, as was his younger brother, Jack, and thus it was necessary to sell their cattle business. At the end of the war, though, Ray quickly resumed his passion going to work on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley for some of the larger cattle companies such as H. Moffat & Company. Later after his older brother's death, Ray then managed his ranch, the Vasco, located in Livermore, California for two years. After working on and off for others, Ray, subsequently, went back into the cattle business on his own. Ray continued to be recognized, throughout his career and into retirement, as one of the best vaqueros state and country-wide.

Although retired now, Ray, at the age of 84, still enjoys pursuing the vaquero ways in Madera, California. His preference for a horse also continues to be the Morgan. Ray states, "This breed has all the qualities of a good stock horse. They are very smart, quick learning, gentle and enduring".

Ray and his wife of 50 years, LaVerne, quickly became supporters of the Essential Image Source Foundation's documentary particularly recognizing the need of such a project for younger generations. As Ray stated, "This documentary needs to be made because the traditions and heritage, along with the older vaqueros are slowly disappearing." Ray said he treasured being a part of the historical gathering of some of our country's best vaqueros at the October 2007 film shoot and was proud to see the respect these horsemen had for one another during those days. "That same respect is tantamount to the identity of a vaquero", said Ray.

During the film production, Ray also had the pleasure of being able to rope with Jay and Deeth Harney. This, as Ray noted, represented three generations of the California Vaquero with the men ranging in their 80's to their 20's. Ray, Jay and Deeth demonstrated the smooth and artful handling methods of the vaqueros with Ray roping the head of the calf, Jay roping its heels and Deeth roping the front feet to lay the calf down, all with the traditional reata (a rawhide braided rope). It is a memory, according to Ray, that he's continuing to carry to this day as being representative of his legacy - a legacy of passing on the vaquero heritage and traditions to future generations.

^{Photo of Raymond Ordway, Deeth Harney and Jay Harney roping calf by Jay Dusard;}

Rusty Chinnis

Rusty Chinnis is the quintessential Florida “location scout”. With the foundation’s “Guardians of the Gulf” red tide documentary, Rusty assisted EISF President, Susan Sember, in mapping out some of Florida’s most breathtaking Gulf locations to compile a production shot list. Rusty also supported the high definition video production by taking Susan and her crew to some of the Gulf’s most picturesque venues on the water, while he personally captained the boat donated by Cannons Marina, along with additional captaining and travel on Rusty’s personal boat for further filming.

As an accomplished outdoor writer and photographer, a passionate conservationist and fly-fishing guru, Rusty took the EISF film crew to some of his “secret spots” to reveal a Florida worth fighting to protect. As a board member of the Manasota chapter of START (Solutions to Avoid Red Tide), Rusty has been involved in that organization’s red tide efforts, as well as being involved in other campaigns to preserve and protect the natural resources of Florida. Rusty, as President of Sarasota Bay Watch, is now building yet another positive Gulf legacy, along with his day to day business as a local contractor, committed to building "green."

Previously, Rusty was a founder and first president of the Manatee Chapter of the Florida Conservation Association, and co-chairman of the Sister Keys Conservancy. The conservancy lobbied successfully to preserve the largest undeveloped group of islands from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor. The conservancy was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Award in Washington, D.C., for its work. In addition, Rusty is also passionate about saving the seagrasses of Florida and elsewhere. This past summer, Rusty worked feverishly to have a “poll and troll” zone created in the Sister Keys flats. Rusty has also assisted EISF on location in its production of an international seagrass documentary that was kicked off with an initial shoot in Florida. Again, Rusty’s “on the water” expertise proved valuable to the EISF film crew in its shots of the seagrass beds, the life within them, the prop scars caused by boaters, and the restoration techniques occurring on the Gulf.

Rusty is the past president and chairman of The Florida Outdoors Writers Association and a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America. He’s a Contributing Editor to Flyfishing in Saltwaters Magazine, and the Outdoors Editor of the Anna Maria Island Sun, as well. As a member of the Federation of Fly Fishers and is an FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor, Rusty is intimately aware of the environmental and human impacts that directly affect his sport and he is truly committed to making a difference to negate or reduce those impacts.

As a fly-fisherman extraordinaire, Rusty knows the waters. As an outdoor photographer, he knows the light. And as an outdoor writer, he knows the locations and the stories behind them. Rusty is one of the most uniquely qualified supporters we’ve encountered and EISF is most appreciative of Rusty’s contributions to our projects!

Lynn Mikelatos

The Essential Image Source Foundation's film members come from all "walks of life." Some are the traditional film crew members such as the cinematographers, editors and writers. Others are the scientific advisors, retired business persons, technical specialists and corporate sponsors. Yet another very key and passionate group of members are the business and community leaders who are involved with our foundation. This month, EISF's Featured Film Member of the Month is one such leader, Lynn Mikelatos.

Lynn Mikelatos' love of community shines through like a beacon in the night. When she talks about Ventura, the surrounding communities and her involvement with them, she genuinely emits untold enthusiasm.

Her "love of community", more than likely, originated with her roots in the small town of Bonham Texas. Lynn received her degree in Art Education at North Texas State University and worked for a few years as a teacher and for a specialty ad company. In the 1970's, Lynn moved to California and, true to her "love of community and involvement", became a real estate agent.

Lynn met her husband, Makis, in 1977 while he was working on the cruise ship, Golden Odyssey, from Venice to Athens. A shipboard romance bloomed between the two and they were married in March 1979.

And, although, Lynn and Makis have spent the last 25 years as successful Greek restaurant owners, and parents of 3 children, Lynn has devoted many thousands of hours to her community and church. She admits that she was "always drawn to committees and volunteering". Over the years her involvement has been intense and inspiring. In more recent times, she has involved herself in everything from President of the Women's Council and participating in the Greek Festival in Camarillo, to organizing a Dukakis fundraiser for her church, and participating in "Leadership Ventura".

Lynn's introduction to the Essential Image Source Foundation came through her friend Jim Brye and it was a natural fit! Lynn's desire to "give back to her community" has had many outlets and a high definition film foundation dedicated to making a difference is a unique way for Lynn to help inform, inspire and initiate change in her community and beyond.

Since The Greek at the Harbor restaurant is located at Ventura Harbor, EISF's latest project "Jewels of the Pacific: The Channel Islands" is of special interest to Lynn and her husband, as well as, all the business people at the harbor. Lynn's contacts and connections with business and community leaders have been a wonderful contribution to EISF's connections to Ventura and the Channel Islands. Working to obtain additional support from the businesses in Ventura for the Essential Image Source Foundation, Lynn was instrumental in bringing the Ventura Harbor Community Council as a sponsor to the "Jewels" film project. Further, it was Lynn's persuasive manner that also convinced the Ventura Chamber of Commerce to generously mail EISF's announcement flyer regarding the same film project to thousands of businesses in the city. Lynn's latest contribution to EISF is her interest and desire to obtain programming coverage with the Ventura's public access channel, CAPS. Lynn Mikelatos is a true ambassador for the Essential Image Source Foundation. She shares our vision, our passion and our mission and a great example of how much our business and community leaders make a difference with the foundation.

Jim Brye

The Essential Image Source Foundation’s film members come from a variety “walks of life.” Some are the traditional film crew members such as the cinematographers, editors and writers. Others are the scientific advisors, retired business persons, technical specialists and corporate sponsors. Yet another very critical and passionate group of members are the volunteers. This month, EISF’s Featured Film Member of the Month is one such volunteer, Jim Brye.

Promoting responsible use of the Channel Islands has long been on Jim Brye’s agenda. He served two three-year terms on the advisory council for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, which is a partner in the “Jewels of the Pacific: The Channel Islands” high definition docu-feature project. For Brye, the film project is an opportunity to encourage visitors to explore the Channel Islands. “People need to go use the islands because they’re so close, and they’re so beautiful,” he said. “The unique thing about this sanctuary is it’s very pristine and almost primitive in the way it’s been protected, but it’s adjacent to a 15 million person population area.”

Brye helped point Essential Image Source Foundation President and Founder Susan Sember and her film production team in the right direction—both figuratively and literally. He introduced Sember to people who could be valuable resources for the project, and he helped guide a team during a weeklong film shoot. Brye said he connected the Essential Image Source Foundation to people who could share their island expertise, their resources—such as boats—and funding. “I’ve opened a few doors for them, and they’ve just sort of done the rest,” he said.

In February, Brye joined the Essential Image Source Foundation Team to explore and document the five northern islands. “I was the self-appointed sherpa,” Brye said. He carried film gear, helped navigate the islands and suggested locations that might provide good images. Brye enjoyed the evenings when the team would savor dinner on the boat and watch footage from the day’s shoot on a high definition monitor. It included scenes of gray whales, coreopsis flowers, elephant seals and the Anacapa lighthouse. He believes the use of high definition technology will make the scenes from the islands more compelling. “This can capture the imagination of the public, which is sometimes pretty hard to do,” he said.

Brye’s imagination, however, was captured long ago. “As a boater, I think it’s kind of neat that in a couple of hours, I can be in a place that makes me not worry about gridlock,” Brye said. He worked with the marine sanctuary in order to maintain public access to the area, while still protecting the unique ecosystem. Over the past six years, Brye said he saw a subtle attitude shift in the sanctuary’s leadership away from the former hands-off mentality. “The main goal is still to protect these resources,” he said. “But they’ve also adopted the philosophy that it’s OK for people to responsibly use these resources.”

After 25 years in sales and marketing for semiconductor companies and running his own custodial business, J.L.M.—which he sold in January—Brye is ready to take to the sea. His immediate future is filled with adventure for him and the two women in his life: his wife, Mary, and his 42’ sailboat, Allegro. He has lived on the boat for seven years, and he doesn’t miss owning a lawnmower. “We found it very liberating,” he said.

Brye plans to sail Allegro along Mexico and Central America, and then he’ll “take a left at the Panama Canal.” He embodies a sense of adventure and an appreciation for nature’s playground that is shared by so many members of the film team. The couple scuba dives, kayaks and snorkels. “My wife and I are training to be fishermen,” Brye said. “Although right now we pretty much just entertain the fish.”

By Elizabeth Werhane