Adirondack Film Q&A Outreach Coordinator Insight (Noah Ramer)

Origins and Academic Background:

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1) Where were you born, and where do you currently call home?

I was born in Ottawa, Canada, but I now reside in Oswego, NY.

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2) Did you go to college? What major did you pursue?

I graduated from SUNY Oswego with my Bachelor’s Degree in Cinema & Screen Studies. Go

Lakers!

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As Adirondack Film's Outreach Coordinator:

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3) Please tell us: what does an Outreach Coordinator do?

As Outreach Coordinator, my primary role is to develop and promote Adirondack Film’s Student

Initiatives - those specifically aimed at college professors and their undergraduate students.

These focus on three initiatives: 1) Educational seminars and workshops offered at the Festival

by leading filmmakers and industry professionals, 2) The “Your Shorts are Showing” Student

category and 3) the inaugural Lake Placid Film Festival Student Summit).

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4) Can you elaborate on the three initiatives?

I would love to!

Adirondack Film has always been committed to using their funding and resources to be an

educational haven for film professionals. As such, the Lake Placid Film Festival (Adirondack

Film’s flagship event), is packed with informative workshops and seminars for filmmakers to

grow their craft. Our educational events include everything from learning the latest film

techniques, to utilizing local resources and grants for funding, to how to pitch one’s project to the

big streaming companies like Netflix. Learning opportunities like these are the backbone of

Adirondack Film’s mission and are an essential element of our Educational Initiatives.

The Student category in our annual LPFF “Your Shorts Are Showing” allows young filmmakers

to submit their short films at a highly discounted rate. Once at the festival, these students will

then be able to network with a host of other acclaimed filmmakers, learn from industry leaders,

and potentially see their short on the big screen! It’s a great opportunity for students to have

their work seen outside the classroom and forge a host of new connections in the industry.

Finally, The Lake Placid Film Festival Student Summit is a scholarship program awarded to

select 8-12 undergraduate and recent college graduates to experience a film festival firsthand.

Students will build on their formal classroom training through exposure to a breadth of

workshops and seminars, as well as exclusive screenings of new international and independent

films. This program is the ideal opportunity to network with like-minded students and industry

professionals from around the country.

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5) As Outreach Director, what will you bring to the table at Adirondack Film?

I was the former director of the SUNYWide Film Festival, which celebrates student filmmaking

from across New York State’s public university system. As such, I have built a rapport with a

host of students and professors from across the state who will be thrilled to learn more about

Adirondack Film’s student focused programs. I am also an incredibly motivated individual who is

dedicated to helping filmmakers of all ages continue to succeed in the industry, so I fit right in

with the Adirondack Film’s committed and passionate team.

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6) What do you hope the Student Initiatives will do for aspiring filmmakers in our area and

beyond?

The overall goal of Adirondack Film’s Student Initiatives is to allow interested and passionate

students the ability to network with industry experts and learn from the leaders in the field. I

hope that this program/initiative helps cultivate the next generation of filmmakers and further

develop the filmmaking presence in the Adirondacks and Upstate New York in general.

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7) How do you like working for Adirondack Film so far?

I absolutely love working for Adirondack Film so far! It is so incredibly rare to be a part of an

organization where every individual is immensely passionate about their work. Everyone at

Adirondack Film goes above and beyond in all areas to ensure that the cinema arts are

celebrated and represented in the region, and I am honored to join their efforts.

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Personal Favorites:

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8) What is your favorite film, and why?

My all time favorite film would have to be Paul Thomas Anderson’s 50s set costume drama

Phantom Thread. The character dynamics and conflicts are so thematically rich that the film

unlocks new meanings based on the viewer’s current emotional state: It can be hilarious and

witty, depressing and tragic, or sensual and beautiful. Phantom Thread is the cinematic

equivalent of a mood ring.

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9) Who is your favorite film director?

My favorite film director would have to be Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Can You

Ever Forgive Me?, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood). Heller has an impeccable ability to

create complex and nuanced portrayals of protagonists who would be considered one-note in

other hands. I also love Chloe Zhao (Nomadland), Alfred Hitchcock (Rope), and Paul Thomas

Anderson (There Will Be Blood).

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10) Favorite actor and actress?

While this changes constantly, my current favorite actor is Ryan Gosling (The Nice Guys, Blade

Runner 2049, Crazy Stupid Love) and my favorite actress is Saoirse Ronan (Little Women,

Brooklyn, Lady Bird). Both have such a strong grasp on the wide spectrum of human emotion

and bring that complexity to each of their roles.

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11) Favorite musical artist/band?

My favorite musical artist at the moment is Leonard Cohen. Each of his songs are lyrical poems

that are hauntingly beautiful. As for bands, I was recently introduced to the work of The Strokes

by my girlfriend, and I love the energy they bring to each of their songs.

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12) Favorite TV show?

My favorite would have to be Parks and Recreation because I never ceased to be entertained

and amused with their well-intentioned antics no matter how many times I’ve rewatched the

show.

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13) Who is your most profound creative inspiration, and why?

My most profound creative inspiration would have to be my family and girlfriend. They are all

immensely talented artists and writers who have encouraged and motivated me to find my own

creative voice and develop my passion for cinema. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them,

everything I do is for and because of Melina, Richard, Ben, and Jenny.

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14) What is your preferred way to unwind after a long day at work?

After a long day, I love to get in the kitchen and try a new recipe before sitting down to watch an

episode of cooking reality television (i.e. Masterchef, Hell’s Kitchen, Top Chef).

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15) What advice would you give to aspiring creative professionals who are about to enter the

workforce?

My biggest piece of advice to newly graduated creative professionals is to use your personal

contacts as much as possible. While it might not seem like it at first, your classmates in high

school and college are your professional peers as well and can help you open new doors

careerwise. For instance, I wouldn’t be in my current position with Adirondack Film if I hadn’t

stayed in contact with my film professor & mentor, Amy Shore, and former SUNY Oswego &

LPFF alum, Derrick Benton (Wasted Talent).

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