Volunteer Sign-Ups for CFF '26 are Open!

Plus: Don't miss our free short-form video workshop.

Marisa Guerrero, Alec Turnbull, and J. English Cook

Jul 28, 2026

Climate storytelling doesn’t always need a film crew or a big budget. Sometimes it just needs a phone, a good idea, and a little guidance. If you’ve got an idea you’ve been sitting on, this is your chance to make it! Next week, we’re hosting the second of three free workshops on shooting short-form video with just your phone (part of Carbon Copy, our climate creator pitch competition).

Plus: We’re looking for volunteers to help bring CFF ‘26 to life, and our brand-new digital magazine Cinecology is live with a behind-the-scenes look at our festival. Dive in below.

In this Newsletter:

🤳 Shoot It on Your Phone: A Climate Creator Production Workshop
🙋🏽‍♀️ Volunteer at CFF ’26
🎥 Go behind the scenes of climate cinema with Cinecology, CFF’s new digital magazine
🌱 Opportunities & Events

🤳 Shoot It on Your Phone: A Climate Creator Production Workshop

You’ve got the idea. Now let’s get it made!

On Tuesday, August 4 from 7-8pm, we’re offering a free virtual workshop—part of Carbon Copy 2026, a climate storytelling pitch competition built for the creator economy.

In this workshop, we’ll cover practical, low-cost ways to shoot and edit a strong, short narrative TikTok/Reel/Youtube Short using the tools you already have. We’ll break down phone setup, captions, pacing, and simple editing tools like CapCut so you can move from concept to finished submission without a crew or expensive gear.

Bring your questions, ideas and your work in progress. The goal is to leave ready to shoot!

Learn More & Reserve Your Spot!

PS: Carbon Copy: A Climate Creator Pitch Competition is back and better than ever for its second year!

Submit your pitch today! Up to five finalists will be invited to Climate Week NYC to pitch their work live before a panel of judges at the Climate Film Festival. Each finalist will present their completed video and their vision for expanding it into a larger project. The winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize and the opportunity to co-produce their project with DDW in the future.

Submissions of any genre are open until August 21. Click below to learn more and apply!

Apply to Carbon Copy

🙋🏽‍♀️ Volunteer with us this September!

Curious about where climate and culture collide? Volunteer with us at CFF ’26!

Whether you're a climate advocate looking to get into film, a cinephile who cares about the planet, or someone who wants hands-on experience in event production, there's a place for you to volunteer at our film festival. No experience required!

Open roles include ticket agents, house managers, sustainability support, accessibility leads, theater ushers, merch leads, filmmaker reception support, food & bev servers, and more. Volunteers get food, free tickets, and other perks throughout the fest.

Interested? Fill out our volunteer interest form here, or reach out to our volunteer operations coordinator at volunteer@climatefilmfest.com with any questions.

Learn More & Volunteer at CFF

🎥 Cinecology: CFF’s Digital Magazine

Dig deeper into all things climate film with Cinecology, CFF’s new digital magazine. Each month, we’re bringing you behind the scenes of climate cinema, starting with a July packed with incredible filmmaker insights and deep-dive reviews. Here’s a preview of what’s recently dropped on the site.

Climate Cuts: Exclusive filmmaker interviews with the directors behind our 2025 CFF festival picks! Dive into the creative processes and real-world impacts of films including: Qotzuñi: People of the Lake (2024), Beni Youth (2024), A Little Story About Forever (2025).

Stream & Screen: Fresh reviews on two powerful films tackling the realities of climate displacement: The Welcome Table (2026) and Families Like Ours (2025).

Click the link below to subscribe to Cinecology and read, listen, and explore the stories shaping our environmental future.

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