Vinit Parmar
Associate Professor
Film
Location: 227 West End Building
Phone: 718.951.5000 x2613
Fax: 718.951.4733
Email:
The documentary medium is used to explore how development and technology impact the environment and society within the Asian / Asian American context. This pursuit is illustrated with directorial film-work like Black Waters, Quest for Light, Tanneries in Tangra and Only One Child: The Fang-Sha Story.
Education:
J.D., New York Law School - 1994 (Law, General / Legal Studies)
Areas of Expertise:
Professional audio mixing and location sound recording have continued for more than 13 years for feature films, short films, broadcast television, news and Web-distributed works. A seven-year legal practice of civil rights, immigration, entertainment and copyright law have informed both the development of scholarship and teaching at Brooklyn College.
Books and Publications
DeSantis, Chris and Vinit Parma. Clocks of New York: An Illustrated History. McFarland & Company. (Books and Publications: Book) 2006
Creative Work
Beyond The Grid (documentary) as an ethnographic exploration of an off-grid Sundarban island village in India transforming to use renewable energy. Distribution: Still submitting to festivals this year: - Ekotorp Film Festival, Slovakia, 2016
2017
Mosaik (in production) A documentary on the engaged lives of patients with dementia. Leonard & Claire Tow Research & Travel Award. 2017
Twice a Refugee (documentary) about a Palestine refugee fleeing his home in Syria to settle in Berlin, Germany, amidst immigration protests by alt-right German groups. Status: Submitting to festivals toward distribution this year.
- Honorable Mention, Award Asia South East-Short Film Festival, Vietnam, Winter 2017
- Semi-Finalist, Near Nazareth Film Festival, Israel, December 2017
- Official Selection, Fort Worth Indie Film Showcase, July 2018 2017
We Stay Here (In production) a documentary on the refugee crisis in Germany. 2017
Beyond the Grid (in distribution at film festivals, 29minutes, documentary) is a lyrical ethnographic illustration of the lives of off-grid islanders undergoing an energy transformation from candles and kerosene to renewable technology to sustainably develop. 2015
Living River, 58-minute documentary film, distributed by iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/living-river/id1079184964 2015
Quest for Energy, 10-minute documentary film had theatrical screenings at the following: MSD Biscayne Nature Center, Key Biscayne, Fla., April 19; Connecticut Sierra Club, West Hartford, Conn., April 19; Environmental Learning Center, Vero Beach, Fla., April 21; Hawaii Islands Land Trust, Waimea, Hawaii, April 6-7; Western North Carolina Alliance, Asheville and Boone, N.C., April 4 and 25; Triangle Bikeworks, Chapel Hill, N.C., April 25; The Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire, Portsmouth, N.H., April 26; Finger Lakes Institute, Geneva, N.Y., April 5; Welthaus Theater, Bielefeld, Germany, June 6; STS Sustainability Series, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Fall Film Series, Troy, N.Y., Nov. 11. 2013
Quest for Energy, 10-minute documentary film, had theatrical screenings at the following: Friends of Mat, Palmer, Ark., April 25-26; Friends of San Pedro River, Sierra Vista & Bisbee, Ariz., April 13-14; John Muir Center, Stockton, Calif., April 11; Tahoe Truckee Earth Day, Incline Village and Squaw Valley, Calif., April 18-19; Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, Calif., April 25; Esri, Redlands, Calif., April 25; Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colo., April 26; Western Colorado Congress, Grand Junction, Colo., April 26. 2013
Quest for Energy, 10-minute documentary film: television broadcast on United Nations TV (Time Warner Cable Channel 150), broadcasting on a pre-produced loop before live events of United Nations World Headquarters' live events, UN Webtv (http://webtv.un.org), Streamworks International (http://www.streamworksint.com), November. 2013
On-camera host, Sunset Cinema Series of eight Asian films, screened for general public in Chinatown. Sponsored by Asian American / Asian Research Institute, CUNY. 2013
Professional audio engineering for H.O.M.E., a feature film shot in series form. (work-in-progress). Daniel Maldonado, director; Daniel Maldonado and Ingrid Matias, producers; Gashouse Films, LLC., production company. 2013
Living River, 58-minute documentary film, had theatrical screenings at the following: Panorama Cafe, Queens, N.Y., April 22; Meet the Filmmaker Series, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, New York, Feb. 27; Welthaus Theater, Bielefeld, Germany, June 30; Cinema Arts Center, Huntington, N.Y., July 29. 2012
Quest for Energy, 10-minute documentary film, screened at the following film festivals: Earth Port Film Festival, Newbury Port, Maine, April 21; Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts, Broadcast Education Association's Convention, Las Vegas, April 7-10; Canada Film Festival, Vancouver, British Columbia, April 5-6; Buffalo Niagara Film Festival, New York, April 10-14; DV Film Fest, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J., Feb. 15-17; Wild & Scenic Film Fest, Nevada City, Calif., January, and national tour, March 29 - May 19; Beloit International Film Festival, Beloit, Wisc., Feb. 14-17; Literati Film Festival at Anthology Film Archives, New York, Dec. 15; Crown Heights Film Festival, Brooklyn, N.Y., Oct. 30 - Nov. 10; Greater Reading Film Festival, Reading, Pa., Oct. 25-28. 2012
Quest for Energy, 10-minute documentary film, screened at the following film festivals: San Pedro Film Festival, Los Angeles, Oct. 12-14; Portland, Maine, Film Festival, Oct. 4-7; Laughlin International Film Festival, Bullhead City, Ariz., Oct. 11-14; OneCloudFest (international online film festival, http://onecloudfest.com/), Sept. 22 - Oct. 30; REEL Independent Film Extravaganza at West End Cinemas, Washington, D.C., Oct. 12-18; Healdsburg International Short Film Festival, Raven Film Center, Sebastopol, Calif., Sept. 21-23; Scinema Film Festival, Canberra, Australia, Aug. 13-21; Twin River Film Fest, Ashville, N.C., May 18-20, June 1 and 8; Da Vinci Film Festival, Corvallis, Oregon, July 19-21. 2012
On-camera host, Sunset Cinema Series of eight Asian films, screened for general public in Chinatown. Sponsored by Asian American / Asian Research Institute, CUNY. 2012
Professional audio engineering for Cheerios. Tanya Jones, producer; Lawrence Alitiwski, director; Meredith Video Studios, production company. Distributor: The Better Show National syndicated lifetime show. 2012
Professional audio engineering for K-Mart: Madres y Comadres: Holidays. Nikki Knowles, producer; Alberto Ferreras, director; Meredith Video Studios, production company. Distributor: K-Mart (Custom Youtube site), www.youtube.com/madresycamadres. 2012
Professional audio engineering for Pampers Latino Project. Alberto Ferraras, director; Kadine Anckle, producer; Meredith Video Studios, production company. Distributor: Pampers (Web series for their site). 2012
Professional audio engineering for Proctor and Gamble: Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. Tanya Jones, producer/director; Meredith Video Studios, production company. Distributor: The Better Show. 2012
Quest for Energy, 10-minute documentary film, distributed by SnagFilms, LLC: http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/quest_for_energy 2012
On-camera host, Sunset Cinema Series of eight Asian films, screened for general public in Chinatown. Sponsored by Asian American / Asian Research Institute, CUNY. 2011
Professional audio engineering for Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate: Home First Home. Tara Daudani, Nikki Knowles and Tanya Jones, producers; John Houghton, director/DP. Distributor: The Better Show and BH&G/RE website. 2011
Professional audio engineering for K-Mart: Madres y Comadres: Back to School -- Real Moms. Alberto Ferreras, director; Nikki Knowles, producer; Meredith Video Studios, production company. Distributor: K-Mart (Custom Youtube site), www.youtube.com/madresycamadres. 2011
Professional audio engineering for Lowes: Home 101 (series of DIY webisodes). Jeremy Fader, producer/director; Meredith Video Studios, production company. Distributor: Lowes Facebook page. 2011
Professional audio engineering for PRN: Beauty Beat. Seth Feldman, director; Nikki Knowles, producer, Meredith Video Studios, production company. Distributor: PRN website. 2011
Professional audio engineering for Sherman-Williams Commercial. Tanya Jones, director; Nikki Knowles, producer. Distributed by HGTV. 2011
Professional audio engineering for Walmart: Better for Less. Kadin Anckle, director; Nikki Knowles, producer; MVS, production company. Distributed by The Better Show, Segments entitled Walmart Wednesday and Walmart Weekend. 2011
Professional audio engineering for You Can Thrive commercial. Ronnie Litwack, director and mixer; Luane DeAngelis Halpern, producer. 2011
On-camera host, Sunset Cinema Series of eight Asian films, screened for general public in Chinatown. Sponsored by Asian American / Asian Research Institute, CUNY. 2010
Professional audio engineering for Mary Kay: Make Overs. Tanya Jones, director; Jeremy Fader, producer; MVS, production company. Distributed by Mary Kay website. 2010
Professional audio engineering for SAKS Fifth Avenue Industrials. Deanne Phifer, producer. Episode: Summer 2010. Distribution on national television. 2010
Professional audio engineering for You Can Thrive commercial. Ronnie Litwack, director; Claire Missaneli, producer. Distributed on www.youcanthrive.org. 2010
"Parents-TV." Professional audio recording for aired show First Candle. 2009
"Saks-Fifth Avenue." Professional audio recording for an industrial commercial (monthly series). 2009
"Taxi Wallah." Professional audio recording for Sundance-sponsored film. 2009
On-camera host, Sunset Cinema Series of Eight Asian Films, screened for general public in Chinatown. 2009
On-camera host, Sunset Cinema Series of eight Asian films, screened for general public in Chinatown. Sponsored by Asian American / Asian Research Institute, CUNY. 2009
Black Waters, a 60-minute documentary. Invited presentations to show partial work at International Conference on Energy, Environment and Disasters 2005 and International Congress on Chemistry and Environment 2005. Juried screenings also include: Sacramento International Film Festival 2008 (Outstanding Environmental Vision), Cleveland International Film Festival 2008, da Vinci Film Festival 2008, Ranier Independent Film Festival 2008, and EarthVision International Film Festival 2008 (Katherine Knight Award for Excellence in Documentary on Pollution), and 5th International Green Festival in Seoul, South Korea 2008. Currently re-shooting for further post-production. 2008
On-camera host, Sunset Cinema Series of Eight Asian Films, screened in Chinatown. 2008
On-camera host, Twilight Cinema Series of Four Asian Films for public screening. 2007
Tanneries of Tangra 15-minute documentary, DVCAM. Presented at a two-day conference at a collaborative CUNY-New School symposium on the Chinese in India. 2006
Five Minutes With Anne. Finalist, juried event at United States Super 8mm & Video Film Festival. Rutgers University. New Brunswick N.J. 2005
Health and Environment in Tannery and Textile Industries 20-minute documentary. Invited presentation at international conference, Chennai, India. 2004
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
CUNY Fine and Performing Arts Course Design Award ($2,500) (Awards and Honors) 2017
PSC-CUNY Research Award for Performing Arts Production on "We Stay Here", a documentary on the refugee crisis in Germany ($6,000). (Grants and Fellowships) 2016
PSC-CUNY Cycle 45 Research Grant, for continued production on Only One Child documentary, filmed in China. $6,000. (Grants and Fellowships) 2014
Quest for Energy, 10-minute documentary film, won the following: Award of Excellence, Canada Film Festival, Vancouver, British Columbia, April 5-6; Award of Excellence, Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts, Broadcast Education Association's Convention, Las Vegas, April 7-10; Best Short Documentary nomination, Beloit International Film Festival, Beloit, Wisc. Feb. 14-17; selection of film in National Tour, Wild & Scenic Film Festival (venues included in theatrical screenings section). (Awards and Honors) 2013
PSC-CUNY Cycle 44, Research Award. $3,500. (Grants and Fellowships) 2013
Living River, 58 minute documentary film, won the following: Diamond Level Award in Documentary Category, California Film Awards; Gold Level Award in Documentary Category, Oregon Film Awards; Award for 2nd Place in Best Water Documentary Category, Montana CINE International Film Festival; Honorable Mention Award, Los Angeles New Wave International Film Festival; Best Environmental Film, Chashama Film Festival, New York Golden Palm Award, Mexico Film Festival. (Awards and Honors) 2012
Quest for Energy, 10-minute documentary film, won the following: Prestige Film Award, Gold Level, California; Best Short Documentary Award, OneCloudFest (international online film festival, http://onecloudfest.com/); Best Eco Documentary, San Pedro Film Festival, Los Angeles, Oct. 12-14. (Awards and Honors) 2012
PSC-CUNY Research Grant, to commence principal cinematography on a story discovered through a Fulbright-Hayes Research Fellowship in China in 2006. $3,000. (Grants and Fellowships) 2010
Leonard and Claire Tow Travel Grant, for transportation to India to document the use of renewable energy technology and ancient Indian traditional conservation methods by villagers living off the electrical grid in the Sundarbans region of India for the documentary film Light Quest. $2,200. (Grants and Fellowships) 2008
PSC-CUNY Research Grant, for film production costs to document the use of renewable energy technology and ancient Indian traditional conservation methods by villagers living off the electrical grid in the Sundarbans region of India for the documentary film Light Quest. $6,000. (Grants and Fellowships) 2008
CUNY Collaborative Incentive Grant, to support research and the production of a trailer for a video documentary of the Southern Silk Road, connecting China to India through Burma and Bangladesh. $40,000. (Grants and Fellowships) 2007
New Faculty Fund, to support travel and production on Only One Child: Fang Sha's Story. $1,200. (Grants and Fellowships) 2007
New Faculty Fund, to support travel costs associated with production of a trailer on a documentary story about the coming of age of a Chinese teenager living under the one-child policy. $1,100. (Grants and Fellowships) 2007
PSC-CUNY Research Grant Award, to support documentary work on Light Quest, a story about renewable energy used by rural Indian villagers with no access to electricity and how Americans can learn from their experience and their use of traditional natural resource conservation methods. $5,018. (Grants and Fellowships) 2007
Fulbright-Hayes Group, for project in China: Women, Family and Social Change. (Grants and Fellowships) 2006
Stewart Fellowship Award, for work on Only One Child: Fang Sha's Story. $300. (Grants and Fellowships) 2006
PSC-CUNY Research Grant Award, to support documentary work on Black Waters. $4,040. (Grants and Fellowships) 2005
Research Activities
The Chinese in India, currently a 15-minute documentary intended to be developed further based on collection of data in Kolkata, India. 2007
The Southern Silk Road, a documentary series on the ancient road transforming into an international highway. This will examine the Kunming Initiative of 1999, and the diplomatic and political developments from the cooperation of Bangladesh, India, China and Myanmar, to forage a modern commerical path along the ancient path. 2007
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
Moderator, Session III: Moving Forward: Organizing and Mobilizing Around Differences and Similarities, Coalition Building & Coalescing a Pan-Asian/Pacific/American Identity, May 23, 2017, Sponsored by Asian American Asian Research Institute (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2017
Audio for Film: Sound and Story Conference. Co-sponsored with New York Women in Film & Television. Phantom Studios. New York, Oct. 23. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2012
Moderator, The Public Interest: Reporting From the Arab's Spring Front -- A Conversation With May Ying Welsh Panel. Asian American International Film Festival 2011. Museum of Chinese in America. Aug. 14. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2011
"Financing for Educational, Informational and Documentary Films." NYC Film Financing and Film Producing Conference. http://iffpc.com. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2010
"Impact of Digital Revolution in Production and Distribution." NYC Film Financing and Film Producing Conference. http://iffpc.com. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2010
"Global Media: Impact of Environmental Documentation." Wolfe Institute, Brooklyn College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2009
Presented work-in-progress film footage of research on Ancient Southern Silk Road documentary, made possible by the CUNY Collaborative Research Grant, 2007-08. International Workshop on Southern Silk Route: Historical Links and Contemporary Convergences, sponsored by the Ford Foundation. Kolkata, India. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2008
Professional Leadership
Deputy-Chair, Film Department, Brooklyn College (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2017
Judge, 12th CUNY Asian American Film Festival, AAARI (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2017
Judge, Asian / Asian American Research Institute's sponsored Dr. Thomas Tam Visiting Professorship in Asian-American Studies. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2017
Middle States Working Group 5 (Monitoring Report, Assessment Template, Research Questions) (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2017
Reviewer, Performing Arts Panel, Cycle 48, University Committee on Research Awards. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2017
Vice-Chair, Executive Board, Asian / Asian American Research Institute to serve a three-year term (since 2014). (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2017
Judge, Asian / Asian American Research Institute's sponsored Dr. Thomas Tam Visiting Professorship in Asian-American Studies. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2016
Representative, Outcomes Assessment, Visual & Performing & Media Arts School (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2016
Reviewer, Performing Arts Panel, Cycle 47, University Committee on Research Awards. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2016
Acting Chair, Film Department, Brooklyn College (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2015
Judge, Asian / Asian American Research Institute's sponsored Dr. Thomas Tam Visiting Professorship in Asian-American Studies. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2015
Reviewer, Performing Arts Panel, Cycle 46, University Committee on Research Awards. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2015
Assisted new chair of the Barry R. Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema in research and creation of programs in visual effects, graduate admissions, staff and administration functions and duties, and the assembly of the M.F.A. and M.A. application packet. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2014
Chair, 11th Annual CUNY-Wide Asian Film Festival, Asian American / Asian Research Institute. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2014
Judge, Asian / Asian American Research Institute's sponsored Dr. Thomas Tam Visiting Professorship in Asian-American Studies. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2014
Reviewer, Performing Arts Panel, Cycle 45, University Committee on Research Awards. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2014
Board member, Asian American / Asian Research Institute, University Committee. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2013
Chair, 10th Annual CUNY-Wide Asian Film Festival, Asian American / Asian Research Institute. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2013
CUNY College Now liaison for video production through the Film Department. Produced six films every year from two courses made by high school students. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2013
Judge, Asian / Asian American Research Institute's sponsored Dr. Thomas Tam Visiting Professorship in Asian-American Studies. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2013
Juror, Short Film Category, 35th Asian American International Film Festival, New York. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2013
Member, Department Production Committee, to assist in designing curriculum for the Graduate School of Cinema at Steiner Studios, Brooklyn College. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Member, Search Committee for CLT Position, Film Department. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Member, Special Interest Group on Asian Studies, Brooklyn College. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Reviewer, Performing Arts Panel, Cycle 44, University Committee on Research Awards. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Board member, Asian American / Asian Research Institute, University Committee. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2012
Chair, 9th Annual CUNY-Wide Asian Film Festival, Asian American / Asian Research Institute. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2012
CUNY College Now coordinator for video production through the Film Department. Produced six films every year from two courses made by high school students. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2012
Member, Search Committee for CLT Position, Film Department. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2012
Member, Special Interest Group on Asian Studies, Brooklyn College. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2012
Reviewer, Performing Arts Panel, Cycle 43, University Committee on Research Awards. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2012
Board member, Asian American / Asian Research Institute, University Committee. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2011
Chair, 8th Annual CUNY-Wide Asian Film Festival, Asian American / Asian Research Institute. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2011
CUNY College Now coordinator for video production through the Film Department. Produced six films every year from two courses made by high school students. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2011
Member, Special Interest Group on Asian Studies, Brooklyn College. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2011
Reviewer, Performing Arts Panel, Cycle 42, University Committee on Research Awards. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2011
Board member, Asian American and Asian Research Institute. Revised and updated all bylaws. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2010
College Now Coordination for spring course Video Production, in which high school students produced one DVD of final short films. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2010
College Now Coordination for fall course Video Production, in which high school students produced one DVD of final short films. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2009
Member, PSC-CUNY Review Panel, Performing Arts Production. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2009
College Now Coordination for Fall course Video Production, in which high school students produced one DVD of final short films. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2008
PSC-CUNY Review Panel, Performing Arts Production. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2008
College Now Coordination for fall course Video Production, in which high school students produced one DVD of final short films. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2007
PSC-CUNY Review Panel, Performing Arts Production. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2007
Member, PSC-CUNY Review Panel, Performing Arts Production. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2006
Member, PSC-CUNY Review Panel, Performing Arts Production. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2005
Member, PSC-CUNY Review Panel, Performing Arts Production. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2004
Pedagogical Achievements
Participant, New York University's Faculty Network Seminar, Environment Panel: Water and Sustainability. 2010
Community Activities
Juror, 2nd Annual Chashahama Film Festival, New York. 2009
Juror, Documentary Category, 10th Annual International Brooklyn Film Festival, New York. 2008
