Anne Jo Lee Harvard at Ft. Jefferson shooting with Canon 5D MK II, Photo by Seaplane Pilot.
Anne Jo Lee Harvard fell in love with photography at the age of 12, where she developed her first roll of film in Aspen, Colorado, in a teacher’s closet darkroom. Throughout high school, she was determined to develop her craft and had her first nationally published photograph at age 16, through a job with the Susan G. Koman Foundation. She worked for a wedding photographer, learning on Hasselblad medium format, film cameras, as a portrait photographer, making prints of classmates and selling them for more paper and film. Anne sold her first fine art print of a landscape, at age 17. Soon after graduating High school Anne Jo Lee went to Maine Media College to further her studies in Film and fine art photography, she attended several workshops and was introduced to motion pictures, where she had a small part, as a stunt double, in her first experience in short film.
Anne Jo Lee continued working as a portrait photographer and also worked in film labs and boutique camera stores in Dallas, TX. She later attended Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, where she studied Hospitality Management and received a two-year certificate majoring in Meeting and Convention Planning. It was in Corpus Christi, that a friend has told her about Full Sail. Upon arrival at Full Sail with her friend who was interested in the Recording Arts program, Anne Jo Lee attended the Behind the Scenes tour. On that tour, she became enamored with the Film program and decided this would be an opportunity to quickly get an Associates Degree in film and television production which could propel her forward. While attending Full Sail, the Bachelor’s Degree became available and between her associates and completer courses to get her Bachelor of Science degree, Ms. Harvard was selected for an internship at the Cannes Film Festival, where she worked in the American Pavilion, it was her first film festival experience.
Upon Graduation, she began a Documentary, Guardian of the Gulf, as a short film, to highlight her talents and successfully shot and edited a 6-minute short film with the help of her peers and course directors, to show to potential clients her newly obtained production skills. Armed with her own HD Broadcast XDCAM camera package and a demo reel of commercials, music videos, and two feature films, AJL moved to NYC in 2007. Within two weeks of her job search in NYC, she was hired on as an assistant to her first choice of production companies, Air Sea Land Productions. Anne Jo Lee worked on camera and Jib assistant and became a member of Women in Film and Television in NYC TV Networks including the CW, ABC, the Discovery Channel, and MTV. As a producer, she worked on several music videos, a feature-length, independent action film, various commercials and as a promotions producer for the nationally syndicated, morning news show, The Daily Buzz. Guardian Of the Gulf; The Dry Tortugas, is Ms. Harvard’s directorial debut. Her passion for the subject matter shines through the pristine HD imagery. The Documentary tells the story of a location that is dear to her heart. She combines her favorite activities of travel, freediving, storytelling, and cinematography to raise awareness about what truly means most to her, the United States, for the people by the people and the coral reefs and our Nation’s Public Lands, that desperately need protection.
We had an awesome opportunity to interview Anne Jo Lee. She shared news on her documentary, Guardian of The Gulf: The Dry Tortugas. Check out the interview below.
Hi, Anne! Thank you for granting the interview. We’re excited to speak with you about your documentary, Guardian of The Gulf: The Dry Tortugas. Tell us more.
HI, THANK YOU for asking about this!
Guardian of the Gulf: the Dry Tortugas, is educational eye candy; this Documentary unveils a hidden gem that’s played an integral role in America’s past, and if studied closely, could benefit the world’s future; the Dry Tortugas National Park.
During summer break in 2006, while attending Full Sail University, I researched places in Florida to camp on the beach and the Dry Tortugas National Park came up in Google. Dry Tortugas is one of the few places you can camp on the beach in Florida. The more I researched and planned our visit, the more my fascination grew. To reach the island chain, we (my boyfriend at the time and I) first, would have to drive to Key West and then board a ferry and then take a 2 1/2 hour trip out to sea where we would be dropped off. A trip to the Florida Keys and camping on a deserted island was exactly what I needed to relax from a hectic full schedule at film school because the program offers a Bachelor’s degree in just 2 years, I often was at school or working on school projects up to 60 hours a week.
The Dry Tortugas National Park is located out in the middle of the ocean, making it the least visited National Parks in the lower 48. The group of islands is nearly 70 miles west of Key West, Florida and 90 Miles North of Cuba. Dry Tortugas is special for many reasons, including the National Monument that takes up most of the 16 acres of the larger island, Garden Key, the mysterious and magnificent Fort Jefferson. This is the 2nd largest masonry structure in the world, comprised of 16 million bricks and built by Congress after the war of 1812 to successfully protect America’s main waterway. The massive fortress is surrounded by picturesque blue waters, superlative protected coral reefs of a marine sanctuary and an array of marine life also is a nesting ground for a plethora of bird life that frequent the area in the spring. This incredibly remote destination is only accessible by ferry from Key West, private charter, or seaplane.
Upon our arrival to the Dry Tortugas and Ft. Jefferson, I immediately felt at home and in my element. That same feeling you get when you ’re a kid at your favorite playground! The snorkeling was the best I had ever experienced and I am a water baby! There was so much to learn about the History of the Fort and the species that thrived in this habitat, I just simply could not get enough and knew right away that this story must be told! When we returned the following week (and every day since then), the mission of telling this story has been my most prevailing thought. At first, it began as a short film, I had raised the money and bought an XDCAM PDW f 350 camera package and the following year, July 4th, 2007, I began filming with two of my classmates from Full Sail, Blake Stiegerwald, and Johnny Perkins. Johnny was a Purple Heart Recipient and the 1st Executive producer who invested the 1t $3,500 to get us all to the Tortugas in 2007 for an 8 day and 7-night shoot. If you can imagine the Florida Keys in July, the heat is absolutely intense and there’s only primitive camping, no showers, no running water so we had an experience that gave us an idea of what it must have been like for the guys working out there in the 1800s who were building the fort. Ft. Jefferson was under construction for 40 years and never fully completed because it was obsolete when they invented rifling and the new cannon could have destroyed it. At the time it was built, after the war of 1812, through to the Civil War, it served its purpose and was a formidable obstruction to the main access point to the Gulf of Mexico and back then, there were no planes, trains or automobiles, only ships!
The short film, we used to in order to land more jobs and advance our careers and every time I’d make any substantial amount of money, I’d go back to the Dry Tortugas and continue filming. Taken a total of 13 trips and the last one is coming up, in April to get an update on the marine sanctuary and the recent damage from a hurricane last year. Every time I’d come close to finishing an edit, I’d realize that there was something missing. Right now, it’s the update about the progress of the Marine Sanctuary and the research natural area that was put in place in 2007. Much of the National Parks’ infrastructure is outdated and these special places are such an incredible asset and iconic to America as well as critical habitats for endangered species, which is why it’s a great idea to raise the public’s awareness of this in hopes that we can #FixourParks !
The film, Guardian of the Gulf: The Dry Tortugas, is the incredible history of the Dry Tortugas National Park, from when it was first discovered in 1513 by Ponce DeLeon, to its current status of a beautiful Fortress surrounded by a marine sanctuary with incredible snorkeling. The story is narrated by the individuals who work at and who are visiting the location as if the viewer is going on a tour through the park. This is essentially how the Director came upon the information and wanted to share it in a similar manner to the viewer.
This Documentary shows the natural beauty, the wildlife, and the rich history in broadcast quality, High Definition and through black and white photos and a 16mm film, shot by the Navy in the 1940s, provided by the NPS. Fort Jefferson, built in 1846, has sustained damages, even though a preservation effort has been ongoing, the most recent Hurricane in 2017 destroyed 60 feet of the main moat, that protects and surrounds the Fortress.
Ft. Jefferson and the Tortugas has played a major role in History since it’s discovery, home to native Americans, pirates, and wreckers who would deliberately give misinformation to captains, who were unfamiliar with the local area, in order to recover their losses, used as a prison during the Civil War and a Union Fort in the South, along with Ft. Zachary Taylor in Key West, successfully blockaded the South from over 130 shipments from overseas allies. The most famous prisoner being Dr. Mudd, who was implicated in the assassination of President Lincoln, was held at Ft. Jefferson with the 3 other “conspirators” who weren’t hung, he managed to miraculously save many prisoner’s and soldier’s lives after an outbreak of yellow fever killed the medical staff.
Ft. Jefferson was also used during the Spanish American War and the last Port of the USS Maine before it Exploded in Havana, Cuba, as a quarantine and a coaling dock during WW1 and a place for Seaplanes to Land in WWII. Now, it is a vital location of protected marine life and a sanctuary that is off limits to commercial fishing as of 2007.
The Characters of this film, are the tour guides and the people met along the way, who all speak about the beautiful water and importance of preserving the history. There are four published authors Interviewed, who are experts and have written about the location. Other characters include the original kayak tour guide who began taking tours out there by kayak before the tour boats ever went, a seaplane captain, tourists visiting with diverse ages and backgrounds, a marine biologist, and the great-grandchildren of Dr. Mudd at his home in Maryland (who are still fighting to have Dr. Samuel Mudd pardoned in court, to this day!) .
The goal is to capture the imagination of the viewer to what it must be like to visit, at any era and show them exactly why we absolutely MUST preserve our Nation’s History, by maintaining our National Monuments and National Parks. This place and all the Public Lands are America’s best assets and belong to the People of these United States. There is a Management Plan in Place by NOAA and other organizations to better help people interact with this location to keep both the people and the nature safe so that it will be available to the many future generations to enjoy. It is up to all of us, not just the government, to care for and encourage best practices to preserve these special places.
How is Guardian of The Gulf: The Dry Tortugas different from other documentaries?
The Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson have yet to be explored as done in this Documentary. Due to its remote location and difficulty to reach, filming has been intermittent and taken a longer course than most films on average. This gives the viewer a full picture of the diverse seasons and the evolution of the habitat. The Film discusses topics to learn about when you visit the Park, including nature and ecosystem, and the in-depth history. The history includes segments about pirates who used the location, the decision of Congress to fortify the location, the importance of a military presence, and an important role in the Civil War. The Fort remained in Union hands (along with Ft. Zachary Taylor) to prevent overseas shipments from foreign Confederate allies. It was used as a Prison for Union deserters and President Lincoln Conspirators, including Dr. Mudd. A portion of the film was shot in Maryland at Dr. Mudds Historical home. Dr. Mudd was Ft. Jefferson’s most famous prisoner.
The film explores the sensitive challenge of Cuban political refugees trying to reach America, through rare footage of three Cuban groups who landed via chug or fast boat at the Park during the film production, when the Wet Foot Dry Foot Policy was still in place. The HD underwater footage is of a quality that you can rarely find, intended to raise awareness about reef protection and preservation of our oceans, where the Park and other entities are leading the world with conservation efforts. The areas that are protected from commercial fishing are studied by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (“NOAA”), universities, and many other environmental groups. An essential part of the Dry Tortugas is it serves as a nesting ground for rare species of migrating birds.
The Film is shot as the Director, Anne Jo Lee Discovered it, in a style as close to cinéma vérité as it is possible with only the people she met along the way used to narrate the film. This is intended to share a similar experience to actually visiting the location.
How did you choose the material to use for a film?
Much of the film is based on an oral history and then later further researched in a patchwork quilt sort of fashioning of the media throughout the ages. This is why it’s so important for this documentary to be completed, if not, much of this history could very well be lost. There is no longer a tour guide or an interpreter provided by the Park Service. The film is cut from over 33 hours of footage and a rare 16mm Blimp Flyover shot by the Navy in the 1940’s when much of the Officer’s Quarters and soldier’s barracks were still there in the center of the Fort. The Park Service later removed this as it was deemed a hazard to visitors. The material used is what best represents the History in a nutshell and shows the importance of the locations preservation.
What do you hope to accomplish with the documentary?
The mission of this film is to reach a diverse audience through the beauty and history of the Park, then reveal the importance of preserving such locations for the health of the planet and to pass on the Historical significance of this place. This Documentary Series promotes education, conservation, and recreation through revealing the beauty and importance of one of the least visited National Parks in America. A small fraction of the population will see the Dry Tortugas National Park, through this film a much wider audience can grasp the importance of reef conservation as well as an extended view of our nation’s history. People around the world will see the film and be inspired to visit, generating tourism and income to sustain our over 400 National Parks. There is a wealth of untold stories and adventures to motivate the continued conservation of these natural resources. When people learn about the places they visit in greater depth, they are more likely to enjoy, appreciate and protect them.
Very few books published, and no film, give such an encompassing overview of the many aspects of the Dry Tortugas revealed in this Documentary. The Documentary brings a unique perspective to heighten appreciation for the main aspects of the Dry Tortugas: the scenery, the wildlife, the legends of pirates and sunken gold, the military history, and architecture of Fort Jefferson.
Along with raising awareness about this particular park, it is the goal to inspire others to explore and get involved with the conservation of Public Lands in their own home as well.
When choosing locations, what did you look for?
The answer to this is mostly covered in response to Question 1 but I could add that the Director, Anne Jo Lee has always been passionate about learning. This location combines all of AJL’s favorites, snorkeling, Freediving, Kayaking, camping and being on an island, learning about American History and Ocean Conservation. The Everglade’s National Park and Mudd’s home in Maryland were places she went to gather more information to better paint the image of how the story comes together.
What was your favorite scene?
Favorite scene is the Underwater shots, mostly captured by Anthony S. Lenzo of Air Sea Land Productions, the water out there is so clear and so many species of fish, the majority is b roll captured throughout Florida but is a great representation of what you will see out there. A close second would be the campers describing their experiences while snorkeling and the kind of fish they are excited to see. This is so touching because the Ocean is such an important habitat and seeing people love it and interact gives me hope for the future!
How can fans-to-be gain access to the documentary?
During the completion of the Film, the Director has been working towards raising the money through Donations and attaching Sponsors, in order to obtain a used School Bus that is converted into what is called a Skoolie, so Anne Jo Lee and a crew can tour the United States in January – October, 2020. The National Park tour and stops in-between, where the Director has lived, will help the film reach its target audience over the course of 10 months. The hope is that in touring the United States before an important presidential election, the film will bring up the topic of conversation that we must include the future of our public lands in our decision when voting for our countries leadership. At this point, the film will likely be available on VOD platforms (likely iTunes), DVD and Blu Ray.
For updates, Please visit and become a member of the website GuardianOfTheGulf.com.
MAP 1
Future Screenings to be confirmed by July 2019
TRAVEL DATES JANUARY 1ST, 2020 – FEBRUARY 1ST, 2020
1. * Full Sail University
Winter Park, Florida
Director’s College
2. *Everglades National Park, Florida
3. *Key West, Florida Tropic Cinema
4. Congaree National Park, North Carolina
5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
6. *Nashville, Tennessee
7. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
8. Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
9. *Shreveport, Louisi ana
Robinson Film Center
10. *Marshall, Texas
11. *Dallas, Texas
The Winston School
Director’s High School
MAP 2 FEBRUARY 1ST, 2020 – MARCH 31ST, 2020
12. *Austin, Texas
13. *Corpus Christi, Texas Del Mar College Director’s College
14. Big Bend National Park, Texas
15. Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
16. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
17. *Rocky Mountains National Park, Colorado
18. Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park, Colorado
19. Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
20. Canyonlands National Park, Utah
21. Arches National Park, Utah
MAP 3 APRIL 1ST, 2020 – MAY 31ST, 2020
21. Arches National Park, Utah
22. Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
23. Great Basin National Park, Utah
24. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
25. Zion National Park, Utah
26. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
27. Petrified Forrest National Park, Arizona
28. Saguaro National Park, Arizona
29. Joshua Tree National Park, California
30. *Channel Islands, Oxnard California
MAP 4 JUNE 1ST 2020- JULY 31ST, 2020
30. *Channel Islands, Oxnard California
31. Death Valley National Park, California
32. Sequoia National Park, California
33. Kings Canyon National Park, California
34. Pinnacles National Park, California
35. Yosemite National Park, California
36. Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
37. Redwood National Park, California
38. Crater Lake National Park, Washington
39. Olympic National Park, Washington
MAP 5 AUGUST 1ST, 2020, SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2020
39. Olympic National Park, Washington
40. Mount Ranier National Park, Washington
41. North Cascades National Park, Washington
42. Glacier National Park, Montana
43. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
44. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
45. Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota
46. Badlands National Park, South Dakota
47. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
48. Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
MAP 6 TRAVEL DATES SEPTEMBER 1ST, OCTOBER 31ST
48. Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
49. Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
50. *Acadia National Park, Maine
51. *Boston, Massachusetts, Harvard University
52. *NYC, New York
53. Maryland, Dr. Mudd’s Home
54. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
55. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio
56. Nashville, Tennessee
57. Atlanta, Georgia
59. Winter Park, FL
What has been your favorite experience in making the documentary?
My Favorite experience is the experience of learning about this location and sharing my love for this and the other National Parks, with others. I just had no idea the depth of the story until I began to explore it. This film truly has helped me develop as a filmmaker and a storyteller. To be able to pack in so much information and still make a cohesive story is truly a challenge when dealing with so much information. The challenge is to include everyone, some people are much more into the scenery and others, the History so to balance this and make it entertaining and captivating to all is the hard part. There’s just so much to love and I want to fit it all in, which is why a short film didn’t do it Justice. The National Park Service at the Everglades and Dry Tortugas were especially helpful in allowing me to look through old photos and getting me the information I needed. Along the way, I also met three separate authors who had written about the Dry Tortugas, purely unplanned and By accident* they just happened to be visiting and things like this were the magical experiences that led me to believe I am on the right track and makes all the effort worth it.
When looking back on the documentary, what resonated with you the most and why?
It always comes back to the water and the fascinating, untold US History. I was born and raised in Texas and visited Port Aransas and South Padre during most Summers, growing up, so my love for the Gulf, the Beach and the critters that live in and around the Ocean is what inspires me most. My favorite classes in High School were History and photography and I knew what I wanted to do from a very young age. Now that I’m older, I consider this a blessing because some people go through half their life and are still figuring out what they want to do. I always followed the way my lens was pointing and continually making plans and working in any way possible, to get there.
To be able to capture this all, I feel like it is a living History, and combine it into a cohesive story to share with others, truly makes my life more meaningful. Not everyone will have the opportunity to get to such a remote location and it is a chance for me to share my experience with others, in hopes that they will see it’s worth protecting.
In your opinion, how could this documentary make an impact on the world?
When people know about something, they are much more likely to protect it. There is a constant threat of our Public Lands being reduced and sold off to the highest bidder. If there was to be more drilling in the Gulf for oil, it could be devastating to this place along with many other critical habitats. The National Parks are ours, it’s up to us to see that these special places along with the environment and our public lands, get the protection needed. The house is that others will become more active in volunteering their time and resources to making sure these places remain intact for future generations!
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to make this documentary? Would you do anything differently?
If I could do this all over again, I would not do it any differently. The only thing I would change is, I would tell my younger self not to stress as much over getting it done. During the first years, I really wanted to complete this but looking back, the story wasn’t ready and neither was I. I had to take my time to tell the whole story and develop my skills in order to make the film in it the quality that it deserves. Also, back then, there was the iPhone had just come out and much more challenging for indie artists to get their work distributed.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about the documentary and your career?
I look forward to going back to Cannes someday, it was my first film festival and I had an internship with the American Pavillion. I learned so much there and can go back for a visit at a discounted rate through the program, I would encourage any young filmmaker who is serious about this industry to apply for the internship, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that really launched my career. I think that this film will do well in the European Market, I have a marketing firm on board that is based out of Germany that is going to translate the film in several languages, once I raise the money to get it done.
Once people see what has gone into this, I think they will appreciate the work I have done. I truly appreciate these questions and a chance to talk more about this project, it’s my first interview, by a publication and this is a testament to the work I’ve put into getting the word out about the project, it’s one thing to make a project and another undertaking, entirely, to get it out there.
I could have never have done this alone, it takes a village and I’m eternally grateful to each and every person who has helped along the way. This documentary is my “baby” or the closest experience I’ve had in having a child, I’ve had business offers on it that I refused simply because they didn’t align with the message or resonate with me personally; I know that this is the film “business” but I see this as something much more. This project has changed my life for the better and shows me what I am capable of and I very much look forward to sharing it with the world! There have been times I nearly gave up, soul-wrenching experiences, where I was told by even my family that there was no point in continuing this but to me, it has been worth it all the way! I know it is coming together in the best way it possibly can and I couldn’t be more excited about it. My fiscal sponsor, From The Heart Productions, has been instrumental in encouraging me and inspiring the next steps, they’ve been helping Documentaries like this one and other indie productions, for decades. The most helpful book I’ve read is By Carol Lee Dean “The Art Of Film Funding”, I would recommend it to any filmmaker, no matter what size project.
This type of art form is a labor of love, as are all independently made films, I see everyone, from the PA to the Director to the Viewer, all equally important and vital to the telling of the story!
I started documenting the process of the making of the film on my Youtube channel and was in Hawaii, Couchsurfing when I ended up staying with a pilot who let me stay in their spare room and gave me flying lessons. Hawaii was an integral part of the making of this film because as I put the majority of it together I was on Big Island and it was the closest to what it would have been like to live at the Dry Tortugas since people can’t live there. There is an artist residency that is put on yearly now by NPAF, which I’ve applied for, this next year. I believe I mentioned that the next shoot is happening in April, I plan to have picture Lock in May and June and July will be dedicated to Art, Graphics, An original Score and color correction. Full Sail has agreed to help with the final audio Mix on their Dubbing Stage which is an official Dolby Digital approved the location. It’s all finally coming together and I’m really happy that I will be sharing it with everyone soon!
My Next project is an Arthouse film to be shot in Hawaii and a giant pool! I wrote the screenplay and it’s registered with the WGA.
This Film was shot with Sony XDCAM PDW F 350, Sony F 900 (underwater B roll), and Canon 1DC, Canon 5D MKII cameras. More about me (this is my real name, Anne Jo Lee!) some people do ask!
Connect with Anne Jo Lee Harvard:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DryTortugasFilm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnneJoLee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GuardianOfTheGulf
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AmericasLostTreasure
Web: https://www.guardianofthegulf.com
Web: https://www.guardianofthegulf.com/current
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