Alum Pitches Sundance Winning Film to Jay Leno on the Tonight Show

Josh Tickell has a passion for protecting the environment. That’s because he grew up near an oil refinery and observed its negative impact on his family’s health. As a young adult, he spent 11 years crossing the country in his vegetable-oil-powered "Veggie Van," promoting biofuels and compiling footage for what would become the feature documentary Fuel. The FSU Film School was another stop on his journey, where he assembled the skills to craft his prize-winning film, which opened in theaters February 13 in Los Angeles, won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at Sundance, and garnered several other awards and recognitions at film fests around the country.

Featuring interviews with green-minded notables ranging from Jimmy Carter to Sheryl Crow, the film seeks to inspire Americans to make a shift to biodiesel, and offers what Tickell is convinced are practical and renewable alternatives to fossil fuels. On a recent visit to the Tonight Show, Tickell chatted with host Jay Leno and fellow guest Kevin Bacon about his film and how he proposes to create a million new clean-energy jobs, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Tickell is a good example of how many different opportunities there are for Film School graduates. Sure, some go to Hollywood and make blockbusters about aliens or college buddies, but with the rise in popularity of documentaries, and the challenges facing our nation and world, more alumni are using the medium as a tool for change.