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Update from NOVAC: Independent Filmmakers Respond to Katrina

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Posted on May 23 2006 in by Mediarights_Admin

Update from NOVAC: Independent Filmmakers Respond to Katrina

Published on May 22, 2006

By Tim Ryan

Read the original article by Angela Tucker.

Hi MediaRights.org! Here’s an update on recent developments:

We’ve been making decent progress on our one-hour documentary. It has changed focus a bit and addresses the magnitude of devastation within the four neighborhoods hardest hit by Katrina. It’s a one-hour driving tour of the neighborhoods with interviews, maps, digital imagery of the breached levees, narration and an original score.��

In addition, I am serving as the Executive Producer for a series of short documentaries on the positive attributes of New Orleans’ neighborhoods, people and culture. Several local filmmakers are directing/producing the shorts. We hope to produce between 10-20 shorts depending on funding. The series is designed to challenge some of the negative stereotypes about New Orleans and provide many reasons to support the rebuilding of New Orleans. �

Combined, the two projects show the duality of what’s happening in New Orleans post-Katrina. On the one hand, a large percentage of New Orleans was completely devastated. We want to build ongoing awareness and provide a realistic image of the magnitude of devastation. The one-hour driving tour is designed to give the point-of-view of someone actually driving through the neighborhoods. In contrast to the unimaginable destruction, we will show through the series of short documentaries a more positive picture. New Orleans is still alive and kicking and has so many amazing reasons to be rebuilt. The shorts profile unique people, cultural activities and organizations that make New Orleans such an amazing city and worthy of support from Congress and the nation. �

Tim Ryan and other filmmakers from the New Orleans Video Access Center are working on a long-form documentary about the ongoing struggles of New Orleans residents.

We’ve received funding from the Newman’s Own Foundation, the RosaMary Foundation, Cambridge (MA) Community Television, the Greater New Orleans Foundation and several private donors. A local technology company, Turbo Squid, has donated an office space/services to serve as our production facility. Several local filmmakers and graphic designers have donated their time and skills to help with the project. An Emmy-nominated composer is producing an original score at no charge. He also wants to produce a soundtrack CD for sale to raise funds and build awareness. CustomFlix has agreed to provide duplication, packaging and fulfillment of the DVDs at cost. We are also forming a partnership with the Times Picayune website to stream the shorts and segments of the one-hour program. We are nearly finished with the first of four neighborhoods and hope to distribute it as a stand-alone segment in early May. The shorts will also be posted on a variety of video-based websites including YouTube and IFC Media Lab.

Heather, my wife, is narrating the one-hour program and we recorded it in our FEMA trailer. I used Soundsoap and a few basic filters available through Final Cut Pro, but it could use some help. True guerilla filmmaking, huh? A local sound recordist, George Ingmire (Mi Abuelo Productions), has offered his studio and expertise to record a more professional voice-over for the narration. I’m guessing that this will sound better than the first session we recorded in our FEMA trailer. He will also be helping with the sound sweetening.

The score for our first segment of the one hour program titled The Drive was created by Emmy-nominated composer, Gil Talmi. Gil is the only member of our production team that does not live in New Orleans. He approached us early on with a strong desire to help out with the project as he wanted to do something, anything, to help with the rebuilding of New Orleans. His commitment to New Orleans is consistent with so many people we’ve talked to across the nation, and world. People cannot believe what has happened to New Orleans and want to help. So, without any official authority, we’ve designated Gil as an honorary New Orleanian. He collaborated with musicians in New York and Los Angeles to create the score.

James Carville is forming a new nonprofit called Friends of New Orleans. The Board of Directors includes several major media and Hollywood executives/actors. They have expressed an interest in streaming segments of our one hour program The Drive on their website.

Their defined purpose is as follows:

To provide a “vehicle” for people who love New Orleans to declare their support and help in a way that is easy and affordable, and to show the world that New Orleans and its surrounding parishes are important and that we must bring them back the right way.
To create a groundswell of support in the U.S, and beyond, that can be used to: a) advocate; b) raise awareness and money; and c) create the political will the area needs to recover and thrive.

We hope to also work with another grassroots group called The Women of the Storm. They have grown to about 3,000 members and have a mission to build awareness and encourage members of Congress to see the devastation first-hand. Hopefully, they will distribute DVD copies of The Drive to their target audience.

International Performing Arts (IPA) and the Black Rock Arts Center in Bridgeport, CT will be holding a screening of local New Orleans film projects to raise funds and build awareness. The event takes place at the Black Rock Arts Center on June 24th and is organized by classical musician and executive director of the IPA, Joseph Celli, as well as by writer and former drummer for the Lemonheads, David Ryan. They are going to be serving New Orleans style food and have been anxiously waiting for my wife’s Gumbo recipe. It’s all about the Roux!

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