Help Homeless Filmmakers Join DCTV
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Three months ago, we launched a fundraising campaign to help the talented artists of D.C.’s first homeless filmmakers cooperative join the District’s public access TV station. Membership in DCTV will enable our filmmakers to improve their technical skills through access to the station's equipment and educational courses, as well as gain further distribution of their powerful stories across the station’s nine TV channels.
But a lot has changed since August!
Let’s start with the good news
DCTV has offered to set up a custom curriculum for the Street Sense Filmmakers Cooperative, a group comprised of homeless and formerly homeless individuals. Whereas these filmmakers would have previously taken part in a larger, standardized course alongside non-Street Sense students, they’ll now benefit from a smaller classroom tailored to their individual needs. It also means they’ll receive three DCTV certifications instead of two: Producing, Videography and Adobe Premier Editing.
The bottom line: the new arrangement provides a significantly richer learning experience.
Now for the bad news
Because it will offer an extra certification, the custom curriculum is more expensive. Our original campaign goal was $5,500, but the new arrangement raises the price to $6,300.
That money will buy 10 memberships to DCTV ($30 per membership) and enrollment in a 10-week production course (approximately $600 per filmmaker). Co-op members will also have access to professional video production equipment, editing suites and studio space.
To date we have raised enough money for six filmmakers to obtain membership and enroll in the course. In order to ensure that all 10 members can do the same, we need to raise the remainder of our goal by January 1, 2017. That's just two months away!
This is a life-changing opportunity for these filmmakers
Comprised exclusively of men and women who have, or are experiencing homelessness, the Cooperative was formed in 2014 to tell the unheard stories of homelessness in the nation’s capital.
“Creating my documentary really was life changing,” said Sasha Williams, a co-op member whose film “Raise to Rise” chronicles her and her young daughter’s physical and emotional journey from the notorious D.C. General shelter to their own apartment. “It took courage to show everything so raw, to put my personal experience up on the big screen.”
Since its creation, the co-op has produced five powerful documentaries that reveal the day-to-day reality of homelessness. Their stories lay bare the misinformation surrounding homelessness and its antecedents.
“When people experiencing homelessness are telling their own stories about how they got there, the people in a position to help end homelessness gain insight into where the system needs to be fixed,” explained Bryan Bello, a professional filmmaker who helped found the Cooperative. “These individuals have suffered complicated traumas. The ability to express how they got to where they are breaks down stereotypes.”
More about Street Sense
The Homeless Filmmaker's Cooperative is a proud member of Street Sense, a D.C. innovation hub for creative, media-based strategies to combat homelessness and uplift lives. Their work has been covered by The Washington Post, PBS NewsHour and The Atlantic.
But a lot has changed since August!
Let’s start with the good news
DCTV has offered to set up a custom curriculum for the Street Sense Filmmakers Cooperative, a group comprised of homeless and formerly homeless individuals. Whereas these filmmakers would have previously taken part in a larger, standardized course alongside non-Street Sense students, they’ll now benefit from a smaller classroom tailored to their individual needs. It also means they’ll receive three DCTV certifications instead of two: Producing, Videography and Adobe Premier Editing.
The bottom line: the new arrangement provides a significantly richer learning experience.
Now for the bad news
Because it will offer an extra certification, the custom curriculum is more expensive. Our original campaign goal was $5,500, but the new arrangement raises the price to $6,300.
That money will buy 10 memberships to DCTV ($30 per membership) and enrollment in a 10-week production course (approximately $600 per filmmaker). Co-op members will also have access to professional video production equipment, editing suites and studio space.
To date we have raised enough money for six filmmakers to obtain membership and enroll in the course. In order to ensure that all 10 members can do the same, we need to raise the remainder of our goal by January 1, 2017. That's just two months away!
This is a life-changing opportunity for these filmmakers
Comprised exclusively of men and women who have, or are experiencing homelessness, the Cooperative was formed in 2014 to tell the unheard stories of homelessness in the nation’s capital.
“Creating my documentary really was life changing,” said Sasha Williams, a co-op member whose film “Raise to Rise” chronicles her and her young daughter’s physical and emotional journey from the notorious D.C. General shelter to their own apartment. “It took courage to show everything so raw, to put my personal experience up on the big screen.”
Since its creation, the co-op has produced five powerful documentaries that reveal the day-to-day reality of homelessness. Their stories lay bare the misinformation surrounding homelessness and its antecedents.
“When people experiencing homelessness are telling their own stories about how they got there, the people in a position to help end homelessness gain insight into where the system needs to be fixed,” explained Bryan Bello, a professional filmmaker who helped found the Cooperative. “These individuals have suffered complicated traumas. The ability to express how they got to where they are breaks down stereotypes.”
More about Street Sense
The Homeless Filmmaker's Cooperative is a proud member of Street Sense, a D.C. innovation hub for creative, media-based strategies to combat homelessness and uplift lives. Their work has been covered by The Washington Post, PBS NewsHour and The Atlantic.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jeff Gray
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC
Jeffrey Gray
Beneficiary
