Support Lara's Documentary on Maine State Prison

LOG-LINE: An intimate look inside Maine State Prison, where efforts to reform the historically brutal institution (the inspiration for Stephen King's "Shawshank Redemption") have dramatically shifted the prison culture, dynamic and environment, the way inmates do their time and, ultimately... how they return to their communities.

PITCH: Imagine a residential community where you spend your days growing vegetables and herbs, making pesto, pickles, and preserves, practicing mindfulness and yoga, writing, playing with puppies, and working on your personal growth in a supportive, nurturing environment.

Now imagine doing all that behind razor-wire fencing.

Welcome to Maine State Prison in Warren, Maine—population (approx.) 900—where inmates are referred to as “residents.”

It’s all part of a prison reform movement based on the Scandanavian model that aims to treat incarcerated people with dignity, give them a sense of agency and to better prepare them to re-enter society.

For long-timers and lifers, it provides a better quality of life behind bars, pursuits, and purpose.

Not everyone agrees that they deserve these comforts and opportunities, but recidivism rates suggest these progressive reforms make a difference.

Everyone from Shaun, who’s doing 47 years for kidnapping and murder to Maine’s Department of Corrections Commissioner, Randall Liberty (yes, that’s his real name!) who was central to introducing the reforms, have a stake in its success.

So do the communities where the former residents will return.

As Scott Drake, a former guard, declares in the film: “A lot of these guys get out. And you know where they move to? Next to you! I don’t want a guy who’s messed up and has issues living next to me. I want him to get his mind right, or at least try.”

Hello!

I'm Lara Hartzenbusch--I'm part of a 5-person filming/directing team that created a short documentary shot entirely inside Maine State Prison in Warren, Maine.

My colleagues, Jack, Silvia, Wes and I took part in a month-long documentary film school at the Maine Media Workshop in Rockport last October.

On week #3--our instructor, Tom, arranged for us to be embedded at the maximum security prison.

We were given full access and guided through the various programs that make up what the Department of Corrections calls the "Maine Model"--based on the Scandinavian system-- that emphasizes a restorative and empowering rather than punitive approach to incarceration.

For instance--staff refer to inmates as "residents," give them certain privileges and freedoms not seen in prisons anywhere else in the country, and offer them a vast number of educational and vocational opportunities--including some that might surprise you!

The institution has a notoriously violent history-- it was the inspiration for Stephen King's novella and the feature film, The Shawshank Redemption.

And we met some staff and residents who lived through those years and gave us a vivid picture of life inside--then and now.

Some of the folks we interviewed included the Maine DOC Commissioner and former warden, the head of security, two former guards and four "residents."

The film that we produced was essentially five vignettes strung together. It told a compelling story and had a lot of heart, but it wasn't quite there yet.

After our month came to an end and we scattered across the world, it seemed a pity to leave so much great material in the can.

So, I began to spearhead an effort to finish the film.

With Tom editing, I mapped out how to restructure it, found soundbites and moments to allow some of our characters' personalities to shine through and dug up archive to help evoke the prison's dark past.

We now have a film-- called "On Beyond Fences"-- that is so close to the point where we'd love to share it with the world.

But.. friends, family, colleagues in the creative world:

I NEED YOUR HELP!!!

I am now planning to take the film to the next level...

--> additional editing, restructuring

--> high-end sound design/mixing to smooth out the rough edges and elevate the film so it can potentially be screened at film festivals.

--> post-production FX/ compositing expertise for stylizing the top + tail of the film.

--> Trailer-- and other promotional material-- that could potentially get our film in front of Maine PBS or beyond...

--> travel costs associated with promoting the film.

We've done what we can using our own funds, now I'm turning to you!

Co-filmmakers/directors:

"Lara" Jacqueline Hartzenbusch

Tom Donohue

Jack Kudas

Wes Smith

Sylvia Sonntag

Producer:

"Lara" Jacqueline Hartzenbusch

Executive Producers:

"Lara" Jacqueline Hartzenbusch

Jack Kudas

Wes Smith