We all know that coal is dirty. We know that burning coal releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. We also know that coal mining is a dangerous business, whether people get trapped under ground or the tops of mountains are blown to shreds. It is less widely known that coal burning actually creates poison – in the form of “coal ash,” a by-product that contains chemicals like mercury, lead, and arsenic, known to cause birth defects and premature death. Bit by bit, as coal ash…
Working Films’ hometown, Wilmington NC, is gearing up today for the Cucalorus Film Festival. Named one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals” by Movie Maker Magazine, Cucalorus is always a great time with an incredible lineup of films. We’re especially excited that a film we have done some strategy development with, A New Kind of Listening, is going to be at the festival. A New Kind of Listening is the story of a visionary director, a one-of-a-kind theater group, and a young man who could not speak, yet found the…
Last week, Working Films enjoyed a banquet of good stuff at the Sheffield Doc-Fest, hosting a highly interactive Story Leads to Action on Friday afternoon, and participating in a lively panel discussion on Saturday. Story Leads to Action, coordinated by our UK staffer Sarah Mosses, brought together the production company Submarine from The Netherlands, a team of NGOs working on key environmental issues, and the Sheffield Doc-Fest audience together for a very robust discussion about potential community engagement ideas and target audiences. To kick it off, I shared some case…
We may not be holding a rally like Jon Stewart did, but we do hope that our newly revised curriculum New Faces: Latinos in North Carolina will bring more sanity to conversations about culture, identity, immigration and globalization in classrooms and communities across North Carolina. With laws like the one passed this spring in Arizona and politicians running ads saying things like “This is Alabama; we speak English. If you want to live here, learn it,” it’s clear that anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States certainly isn’t diminishing. There is…
Working Films is proud to be sponsoring a Story Leads to Action panel, part of the Doc Convergence Symposium: Nov. 5th, 11:15am to 12:30pm, at the IFC Center. I will be leading an interactive discussion with the filmmakers, invited NGO’s, activists, policy shapers, educators, funders and the audience. The goal: filmmakers walk out with the “bones” of an engagement strategy, a “pilot” project ready to test in Gotham and beyond, and/or a better understanding of what “impact” could look like. To Be Heard and Lost Bohemia will be having their…
Deep Down is the first film in the new film series and you can watch it for free by tuning into the national debut on November 23rd on PBS’s Emmy award-wining Independent Lens series. Here are 4 easy steps to join us: 1) Sign Up to host a screening party and invite your family, neighbors, community group or faith community over to watch the National Broadcast of Deep Down. 2) Tune In on November 23rd and watch Deep Down. Check your local listings for times. 3) Log On after the…
Coal is a mystery: Why, in the 21st century, does half of United States electricity come from this 18th-century fuel? In the age of nano-tech, why can’t we seem to make the investments necessary to effect a great leap, making renewable energy technology truly affordable? If we were to really add up all of the human and environmental costs of coal, what’s the bill that we are really paying? And, finally, what can we do right now to spread great solutions options, and turn the tide? Joshua Frank’s interview on…
When Two Worlds Collide is part of the Reel Power collaborative, a film series that tells the many stories of our energy crisis, and most importantly, community opportunities for sustainable growth. This film is in production and is currently raising funds for production through the innovative crowdfunding tool IndieGoGo. When Two Worlds Collide (trailer) from Yachaywasi Films on Vimeo. How You Are Connected Despite a chorus of warnings from climatologists who say that we are swiftly approaching irreversible climate change, tropical deforestation is responsible for about one-fifth of global greenhouse…
Are you looking for a movie that reveals the social and environmental costs of coal power, explores the murky realities of “clean coal,” and profiles innovators who could lead the way to a renewable energy future? Bring Dirty Business, produced by the Center for Investigative Reporting, to your community to explore these issues. Host a house party or community screening. Join Communities Across the Country Here are a few that have already used Dirty Business: Student Greenpeace, Michigan State University Working to replace the coal plant with renewable energy on…
Don’t miss the deadline to apply for Reel Engagement: Managing Social Issue Film Campaigns. Upcoming next month, Working Films and the Fledgling Fund will lead a field building training aimed at the effective management of film campaigns. This 4 day hands-on workshop is designed for individuals who are interested in developing the skills necessary to be an Engagement Coordinator; designing and managing creative and meaningful audience and community engagement campaigns for independent social and environmental issue documentary films or media projects. Read more and apply now to Reel Engagement: Managing…
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