We Are Family — Behind the Scenes on Sunshine

Filmmaker Karen Skloss with Jeremy Harrison

What makes a family? It’s a question our society is grappling with, and the question that drove filmmaker Karen Skloss to make her film, Sunshine, which premieres on Independent Lens on PBS on May 4 (check local listings).

In this exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, Skloss captures a storyline about single fathers and gay parents that didn’t make it into the final cut of the film, but which adds another layer of complexity to the broader societal discussion of family and identity, parenthood and pride.

Jeremy, father to Skloss’s daughter Jasmine, is the product of divorce and was raised in part by his gay father in Houston in the late 1970s. As was the case for Skloss, and her biological mother before her, Jeremy’s father Mike had to deal with the social stigma of single parenthood, but he also had to navigate the more explosive territory of being a single dad who happened also to be gay in a very conservative place and time.

Watch Sunshine: Single Dads >>

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Tags: family, gay parents, parenting, single parents

Ask Programming: FUTURESTATES

ITVS programming staff answer questions from filmmakers about the funding process:

Q: I recently discovered the FUTURESTATES website, and I’m really enjoying the films. How did ITVS come up with the idea for this project?

A: The long answer could fill a chapter in a book. But here’s the short version. ITVS has a long history of supporting independent narrative filmmakers, from TV Families in 1993, to the more recent Goodbye, Solo by Ramin Bahrani (airing nationally on Independent Lens on June 1st – check local listings). Back in the day, American Playhouse broadcast independent narrative films on PBS, but over the years it has become a lot harder for narratives to find a home on public television. Independent Lens remains one of the only national series to broadcast independent fiction films on PBS. Without guaranteed distribution on public television, how could ITVS continue to support narrative filmmakers in a way that made sense in the world of public media?

To help answer this question, ITVS convened two “Drama Summits” in 2007/2008, one in Los Angeles and another in New York. We brought together key stakeholders: writers, directors, and producers; academics; distributors; and media arts organizations. We learned a lot from this process, with discussions focusing on funding models, distribution obstacles, and new media opportunities. But one lesson stood out: Because of the broad scope of ITVS programming, narrative filmmakers found it difficult to know how to approach us with projects that fit our mission. They wanted clearer content guidelines. They wanted more direct cultivation and funding of narrative projects. It was clear we all needed a new way of working to create films that fit everyone’s needs, including the new generation of public media audiences.

At the same time, along with many other public media organizations, ITVS was exploring ways to help filmmakers take advantage of the rapidly expanding world of online distribution. Already, a few full-length films were streaming on AOL True Stories and Snag Films. So it was perfect timing when the Programming Department proposed an online series, inviting narrative filmmakers to create short films specifically for the web. Eighteen months later, we have season one of FUTURESTATES streaming online, with season two in development right now. By asking filmmakers to explore the direction of our society by projecting their stories into the near future, ITVS was able to fulfill two important goals at the same time — creating a home to showcase the work of narrative filmmakers, and creating a place online for a wide audience to engage with the ideas that public media does best.

Tags: film fundding, filmmaking, FUTURESTATES, producers

At Tribeca All Access with ITVS Vice President of Programming Claire Aguilar

The Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2002 as a response to the events of 9/11, to help Lower Manhattan recover after the tragedy, and to celebrate the vitality and diversity of New York City through filmmaking. Each year ITVS participates in the festival by meeting with filmmakers involved in the Tribeca All Access program. Read about ITVS’s involvement with Tribeca All Access from ITVS vice president of programming Claire Aguilar.

Claire Aguilar (center) with Miguel Martinez (left) and Jamie Sisley (right), the producers of Farewell, Ferris Wheel

An integral part of the festival, Tribeca All Access (TAA) facilitates and supports relationships between filmmakers from underrepresented communities and film industry executives. ITVS relies on TAA as a resource for finding exciting projects from filmmakers of color. TAA elicits an enthusiastic response from filmmakers and festival goers every year, not only because of the excellent quality projects in development, but also because of Tribeca’s commitment to diversity.

This year’s TAA opened with a welcome lunch at Megu restaurant where I was able to meet TAA filmmakers and TAA’s director, the wonderful Tamir Muhammad and his staff. Tribeca co-founder Jane Rosenthal welcomed guests and reaffirmed the festival’s commitment to TAA and lauded its success after nine years of supporting and nurturing filmmakers from the program: from initial meetings with industry representatives, to screenings at the festival. I was able to speak to filmmakers in a keynote address and talked about ITVS’s involvement and also our exciting online drama series FUTURESTATES, citing a number of TAA participants.

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Tags: film festival, film funding, Tribeca, Tribeca All Access

We are the garbage collectors. Always blessed.

Garbage Dreams records the tremblings of a culture at a crossroads… the film digs into the politics of a life that few would choose but many depend on.  -The New York Times

Welcome to the world’s largest garbage village located on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. The Zaballeen (Arabic for “garbage people”) recycle 80 percent of the trash they collect — far more than other recycling initiatives. But now multinational corporations threaten their livelihood. Follow three teenage boys, born into the business, who are forced to make choices that will impact the survival of their community.

Garbage Dreams premieres tonight, Tuesday, April 27 at 10:00 on Independent Lens on PBS (check local listings).

Recycling is not just good for the environment — it’s also sound economic practice. Take on the role of the Zaballeen and turn trash into cash by playing the Garbage Dreams interactive recycling game.

Tags: Cairo, Egypt, environment, recycling

Community Cinema screens The Horse Boy in Philadelphia

The Horse Boy, (airing Tuesday, May 11 at 10 PM, check local listings) explores one family’s unforgettable journey as they travel halfway across the world in search of a miracle to heal their autistic son. On April 21st, WHYY and Community Cinema hosted a screening of The Horse Boy in Philadelphia. More than 200 people packed the venue, including many parents who are raising children with Autism. To create engagement opportunities, ITVS awarded WHYY’s Learning Lab a grant to support the Family Media Project, an innovative video project that explores how three local families have engaged in their child’s autism diagnosis. Candid and eye-opening, the project not only provides a platform for education but a forum for families to tell their own stories. Parent Bill Zukovsky shares his experience working with the Family Media Project:

Bill Zukovsky with his son Andrew

Wow… What an amazing experience! I couldn’t believe I was going to have a camera on my shoulder and a microphone wrapped around my arm while I tried to capture what it was like to be my son, Andrew. There is no way I would even take a photograph, let alone video tape something that was going to be shown online. What was I thinking taking on this project? But let me tell you something, I’m glad I did.

I got plenty of footage of Andrew in school, playing around the house, and more interviews than I can even use. But what happened next would stay with me for a lifetime. Sitting in the editing room, I got to see the raw footage and what I saw just amazed me. For the first time, I sat back and got to see how other people, both Andrew’s peers and the adults in his life, saw him. How accepting they have become of him and all his quirks, and how he is starting to fit in with the world around him. The longer the editing went, and the more we attempted to get everything under the five minute time limit, the more my chest swelled. Of course, while I’m sitting there barking orders — “No, I don’t like that” … “Cut it here” … “That has to be in there somewhere!” — I’m choking back the tears of joy in seeing my son join a world that I never thought he would enter.

The WHYY Learning Lab creates an opportunity to help others understand what it’s like to be you; your problems, your issues, your trials, and your triumphs. But during the process, I learned a lot, and not just about how to frame a shot or cut a clip. I learned that my son has come a long way in his development. He does have the capability to lead a typical life. He has a lot to offer the people around him and can teach them about patience and understanding. It gives me hope and desire to keep giving Andrew all the opportunity I can to make his life something great.

- Bill Zukovsky, participant in the WHYY Learning Lab’s Family Media Project

The Horse Boy will air nationally on Independent Lens on May 11 at 10:00 PM on PBS (check local listings).

Tags: Autism, Philadelphia, the horse boy, WHYY

Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans rebroadcasting on PBS

Two years before The Wire’s David Simon launched his new HBO series called Tremé, New Orleans producers Dawn Logsdon and Lolis Eric Elie (now a writer for the series) produced the ITVS funded film Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans. The moving and eye-opening documentary covers centuries of arguably the oldest and most fascinating African American neighborhood in the United States. In the film, newspaper columnist Lolis Eric Elie guides us through the historic community that gave birth to jazz and the civil rights movement in the South. Here black and white, free and enslaved, rich and poor co-habitated, collaborated, and clashed to create much of what defines New Orleans culture up to the present day. Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans goes behind the Hollywood version of Tremé revealing the real inhabitants of this fascinating neighborhood. Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans is rebroadcasting on PBS in limited markets across the country (check local listings) and is available for purchase through www.tremedoc.com.  See why the New Orleans Times Picayune calls it “required viewing for anyone prepping for the upcoming HBO drama… Essential history and pleasure.”

Tags: David Simon, HBO, Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, The Wire, Treme

Happy Earth Day From ITVS!

Earth Day. Maybe for you it evokes happy thoughts of planting trees and gathering with friends to celebrate the planet and toast to its good health. Maybe it’s one of those extra-dose-of-guilt days when you’re extra conscious of separating your trash and ashamed of the fact you still use an internal-combustion engine to get to work. Perhaps you’re aware enough of the climate crisis, species on the verge of extinction, and the plight of the rainforest, that today you’ll just duck your head back under the covers and wait it out until tomorrow.

Whichever Earth Day style fits you best, we’d like to offer up some helpful resources to make your day a little happier and greener. First off, check out our slate of green-themed films for the occasion, including Dirt! The Movie, Garbage Dreams, and A Village Called Versailles, all airing this month on Independent Lens. And from last season, revisit Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai. That one’s definitely worth revisiting for its inspiration factor alone.

Ah but as Kermit said, it isn’t always easy bein’ green. For example, have you ever been confused about what you can recycle and what you can’t? Same here. As part of our film Garbage Dreams we’ve put together a handy tip sheet for you. Even better, we’ve launched a super-cool interactive recycling game so you can put your newfound wisdom to work. And check out a resource we found when we were researching this:  Earth911.com, a site that lets you know what recycling facilities are near you so you can really pump up your recycling efforts.

As they say, we’ve only got one planet so we better treat it right. We salute the filmmakers, community organizers, and educators who work every day to ensure that somebody speaks for the Earth when it can’t speak for itself. Stay green, people!

Tags: Earth Day, Green, recycle

From Trash to Trade: The Garbage Dreams Game

Garbage Dreams Game

Filmed over four years, director Mai Iskander’s documentary Garbage Dreams goes inside the world of Egypt’s Zaballeen (Arabic for “garbage people”) to reveal the lives of three teenage boys born into the trash trade.

Premiering on Independent Lens on April 27th (check local listings), the broadcast of Garbage Dreams is accompanied by the Garbage Dreams Game, in which players assume the role of the Zaballeen. The game demonstrates that recycling is not just good for the environment; it’s also sound economic practice.

Players start with cash and expenses, one very hungry goat, one neighborhood, and one paper recycling factory. To grow their business and build efficiency, players can make investments in new equipment to recycle other materials, buy extra trucks, hire workers, or expand into wealthier neighborhoods.

Players sort through trash and recycle what can be recycled in Cairo — paper, organics, aluminum, tin, plastic, and glass — all against a ticking clock, sorting through trash piles with the speed, strategy, and efficiency required to match the 80 percent recycling rate of the Zaballeen within 12 rounds of play.

Corresponding lesson plans for grades 9-12 and middle school complement the game and the film, and further explore the issue of recycling and the globalized economy.

Goats, trucks, and territories; organics, paper, and tin. Learn how Egypt’s Zaballeen turn trash into cash. Play the recycling game.

www.pbs.org/independentlens/garbage-dreams/game.html

Tags: Cairo, Egypt, recycle, Video Game

ITVS Funding Opportunity – LINCS

Looking for film funding? ITVS funds, distributes and promotes new programs primarily for public television. We work with independent producers to create and present programs that take creative risks, advance issues and represent points of view not usually seen on public or commercial television. ITVS is committed to programming that addresses the needs of underserved and underrepresented audiences. We look for programs that bring new audiences to public television and that expand civic participation by bringing diverse voices into the public sphere. Find out more information about  an upcoming funding opportunity below:

LINCS
Deadline: June 18, 2010

LINKING INDEPENDENTS AND CO-PRODUCING STATIONS (LINCS) provides matching funds (up to $100,000) to partnerships between public television stations and independent producers. To apply for LINCS funds, independents must first approach a public television station and establish a partnership. Single documentaries and innovative genre combinations will be considered. Projects must have begun production as evidenced by a work-in-progress video.

The online application form will be available early May.

Find more information about guidelines and how to apply >>

Have additional questions about LINCS? Email Jonathan_Archer@itvs.org or call at 415-356-8383 x284.

Los Angeles and San Francisco Proclaim April 20th to be “Dirt Day”

The cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco have issued proclamations naming April 20th to be “Dirt Day” in honor of Dirt! The Movie, the award-winning documentary airing nationwide on PBS’ Independent Lens tonight at 10 PM (check local listings). San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Councilwoman Jan Perry will sign the official Dirt! Day Proclamations in their respective cities today, to ignite the discussion about safeguarding soil and the billions of organisms it contains.

Dirt! The Movie tells the story of the underappreciated stuff beneath our feet. Narrated by award-winning actress, author and activist, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dirt!, tells the story of Earth’s most valuable and least valued source of fertility from its miraculous beginning to its current crippling degradation. Inspired by William Bryant Logan’s acclaimed book Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, the film deftly combines science and humor as it digs into the history and current state of the living organic matter from which we all come and where we will all one-day return. An eclectic group of passionate dirt lovers appear in Dirt! – from world-class biologists to Rikers Island convicts, from community activists to Nobel Laureates – to offer viewers answers to problems while inspiring us to clean up the mess that we have created.

Don’t miss Dirt! The Movie tonight on Independent Lens (check local listings).

Watch an interview with Jamie Lee Curtis, the narrator for Dirt! >>

Tags: Earth Day, environment, gavin newsome, Los Angeles, recycle, San Francisco