Showing posts with label non-profit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label non-profit. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 08, 2022

Literacy Council Videos

I produced a few videos for Literacy Now, formerly the literacy council of Buncombe County.  They do so many great things for the community.  Here is one video highlighting 4 of their programs: https://vimeo.com/699220793

 



Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Hope Reviewed

Hope got a great review on Film Threat! 7 out of 10.

"It is powerful"

https://filmthreat.com/reviews/hope-2019

By Chris Salce | July 29, 2019


The suicide rates in America have been growing year by year. Suicide is currently the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S. It is a growing epidemic that is hard to understand, and it is hard to control how often it happens. There are many hotlines and counseling services available if one feels the need to harm oneself, but it is not always easy to ask for help. Hope is a film that may help someone who has felt lost or needs help.

Based on a true story, Hope (Emily Tynan McDaniel) is a widowed single mother who is suffering from depression after losing her husband. Hope feels that her son would be better off without her. After an attempted suicide, Hope is taken to a mental facility where she will stay for some time. Once she gets out of the mental facility, she is homeless and has lost custody of her son. Hope struggles to get her life back on track but uses her son as motivation to pick herself up from rock bottom.

“After an attempted suicide, Hope is taken to a mental facility… Once she gets out, she is homeless and has lost custody of her son.”

The short film tells a very real story in a matter of roughly twelve and a half minutes. It does this by displaying quite real and sometimes graphic scenes and gets through the rest with montages. The montages are necessary to help the film move forward in a timely manner. Even though half of the film is done through montages, it is a film that has a lot of emotion.
McDaniel, who plays the lead, does a great job at making her character seem real. It is based on a real person, but that person wishes to remain anonymous (as it is later mentioned just before the credits). The name of the character is the title of the film–and it is quite clear why writer and director, Katie Damien, chose the name.
Hope is a very real film. It is powerful because the subject hits home for quite a few of us. Most of us have known someone that has either hit rock bottom or attempted–or died of– suicide. This film is meant to bring hope to those who feel lost. The short film does also feel almost like an ad or promotional video for Homeward Bound, which is a homeless shelter. In this way, not only does it tell a story about the fall and rise of a woman, but it also lets others know that there is a program that can help them if needed.

Monday, December 31, 2012

Holding the Hope (short documentary)

A while back I made a short documentary for Homeward Bound of Asheville.  They help put homeless people into permanent housing.  I've always loved their mission and think it makes a lot of sense.  Don't worry, it's not sad.  It's actually kind of uplifting.  You can watch the video here:


And this is Homeward Bound's website: www.hbofa.org

Katie