JUST IN: Filmmaker-in-Residence: The Complete Collection is now available for sale HERE and HANDHELD DVD about Health and Homelessness available HERE and Drawing from Life, about a suicide intervention group therapy program, is available HERE.
Please choose your customer profile HERE (ie your country, home or institutional use).
Add comment June 3rd, 2009
Check out our new 10-minute film on youtube about the Hand-Held [un]conference. It was sewn together by the lovely and talented Heather Frise, from many, many hours of footage taken of the day. (See if you can spot Tonya Lee Williams, of Young and Restless fame. Or maybe you’ll see yourself in there somewhere? Or, just learn about the open-source concept and how Misha Glouberman brilliantly mashes-up people from all walks of life.)
The other great news from the Hand-held front: there’s a meeting confirmed with the Ontario Minister of Youth and Children Services. The I WAS HERE team has an appointment with the Honourable Deb Matthews in mid-June. The photobloggers will share some of our media work with her, and talk to her about the idea for a Hand-Held Social Innovation Lab.
Then, we’ll follow up with everyone at the next advisory board meeting, set for June 18th. Please join us if you’d like to help out. Its only one meeting a month. e-mail me at k.cizek@nfb.ca for deets.
Add comment May 21st, 2008
Just in time for Mother’s Day, we’re in today’s Toronto Star in an article about the young parents’ project.
The piece focuses on our video bridge film, Unexpected, that kicked off our [un]conference. It is a frank and candid video dialogue between young mothers who have experienced homelessness and the health care workers who help to deliver babies.
There are a few inaccuracies in the article: “Keneisha, another young mom/videographer featured in Unexpected, opens the film with her contempt for the grilling she faced at St. Mike’s when she showed up expecting twins.”
Keneisha did not have her twins at St. Mike’s, nor was she speaking specifically about her encounter during her delivery of her twins. She was speaking in general about attitudes young mothers face everywhere.
Another important clarification: while many of the health care workers in the film are from St. Mike’s, the issues that everyone raises are not about *one hospital*; it’s about attitudes everywhere.
Kudos to St Mike’s for being part of the brave, innovative experiment.
The Toronto Star online is running an excerpt from the film here. The film will be available soon (on the documentary anthology DVD HandHeld: Health and Homelessness), check www.nfb.ca/handheld for deets.
Unexpected was made by Dawn Wilkinson, Adrienne, Jess, Keneisha, Meghan, Nicole, Catherine Moravac, Alice Gorman, Heather Frise, Genevieve Trilling, Erin Clarke, Rebecca Fortin and Daniella Guerriero. The project was made possible with the great support of St. Michael’s Hospital’s Oby-Gyn department, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of SMH, and we owe special thanks to the fantastic Head Nurse Audrey Nevins. Childcare thanks to Sophia at Ontario Early Years. Gerry Flahive is the Producer, Silva Basmajian is the Executive Producer.
1 comment May 10th, 2008
A nice article in today’s Now Magazine about the power of photography in the hands of people. The writer dedicates a few inches to our STREET HEALTH STORIES project. The issue is in honour of the commencement of North America’s largest month long photography fest in Toronto, CONTACT.
Add comment May 2nd, 2008
I’ve only just recovered from it, and it happened over a week ago!
As promised, here are pics from our people-mash-up.
For one day, we brought together over 100 people from all walks of life to watch and discuss participatory media around young parents of no fixed address. The main room was set up in a “circle of circles” to help our smorgasborg mix of politicians, service-providers, academics, people with first lived experience of homelessness and media-makers to get to know each other, and share ideas and solutions. We had reps from all levels of government, and a great quorum from many advocacy groups, hospitals and other participatory media groups.
Hosted and designed by the brilliant Misha Glouberman — with advice and support from the “professor of open,” Mark Surman (who kindly blogged about the day here).
The day got off to an electrifying start with the world premiere screening of “UNEXPECTED” a new 17 minute documentary which follows a video bridge project between health-care professionals and young mothers who have experienced homelessness. Here’s Jess, one of the I WAS HERE videobloggers in the film.
Toronto Mayor David Miller dropped by to show his support and to meet the baby star of UNEXPECTED, our new short video documentary.
Participants propose subjects for breakout sessions. Above, an I WAS HERE photoblogger, Nicole, the doctor guy, Mike Evans, and documentary maker and visionary Peter Wintonick all give breakout-session-subjects a kick at the can.
So many good sessions, so little time.
Looks like boardrooms, but its really participant-led breakout sessions.
We’re meeting again on May 7th to unveil a document of KEY RECOMMENDATIONS. The wise policy expert Margot Lettner will be “translating the poetry from the day into policy recommendations”. If you have any comments for her, feel free to leave one here. And please get in touch if you want to come! Space will be limited to the first 50, so please contact us soon.
1 comment March 30th, 2008
Deb Matthews (L), Tonya Lee Williams (R)
We are happy to confirm the presence of The Honorable Deb Matthews (Ontario Minister for Youth and Child Services) as well as Tonya Lee Williams, (the founder of ReelWorld Festival and actor, best known for her role as Dr. Olivia Winters on The Young and the Restless) at our HAND-HELD [un]conference on March 20th.
We promise an incredible medley of talent, expertise, energy and experience to fuel our speed brainstorming about young parents, homelessness and the power of media in the hands of citizens!
To register, please do so soon, here, as space is very limited.
Add comment January 9th, 2008
We are excited to announce a very unique Filmmaker-in-Residence event: HAND-HELD: an [un]conference about harnessing digital storytelling to improve health. March 20th, at MaRs Facility in downtown Toronto, in their very smart rooms. The event is a culmination of all the stuff we’ve been doing and learning during the residency, especially about participatory media.
The conference is [un] because most of the sessions will be led and driven by participants, rather than pre-established with panels and such.
We’ve had the pleasure of designing the day with our event facilitator Misha Glouberman, perhaps best known for his role as host of the Trampoline Hall Lecture Series.
At HAND-HELD, we are premiering the latest video work of the I WAS HERE artists.
For the day, we’re bringing together health-care professionals, academics, media-makers, politicians, advocates, decision-makers, and young parents who have experienced homelessness - all experts - to speed brainstorm together.
We’re also planning on launching our “hand-held: health and homelessnes DVD“.
If you’d like to join us, save the date and register soon (through the event URL here), for space is really limited.
We’ll be posting more updates about the event so stay tuned!
Add comment December 19th, 2007
Our STREET HEALTH STORIES [photo+sound installation] has its Ottawa premiere today, (Thursday, November 22), National Housing Day, at 2007 Community Forum on Homelessness: Linking National Research with Ottawa Action and Policy
Where: University of Ottawa, Tabaret Hall, Room 112, 550 Cumberland Street
Time: 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
From November 23 to 29, Street Health Stories will be presented at the Royal Ottawa Heath Care Group (1145 Carling Ave., Ottawa).
And Filmmaker-in-Residence makes its Youtube debut with STREET HEALTH STORIES [a short film].
We already have a 4 out of 5 star rating from “hidethespider.” Excellent.
1 comment November 22nd, 2007
Hey. It worked for Al Gore. So now, we have one too. A powerpoint presentation.
The I WAS HERE photobloggers presented their powerpoint photoblog yesterday to a packed-out room of City employees. I eyeballed it at 100 or so. Mostly social services (welfare workers), Toronto Public Health, Parks and Rec and others.
It was at the invitation of Patrick Chartrand, a go-getting city social services manager if I ever met one, who wanted introduce the art, and presentation as sensitivity training - and as a starting point for discussion within the system on how to improve service delivery to young parents in the city. (This is PURE Challenge for Change, the way George Stoney described it to me a while back, btw.)
Alice Gorman, our Public Health nurse-hero got us started by explaining our project to the crowd. Catherine and Rebecca were on childcare duty, and I worked the spacebar on the powerpoint computer.
Adrienne, Meghan and Jess took over the microphones at the head of the room.
“This picture is my life,” proclaimed Meghan. Behind her, the powerpoint projected a large screenshot of her view outside her window at St. Jamestown one night. Its a hauntingly gorgeous photo, with blurs of lights and firetrucks below her, responding to a fire in the building next door.
“The chaos, the uncertainty, the feeling of danger nearby. This is my life.” she continued. She described the bed bugs, things constantly breaking down, the daily violence and even murder next door. You could hear a pin drop in Metro Hall. “I’ve had people tell me that I should feel grateful for even having a place at all. I wake up in the morning with my baby, and I wish I wasn’t there.”
Meanwhile, Adrienne had just made the case for co-op housing, and why it works.
“Its safe, affordable and decent. That’s why I think our city should have more coop housing,” she declared.
With another stunning photograph behind her, (also blurry and haunting) she described her situation at the moment she took it. She was about to move out of her co-op, because she couldn’t afford the rent, when the co-op approached her and offered her a subsidy she was eligible for.
“I’ve always been an artist,” explained Jess, with her highly composed and expressive flower photos illuminated behind her. She explained all that we’ve collectively learned about the power of photography and the power of voice.
“What’s your number one issue?” one worker asked.
The photobloggers had just finished explaining their 15-page policy document called WE ARE HERE that outlines 8 or 9 key issues facing young parents, and some feasible solutions to them. Patrick had kindly printed up copies of the document for each worker in the room.
“Open Minds,” said Meghan.
“There’s so many issues, but if I had to chose,” reflected Jess, “I’d say RESPECT.”
Adrienne reiterated her cause: “Safe, affordable housing.”
“It’s so refreshing to see you up there, you are all so motivated,” remarked another worker, “How do we motivate other single (sic.) young moms that don’t seem to want an education?”
“Our project is different,” replied Jess. “Its our choice. To photograph. To blog. It’s our choice. and so if I am going to answer your questions right, we need more CHOICES.”
Meghan reminded the workers of how sometimes, the urgent issue of getting decent, safe housing come first, and outweighs the need to join “programs” as priorities for young parents.
Then, the powerpoint and questions were over, and Patrick asked the city employees to break-out into small groups and brainstorm ideas for how to implement positive changes for young parents within the system - both short-term and long.
Alice stayed for the afternoon, bless her heart, and reported back to us that by the end of the day, the workers had come up with over 30 concrete ideas for change.
“The message that young parents need to get housed came out loud and strong,” Alice confirmed.
Ah yes. we may just be a power point presentation today. But watch out Oscar. Watch out Nobel! We are not done yet…
Add comment October 17th, 2007
Catch the television premiere of Street Health Stories [the film]
on Sunday, September 23 on CBC News: Sunday
CBC: 10am – noon (local time)
CBC Newsworld: 9am – 11am (ET)
For repeat screenings check your local listings
1 comment September 21st, 2007
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