Brian Huberman documentary filmmaker

Seattle multidisciplinary artist Paul Rucker created this animated video and music, which effectively demonstrates the dramatic growth of prison systems in America between 1778 and 2005.

It’s a visceral experience, to say the least:

From the artist himself:

“In May of 2009, I was honored to be part of a Prison Issues residency at the Blue Mountain Center. While there I had the honor of being in the company of some amazing people. Artists, activist from around the world provided over two weeks of inspiration, knowledge, and camaraderie.

“While doing my individual research, I happened upon some maps created by Rose Heyer that showed the growth of the US Prison system. With that information, I was inspired to create Proliferation, an animated mapping of the US Prison system set to original music.”

Timeline

Green Dots: 1778-1900
Yellow Dots: 1901-1940
Orange Dots: 1941-1980
Red Dots: 1981-2005

Nathan Eyring – Animation
Aaron Bourget- Video Editing
Rose Heyer – Research
Troy Glessner – Music Mastering

Learn more about the artist’s work at paulrucker.com

If you’ve seen Battle in Seattle…you need to see this film also.

The documentary is a quilt of compelling footage shot by over 100 independent filmmakers during the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle – and a strong example of the part filmmaking has to play in capturing important and fleeting movements and moments.

Order a copy of the film via this Web site: http://www.thisisdemocracy.org/

A contemporary look at the casualties of a war started over a century ago. Watch this.

Recently, BH’s film class had the opportunity to meet Kimberly Rivers Roberts, a rapper from New Orleans’ 9th Ward who picked up a hi 8 camera at a Pawn shop, and filmed her experiences while holed up with her husband in their attic during Katrina.

Filmmakers Tia Lessin and Carl Deal followed Kim for sometime as she coped with the aftermath of the storm and appropriated some of Kim’s footage into their own film, Trouble the Water, which went on to be nominated for an Academy Award for best feature documentary. The rapper has since released an album and started her own record label.

The film stands as an important reminder to aspiring filmmakers that the power of influence and interest is not limited to those with the best training or gear – but simply with those who are awake and attuned to the moment of their own story.

Read an interview with Kim here.