The Power of Film is on the March
by Michael HoffmanSunday, March 5th, 2006
In today’s New York Times there is a story about the Oscar-nominated documentary “Street Fight,” which is about the race for mayor of Newark, NJ four years ago.
What’s interesting about this story is how the publicity around Street Fight has taught people how their issues can be exposed through film. The mayor of Newark, Sharpe James, talks about how this film is a biased ad for his opponent. He wrote letters against it when it aired on PBS in New York. But he has realized what he really needs to do is fight fire with fire and now he goes and makes his own films!
“Now, Mr. James appears to realize the impact of the cameras he so vigorously shoved aside during the filming of “Street Fight.” His State of the City address last month included a 10-minute documentary tracing the city’s history from the riots of 1967 through the present, and a video of his visit to a new Home Depot on Springfield Avenue. Both films are now prominently displayed on the city’s Web site, www.ci.newark.nj.us.”
In the article people are talking about having cameras around to document all the campaign’s dirty tricks.
See3 is all about documenting and the power of film to move issues. We know the impact of the camera. Your film doesn’t have to be a Oscar worthy to have an impact.
