NEWS / reflections / BLOG:

Reflections on Process by Gerardo

Mon, 2 Apr 2012 10:21:29 -0400

Youth producer - and subject of the film - Gerardo Perez wrote this reflection on the production process:

The documentary, “Echoes Of Incarceration” was started back in October of 2009 as an effort to bring awareness to the topic of having a parent or sibling incarcerated, and how it can affect a family emotionally, socially, mentally, and physically. Unless you have experienced this for yourself it’s nearly impossible to fully understand how it feels, but Jeremy Robins, along with the youth production crew, gave you first hand accounts from people who lived through this.

The youth production crew consisted of myself (Gerardo Perez), Fathama Ahmed, Michael Gardner, Jerdel Gibson, Farhana Hussain, Jacquelin Miller and Lynise Williams. I remember sitting alongside the rest of the crew working on this film and for starters, surprisingly, I was comfortable with it. The environment was calm and there was so much positivity. Everyone was working to achieve a common goal so there was a lot of communication as well as teamwork. It was hard at first to openly talk about the situation my family and I had gone through during the time that my mom had been incarcerated, but I was surprised and really happy to see that, for once, I actually wasn’t judged by it. Due to that alone, it was later a lot easier to become friends with the rest of the production crew of the film.

I remember feeling very happy and comfortable with the fact that I was able to openly share my feelings and opinions from personal experience and, instead of being judged by it, I was getting paid for doing so!

In helping with the development of the film, I learned A LOT. I learned skills that later helped me, in school for example, in my Audio Visual class. I knew my way around a camera and I knew how to tamper around with what I had already recorded so it was very easy for me to understand the topic and pass the class with flying colors. Besides that, I also learned that other kids my age have a hard time opening up to others. Its like they keep themselves completely at distant from the rest of society, and can act rude or violent. This amazed me, to know that it wasn’t just me, and to know the exact reason as to why I acted this way and how to cope with this in a positive way, instead of doing something that can eventually end up putting me behind bars.

I made one friend in the youth production crew of the film, in specific, from whom I learned a lot and was honored to share a friendship: Michael Gardner. I had found someone who related to me in many ways. We both had our mothers incarcerated and we were both dealing with the topic at a young age so he understood me and I understood him almost 100%. The only difference between us both is that we both dealt with it in a different manner. That is where I learned the most and what, throughout the whole process of making the film, stuck out to me the most. From him I learned how to see things in a different way, how to think a different way, more positively so it became easier to change who I was and begin the process of molding into who I am today. It was a lot easier to listen to what he had to say instead of what others had to say because he was around my age, and had experience what I had experienced first hand. Even though he had his mom incarcerated he got into school programs such as sports to keep his mind off it, instead of being in the streets and ending up getting in trouble. He didn’t end up in gangs and didn’t turn to drugs. I admired that and began to think that, if he can do it, so can I.

Overall, the experience of making this documentary film felt comforting. To just know that I'm bringing awareness to the public on a topic many know little to nothing about.

[HOME]

DVD available for free to advocates

Tue, 9 Aug 2011 00:06:13 -0400

Due to our successful first round of DVD sales, we’re now making the 14-min documentary DVD “Echoes of Incarceration” available for free to advocates, non-profits, and other interested parties. If you would like a copy, email jeremy107@yahoo.com. You can also screen the whole film on Vimeo HERE.
Or watch it below.

[HOME]

“Echoes of incarceration” on DVD - getting widely used by advocates

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 09:25:27 -0500

We’re incredibly excited that our first 14-minute documentary “Echoes of Incarceration” is already being enthusiastically embraced and used by advocates. In the past few months, its been screened at law schools, symposiums, and trainings across the country.
We also now have DVD’s available for sale HERE.
We’re hoping to make DVD’s free for advocates shortly - stay tuned.

[HOME]

First Film Done! (For now...)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:47:26 -0500

(Reflection by Fathama Ahmed)

It’s over! We finally have a finished film! Its’ been a long road to get here.

We began with a practice project so we could learn the basic steps of filming, editing and making a film before starting the real documentary.

We learned about Final Cut Pro – in points, out points, click, tab, drag…. We learned to edit and cut out unwanted parts of the footage. Then we learned about adding the sounds.

Brainstorming, writing typing was our next step. We created questions that would reveal the reality of having a parent in prison. With our new skills, we went out and got scenes and interviewed children with incarcerated parents (including some members of our own group).
 We’ve listened and encouraged our interviewees. We arrived to work upbeat and ready to get the word out about the effects of parents in prison, but many times let in anger at the prison system and the government for treating people inhumanely.

Then came the long process of putting it ALL together.

And now we’re done! But not so fast. Its really just beginning. This film has to be watched and make the impact that we have been hoping for. More work is just beginning!

[HOME]

A Rough-Cut is Here!

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:47:12 -0400

We finally have our first rough-cut and it’s been getting great reactions from audiences (four people have cried so far). We screened for students a Cardozo Law School symposium, and for researchers at the CUNY Graduate Center, and we’re busily setting up the next events.

Our research team of Dominique and Isabel are also finishing another short film specifically focusing on the issue of post-prison college and the results of the research projects. Stay tuned!

[HOME]