The latest Carbon Trace Production is “All of a Sudden,” exploring the lives of the residents of Eden Village. learn more below

Hey all you cool cats, crews, and viewers,

While one may assume amidst COVID-19 we would be at a standstill, that “one” has obviously not met us before. We deal with existential dread by drinking far too much coffee, taking 85,792,348,529 videos of our pets/downtown, and doing good in the community. It is easy to throw yourself into the work when you a) love what you are doing and b) use that passion to help others. We are using footage already filmed and are making content for other not-for-profits around 417-land. Check them out HERE and HERE and HERE.

We were thrilled to see some recent public acknowledgment with Witness at Tornillo winning Best Documentary Film at the Kansas City FilmFest International. Additionally, Zero, our award-winning basketball documentary, makes this list of what-to-watch-during-the-lockdown. We agree!

*For a full rundown of all of our recent COVID projects, click HERE. We will continue to work hard and do everything we can to keep the doors open at Carbon Trace Productions. (Remember, our group is a 501c3 organization, and all contributions are tax-deductible.) Donate

– Shannon Cay

“We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.” —Eleanor Roosevelt, diplomat, activist, and former First Lady of the United States

Project Updates

Witness at Tornillo: We are still basking in the glory of winning the best documentary film (https://kcfilmfest.org/about-kcffi/awards-2020/) at the Kansas City FilmFest International. We want to thank every single person involved in the movie, particularly the Witness movement. “Witness At Tornillo” is the story of individual action against injustice by using the “subversive act of seeing” to encourage the people running the camps to examine their own effects and ethics. You can watch this award-winning film HERE.

Witness at the Border: Our Carbon Trace crew was set to return to the U.S.-Mexico border to complete filming in March, but the COVID-19 crisis derailed us temporarily. In January, before everything was on lockdown, our team traveled to Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas, to work on this sequel to Witness At Tornillo. It was a profound experience for our team to film the dire human rights abuses caused in large part by the federal protocol known as MPP, or Remain in Mexico. It was not all woe, though. We had the immeasurable satisfaction of documenting and interviewing some genuinely heroic people. We want to thank them for the miraculous work they perform every day. Check out Heroes at the Border.

Revisiting A Portrait of the Ozarks: Forty years ago, life in rural Missouri was documented through a 2-part documentary about life in Shannon County, Mo., created by Missouri State University’s Center for Ozarks Studies. These films have recently found new life on YouTube, where they have received more than a quarter of a million views each. Earlier this spring at the Shannon County Museum in Eminence, we connected researchers and relatives of those interviewed for a revival of the principal question the films pose: Can a real rural lifestyle continue in the 21st century? We are currently raising funds to document and share the information and experiences of the Shannon County residents nearly a half-century later. Keep us with this project HERE. And check out the original documentaries HERE and HERE.

Syrian Doctor: Editor Mariah Zink is hard at work on this important story about medical missions in a refugee camp, but she paused to create something for immediate use by the staff and volunteers of the Syrian American Medical Society. Check out this promotional video HERE, including footage from our trip to a refugee camp in Jordan in 2017. Currently, SAMS is delivering life-saving services, promoting medical education via a network of humanitarians in Syria, the US, and beyond, as well as revitalizing health systems during crises like this. We are grateful for all the hard work these people do each and every day.

Songs from the Street: Our student-led production about a choir comprised of members of Springfield, Mo.’s homeless residents is almost finished! Producer Michael Mayrad says the local choir has had a profound effect on its performers and their audiences. Witness their stories HERE. Don’t forget to like and share the group’s Facebook page ) for all the latest updates.

American Drive-in: Editor Ethan Turner turned in the first round of edits for our student-led movie about drive-in movie theaters. We are feeling extra hipster after reading THIS article in the New York Times. While we could have never predicted the pandemic, we did see that drive-in movie theaters were making a comeback. Or maybe. Just maybe… they never went away. Our Patreon insider members can sneak a peek of “American Drive-in” next week–one more reason to become a Patreon supporter!

Eden Village: Doggone COVID-19 has forced us to pause filming on this documentary about the people who, after being homeless for a long period of time, get the opportunity for permanent housing in a “tiny home” community. However, Andy was able to stay at a safe distance to create THIS video for Eden Village that was included in its Easter newsletter. The group’s founders David and Linda Brown are not giving up their hope for a city where #NoOneSleepsOutside.
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A Note from our Creative Board Chairman Shane Franklin

“I spend a great deal of time focusing on the dual mission of Carbon Trace by educating the next generation of documentary filmmakers while creating high-quality media spotlighting the humanitarian service of local, national, and international nonprofits and NGOs. In addition to producing and directing CTP films, I love educating our student crew on the art of documentary film, from the earliest stages of pre-production all the way through the execution of a well-tuned distribution campaign.”

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