"SIGNS OF THE TIME "
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Official website at www.myspace.com/signsthedocumentary
www.myspace.com/signsthedocumentary
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PRODUCTION AND INFORMATION FORUM
As production progresses and the days pass the schedule turns into a Journal
DIRECTOR Rick L. Winters JOURNAL of Meetings, Interviews, Field Shoot Schedule and past events:
First I would like to start by saying that I will not go into too much detail in my online journal as I do not want to spoil the surprise when you see the documentary. Instead I will sway myself around the high points while at the same time giving you little pieces to keep your enthusiasm. We will be taking the footage we do not use and making several educational videos that will be sold to schools and universities, 100% of all of these proceeds will go to charity programs to provide showers, mail boxes, clothing and laundry services for the homeless. Please use the informational links at the bottom of this page. Also please feel free to sign up for the forum and make comments about how you feel about the homeless situation and what you think could be done to end homelessness.
Low income housing is falling more and more behind even though there are great organizations out there doing all they can with what they have. They need more help from us all and it is my objective through this documentary to raise the awareness of the situation and hope we can make a change before I find my child or myself sleeping under the bridge.
"The few must become many and we must help our fellow man, for one day we could be sleeping right beside him underneath a bridge or in a jungle that we create, the time is now, not tomorrow, let's make a difference, together" Rick L. Winters
The beginning:
Saturday March 18th - MEETING - This was be our first official meeting, at the meeting everyone for the most part came prepared with research they had prepared over the last few weeks. David brought a rough draft of the Pamphlet. I went through it and made adjustments. This was the first meeting and I split up all the duties and responsibilities between us so that we can work together while we work independent from each other. I gave a briefing on what our next meeting would intel and we called it an evening.
Friday March 31st - MEETING - The meeting went well we planned our strategy of where we would start filming and planned an office interview schedule.
Saturday April 1st - FIELD SHOOT - We had a great day today getting four interviews with homeless people. We learned a little bit about the street lingo but what was most interesting is that we learned of a hidden place called the Jungle where a group of some 30 people are living in a thick wooded area around seattle. We were worn that it was a very dirty and dangerous place to visit and if we do go we should make sure that we take plenty of security with us. From some of the homeless we interviewed there were rumors of prostitution, hard drugs, and even kids living with their mothers in the Jungle. We all grew worried when we heard about the children that are supposedly living in these conditions and are planning on asking other homeless people on the exact whereabouts of the Jungle. We hope that if there are children in the place they call the Jungle that we will be able to get footage that will allow us to help them get out of this situation and into a safe environment.
Sunday April 2nd - FIELD SHOOT - Today was even better than yesterday we got six interviews and learned a little more about the Jungle most of the people we interviewed said for the most part that they were afraid to go there because they had heard rumors that it wasn't safe that there was a lot of heroin and that people had been killed in the Jungle. As the interviews continue in the following weeks we hope to learn more about the situation and conditions in which the homeless population lives, in their cars, under bridges, under trees and in the Jungle. As soon as we gather enough information about the Jungle. We will be making a recon trip to the Jungle filming from the woods with telephoto lenses and night vision equipment before we enter with our cameras in hand. We are asking the Seattle police department to send a couple of plain clothed police officers with us to assess the situation and call for back up if we find kids living in these horrifying conditions, I only hope we do not find any. We are also looking for volunteer nurses and doctors to come on some of the filming days and assess the living conditions and to help with any sick homeless people we find so we can get them the proper care they need. Over the course of our first weekend we ran into a man whose hand appeared to be rotting off, and another with a growth on his right eye lid. Both had said they were turned down for treatment because their conditions were not life threatening, but from what I saw I feel the conditions could grow into a life threatening situation and I wouldn't whish such a thing on anyone. We will continue the interviews with the homeless next weekend. For now we will shift our focus to the Thursday interviews.
Thursday April 6th - Office interview with
Joe Martin
Co-founder of the Pike Market Medical Clinic that provides health care to uninsured people.
Active in the homeless community since 1977, he has an in depth familiarity with homeless issues and its history in Seattle.
Today's interview was very informative and I found Joe Martin to be a warm hearted man who cares about the current homeless situation and is trying to make a difference. His knowledge and information on the subject of homelessness will benefit the documentary in many ways and we are thankful for his time in discussing these issues. Joe Martin is a mentor and my heart goes out to him for everything he has done and continues to do for people in need. More information in available at http://www.pikemed.org/
Field Shoot – Saturday April 8th -It was very rainy out but still we found those in need standing on the street corners trying to scrape together some change to get themselves through until the next day. We had two really good interviews and got a lot of B-roll footage.
Field Shoot – Sunday April 9th - Today we visited an encampment underneath a bridge , it was raining on an off today but we managed to get six interviews from the homeless and we also found an encampment and we could not believe our eyes. Where they were living was nothing like i expected and not where I expected. When you really open your eyes and look there are homeless people living all around us almost invisible. They have learned it is best to hide, out of site out of mind so they say. There is a flood of homelessness taking over the city that is unfathomable and the homeless population is increasing on a daily basis at a very rapid rate. I presume the homeless count in King County alone to have risen by thousands in 2005. And that we can expect this to become even more in 2006.
Thursday April 13th - office interview with
Bill Vandermeer
Executive Director of the Union Gospel Mission.
They provide Free breakfast 7-8:30 AM daily, $1 lunch 12:15-1:00 p.m. Mon-Sat. $2 dinner 5-6 p.m. daily except last Thursday of each month & a free meal after chapel at 11 AM & 7 PM. Free showers - (men only), hygiene supplies 9-11am, 1:30-5:30p.m. Mon-Sat except fourth Saturday of each month. Shelter for men, no fee. 110 mats available.
Today's interview was most impressive, the union gospel mission is defiantly on a mission to do good in Gods name. The facilities were most impressive from a nine month program for 70 people at a time in a dormitory like setting. The facility was very clean and security and order were top notch. There is also a FREE dental clinic open to all homelessness and those who may be working but lack sufficient income to afford dental insurance. Dentist volunteer their time free of charge while students studying dentistry are his assistants. The best thing is that they ask no questions they help those in need. The phone number for the clinic to make an appointment is available in the local crisis guide. More information available at
Union Gospel Mission Website
Field Shoot – Saturday April 15th - It was a very wet and windy day we had problems keeping the rain off the camera and the umbrella kept blowing around. We were able to get some great footage even though the weather was near impossible for filming. To our amazement the flagers on the street corners were out trying to gather some money for food and possibly shelter. In light that we will be needing the camera for the rest of the documentary we decided to call it quits a little early today. Food for thought: When you are driving down the road you are driving over more that you think.
Thursday April 20th - OFFICE INTERVIEWS
Paul Gracy
Sergeant with Seattle Police Department experienced in the homeless situation. When we first met Sgt Gracy we could see his concern for a resolution to the homeless situation. He is a man who truly cares about the people, the information we received from him was priceless and pulls a new light on the homeless people on the Streets of Seattle. He had many great quotes of which we will post a few here as we edit the film. We found out that he is on a search for the same answer we are. How can we end homelessness?
Patricia McInturff
Seattle 's Director of Human Services
More information at http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/humanservices/aboutus.htm
Friday April 21st - PORTLAND OREGON
Field Shoot/ Office Interviews – Saturday April 22nd - PORTLAND OREGON
Bill Russell
Executive Director - Union Gospel Mission Portland
Wow, a truly amazing organization whose efforts to transition people from homelessness back into the community are an example to be learned from. We toured the facility and interviewed several of the people who were in transition. Bill Russell gave us a very thorough tour of the mission explaining how every detail works.
More information available at http://www.ugmportland.org/about.htm
Portland Rescue Mission
Relieved a great tour of their facility and how it operates. We also met a few of the people
whose lives the mission has help and sent them on a mission to help other that are homeless
just as they were once before. Their passion for helping the homeless blew me away
and when you
hear what they have to say it will change your life forever.
More information available at http://www.portlandrescuemission.org/programs-and-services
Scott Brumitt
Transition Projects
More information available at http://www.tprojects.org/services.html
Heather Lyons
Program Manager -
Bureau of Housing and Community Development
More information available http://www.portlandonline.com/bhcd/index.cfm?c=dcfih
Sunday April 23rd - FIELD SHOOT - Portland
We spent the day filming and interviewing homeless people on the streets.
Thursday April 27th - OFFICE INTERVIEWS
Seth Rosenberg
Executive Director of the Family and Adult Service Center
more information available about this organizations
http:www.ci.seattle.wa.us/humanservices/
Richard O’Bridges
interview time 1 PM - Executive Director of the Millionair Club Charity.
They provide free showers, laundry, Jobs & Meals among other things.
More information about this organization available at http://www.millionairclub.org/
Saturday April 29th & Sunday April 30th - will be off days for editing and evaluation of material
Interviews – Thursday May 4th
Bill Block
Project Director of The Committee to End Homelessness in King County
Wow, very direct and to the point. Mr. Block explains how the ten year plan is working thus far
and he explains what it is the ten year committee is doing and the progress they are making and plan to see in the future.
Field Shoot – Sunday May 7th from 1 PM until? At the end of the day we will return to Base Camp and discuss the upcoming interviews on Thursday. We will go over all articles and information familiarizing ourselves with the organizations and people who are being interviewed.
Interview– Thursday May 11th
Michael Paddy
Seattle City Director - City Team Ministries
Gave a very insightful interview about the mission to help the homeless population.
His insight will be very valuable in our search for information on the Homeless situation in America.
more information about the organization is available at
http://www.cityteam.org/
Living on the street – Friday May 12th at 8 PM
This will be our final feat in the documentary to submit ourselves into the homeless population. David will dress in raggedy clothing armed with back packs with camera equipment, raggedy clothes to cover and protect the equipment, State ID’s, the pamphlet we created, a note pad, a pen, no money, no food and a cell phone to call Mike Shimkus to bring new batteries and take recorded tapes. Other that this David will not have any contact purposely with anyone we know.
Living on the street – Saturday May 13th - Still on the street until Sunday morning when we enter the Jungle.
Living on the street – Sunday May 14th - WE ENTERED THE JUNGLE AND GOT THE FACTS ABOUT WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON INSIDE. All the rumors were not as substantial as the story's we were told, but then again not living there for months at a time ourselves it is hard to really see what goes on inside. Although we did find a lot of things that will intrigue our audience and put them in awe.
Objective 1: For our main objective 1 need everyone to read the Governments Ten year plan to end homelessness, here is the link: http://www.ich.gov/slocal/plans/toolkit.pdf Then I need research done to find out who we can interview, Government officials (the higher up the better, let’s shoot for the Governor, she should be our first target once we are all familiar with the plan) I need you all to research this topic full force.
There is also a news article in the Seattle Weekly that we need to use to get interviews with all the people involved, the writer of the article, the police man, the man on the verge of becoming homeless, and anyone else we can get for an interview from the article. The link for the Seattle Weekly article is: http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/0610/homeless.php
Everyone should read up on this article and start gathering information to schedule interviews. All interviews should be finalized and arranged by our head of research Michael Shimkus. This Objective will be our focal point for the documentary along with the other set objectives below. Everyone should come prepared with notes of their research to each meeting, (Don’t show up empty handed). If we want to do a great and informative Documentary that will do some good then we will have to work hard.
Objective 2: To make the public aware of the great charity organizations and volunteers that are out there with programs that help the needy and homeless. We will search for a couple with a child or with a child on the way who are down on their luck and clueless about where to get help or we will find single individuals. We will find a charity organization that is already in place and set up to give temporary housing assistance. We will then give the couple a little assistance by providing them with a pamphlet that will give them all the information they need to get a jump start to regain and establish a secure home for their child and transport them to the charity organization where we have already organized to assist the family. We will document the entire progress following the family through their transition back into society and getting their own place. We will interview the organization leaders on the importance of giving to charity. It is our intention to show America what a little help can do to get someone back on the right track, for we have all made mistakes in our life and there comes a time when we need a little assistance. After all this could happen to your child without you being aware of it. Our future is up to us to do the right thing and give to charities in need. With the ever growing population we need to do something now to assure no one goes hungry of without shelter, the future of America depends on it.
Objective 3: We will conduct interviews with homeless people, and panhandlers who stand on the street corners of Seattle and Portland. Through these interviews we will listen and film their stories of how they cam to begging on the streets to try and survive. When we meet with them we will provide them with informational pamphlets that tell them where they can go for help and assistance with their needs and problems. We will ask them questions on how they feel about the governments efforts to help them and what should be done to help them get back on their feet again and become a productive member of society. We will interview food banks, missions, shelters and government officials on what is in place to provide a path for homeless people to make the move back into society and what can be done to better the system.
Objective 4: We will interview those in charge of the tent cities and learn of the struggle to help those in need. We will ask them about success stories and failures. We will interview families and people in the tent cities. We hope to open peoples eyes and show them that the homeless are people too, that they deserve a fair chance just like anyone else and tent city’s are not an eyesore but a gateway to helping those in need. We need to do the research.
Objective 5: This will be our final feat in the documentary to submit ourselves into the homeless population. Rick, Bob and David will dress in raggedy clothing armed with back packs with camera equipment, raggedy clothes to cover and protect the equipment, State ID’s, the pamphlet we created, a note pad, a pen, no money, no food and a cell phone to call Mike Shimkus to bring us new batteries and take recorded tapes from us. Other that this we will not have any contact purposely with anyone we know.
Questions to be answered: Is the Government doing what they said to end homelessness? Why are George Bush and the Government cutting funds that affect the plan? If it is cheaper to give the homeless housing and medical care then why are we not doing it now? In the existing situation how many beds are we short to supply shelter for those in need? Why are there restrictions on some free meals and food banks based on zip codes? Is there enough food? Does the money the homeless receive panhandling actually help and better there chances for survival or does it just help them with their next fix? Would the money that is being given to panhandlers on the streets be put to better use in the hands of a charity organization?
"I believe the very basic service of providing showers, laundry, lockers, mail and phone messages to the homeless would help many of them get work and, ultimately, a home" Rick L. Winters
visit the "SIGNS OF THE TIME"
PRODUCTION FORUMS
INFORMATIONAL LINKS:
Homeless statistics 2005
TEN YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
National Alliance to End Homelessness
Tent City - Temporary Homeless Shelters in King County
Seattle's Union Gospel Mission