Hollow

Clouds Over Cuba

On the 50th anniversary of the crisis, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum has released an interactive documentary called Clouds Over Cuba. Narrated by actor Matthew Modine, the film vividly explains the events before, during and after the historic crisis. As the story unfolds, the documentary prompts viewers to access an impressive amount of historical documents (photos, documents, audio recordings, etc.) that add real texture to the story. Clouds Over Cuba iseducational. It’s impressively put together.

Hollow documenting McDowell County's story

Washington Times

By Lisa King

“On the day I visited, the documentary makers were holding a story telling seminar to better enable the community participants to reflect on their lives in a way that would convey their experiences in McDowell County through its many ups and downs.

Present was a wonderful mix of all ethnicities, including Irish, Italian, Indian, German, and African American that reflected the impressive array of people that came to McDowell County in the past seeking their fortunes.

From ages 13 to 80, the participants all gathered in hopes of learning how they could convey their pride in their community and how to tell that in a format that would be available for all to enjoy.

The more I talked to the people the more I realized they were all community minded, each holding at least one position in their community, if not more, that was directly responsible for insuring and bettering the welfare of the rest of the community.

Participants were from law enforcement, health care, teaching, county government, and the local food bank, just to name a few. More importantly, they shared a real enthusiasm for the project that was obvious in their words and actions.

As work on “Hollow” continues, I am left with this thought; they say one person can change the world. If this is true, we definitely have not heard the last of McDowell County West Virginia, because I recently met a room full of earth shakers there.”

Help HOLLOW get to SXSW Interactive 2013

We need everyone’s vote! West Virginia University (my alma mater) has submitted a panel featuring HOLLOW and 18 Days in Egypt for SXSW 2013 in Austin titled, “The People’s Voice: Story Through Their Lens.” We need everyone to sign up for the website (it’s simple) and cast your vote!

Our submission: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/156

Voting closes August 31 ; Programming announced October 15 (first round)

Please vote, share and help HOLLOW make it to SXSW :)

Thanks for your support!

Elaine & the HOLLOW team

Filmmakers discuss community-driven media

The Daily Athenaeum published an article yesterday about mine and Jigar Mehta’s presentations about interactive storytelling at West Virginia University. 

Although I look quite silly in this picture, the article is worth reading :)

Hollow Featured in Emerson Service Learning and Community Action Newsletter

Plugging In: Appalachia Online

Hollow is mentioned in this great column today about Appalachians using new media to improve the region.

Hollow Featured on "The Revivalist"

“The Revivalist” featured an interview with me (Elaine) about Hollow’s mission! Please take the time to read!

Hollow Mentioned in Coal Tattoo's Friday Roundup

See full roundup on Ken Ward’s Coal Tattoo 

From the media world, folks who are active on Twitter or Facebook may have seen mentions around this week about a project called “Hollow: An Interactive Documentary,” which its developers describe as:

… A hybrid community participatory project and interactive documentary where content is created “for the community, by the community.” The project combines personal documentary video portraits, user-generated content, photography, soundscapes, interactive data and grassroots mapping on an HTML5 website designed to discuss the many stereotypes associated with the area, population loss and potential for the future. Members of the community will take part in the filmmaking process by creating 20 of the 50 short documentaries in efforts to build engagement and social trust and empower the community to work together for a better future.

They also say:

The project leaders of Hollow believe that the voices of West Virginia have not been heard. Over the years, media has portrayed the people of Appalachia as one-dimensional characters in issue-driven films about coal mining and drug abuse. Films about our homestate have not given residents a chance to speak but have instead used them to fit their categories of “hillbilly,” “poor Appalachian,” “ignorant coal miners,” or “environmentalist.” This community participatory project has great potential to become a place where the community can have a voice and share ideas for the future. We hope that this interactive model can encourage trust among the community and empower them to work together for change. Hollow’s documentary portraits and user-generated content will provide a multidimensional viewpoint, highlighting the ingenuity and spirit that keeps the community fighting.

The project team is currently trying to raise funding through Kickstarter.  I’m curious what role coal’s past, present and future is going to play in this particular project, and I may write some more about it after I get to talk more with project leader Elaine McMillion.