It's Time for a Call for Change
Scribe Producers' Forum with J.T. Takagi from Third World Newsreel

On Friday, March 24 at International House (3701 Chestnut Street) J.T. Takagi along with other guest filmmakers from Third World Newsreel's Call for Change program screened and discussed their short documentaries. Cheraine Stanford, a MFA candidate at Temple University in Film and Media Arts, was all smiles as she presented her film Color Conscious. Her film, which questions dual identities, stereotypes and civil liberty abuses faces by immigrants in the US, was a natural local addition to the program.

Marlene Champion, Jocelyn Campbell and Ai-Jen Poo from Domestic Workers United made the trip from New York to present their film Work and Respect about the over 200,000 women who work in the homes of New Yorkers as housekeepers and nannies, most are women of color and many undocumented.

Leslie K. Brown (pictured below with J.T.) was joined by family members from Philly and Harrisburg to see her film Untold Legacy. Her film, which follows the introduction of a bill in New York City Council that would require companies doing business with the city to investigate and reveal any past complicity and profit from the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, generated much discussion. Many in the audience wanted to know if such a bill had been introduced in Philadelphia. The day after the screening Leslie emailed us with the news that in fact Philadelphia City Council did pass the Slavery Era Ordinance Bill and they are also in the process of passing the Disinvestment Bill.

Some exciting news for Philadelphia filmmakers is that this year TWN will be expanding their call for filmmakers beyond New York in the 2006 Call for Change. We will publicize the application as soon as they put it out or you can bookmark Third World Newsreel and check it yourself.

On the following day, J.T. taught her audio recording class to a packed house at Scribe. Bad sound on a video project is every filmmaker's worst nightmare. So if you couldn't make this workshop we recommend that you take Recording Audio for Mini DV with Jack Melhbaum on Friday, April 20 and Saturday, April 21st. Registering is as easy as a call or email to inquiry@scribe.org.