documentary – Pam Taylor Multimedia

DMZ Phoenix

Time to Serve Those Who Served

The Justa Center in Phoenix Arizona helps homeless senior citizens get vital documents, a source of income – whether it is employment, social security, etc, and a safe place to live. About a year ago they asked me to do a video about homeless senior veterans. The result was this multimedia documentary which premiered at the fundraiser Bets for Vets November 2011.

There were several challenges to this documentary. The obvious one was tracking down people who live at no fixed place, with no phone or other means of contact. Another challenge was documenting their environment, a dangerous area known as “the zone,” the combat zone. Another formidable challenge was getting people who would permit photographs and interviews. Most people are not proud of this time in their life when they are reduced to living on the streets.

Fortunately I was often able to arrange meetings at the Justa Center. Several former combat vets gave me tours of “the zone.” They watched my back as I shot pictures. As for getting permissions, people were so grateful that the Justa Center helped them get back on their feet, that they agreed readily to portraits and interviews. Not only that, many people opened up about their lives in ways that humbled me.

Post production also presented challenges. As always, I was looking for good, legal music. Songwriter Chris Lux gave me permission to record him singing his original song, “Cadillac Street.”

The most important challenge was time, or lack of it. So many veterans were incredibly forthright as they described their military service, their struggles upon coming home, and their reasons for finding themselves homeless, including ptsd, hospitalizations, addictions, and the recession. It was painful to cut out many moving stories in the interest of keeping a shorter piece.

My goal is to edit short audio portraits where more of these courageous veterans can come forward with their stories.

Credits:

“Cadillac Street” written and performed by Chris Lux

Photos: Laird Brown, Pam Taylor

Video: Walt Carr, US Navy Reserve; Pam Taylor

Advisors:
Malcolm Burns, US Marine Corps, Vietnam
John McNamee, US Navy, Iraq
Eduard Uzumeckis, PhD, US Army, Vietnam

Social Change

Social Change through Multimedia Documentaries.

Multicultural diversity has formed me. From childhood within a United Nations community in New York City, to covering civil unrest in Central America and living and working in Thailand and Peru, I find it natural to relate to people of many cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, and beliefs.

Although I began with “hard news” photojournalism, my strength today focuses on in-depth features.

I take the time to research a social issue, whether it is Americans struggling with racism or rural poverty, Peruvians or Burmese surviving civil strife, or people worldwide living their beliefs with integrity in a changing world.

Rather than do a quick in-out interview and photos, I take time to get to know the people I’m interviewing, photographing, or filming–time to establish trust and to really hear their stories– time to sensitively portray how they overcome adversity.

Time to put a person’s face to mind-numbing statistics.

I seek out people who are traditionally marginalized, “voiceless;” often people find a voice as they tell their story. This could be homeless senior citizens, “at-risk” teenagers, a Peruvian weaver who could only “tell” the story of his people at war through his tapestries, or Afro-American elders who know the effects of subtle racism.

Most people are grateful whenever someone not only listens to their inner truth but also portrays their inherent dignity.

Although I work with visual stories and audio stories, I believe multimedia documentaries are the most powerful means of presenting a narrative. Integrating visual images, animation, video footage, interviews, and music surpasses linear text.

Recently I trained a group of racially mixed young teenagers how to interview each other and their elders about a difficult social issue: racism. Students, who were struggling academically, benefitted from this non-linear way of learning and relating to others.

Multimedia documentaries can educate, move, and inspire us in ways traditional text cannot.

I create compelling authentic narratives that give voice to the “voiceless,” move viewers, and inspire social change.