Local News & Love
Red Line D.C. has lots to be thankful for. Besides the awesome turnout at Salon Contra, there has also been strong support of our project online. Since its launch 4 days ago, our Indiegogo campaign has raised $575. Fundraising for The Red Line D.C. Project has been encouraged by word of mouth, with loyal fans and Red line enthusiasts promoting and re-posting our links on Facebook and Twitter.
The timeliness of our project has also made it a hot topic in the blogosphere. The ArtsDesk column of the Washington City Paper offered a little pre-Contra publicity. And yesterday’s TBD post put the spotlight on our efforts to give context to all the recent and coming changes on the Red line.
We’re grateful for all the community support and media coverage. As our 6/15 event approaches, let’s keep the momentum going and our energy up!
Red Line 2.0
Since our last post, Red Line D.C. has been hitting the books. Our ever-growing reading list covers everything from #filmmaking101 to the fascinating history of the Washington metro. Yes, sometimes a little geekdom is good for the soul and, in this case, good to put in practice. The many threads of theory and discussion encountered over the course of this project have helped steer the focus of Red Line D.C. as a documentary effort and medium for public engagement. As authors Jessica Clark and Barbara Abrash explain it, today’s filmmaking landscape, like the web, went from 1.0 to 2.0, essentially, changing the game:
” … new discoveries are leading filmmakers in directions they could not have predicted at the start of their projects—creative opportunities that lead to innovations in narrative form and the shift from filmmaking to other modes of communication.”
January 2012 | Electronic sign on-board train informing passengers of train line. (Photo courtesy of Saaret Yoseph)
We couldn’t agree more. For this project, the process of filmmaking began with a question and will, ultimately, end with a camera. But in-between there has always been space for dialogue in various forms. Our purposeful attempts to learn more about the red line’s history–it’s unseen writers, everyday riders, and impending future–have led us down an awesome path of exploration and exchange. We’re ranting about on this website, sounding off on Twitter and keeping our email open for business all because we want to hear from you!
Getting feedback and ideas from members of the community, whether in-person or online helps make this documentary what it is. So, as we go back to the books for more helpful wisdom, be sure to share a little of your own. Let us know what you think about the direction Red Line D.C. has been going and what you might like to see/hear/talk about next …
