Press Kit - The Film Collaborative

THEBADKIDS
afilmby
KeithFulton&LouPepe
www.thebadkidsmovie.com
PublicityContacts:
Ginsberg/Libby
ChrisLibby
[email protected]
RyanCollins
[email protected]
SalesAgent:
AbbyDavis
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323-782-9193
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LOGLINE
AtaremoteMojaveDeserthighschool,extraordinaryeducatorsbelievethat
empathyandlifeskills,morethanacademics,giveat-riskstudentscommandoftheir
ownfutures.Thiscoming-of-agedramawatcheseducationcombatthecrippling
effectsofpovertyinthelivesoftheseso-called"badkids."
SYNOPSIS
LocatedinanimpoverishedMojaveDesertcommunity,BlackRockContinuation
HighSchoolisoneofCalifornia’salternativeschoolsforstudentsatriskofdropping
out.Everystudentherehasfallensofarbehindincreditsthattheyhavenohopeof
earningadiplomaatatraditionalhighschool.BlackRockistheirlastchance.
TheBadKidsisanobservationaldocumentarythatchroniclesoneextraordinary
principal’smissiontorealizethepotentialofthesestudentswhomthesystemhas
deemedlostcauses.Employingaveritéapproachduringayearattheschool,the
filmfollowsPrincipalVondaVilandasshecoachesthreeat-riskteens––anewfather
whocan’tsupporthisfamily,ayoungwomangrapplingwithsexualabuse,andan
angryyoungmanfromanunstablehome––throughthetraumasandobstaclesthat
robthemoftheirspiritandthreatentheirgoalofahighschooldiploma.
ButTheBadKidsisnotjustastoryofoneteachermakingadifference.Itisalook
atapracticalmodelforhowpubliceducationcanaddressandcombatthecrippling
effectsofpovertyinthelivesofotherAmericanschoolchildren.Paralleltoher
effortswiththethreemaincharacters,wealsoseeViland’sphilosophiesinconstant
application:throughthecustomsoftheschool,throughherattentionstootherteens
andtheircrises,andthroughhertirelesseffortstopromotetheschool’smission
bothwithinthedistrictandatthestatelevel.
TheBadKidsisnotastoryoftriumphagainstallodds,becausethatisn’tthereality
ofthesestudents'livesorexpectations.Itisastoryoftakingachievablesteps
towardprideandsecurity.
DIRECTORS’STATEMENT
In2011TeachingChannel,aGatesFoundationstart-up,commissionedustomakea
seriesofshortfilmsaboutexceptionalpublicschoolteachers.Wefeltitwouldbe
muchmoreinterestingtofindexceptionalteacherswhoweredoingtheirbestin
difficultcircumstances,andthuslimitedoursearchtoinnercityandruralschools.
Wefoundthereourshareofdevotedteachers,allofwhomwerevocalaboutthe
sameissue:therewasonlysomuchateachercoulddowithouttheresourcesto
handletheuniqueproblemsofanimpoverishedstudentbody.Fromthatpointon,
wefoundourselvesbuildinganalliancenotjustwiththeseteachersandtheir
schools,butalsowiththebeleagueredinstitutionofpubliceducationitself.
Thosealliancesledustoayearlongproduction,TheNewTeacherExperience,for
whichwefollowedfouryoungteachersinthefirstyearoftheircareersattwoof
L.A.’smostchallengedhighschools.Despitetheschools’‘failing’reputations,we
againfoundtremendousdevotionamongthestaffandadministrators.Butthe
schools’unwieldyteacher-to-studentratiosanddesperatelackoffundsawakened
ustoaheartbreakingproblem:ourcultureexpectsitsidealisticyoungteachersto
wagealosingbattle.Noamountofdevotioncansolvetheproblemsofpovertyin
theclassroom.Notwithoutameaningfulcommitmentofresources.
ItwasduringoneofourscoutsforTeachingChannelintheJoshuaTreeareathatwe
firststeppedthroughthedoorsofBlackRockHigh.Whatwesawthereleftan
indeliblemark.Herewasasafetynettocatchtheveryproblemsthatwerecausing
otherteachersandschoolsto‘fail.’Herewasaprincipalwhohadakindwordor
nodofrecognitionforeachandeverykid;asecretarywhospentalldayonthe
phonewithparents;teacherswhodidn’tlecturebutmovedthroughtheir
classroomsinquietconsultationwitheachstudent;andthesesupposed‘badkids’
liningthehallwayswiththeirguitars,theirlaughter,theirclearandfamilialsupport
foroneanother.Allofthisatapublicschool…withrisinggraduationrates.
Itisthegreatesthopeofanydocumentariantogainintimateaccesstoasubjectthat
dramaticallyrepresentsapressinghumanissue.AtBlackRockHighwehavefound
preciselythat.Itisaschoolthattackleshead-onAmerica’smostseriouseducation
problem:intractable,generationalpoverty.Aboutsuchacrisis,onecanmakeafilm
thatspeechifiesandrattlesofffactsandfigures,butatBlackRockwehavethe
opportunitytocreateamovingandimmersivedramathatbringstolifeaninspiring
attempttocombatthisissue.
KeithFulton&LouPepe
Producers/Directors
ONEDUCATION
Onthenationallevel,mediafocusandculturaldiscourseabouttheproblemsof
America’seducationsystemandthelackofglobalcompetitivenesshavetendedto
goinoneoftwodirections:eithertospeculateaboutprivatizationormodifying
curricula,ortoscapegoatbadteachersandfailingschools.However,oneissuethat
doesnotpenetratethediscussionoftenenoughistheimpactofintractable,
generationalpoverty.ThisispreciselywhatformerSecretaryofEducationDiane
Ravitchandotherprogressivedefendersofthepublicschoolsystembelievethetrue
problemtobe.Ravitchmaintainsthatreformeffortswillcontinuetoflounderuntil
thereisacknowledgmentaboutthesignificanceofpovertyanditseffectson
learning.
BlackRockHighSchooloffersararelookatthewaysthatpovertycanbetackled
fromwithinpubliceducation.BlackRockisoneofabout500alternativepublichigh
schoolsthatcompriseCalifornia’sContinuationEducationProgram,themissionof
whichistoidentifystudentswhoareatriskofdroppingoutofconventionalhigh
schoolsandre-engagethemincompletingtheirsecondaryeducation.Dropoutrates
areinextricablytiedtopoverty.Studentsfromthebottom20%ofallfamily
incomesarefivetimesmorelikelytodropoutofhighschoolthanthoseinthetop
20%;andBlackRockservesacommunitywherethepovertyrateis18.12%versus
14.88%nationwide.
ContinuationschoolslikeBlackRockhavebeenthemosteffectiveprogramin
California’sdropoutinterventioneffortsforalmost95years,butdespitetheir
success,littlepublicattentionispaidtotheirmethodsortotheproblemsthey
address.Theseschoolsalsosufferfromalackofuniformityintheirpractices.In
somecases,continuationschoolshavebecomepunitiveenvironments––repositories
fortheso-called‘badkids’––andwhetherthosekidsachieveislessimportantthan
removingthemfromthemainstreamschools.However,inMarchof2015,Black
Rockwasnamedoneof29ModelContinuationSchoolsintheStateofCalifornia,
recognizedforprovidinginnovativeprogramsandcomprehensiveservicesto
studentswhomayotherwisebeatriskofnotgraduating.BlackRockHighSchoolis
adropoutinterventionmodelforbothCaliforniaandthecountryatlarge.
ForPrincipalVondaVilandandherstaff,copingwiththetraumasherstudents
sufferintheirhomelivestakesprecedenceoverforce-feedingthemfactsandfigures.
AtBlackRock,itisunderstoodthatitmightbenecessarytofocusanentireyearon
justkeepingastudentinschoolandtryingtounderstandhisorherobstaclesbefore
expectingacademicprogress.Patience,respect,andcompassionarethetools
employedtobuildafoundationforstudentsuccess.Realisticpreparationsforthe
workforceandforlife’sresponsibilitiesoutweighplanningforfurtherhigher
education:thesestudentscanpursueacollegeeducationonlyiftheyfirstknowhow
tosupportthemselves.
Vilandisnotaloneinthisthinking.Discourseamongeducatorsisshiftingtowards
thismorehumanisticapproach.InarecentNewYorkTimesarticle,RobertBalfanz,
theDirectorofJohnsHopkins’EveryoneGraduatesCenter,musesontheprinciples
ofanidealdropoutpreventionprogrambyasking:
Whatifwereorganizedentireschoolswithteamsofteacherswhoshared
acommongroupofstudents?Whatifwewelcomedstudentstoschool,
calledthemiftheydidn’tshowup,andhelpedwithhomework?Whatif
weusedanearlywarningsystemthatidentifiedstrugglingstudents
basedontheirpoorattendance,behaviorandcourseperformance,and
thenworkedtogeteachstudentbackontrack?
ThesearepreciselythetenetsofBlackRock’spractice.Thefilmmaker’sgoalin
makingafilmatBlackRockHighwastwo-fold:toshineaspotlightonthe
underservedstudentswhosepotentialasgoodcitizenssocietysorely
underestimates;andtohighlightBlackRock’smodelforrealizingthesestudents’
potential.
STYLEANDVISUALAPPROACH
AtBlackRock,KeithFultonandLouPepehadalevelofintimateaccesstothe
students,theirhomelives,theprincipal,andtheworkingsoftheschoolthatallowed
foranimmersiveveritéfilm––arareopportunitytopresentaudienceswitha
memorabledramaticexperienceofthetopic,insteadofapolemicdrivenby
interviewsaboutthetopic.
Thefilmmakersemployedanunobtrusivetwo-personcrew(DSLRand
sound/boom)andanon-interventionalstylethatallowedeventstounfoldnaturally.
Editorially,theduopreservedthisobservationalstyleandpresentedthematerial
withoutdistancing,third-personnarrationortalking-headinterviews.
Becausethethreeprimarystudentcharactersrepresentedalargerpopulationofatriskyouthwhosevoiceshadbeenmarginalized,FultonandPepealsohadastrong
desiretoprivilegetheirperspectivesinthenarrative.Tothisend,alongwiththe
veritéscenes,thefilmmakersincorporatedmorestylized,poeticsequences,driven
byintimateaudiointerviewswiththemaincharacters,toinviteaudiencesinto
theseteenagers’innerworlds:theirfearsandtheirdreamsforthefuture.Creating
audienceawarenessoftheirissuethroughanemotionalandvisceralconnectionto
thesubjectswasofparamountimportance.
BlackRock’sMojaveDesertlocationwasalsoanimportantcharacterinthefilm,
speakingpowerfullyoftheabandonmentandisolationthatmarkthesubjects’lives.
POINTOFVIEW
Asthesubjectsinthefilmaremembersofanimpoverishedcommunityandcoped
withlifecircumstancesthatmanyaudienceswouldfindshocking,therewasariskof
sensationalizingandexploitingtheirlives.FultonandPepewereawareofthis
dangerandextremelysensitivetoitsethicalramifications.Theydidnotundertake
theproject,nordidtheypresentthestudents’lives,asaformofluridentertainment.
Rather,theirstruggleshelpedelucidatealargersocialproblemabouttheeffectsof
povertyoneducation;andthefilmmakerspresentedthemwithinthecontextof
PrincipalViland’seffortstoachievepositivesolutions.
Asdocumentarians,FultonandPepewerewellawarethattheywouldalwaysbe
outsiderstotheirsubjects’lives.Whatsurprisedthemmostabouttheteenswas
howfrankandopentheywereabouttheircircumstances.Theintimateaccessthey
providedtotheirprivateliveswashumbling.Thefilmmakersrespectedtheir
franknessandwantedtodoitjusticebygivingthemavoiceinthefilm––presenting
theminthewaythattheypresentthemselves,notastheobjectified,unfortunate
failuresthattheircultureandeducationalsystemdeemedthem.
THESUBJECTS
VondaViland,principal
VondaVilandhasamission.Youcanseeitinhereyes.BeingtheprincipalofBlack
RockHighisn’tjustajobtoher;shetacklesitwithsuchgustothatthere’sno
mistakingthatsheloveswhatshedoes.AformerMinnesotafarmgirlwhose
grandmotherranaone-roomschoolhouse,VilandrunsBlackRocksimilarly:she
knowsthelivesandbusiness,strengthsandchallengesofeachoftheschool’s120
students,andshetreatseachoneofthemasifherownvaluerestsentirelyonhisor
hersuccess.
Atthestartofeachmorning,sheisoutonthecurbtogreettheschoolbusandset
theday’stoneforeachstudent:ahugforakidwho’sbeenhavingtroubleathome,a
complimenttoagirlwho’ssmilingtoday,agentlebutfirmwarningtoakidwho
thoughtthatyesterday’sabsencehadescapedhernotice.AsVilandsaysabout
herselfinherfrequentstudentintakesessions:“I’mnotjusttheprincipal.I’mthe
assistantprincipal,theguidancecounselor,thenurse,thecook,yourmother,your
father…andsometimestheswiftkickinyourass.”Vilanddoesn’tfosterfalsehopes
ordreamsofunlikelyriches.Herphilosophyembodiesempathyandrealism,and
givenBlackRock’srisinggraduationrate,itseemstobeworking.
Herstudents'livesrunthegamutoftragedy:unplannedpregnancies,abuse,
abandonment,homelessness;andunlikeotherteenagers,theyviewtheirhigh
schooleducationasacriticalsecondchance.Mosthavebeendeprivedofparental
loveandsupport,buttheattentiontheyreceiveatBlackRockmotivatesthemto
earntheirdiplomasandbeginresponsiblelives.
In2015,VilandledtheefforttogetBlackRockrecognizedasaCaliforniaModel
ContinuationHighSchool,astatusthatmakesitanexemplarforsimilarschools
throughoutthestate.ToViland,theworkisnotjustaboutherownstudentsbutan
entirenationofchildrenwhoseeducationsandfuturesarethreatenedbytheeffects
ofpoverty.
Jennifer
Jenniferisamodelstudent:smart,focused,andontopofitall,beautiful,outgoing,
andcharming.Sheexhibitsalltheeaseofa‘popular’kidandchatswithfellow
studentsaboutherplanstogetanursingdegree.Sowhatissheevendoingata
schoolforat-riskstudents?Howdidasmart,hard-workinggirlfallbehindatthe
highschool?Whenaskedaboutthis,Jenniferdescribesherselfasahandful,asa
wildchild––runningofftoVegasat13withherboyfriend,trackeddownand
broughtbackbyhergrandmother.Partoftheblame,shesays,isonthe
impoverishedtownsthatmakeuptheschooldistrict:“There’snothingforkidstodo
outhere…exceptgetintotrouble.”Nowthatshe’satBlackRock,shewantstoleave
hertroublesomepastbehind.
Joey
AscrawnypaleboywandersthehallwaysofBlackRockwithhisguitar,playingthe
bluesforanyonewho’lllisten.ThisisJoey.“IliketothinkIlivearockstarlife,”Joey
admits.Buthislifeatschoolisfarfromglamorous.Joeycan’tmanagetogetany
workdoneorgettoschoolmostdays,andbothPrincipalVilandandtheteachers
areconstantlyonhiscase.Joeydoesn’tunderstandhislackofmotivation.He
knowshe’ssmart.Hewritesbeautifulsongs.Buthecan’tgetanysleepathome
wherehisyoungunemployedmotherpartieslateintothenight.“I’mnotabadkid;I
justendeduplikethepeopleIgrewupwith.”Joeylackspositiveexamplesinhislife,
andthestaffatBlackRockdoesitsbesttoprovidethem.His“brother”AJ—aboyhe
grewupwithandwithwhomhewritessongs—hasalsorecentlyenrolledatBlack
Rock.A.J.’sakidwithaplan,andhemightjustinspireJoey…ifJoeycouldjuststop
harpingonhisownfailures.“IknowIcangraduatefromthisplace,”Joeyboastson
agoodday.PrincipalVilandverymuchhopessotoo.
Lee
Leeisaneighteenyear-oldwithaphilosophicalbent.“Otherkidsthinktheworldis
allhappy…Itell’em,‘No,theworldisadarkplace.’”He’sarecentafather,and
whilehecouldn’tbemoreproud,he,too,isjustakid.Withmorethanayear’s
worthofcreditsneededtograduate,Leeisnaiveaboutthestrugglesthat
fatherhoodhasinstoreforhim.Withnocar,nojobs,andnoincomefortheirown
apartment,heandhisgirlfriendshuttleback-and-forthbetweentheirparents’
housesastheyworktowardtheirdiplomas.Leeisaparadox.ThereistheoneLee
whoplaysthetoughguy,andthereistheotherwho’softenseengivingafellow
studentamuch-neededhug.TherealLeewantstocareforpeopleprofessionally.
Oncehehashisdiplomainhand,heintendstoenrollinnursingschool.Buthehasa
toughroadtogetthere.
THEFILMMAKERS
Directors:
KeithFulton(Producer/Director/Sound)directsbothdocumentaryandfiction
films,amongthemLostinLaMancha,shortlistedfortheAcademyAwardforBest
DocumentaryandwinneroftheEveningStandard’sPeterSellersAwardforBest
Comedy;BrothersoftheHead,winneroftheMichaelPowellAwardforBestBritish
Feature;andMalkovich’sMail,anoriginaldocumentaryspecialforAMC.LaMancha
andBrothersweredistributedtheatricallybyIFCFilmsintheU.S.andscreenedat
internationalfilmfestivalsincluding:Berlin,Toronto,Telluride,Chicago,IDFA,
Edinburgh,Tokyo,LosAngeles,Tribeca,SXSW,SanFrancisco,andCinemaJove
Valencia.
FultonholdsanMFAinRadio-TV-FilmfromTempleUniversity,hasattendedthe
SundanceInstitute'sFeatureFilmScreenwritersLab,andisacurrentfellowofthe
SundanceDocumentaryFilmProgram.Hehascollaboratedwithco-directorLou
Pepeforover20years.AsLowKeyPicturestheyhavereceivedcommissionsfrom
theGatesandParticipantFoundationstocreatedocumentaryprogrammingabout
publiceducation,includingTheNewTeacherExperience(WNET,
www.TeachingChannel.org)andtheweb-seriesIAmEducation
(www.TakePart.com).Fulton’sinterestineducationalsoextendstopractice,andhe
activelyparticipatesasaninstructorandmentorinTempleUniversity’sL.A.StudyAwayprogramforaspiringyoungfilmmakers.
LouPepe(Director/Cinematographer)directsbothdocumentaryandfictionfilms,
amongthemLostinLaMancha,shortlistedfortheAcademyAwardforBest
DocumentaryandwinneroftheEveningStandard’sPeterSellersAwardforBest
Comedy;BrothersoftheHead,winneroftheMichaelPowellAwardforBestBritish
Feature;andMalkovich’sMail,anoriginaldocumentaryspecialforAMC.LaMancha
andBrothersweredistributedtheatricallybyIFCFilmsintheU.S.andscreenedat
internationalfilmfestivalsincluding:Berlin,Toronto,Telluride,Chicago,IDFA,
Edinburgh,Tokyo,LosAngeles,Tribeca,SXSW,SanFrancisco,andCinemaJove
Valencia.
PepeholdsanMFAinFilm&MediaArtsfromTempleUniversity,hasattendedthe
SundanceInstitute'sFeatureFilmDirectorsLab,andiscurrentlyafellowofthe
SundanceDocumentaryFilmProgram.Hehascollaboratedwithco-directorKeith
Fultonforover20years.AsLowKeyPicturestheyhavereceivedcommissionsfrom
theGatesandParticipantFoundationstocreatedocumentaryprogrammingabout
publiceducation,includingTheNewTeacherExperience(WNET,
www.TeachingChannel.org)andtheweb-seriesIAmEducation
(www.TakePart.com).Pepe’sinterestineducationalsoextendstopractice,andhe
servesastheFacultyDirectorofTempleUniversity’sL.A.Study-Awayprogramfor
aspiringyoungfilmmakers.
Co-Producer:
MollyO’BrienistheleadProducerforIndieCaucus,anationalgroupof
independentdocumentaryfilmmakerswhobelieveinthepublicmissionofpublic
television.PriortoherworkforIndieCaucus,O’BrienwastheproducerofCatalyst
ForumforSundanceInstitute,aninnovativeannualconveningofcreativeinvestors,
industry,andindependentfilmmakers.In2014,O'Brien'sfilmCesar'sLastFast
(producer/executiveproducer)premieredattheSundanceFilmFestival,US
documentarycompetition.Cesar'sLastFastsoldtoParticipantMedia’sPivotTVand
Univision,andisavailableforstreamingonNetflixandiTunes.O’Brienwona
primetimeEmmyforproducingin2000(AmericanHigh,FoxTV),wasnominatedfor
aprimetimeEmmyin2001(AmericanHigh)andmadea2010SundanceInstitute
CreativeProducingFellow(Cesar'sLastFast).Herfirstdocumentaryfilm,(APig
WithHair,PBS),wasshortlistedfortheAcademyAwardsin1998.O’Brienisa
graduateofNYU’sTischSchooloftheArtsandlivesinBrooklyn,NewYork.
Editor:
JacobBriccaisanaward-winningfilmeditor,directorandteacher.Hisediting
creditsincludetheinternationaltheatricalhitLostinLaMancha,theNewYorker
Filmstheatricalrelease,ConArtist,andtwofilmsthathaveshownonPBS’s
IndependentLensseries.HisdirectorialcreditsincludeIndiesUnderFire:TheBattle
fortheAmericanBookstore,whichwonawardsattheNewburyDocumentary
FestivalandtheSantaCruzFilmFestival,andFindingTatanka,whichpremieredthis
yearattheprestigiousBigSkyDocumentaryFilmFestival.HeisanAssistant
ProfessorattheUniversityofArizona’sSchoolofTheatre,FilmandTelevision.
Editor:
MaryLampsonisanaward-winningindependentdocumentaryfilmmakerand
editor.LampsoncoeditedtheAcademyAward–winningdocumentaryHarlan
County,USAandactedasaneditoronmanyotherindependentlyproduced
documentaryfeatures.ShehasworkedwithEmiledeAntonio,RickyLeacock,and
D.A.Pennebaker.
ShealsoproducedanddirectedUntilSheTalks.This40-minutedramaticfilmwas
producedindependentlyandthenacquiredbythePBSseriesAmericanPlayhouse.
Lampsonhasproducedmorethan25shortlive-actionfilmsforSesameStreetand
teachesfilmmakingtochildrenasanartist-in-residenceinpublicschools.
Recentprojectsinclude:ALionInTheHouse(StevenBognarandJuliaReickert),
RainInADryLandandWeStillLiveHere(AnneMakepeace),TroubleTheWater(Tia
LessinandCarlDeal),Kimjonglilia(NCHeikin),CampVictory,Afghanistan(Carol
Dysinger),OnCoalRiver(FrancineCavanaughandAdamsWood),Gurukulam(Jillian
Elizabeth),QueenOfVersailles(LaurenGreenfield),TheRevolutionaryOptimists
(NicoleNewnhamandMarenMonson-Grainger),ThisChangesEverything(AviLewis
andNaomiKlein),WhatTomorrowBrings(BethMurphy)andTheIslandAndThe
Whales(MikeDay.)
ShehasbeenbothafellowandadvisorattheSundanceInstitute’sDocumentary
EditingandStoryLabandisamemberoftheAcademyofMotionPictureArtsand
Sciences.
CREDITS
OpeningCreditCards(InOrderofAppearance):
ALowKeyPicturesProduction
inassociationwith
TheFilmmakerFund
TheBadKids
EndCredits
Directedby
KeithFulton&LouPepe
Producedby
KeithFulton
DirectorofPhotography
LouPepe
Editedby
JacobBricca
MaryLampson
OriginalScoreby
Jacaszek
ExecutiveProducers
TedDintersmith
DonnaGruneich&KevinGruneich
AriIoannides&ChristineIoannides
Co-Producer
MollyO’Brien
AssociateProducers
NancyBlachman
AnneO’Shea&BrianQuattrini
alowkeypicturesproduction
inassociationwith
TheFilmmakerFund
ProductionSoundRecordingandMixing
KeithFulton
SoundDesignerandRe-recordingMixer
MichaelKowalski
AdditionalEditing
BillHilferty
EditorialConsultant
GeraudBrisson
AssistantEditor
BillHilferty
SundanceEditandStoryLabAdvisors
Ra'ananAlexandrowicz
MarshallCurry
TomHaneke
MaryLampson
GeoffreyRichman
JeanTsien
LynetteWallworth
SundanceEditandStoryLabContributingEditorKatieTurinski
EditorialIntern
JaredWidman
AssistantSoundEditor
Wenrui"Sam"Fan
FoleyArtist
ZijunRen
Finishingby
FancyFilmPostServices
FinishingSupervisor
WilliamBMacomber
FinishingProducer
EleanorNett
Colorist
PaulByrne
SeniorProjectManager
DavidWeinstein
VFX
OnlineEditor
KrittekaGregory
KyleKenyon
ThisFilmWasGenerouslySupportedby
SundanceInstituteDocumentaryFilmProgram
withsupportfrom
OpenSocietyFoundations
FordFoundationJustFilms
ThresholdFoundationHighImpactDocumentaryFilmsFundingCircle
InternationalDocumentaryAssociationPareLorentzDocumentaryFund
TempleUniversityViceProvostfortheArtsGrant
ThisFilmWasAlsoMadewithSupportFrom
SundanceInstituteCatalystForum
FilmIndependent
FiscalSponsorshipprovidedby
DistributionAdvisoryServices
providedby
LegalCounsel
Publicity
ImpactandEngagement
Producer'sAssistant
Post-ProductionInterns
Transcription
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SpecialThanksto
Dr.DeborahTurner
VondaViland
JohnRichmond
ErinCrysdale
TheStaffandStudentsofBlackRockHighSchool
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