Works In Progress

8 Million
Living at the Center of the World

This film must be described as an ecological study of the organism we call New York City. It examines the relationship between individual lives and the forces which shape them. A bridge for example takes on a life and history of its own, but its history began with the labor of individuals. Everywhere we look in this incredible city are the huge and living works of human individuals. Yet at a distance the city seems autonomous, the subway that moves us, the food which feeds us, the electricity which flows into our homes all these things exist outside the average persons awareness. These things form the blood flow of the city and millions of people’s lives revolve around maintaining this organism. Of course this is not only the blue-collar force which keeps this city functioning, one of the main arterial vanes of the city circulates the flow of money.

In the city everything flows. People flow, money flows, trash, textiles, water, power, automobiles, it is a place of incredible motion. People have called this flow “the rhythm of the city.” Anyone who lives in the city has felt this rhythm, the pulsing of an organism so much larger then ourselves.

This film will delve into the complex relationships between labor and finance. At what cost do these monuments of human innovation become realized? How can eight million people eat and drink? Where does our food and water come from and where do the byproducts of this metropolis end up?

This film will be structured in sections each dealing with a different bloodline of the city. For example, a section on fuel will show maps of where the fuel originates, how it comes to NYC, how it is disbursed. The individuals who work in the areas related to fuel and its distribution will talk about their lives and how they view their work in relation to the city. Other sections will be on money (trade), industrial supplies, cars, water, food, and electricity.

Underlying the general objective, which is to show the network and ecological relationships within the city, is also the question of balance and health. What aspects of the city are working in a healthy relationship? For example, as we saw in California, it is possible for the demand for electricity to outweigh the supply. The question of sustainability and longevity regarding natural resources and the disposal of waste is also a clear issue regarding the health of the city. Many factors are relevant to the health of the greater organism and in turn to the individuals who sustain it. In the end the life of New York City is the blood, sweet and tears of millions of hard working Americans. The purpose of this film is to offer several different lenses through which we view the city, a way of displaying the relationship between the micro (individual) and the macro (“The City”).

The Maine Island Trail

This documentary will explore one of Maine’s finest treasures: an organized, maintained and protected trail running along the entire coast of Maine, island to island, shore to shore. It will document the depths and diversity of Maine's coastal regions: estuaries, cliffs, islands, as well as its inhabitants, whale, gull, hawk, crab and possibly an authentic “Mainer” or two. Traveling by kayak we will explore the smallest nooks and crannies of this rich and diverse region.

Great care will be taken in the approach to this documentary. Specific information regarding the islands and the path of the trail will not be mentioned. Those interested in the trail should join the Maine Island Trail Association who actively maintain and protect the trail area. They provide specific information regarding the trail route and its appropriate use. This documentary will address key issues regarding the continued health and survival of this incredible resource as well as general environmental issues involving Maine’s coastal region.