The swell kids from @ThinkSM  get the ball rolling for us.  #warm #fuzzy

It’s been an exciting couple of weeks here at Camp WGH and we really appreciate all the positive energy (and money) that have come our way.  It started off with SMCYVR’s inaugural Meet the Geek night at Salt Tasting Room, featuring ourselves as the guests of honor, and recipients of the proceeds of the evening.  Thanks to the indomitable Melody Fury, we sold out the entire lower level of the restaurant and attracted a new crowd of foodies that we may have not otherwise reached.  In between the wine and cheese we showed everyone the trailer for the film, answered questions and undoubtedly made some new allies.   The following morning, when we went to check what the Twitterati had posted about MtG, we were very pleasantly surprised to find the picture above posted by our new friends at Think Engagement.  (blush)

Our new credit wordle  – we’re up to 117 producers – but there’s still plenty of room for you

But with precious little time left to prepare for the big Unfest on October 4th, the next morning we were back at it.  Getting the film ready for presentation that night involved battling through a whole host of technical issues that cost us about a week’s worth of editing, as well as the unique challenges involved with having so many different editors coming to offer some time.  Our real deadline to get the DVD burned was actually September 30, because that’s when KK was getting on a plane to head to Manchester, England to attend the Abandon Normal Devices festival, where a discussion about the impact of social media on the 2012 London Games was going to feature the same preview version of the film which we were showing here in Vancouver.  On the event side of the preparations we managed to raise about $2500 worth of items for the silent auction and were wowed again by the generosity of small businesses in our city who have wanted to contribute to our efforts.

Andrew (r) and Dave Olson introducing the film in Manchester via Skype

On the morning of October 4th, Andrew and Dave Olson did a live setup for the AND audience in Manchester, while setup for the Unfestival was beginning at W2 Storyeum.  With two screenings of the film, we had a steady flow of people through the space, and probably had a combined total of about 115 people for both screenings.  With music before and after the evening screening provided by the Cream Team and some exciting duels happening at the silent auction table, it was an evening that held something for everyone.  Congrats to everyone who one something in the auction, some of you got some pretty awesome deals, and thanks very much to everyone who made the $2000 we’ve raised at these two events possible.

What’s next? Well, more work of course!  Although we’re really happy with how the film is coming together, it’s still a little bit overweight, and probably needs a few more weeks work editing before we can start to work on the sound.  Current goal is to finish mid-December, stay tuned to see how we’re coming.

This is a guest post by supporter kemp edmonds. a press release follows the post.

When I first met Andrew Lavigne and Jon Ornoy they were two guys with a dream to tell a story. At first it wasn’t clear what or who that story would be about. That was almost two years ago and now that I have had an opportunity to see some of what they documented in the quest to make this film. I know they have succeeded in telling a story that is full of hope, possibility and change. A true story about an amazing time in the history of humanity and Vancouver.

The shooting of the 30+ hours of film is complete but post-production is a very expensive process to get done right so it’s time that we turn this project inside out and that’s exactly what we intend to do with a social media campaign unlike any other.

The campaign turns to community at-large to support the completion of these amazing stories. In a Tweet and Toonie ($2) Torch Relay we hope to raise the $10,000 necessary to complete post-production of the film. Some stories need to be heard and this is one of them. This is a story about communities, for communities and now with our efforts, toonies or tweets made by communities.

For just $2 you can become a producer: your name will appear in a word cloud much like this. A $2 donation will show your name in size one font while a $200 donation will show your name in size 100 font. All fonts are proportional to the largest contribution. An image will be posted of the cloud and made available as a poster.

Enter to win a producer credit and copy of the film with a tweet: You can also enter to win a weekly prize of a DVD or digital copy of the film and a $20 producer credit (size 10 font). Each tweet represents an entry. winner will be chosen at random. All you have to do to enter the weekly draw is tweet one of these messages:

• I am a proud supporter and hopefully winner of a copy of the film #withglowinghearts and a producers credit! http://wghthemovie.ca
• Only $2 makes me a movie producer #withglowinghearts http://wghthemovie.ca
• I am entering to win a film credit and a copy of the film #withglowinghearts http://wghthemovie.ca
• Support local documentaries. Become a producer #withglowinghearts http://wghthemovie.ca

The film follows four different people who all work and live in Vancouver’s downtown eastside (one of the poorest postal codes in Canada) and how social media acts a beacon for social change for each person in different ways.

This vivacious and energetic 23 year old April Smith originally hails from Chicago, but after coming to Canada to attend UBC, she decided to stay and make Vancouver, specifically the DTES her home. Creating media and inspiring her neighbors is not only April’s way of healing her community but of healing herself as well. Using her favorite Social Media tool, Twitter @aprilfilms, she can reach out to her followers and give them information or encourage them to rise up.

If I can turn out more empowered, more knowledgeable, happy, positive people in this area, I’d like to be able to say that it’s a showcase, on my résumé, that I helped the community grow. Working with W2 and Fearless, if we can help bring together all communities to work and learn and grow from each other, that would be a wonderful, beautiful thing….
from Georgia Straight interview, April 10, 2009

One of three members of ahamedia.ca, a website birthed from a Fearless City workshop. She calls herself “a hyperlocal citizen journalist”, reporting from the DTES capturing events and profiling her neighbors, she shares the heart of her city with the world, cell phone in one hand and rallying her community with the other. Her story is at the heart of the message in With Glowing Hearts.

The True North Media House is a virtual space for media creators to join together during the 2010 Winter Olympics. It began like this campaign and this film as an idea and a dream shared by a group of passionate individuals. Dave Olson and Kris Krug spearheaded the project and are featured prominently in With Glowing Hearts.

Irwin is the Executive Director of W2, a Dutch/Canadian artist and administrator doing cultural planning, cultural infrastructure development, and support for a media arts cluster in Vancouver’s inner-city. A long time DTES resident he has led such diverse ventures as the Under the Volcano Festival and Gallery Gachet.

The Press Release:

Hello and welcome to the WGH website. This is a window into the passion and process of our documentary. Here I will introduce you to the story and whet your appetite with tiny morsels of it.

I will attempt to let you in on the process of making this film, its challenges and its triumphs. I will share parts of the story, as it unfolds before us, with little bits of video that I’ll throw your way.

I will also tell you about the amazing people we have met that are helping us make this movie.

Currently I am in a post session with editor Kelly Morris. He is cutting the W2 thread to our story and working on a piece where Irwin Oostindie, the Executive Director of W2 talks about relationships in the DTES, and how they are the heart of the community. That is exactly what our film is about, the heart of a community. It also just happens to be the theme of this years Hope in Shadows Photo contest, (a great community initiative in The DTES).

We too feel that relationships are an organ that is pumping the blood into this film. Without the contributions of the people we have met, connections we have made we could not make this movie. I would like to begin by telling you about some of those folks.

Producer Jon Ornoy and I were introduced to Irwin, April, Garvin and Kris Krug through the Fearless City Mobile project ‘a two-way social media system for marginalized residents and artists of Vancouver’s Downtown East Side (DTES)’. They were (& still are) doing some amazing stuff! We got really excited about all their initiatives and asked them if we could make a film about it. They agreed and a relationship began.

This is a story that originates in a neighborhood in Vancouver British Columbia in Canada, the DTES that faces many challenges. It is not unlike many other communities around the world and it most certainly isn’t the first to face these challenges. What is interesting, they will be the first to stare down these challenges with the increasing power of social media on the World’s largest stage, the Olympics. ‘Democratization begins now!’

Everyone has curiosities and concerns about what may happen during the Olympics in Vancouver and that’s where we begin. This party that few get to host has massive impact and is certainly not without controversy.

With Glowing Hearts is a great description of Canadian pride and resilience. Sure athletes have it but so do all of us and it is no more prevalent than in the DTES. The fight for W2, a community media arts center, is an inspiring one worthy of a gold medal when they open their doors. The establishment of the True North Media House, a non accredited media center for bloggers and citizen journalist, a great social media initiative is also worthy of a spot on the podium. If April and her crew can find the financial support to sustain AHA Media, and Garvin can benefit from his Megaphone and Hope in Shadows contributions then we all will witness positive change, micro solutions to macro problems and truly a victory for everyone.  Jeff Skoll and his team at Participant Media created “an environment to foster storytelling that engages the audience, generates awareness of topical and interesting issues and inspires individuals to take action.” I want this film to be just that, an inspiration for you.

There is a thread on Twitter about the Canadian National anthem…not sure where it started or why its there but it is…in fact I RT(re tweeted) one as our first @wghthemovie Twitter post.

I get goosebumps when they play O Canada at US stadiums.

“with glowing hearts we see thee rise the true north strong and free.”

–from marris19 at 12:46 PM Aug 9th from TweetDeck

I mention this because I am curious as to why folks are doing it but more importantly I think it represents the changing of ideas.

The stage is set, it’s an important time and people everywhere are ready to witness ‘with glowing hearts, we see thee rise.” The time is now to reach for new heights and make positive change.

Journal entry from Feb. 8 2009: Day One of Photography

Today is my birthday, a great day to begin shooting and it began with a parade!

‘The Poverty Olympics’: this was a fun event. It started with the parade through the streets, complete with a marching band, costumes and a torch! Then into an assembly hall for the opening ceremonies, the games and the presentation of the medals! A very creative and inspiring piece of community street theatre not to be missed! Meant to be educational and fun while questioning the rational behind Olympic spending and “calling on people everywhere, in the DTES, in BC, in Canada and all over the world to pressure our government to put the same energy into ending poverty and homelessness as they do into holding the Olympics. End poverty, it’s not a game.”       from Wendy Pedersen’s speech, 2009 Poverty Olympics

Here is a  glimpse into the world of the Poverty Athlete and their accommodations.  Be sure not to miss the  2010 Poverty Olympics.

So we began our journey a year before the games arrive and discover the challenges the folks in our story face. Using new technologies to get their stories out and find solutions, our ‘Socialmediaists’ take us for a ride through poverty, politics and possibilities.

I would like to invite you to connect with some of them. They are truly inspirational:

W2

Megaphone Magazine

Aha Media

True North Media House

- Andrew