Street roots., April 26, 2013, Page 3, Image 3

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Street roots
April 26, 2013
backgrounds.
“Everyone is losing their homes because
banks get greedy,” Brushwood said, “A lot of
people from all different walks of life are
homeless now because of the economic
crisis.”
The group worked to Create something
that would challenge existing stereotypes
about what it meant to live on the streets.
“Everyone’s individual film shows how
clearly wrong those stereotypes are,”
Malone said, “The way that each one of (the
participants) ended up homeless is entirely
different from the other and it shows that
there are so many reasons outside of a
person’s control that leads to homelessness
Homeless youth tell their
while showing how much power and agency
(they) are each demonstrating in (their) own
side with Project Viewfinder
lives ... and (they’re) each doing something
beautiful and creative outside of prescribed
BY ERIN FENNER
S T A F F W R IT E R
economic systems.”
“Hopefully we’re not just another
bout four months ago, approximately -
homeless youth cliche documentary.
a dozen people who were homeless or
Hopefully we did something different,”
transitioning out of homelessness got
Brushwood said. “They weren’t just filming
together in a room to discuss what sort of
us. We were a big part of creating the movie
film they wanted to make.
as well as being in i t We all co-created.”
Kayla Stone, above, says working on her film “helped me understand poverty a n d creativity a
The conversation wasn’t easy.
Participant Antwoine Thomas said he
Their mismatched personalities were
lot more on a level that could maybe help me get out o f it.”
hopes people who come to see the film will
more pronounced when contrasted against
reevaluate their ideas about homelessness.
each other. But it also
for empowerment
“We are kind of capturing how we stay
sisters: one dealing with homelessness and
became evident that
“It kind of helped me understand poverty
rich in our homelessness,” Thomas said.
how that affected their relationship. Since
their variety of
The Northwest
and creativity a lot more on a level that
Thomas spoke to the idea of being “home
then she has found a career in animation,
Film Center started experiences were
could maybe help me get out of it,” Stone
free” instead of “homeless.”
working with Bent Image Lab and on the
Project Viewfinder what would make
said, "Teachers and students can be involved
“We’re free from that label that a home
film Coraline.
in January with the their film great.
brings value to somebody,” Thomas said.
“I think the project
For-Project Viewfinder, Malone, School of in revolutionizing their world and bringing
support of New
people out of poverty.”
“What makes a home for us has been those
Film lead faculty member Bushra Azzouz,
Avenues for Youth, will work because all
The film documents each of their
things that we created in those films.”
of us have different
and
supporting
filmmakers
are
guiding
a
P:ear, Outside In,
experiences with homelessness. The
voices,” said John
While homelessness has undoubtedly
new group of aspiring filmmakers to reflect
andBCCTV.
premise was something that they were at
Pinney, one of the
challenged each of the participants in
upon their own experiences with
There will be a free participants. “I don’t
first uncomfortable approaching.
different ways, they also said it provided
homelessness,
screening of the
think any of us really
Participant Rex Brushwood said that the
them with invaluable insights.
Each of the participants who ended up in
film on May 1 in
thought we were
group initially wasn’t excited about the focus
“(Making the film) was also like therapy
the film had a different motivation for
the Northwest Film going to get along.
of the film being their own homelessness.
because it helped me realize how much I’ve
coming into it.
Because I’m grumpy.
Center’s Whitsell
“They got a ll... of us in a room, and first
overcome and how strong I am,” Boston
Participant David Lee Boston didn’t know
And Rex is dark.
Auditorium inside
of all, none of us really wanted to do the
said, “It helped me realize ... I can keep
how to read until high school. But after he
David is too happy.
the Portland Art
homeless documentary. We all had our own
going on and do better. 1 haven’t given up
gained that skill, he learned he loved
Museum at 6 p.m. Kayla is constantly
ideas,” Brushwood said.
and I’m not going to.”
literature and writing. With his experience
writing. Antwoine is
But with guidance and encouragement
Stone said she hopes projects like this
working in a theater, he knew what sort of
really deep. But, I
from Azzouz they came around to the idea
will continue to help people transition out of
writing
he
wanted
to
do.
think in the end, it
of presenting not just homelessness, but
homelessness.
“I worked in a movie theater for half my
will be a really provocative movie.”
“We’ve had this economic disaster and
their own take on it.
life
so
I
always
had
that
interest
in
films,”
They were working together on Project
we’re trying to counteract that by not
“We gave the students a premise to work
Boston
said,
“I
started
writing
scripts
for
Viewfinder — a concept conceived by the
continuing to stay involved with street stuff
with: How would you represent
movies. I submitted stuff that got turned
Northwest Film Center and inspired by the
but just getting involved with better
homelessness to the community?” Azzouz
down
but
I
still
want
to
get
into
the
film
story of Hazel Malone, an animator whose
education and opportunities that can help
said. “As an insider; as someone who has
industry whether it be writing films or
early yearsliving on the streets in Portland
pull us out into communities with people
experienced
homelessness.
Not
from
the
directing
films.
Regardless
of
what
it
may
played a strong role in her working in film.
who have resources,” Stone said. “We don’t
outside in, but the inside out.”
be, I want to be involved in filmmaking.”
When Malone was 19 she worked with
want more people homeless. We want more
And the insiders, according to the
Kayla Stone, also a participant, said she
New Avenues for Youth and the Northwest
people going to school.”
participants, are from all different sorts of
sees creativity and filmmaking as a vehicle
Film Center to help make a film about two
Hard
focus
■
PHO TO S CO URTESY OF N W FC
Rex, left, and Antwoine, right, shown in their film s m ade with the Northwest Film Center. The film s will be offered a t a free showing a t the P ortland A r t M useum M ay 1.
We Are The Safety Net!
Find out more about saving Portland housing and human services at
www.wearethesafetynet.org
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