Camera, Publicity, Plans, & More!

We are uber excited to finally get our new camera into our hands tomorrow. Yeah, we've been able to get some okay footage with out little Flip HD but nothing that will do the interviews and footage justice that the Canon Vixia can do. Thanks a ton to everyone who helped pitch in with sending money to get us the camera, theres no way we could even come close to affording it on our own. As soon as we get that tomorrow, it'll be back to talking with as many people as possible. We've got some great ideas where to go but if you have any please feel free to chime in.

Some other good news has been the publicity we have been receiving from publications in Miami. Gus Garcia Robers, a writer from the Miami New Times has published two different articles about our travels, trials, and experiences so far. I like that the exposure is there but he kind of wrote the article based on our Blog, Facebook, and Twitter...which is okay but it doesn't really convey everything a sit down or phone interview would have done. But hey, it's exposure and it explains mostly everything we are doing. The one article can be found here. You can also find the other article on the Miami New Times website by searching Kevin Saftner, Galen Sisco, or Drew A. Dayton on their website.
http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2010/03/three_young_filmmakers_going_u.php

Tomorrow (Wednesday, March 31) we will be sharing our tale on the Joe Castello Radio Show at 11am. You will be able to listen to it live at http://www.sofloradio.com/  We like that it will be an internet radio interview as all of the content and discussions won't have to follow commercial radio/fcc restrictions that is found on public radio, which we undoubtedly hate, but I digress, that is a topic for later. If you can't catch us at 11am you can check it out later in the day as all of the interviews are archived and can be listend to on demand.

We've also been talking with a man who calls himself the Haitian Hillbilly. He's a real awesome guy with a heart of gold and a lot of connections to people that can help us down the road. He knows a girl who is close to Billy Corben. For those of you who don't recognize that name, Corben was the director of the hugely successful documentary Cocaine Cowboys. I can't sing the praises of that documentary enough, if you haven't seen it I'd suggest getting it on NetFlix or at your local movie rental joint. It's a wild tale depicting the Cocaine boom of the 70's and 80's in it's rawest sense: chaotic, violent, cut-throat, and authentic.

It's weird to stay it's sad to be leaving the Miami area in about a week. We never thought we'd say we'd miss living under fridges, asking for money, or surrounding ourselves in the homeless culture but we certainly will. Miami has a new place in our hearts and it's got a home feeling to it that I know I can't deny. From here, we'll be working our way up to Broward, Hollywood, and Daytona to do the same as we've been doing here.

After we spend an ample amount of time in those other areas of Florida we will be taking on the streets of Charlotte NC, Philadelphia PA, and New York City...all areas with a huge homeless problem. After our combined 4-6 week stay in those towns we'll be back in the Burgh. But, when we get back it won't be back to the comfort and privacy of our homes, it'll be to the streets for at least week. I'm intrigued to see how that is going to work out because we figure to run into some of you guys following us or other people we know in general. First things first, we've got stuff to take care of here first. It's nice to plan but we know we can't get to far ahead of ourselves on the work we need to do.

But, like I said, it's nice to plan, so just to throw this out there...when we return we want to have fundraising parties to help the homeless. Yeah, it'll be super sweet to get to see each other once again but we can also do some good with the time and resources we'll have together.

Beyond that, we are in preliminary talks of having a huge fundraising party in Miami sometime in the early summer, we are thinking anywhere between mid May and mid June. If at all you could be part of that, it would be awesome. This project has been big but we want it to be the stepping stone in what will be a fulfilling and sustaining life helping others in need from all walks of life.

We have so many opportunites, skills, creative ideas, resources, talents, connections to help people who deserve a chance but we oft ignore them or shoot down ideas because we think they won't work or because they are unconventional. Screw that nonsense. It's high time to step out of our boxes and just make moves. If we all get together and brainstorm, differences can be made, big or small. We are encouraged by your support on a daily basis to keep doing what we need to do to raise awareness and we aren't going to stop anytime soon. We will do what we can to help make this world be a better place and we will take all of your ideas into consideration for this project.

If you have any input concerning these matters email us at neededchangedoc@gmail.com, post on our blog, post on our facebook, call me at 724-554-5481, send us anything you think will help, or just check in on us everyday. Either way, just hearing from you means so much to us. Shalom.

-Galen

Rescue Earth and Other Super Awesome News, Great Job!

Let's all give Drew a huge round of applause, as of right now he is in the Miami Rescue Mission men's shelter for three days while Kevin and I are working on other aspects of the documentary. What Drew is doing is huge, as he is taking on the identity of a homeless person just arriving into the shelter for the intake program. Drew will be eating, sleeping, waking, and doing all of the activites in the shelter with the rest of the men that go in. Through this, Drew will be writing and documenting everything that happens and making bonds with the others in there. When he gets out on Wednesday  we will be able to interview those who he built relationships with. He's flying solo in there, undercover, without letting our project get him any kind of special treatment. It takes some serious guts to do what he is doing and it is greatly appreciated. If you get the chance, send him a message on facebook to let him know what he is doing is awesome. You can find him on facebook under the name Double-U Drew Dayton. What a guy.

Also today, Kevin and I had a morning meeting with Dean Taha and Finn Hinke of Rescue Earth. What I can't delve into is all of the details of the metting but what I can tell you is that great things are to come through these guys and Rescue Earth. Dean and Finn are totally revamping Rescue Earth in a great way. They are taking on projects that this non-profit has never seen the likes of before. What they are also doing is taking us in with open arms and helping us in anyway they can. We look forward to growing our relationship with them and incorporating what they do into our project as well as helping them out in any way we can whether it be through volunteering, helping them with certain projects, and promoting their cause. Right now they are working on their website and facebook page but please check them out at http://www.rescueearth.org/. They are making strides to make Miami and the rest of this country a safer, cleaner, greener, and more efficient place to live as well as getting commuinities involved with the ever-important and growing green initiative. Kevin and I will be meeting with Dean later tonight to work on the ideas that we've already came up with as well as brainstorming more ideas. Like I said, all of us involved our very excited to be working together with them because we have so many like-minded ideas and want to help make this world a better place to live for everyone.

We'd like to thank Marcus Englert for his generous donation of $100 which will be put toward the equipment and resources we need to keep the documentary rolling and to help change perception of the homeless in America.

We want to go out of our way to tell you guys, and are doing so through this documentary, that the homeless are people with ambitions and purpose just like you and I. Most of them are trying their damndest to make a difference, to spread a message, or to help society in general. Yeah, there are those who have been given umpteen million chances to do something and still choose to live an estranged life sometimes riddled with crime but for the most part, that is not the case at all. All most are looking for is a chance, a break, a helping hand...just like we all are. And if we can all just reach out, even if it is in the smallest way possible, America, and the world in general will become a better, cleaner, safer place. We can see it in their eyes and we hope you can see it in ours.

True, there are some messed up circumstances going on right under our noses but if we just take a step back, analyze, brainstorm, and work together, we will make much needed changes for the betterment of society. We are more than happy and proud to say that we are starting to see these changes through all of your actions who are supporting this. Please don't think your work, time, effort, and support will go in vain because it won't. The idea that one person can't make a difference when it comes to this is so far from the truth it's uncanny. You, as one person, lending a hand DOES help and we can't wait to share that with you.

-Galen & Kevin

The Greatest Loss

A friend, lover, a moment in time, a dollar, or even a car...everybody has lost one of these.  The ways it could have happened are endless.  The fact of the matter is they no longer are there.  It is impossible to compare a life to a TV, but it is always easy to compare your loss too somebody elses.  We have lost money and felt terrible about it and we also have had friends lose money and allow it to slip into a distant memory almost instantly.

During this project, we ran into a rough patch that we're sure most of you are aware of but to those who don not know, all of our equipment was stolen a week ago. To most, if ever there were a time to quit this would be it, and we can understand that stance but it's not one we can align with.  If it were not for an encouraging, supportive, and ambitious group of friends and family, we probably would mail it in. We must also take into account that so many people on these same streets have lost so much more than we have such as jobs, families, lives, security, identity, connectedness or love but you know what, they've kept going.

We can never truly understand the feeling of what they have been through, and very few others could either because what we have lost is just a miniscule amount that pales in comparison.  Today we realize this occurance has turned out to be more of a blessing than it has been a loss of monetary/materialistic value.  We may have less equipment, but we now have more passion and understanding of what it means to try to make it with nothing. And yes, acquiring more equipment is essential to the completion of this project, but we have faith enough to know that when the heart of a project is for the greater good, things work their way out.

Yesterday, we teamed up with Rescue Earth, an extraordinary non-profit which hails from Miami, to help preserve, restore, and expand upon a garden in the art district of Miami. Our intentions were to just lend a hand to a great cause, clean up some garbage, and help spur on a project that has hopes of boasting a solar-powered outdoor internet cafe as well as producing some great organic food products such as mangos, papayas, avacados, watermelon, and many other fruits and vegetables. Through helping Rescue Earth, we met some incredible individuals, in particular, the founder Jose Rivas and board members Dean and Fin.

Dean and Fin want to help us with our project and we want to help with them with their ideas. Isn't that what life truly is about when it comes to business? Helping others achieve their goals so it can produce a greater good. We think so. Please hope on over to their website, http://www.rescueearth.org/ and check out what they are doing. They are all dedicated to preserving earth's resources and making this planet a cleaner and more efficient place, and that is a cause we all can stand for. We look forward to sharing the news with everyone following us on how they are going to be helping us because it will be in a big way as they have already offered us use of their production equipment and more importantly, their time. Nothing compares to the rewards of helping one another, nothing.

Hopefully, within the next 2-3 days, we will be using the equipment we need to get the project rolling again in the realm of interviews. The Flip cam just isn't the best in the world for interviews with the homeless and other people we meet so hopefully that gets taken care of soon.

Yesterday we were able to take showers at the mission which was awesome to get cleaned up for it has been awhile. Few experiences compare to showering with 6 other homeless people in a community shower. It taught us that even something so simple, such as bathing, is taken for granted far too often. To such is life for those who do not have the resources to bathe in the comfort and secludedness of their own home though.

For now, we are going to get some more footage with our Flip and then meet with the guys from Rescue Earth tommorow morning. As always, thanks for following.

P.S. Galen awoke with bird "droppings" on his sleeping bag this morning.

-Kevin, Galen, & Drew

Helter Shelter!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know that all is well with us on this beautiful day. Putting in 7-10 miles a day of walking to places we need to be has been wearing us down a bit but nonetheless we must keep on keepin' on.

Last night we ate our first meal in a shelter undercover (as in, we weren't escorted by any of the people who work at the shelter nor did we eat with them). We waited in line, which started at 4pm, had all of our bags searched, got metal detected, waited in the chapel, and were called row by row into the cafeteria. Nothing separating us and the homeless except familiarity with the process. A few of the others in the shelter were picking fun at each other as high-schoolers do but it actually escalating to the point where one was kicked out because he wouldn't stop using profanities at those who worked there. It actually got quasi-heated for a minute there.

Although, unlike high-school, the homeless don't seem to separate themselves into cliques. Sure you'll see a few pockets of whites, blacks, asians, or hispanics together but on a larger scale everyone seems to welcome each other. There also is a lot of meal trading going on at these dinners and lunches. Last night Kevin traded a man one tomato slice from his salad for a whole chicken breast stuffed with different beans (sounds gross, tasted insanely good, so much so that we all had 2 helpings).

This morning, after sleeping along the bay and I-195, we walked a good 2 miles to the Mother Theresa shelter, a place we had not visited yet. They set up their meals completely different than the mission does. Firstly, there is no bag inspection and secondly, they don't seem to be as harsh as to kicking people out for using profanities and stuff of that nature. One similarity I did notice though was the number of people who ate at the Miami Rescue Mission the night before just as we did. In fact, I at next to the same man I did last night, us both sporting the same outfits, threaded together by that common bond.

We'd like to personally thank Laura Lapacik for sending us three $25 giftcards to Wal-Mart which will go a long way whether we use that for getting video equipment or other resources we need to finish this project. We have been more than blessed by Laura and her willingness to get us those gift cards. Also, we'd like to recognize Marcus Englert and Brenda Paiz for their monetary donations which we have not yet received but it is on the way. You two have been some of our biggest supporters and we thank you, a bunch.

We also know that some of you have purchased Burgh Cards (http://www.burghcards.com/). If you are one of them, thank you from both us at Needed Change and Ricci and his crew over at Burgh Cards. You can still pick these cards up from the website for $10. Of that $10 we receive $5 and Burgh Cards get $5 to cover their operating costs. Not only do you help us with this project and homelessness but you also get discounts to nearly 50 different Pittsburgh locations!

Also, thank you to Gus Garcia Roberts, from the Miami New Times, a publication with over 70,000 subscribers for getting in touch with us to do a story. We are also being courted for a story from another Miami publication called BackSlash Magazine which boasts a circulation of 50,000. We are also proud to announce that we will also be in contact with two Pittsburgh area publications, one being the Sandwichzine and the other being the Cal Times. Once we start getting more involved with our talks with them we will post more details about them!