Sandler 1 Ali Sandler COM341 Novemeber 9, 2011 Thematic Vision Paper Laura Dunn- Green and The Unforeseen

Men have directed the majority of films that I have seen throughout my experience as a film student. It seems like there are either very few female filmmakers, or they just arent as widely known. I chose to watch films by Laura Dunn, because I wanted inspiration and a point of view of a woman. After briefly reading a few descriptions of her two films Green and The Unforeseen, I instantly connected with her topics about the environment. Im not much of a science person, but I do care about the environment and want to learn more about it, especially the way people abuse it. I knew that there was a tremendous amount of pollution caused by the development of chemical plants and roads. However, the issues between the developers and the communities they are in, and the very quality of the water they have is closely revealed throughout these films. After watching them, I now have a stronger appreciation for preserving nature. Also, by learning more about the director, I feel more confident going into the film industry and especially focusing on documentaries. Dunn has inspired me to make films about what is at stake for humanity and to spread awareness to the rest of society. Dunn has created documentaries in which capture the essence and importance of preserving nature while fighting the force of evil corporations. As founder and Executive Director of Two Birds Film in Austin, Texas, her films have won recognition across the nation (Two Birds). The 27 year-old ecological filmmaker has been extremely successful in her career, even though she had always thought of being an actor rather than a filmmaker (Prime).

Sandler 2 She attended Yale to study drama, [and] gradually found her aspirations diverted by New Havens jarring economic disparities. She says that Filmmaking is how [she] makes sense of the world. [She] just [feels] so blessed to be able to make a living doing this." I feel the same way about film making because it helps capture what one normally would not see and puts things in perspective. She says that "Being from the South, [shed] never dealt with urban poverty and New England wealth before, and it really opened [her] eyes." I, however, am from New England and have seen both sides of the spectrum. Her background of a geographic base in Texas and regional cultural identitycreates an interesting counterpoint to her liberal politics, placing her in a dynamic insider/outsider position vis--vis the matrix of issues she addresses in her films. As a viewer, I see her outlook as equally balanced and positively captured. Her two documentaries, Green and The Unforeseen, depict the harmful effects of certain corporations on nature. Green documents the 100 miles between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, [where] there are over 150 petrochemical plants, which are responsible for producing 25% of the nation's petrochemicals (Green). I had been unaware of this area for many reasons. It is far from where I live and I have never traveled in that direction. I dont know anyone who lives in that area and I have not seen any news stories produced by the media about this issue. Dunn shows that This area reports the highest concentration of toxic emissions to the air, land and water in the country. This is a huge problem for America and I am shocked that there is minimal to no coverage about it on the news. The most alarming part about this is that The residents of this area, who are mainly African American and poor, suffer from astronomical rates of cancer, asthma and other medical ailments. It is a huge task for someone to be able to document this problem in a way that shows as much of the issue as possible. By doing that, this film has won the 2001 Academy Award for Best Student Documentary, Hollywood, CA;

Sandler 3 Global Vision Grand Prize for World Population Film Festival; Best Documentary at the Making Waves National Student Film Festival, NYC; Gecko Award at Cinematexas, Austin; Honorable Mention at Flicker Film Festival, Chicago, IL; and played at SXSW, Doubletake Documentary, and Great Plains Film Festivals (Two Birds). With all of these awards, I wonder why this film still is not widely talked about. Even though Dunn made [it] while an MFA student at UT Austin, I think that it is a huge accomplishment in spreading awareness to our society (Prime). Her initial reasoning behind making it is that she "wanted a reason to go down to New Orleans [she] just needed an adventure. For a filmmaker, this is such a huge issue that probably affected her more than she could have ever expected. Her inspiration came from an article in The Wall Street Journal about Louisianas infamous Cancer Alley. I would imagine that the Journals article did not do nearly as much justice as her documentary did. It is interesting to note that before this film, Dunn was not particularly interested in environmental issues. However after making it, I am certain that it grew to be of major importance to her. The aspect about this topic that drew her in was the conjunction of racism and Southern politics in the context of socioeconomic injustice. This film proves that along with the environment, there are groups of people who are being harmfully affected by the chemical plants. It creates a strong emotional bond between the viewer and the characters, because it shows the townspeople going about their daily lives while having to live among such harsh chemicals. All I want to do after watching this film is help them because it gets so deep into the feelings of the characters. Dunns goal is to open our eyes to the destruction of humanity that is taking place. Dunn was inspired to direct The Unforeseen because her producer, Terrence Malick, introduced her to the topic. Although she went into it thinking that its just another job, her commitment and passion shines through with the vision that a community is trying to save itself

Sandler 4 from the pollution that it may face. It reveals the controversy surrounding Austin's real estate development and its impact on the Edwards Aquifer and on Barton Springs (Austinist). This is another issue that I had been unaware of. I immediately took the side of the community protesting against it because I simply put myself in their position. Dunn interviews many community members as well as the developers to show both sides of the story. There is one instance when a developer is being interviewed and makes a good point. She says that she, along with the other workers, are just trying to make a living and they do not want to be harming anyone. While I do believe this is true for some, I think that they could be going about it in a better way. I also side with the community because they are fighting for the preservation of their environment. There are beautiful shots of the underwater life that show how it is being affected by the pollution. I like how I am able to see the difference in water clarity from 1996 to 2004. It really gives a strong perspective of what has actually occurred in the water. The residue of cars, oil, antifreeze, and pesticides largely caused the deterioration of water quality. This has a major impact on me and helps me understand the message being put across, which is that the developers are indeed negatively impacting the environment. In the film, a reporter from Rolling Stone states that developers are classic American [characters] with a sense that theyre going to reshape the future and going to get rich, and then they lose everything. The developers began with that plan in mind, which was to build a new affordable community, until they went bankrupt. They are ridiculed by the community and environmentalists, because they know that the developers are really only looking to benefit themselves by profiting. Dunns aim in this film is to show that even when the community as a whole tries to preserve their water, there are still people trying to do their job and make money who will get away with hurting the environment.

Sandler 5 The similarities between Green and The Unforeseen are based on Dunns belief that We live in a totally unsustainable society that is in a state of spiritual crisis (Prime). I agree with her view of our culture ignoring the facts and problems if only a certain group of people are affected and that Were all caught up in this big rat race where we value money above all. Everything else gets lost." People forget that money is not the true meaning of wealth, and that it is happiness and well-being. The films emphasize that As we grow we threaten the very natural resources that brought us here to begin with (Austinist). We should cherish them to make them last as long as possible instead of being selfish and greedy. Also, there is a powerful focus on the communities symbols of the natural environment and of [their] precious natural resources, which are present in these films as Barton Springs and the Mississippi River. Following these films, Dunn becomes very concerned about the state of the environment, and [finds] a lot of peace in the natural world (Austinist). They help me appreciate the truer things in life and remind me of what really is important. They evoke a great concernthat its disappearing before our eyes. These are the type of films that wake people up so that they realize theres something precious at stake, and I believe that it is important to try to do this while there still is time. Dunn believes that humans naturally have an impact on the environment, but that it doesnt have to be in a way that destroys the environment for future generations. The Unforeseen shows that the developers are destroying the environment and changing the lives of people in Austin. Green shows the detrimental changes in the Mississippi River, done by large companies, which seriously affect the well-being of the surrounding communities. In both cases, larger corporations are looking for a quick return on a short-term investment that could destroy something long term. This is an extremely scary way of business and is detrimental to the lives of others who are not profiting from the cause. Both films

Sandler 6 create an understanding that if youre going to clean up the air, water, and keep the earth as clean as you can get it, the only way is if those who are causing the problems are required to do so and enforced by government. Sadly, the government, as well as these companies, are not focused on good ethics and want money. I feel strongly about the fact that one person can make a difference, because others will follow. I uphold Ghandis quote, Be the change you want to see in the world and think that film is a magnificent medium to help others see what you do. There are many aerial shots in both films, which give a better view of the areas being documented. The music choices are similar with bongos and the sound of ones heart beating. This creates a feeling that one can relate to because it is very simple, but powerful at the same time. Of course, nature is a huge contributor, so close-ups on flowers, spider webs, and a butterfly cocoon are used. Children also play a major role in creating an emotional response for the audience to help them connect. In Green, many children are affected by the harmful toxins in their living environments. Some are shown with rare cancers, which is so frightening and sad. The Unforeseen has a young boy saying that its more room for them to play, until the developers continue building in their neighborhood. This was a very touching line in the film because everyone was a child once. These examples show the significant impact that big companies have on the kids. Many of the characters say that they had a dream, but it is no longer alive thanks to these corporations. A lot of important messages come up throughout both films. Water conservation and preservation, along with corporate greed and supposed economic growth are major aspects in these films. The question people will ask themselves when they look back in both instances is, What did we do? We wiped out something quite wonderful and we want to put it back. These people are talking about both the Springs in Texas and the Mississippi River. The overall moral

Sandler 7 for these films is that we need a stronger regard for the future so were not going to ruin our precious resources. The pools of water are suffering from the insanity of man, which in turn makes the surrounding people also suffer. A quote that really stuck with me was from Green, but can also be said about The Unforeseen. An elderly woman states that the reason for these changes is that All they see is green M-O-N-E-Y. Some people will sell their soul for a dollar. This is so true about people in the world and is a very sad thought. Not enough people care more about the environment than they do about money. Dunn says that there will always be a war between economic opportunity, gaining money, vs. environmental justice, which serves to promote healthy and livable minority communities (Green). The large companies show that certain populations are expendable for power and greed. These are huge issues that will keep coming up, and we cannot sit back and let them happen. My attitude has always been to do whats best for the community. I have also been strongly drawn towards preserving the environment. These films have shown me how much change and damage has been done to the land from major corporations trying to make money. I have grown an even stronger hatred towards these companies and even more compassion for those who are affected. I want to show these films to everyone I know, so they can become more aware about what is going on. I wish to make films myself about the injustice that this world holds to try to teach others how to stop it. Dunn did a good job trying not to be bias, which is hard when the wrongdoer is so obviously to be blamed. She says that she wanted to sort of love [her] proverbial enemy. You want to love thy neighbor as thyself, so to speak. So [shes] trying to look at [the companies] as human [beings] and be compassionate, and at the same time, there is a call to arms about the environment (Austinist). By going about the interviews with this in mind, she makes it up to the viewer to decide how they feel about the issue. This

Sandler 8 makes the film more interesting, instead of a propaganda type to try and stop companies from profiting. The films social awareness is revealed organically within the subjects because many people who are affected have strong emotions about the issues. Following this analysis, I also have grown a stronger appreciation for the environment as well as for documentary films.

Sandler 9 Works Cited "Austinist Interviews SXSW: The Unforeseen Director Laura Dunn: Austinist." Austinist: Austin News, Food, Arts & Events - Blog View. Ed. Paige Maguire. Gothamist LLC., 2003. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://austinist.com/2007/03/06/austinist_interviews_sxsw_the_unforeseen_director_lau ra_dunn.php>. "People." Two Birds Film. Two Birds Film. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://www.twobirdsfilm.com/homeBkgdPeop.htm>. Prime, Rebecca. "An Accidental Filmmaker." Two Birds Film. New England Film.com. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://www.twobirdsfilm.com/greenPressNewEngland.htm>. Two Birds Film. "Green." Two Birds Film. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://www.twobirdsfilm.com/homeProjFilm.htm>.