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I'm sure this is illegal Seattle.
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Artists use grant for gun violence movie ahead of Nov. vote
By <broken link removed> Published: Oct 1, 2014 at 5:27 PM PDT Last Updated: Oct 1, 2014 at 7:59 PM PDT
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SEATTLE -- Two local filmmakers made a gun violence movie using a grant from the city, and they hope it has an impact on the November election.
Voters will have a choice between I-594, which would require people who buy guns online or from private parties to undergo a background check, and I-591, which would prevent Washington from adopting any rules more stringent than required by the federal government. The filmmakers said their movie is not about picking sides on the gun issue, but about starting a conversation.
The theme of "The Statistician" is the randomness of gun violence and how people barely seem concerned.
"It examines our American acceptance of the inevitability of gun violence," said Ron Richardson, the film's director and co-producer. "It holds up a mirror to the notion that we look at gun violence kind of like the weather."
Mass shootings like the one at Seattle Pacific University in June, followed by a rash of gun violence in Seattle this summer, was enough to convince Richardson and co-producer John Longenbaugh that a story needed to be told.
"And once i figured out what I wanted to say, it all came pretty quick," Longenbaugh said.
The artists crafted a minute and a half movie using a smART Ventures grant from the city's Office of Arts and Culture. The panel reviewing applications was looking for public safety themed projects that fit with Mayor Ed Murray's push for a "Summer of Safety."
"When this opportunity came with Summer of Safety, and the mayor asked departments to help us respond to a pretty frightening level of violence that was happening in our community, we saw a way to engineer this funding program," said Randy Engstrom, the director of the arts and culture office.
The crew on "The Statistician" said rental fees for film equipment came from the smART Ventures grant, which taxpayers support through a city admissions tax.
The filmmakers say the grant helped them move quickly and capitalize on the upcoming election, in which voters will decide on I-594 and I-591.
"What we want this film to do is not to say, 'Well you're right or you're right,' but to say 'This is something we need to discuss,'" Longenbaugh said.
"The Statistician" should be released in the coming days through YouTube, Vimeo and the filmmakers' website at Battleground Productions.
City officials say smART Venture grants are still available, and applicants no longer need a public safety theme to apply.
<broken link removed>
Artists use grant for gun violence movie ahead of Nov. vote
By <broken link removed> Published: Oct 1, 2014 at 5:27 PM PDT Last Updated: Oct 1, 2014 at 7:59 PM PDT
<broken link removed>
SEATTLE -- Two local filmmakers made a gun violence movie using a grant from the city, and they hope it has an impact on the November election.
Voters will have a choice between I-594, which would require people who buy guns online or from private parties to undergo a background check, and I-591, which would prevent Washington from adopting any rules more stringent than required by the federal government. The filmmakers said their movie is not about picking sides on the gun issue, but about starting a conversation.
The theme of "The Statistician" is the randomness of gun violence and how people barely seem concerned.
"It examines our American acceptance of the inevitability of gun violence," said Ron Richardson, the film's director and co-producer. "It holds up a mirror to the notion that we look at gun violence kind of like the weather."
Mass shootings like the one at Seattle Pacific University in June, followed by a rash of gun violence in Seattle this summer, was enough to convince Richardson and co-producer John Longenbaugh that a story needed to be told.
"And once i figured out what I wanted to say, it all came pretty quick," Longenbaugh said.
The artists crafted a minute and a half movie using a smART Ventures grant from the city's Office of Arts and Culture. The panel reviewing applications was looking for public safety themed projects that fit with Mayor Ed Murray's push for a "Summer of Safety."
"When this opportunity came with Summer of Safety, and the mayor asked departments to help us respond to a pretty frightening level of violence that was happening in our community, we saw a way to engineer this funding program," said Randy Engstrom, the director of the arts and culture office.
The crew on "The Statistician" said rental fees for film equipment came from the smART Ventures grant, which taxpayers support through a city admissions tax.
The filmmakers say the grant helped them move quickly and capitalize on the upcoming election, in which voters will decide on I-594 and I-591.
"What we want this film to do is not to say, 'Well you're right or you're right,' but to say 'This is something we need to discuss,'" Longenbaugh said.
"The Statistician" should be released in the coming days through YouTube, Vimeo and the filmmakers' website at Battleground Productions.
City officials say smART Venture grants are still available, and applicants no longer need a public safety theme to apply.
