James R. Martin
Encyclopedia
James R Martin or Jim Martin (born 1951) is a writer, independent producer, director, and documentary filmmaker. He is best known for his PBS feature-length documentary Wrapped In Steel, broadcast nationally in 1984–85, and PBS documentary Fired-Up Public Housing is my Home broadcast nationally in 1988–89. Both Wrapped In Steel and Fired-Up were nominated for Emmy. Fired-Up won an Emmy for Best Independent Network Documentary, Chicago. Author, Create Documentary Films, Videos, And Multimedia: a comprehensive guide to using documentary storytelling techniques for film, video, Internet and digital media projects. ISBN- 978-0-9827023-0-7.
Wrapped In Steel, a 90-minute PBS documentary, was part of the Southeast Chicago Historical Project funded by The National Endowment for The Humanities (NEH), Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) and Columbia College Chicago
. The documentary focused on multi-ethnic SE Chicago Steel Mill neighborhoods at a critical time for urban America when cities were moving from dependence on a heavy industry economy.
Four years in the making, Wrapped In Steel was a part of the Southeast Chicago Historical Project which facilitated a community history project in which residents used various media to examine their past and present conditions. Project and documentary activities touched the 100,000-resident neighborhoods of South Chicago, South Deering, East Side
and Hegewisch, where a large percentage of the community worked at the steel mills located in their area. In addition to the documentary film the community history project left tangible reminders of the history and culture of area residents in the neighborhood after the project ended. Some of the results of the project are two years of articles about the history of the area in The Daily Calumet (1982–1983), a multi-media exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)
and a revitalized local Southeast Chicago Historical Society. Prominent scholars and residents examined the culture and history of these working class neighborhoods. Among those consultants were William Kornblum, Blue Collar Community, Sol Tax
, anthropologist, Dominic Pacyga, historian, Tom Cottle, psychologist, Mike Alexandrof, President of Columbia College, Edward Sadlowski, United Steel Workers of America, and thousands of residents.
Emmy Award-winning Fired-Up: Public Housing is my Home, a 60-minute PBS documentary, looks at an attempt to introduce the Tenant Management concept to Chicago Public Housing (CHA) developments including Cabrini–Green and other developments. The Tenant Management model was based on the work of Bertha Gilkey
at Cochran Gardens in St. Louis
. The program sought to empower tenants to take charge of the developments and their own lives.
Fired-Up follows the residents of CHA Public Housing developments, including Cabrini–Green and Ida B Wells developments, as they learn about basic concepts like what a lease is and tenant management concepts. Female residents (over 95% public housing residents are women and children) express their fears and problems as they struggle to establish some order to their development buildings and their lives. Residents visit Cochran Gardens in St. Louis where they see a successful tenant-managed development.
The project was sponsored by the Metropolitan Planning Council of Chicago and the documentary received funding from the Kraft Foundation, American Bank, the Sophia Fund and Columbia College, Chicago. The film was written produced and directed by Professor Jim Martin at Columbia College Chicago, currently Director Documentary Filmmaking, Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
.
Wrapped In Steel, a 90-minute PBS documentary, was part of the Southeast Chicago Historical Project funded by The National Endowment for The Humanities (NEH), Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) and Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is one of the largest art colleges in the United States with nearly 12,000 students pursuing degrees within 120 undergraduate and graduate programs...
. The documentary focused on multi-ethnic SE Chicago Steel Mill neighborhoods at a critical time for urban America when cities were moving from dependence on a heavy industry economy.
Four years in the making, Wrapped In Steel was a part of the Southeast Chicago Historical Project which facilitated a community history project in which residents used various media to examine their past and present conditions. Project and documentary activities touched the 100,000-resident neighborhoods of South Chicago, South Deering, East Side
East Side
-Municipalities:* East Side Township, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, United States* East Side, Pennsylvania, United States- Canada :* Eastside, Ontario, a neighborhood in Sault Ste...
and Hegewisch, where a large percentage of the community worked at the steel mills located in their area. In addition to the documentary film the community history project left tangible reminders of the history and culture of area residents in the neighborhood after the project ended. Some of the results of the project are two years of articles about the history of the area in The Daily Calumet (1982–1983), a multi-media exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)
Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)
The Museum of Science and Industry is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA in Jackson Park, in the Hyde Park neighborhood adjacent to Lake Michigan. It is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition...
and a revitalized local Southeast Chicago Historical Society. Prominent scholars and residents examined the culture and history of these working class neighborhoods. Among those consultants were William Kornblum, Blue Collar Community, Sol Tax
Sol Tax
Sol Tax was an American anthropologist. He is best known for his studies of the Meskwaki, or Fox, Indians, for "action-anthropological" research titled the Fox Project, and for founding the academic journal Current Anthropology. He received his doctorate from the University of Chicago in 1935.Tax...
, anthropologist, Dominic Pacyga, historian, Tom Cottle, psychologist, Mike Alexandrof, President of Columbia College, Edward Sadlowski, United Steel Workers of America, and thousands of residents.
Emmy Award-winning Fired-Up: Public Housing is my Home, a 60-minute PBS documentary, looks at an attempt to introduce the Tenant Management concept to Chicago Public Housing (CHA) developments including Cabrini–Green and other developments. The Tenant Management model was based on the work of Bertha Gilkey
Bertha Gilkey
Bertha Knox Gilkey is an African American activist of tenant management of public housing properties. She set up the first tenant management association in St...
at Cochran Gardens in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. The program sought to empower tenants to take charge of the developments and their own lives.
Fired-Up follows the residents of CHA Public Housing developments, including Cabrini–Green and Ida B Wells developments, as they learn about basic concepts like what a lease is and tenant management concepts. Female residents (over 95% public housing residents are women and children) express their fears and problems as they struggle to establish some order to their development buildings and their lives. Residents visit Cochran Gardens in St. Louis where they see a successful tenant-managed development.
The project was sponsored by the Metropolitan Planning Council of Chicago and the documentary received funding from the Kraft Foundation, American Bank, the Sophia Fund and Columbia College, Chicago. The film was written produced and directed by Professor Jim Martin at Columbia College Chicago, currently Director Documentary Filmmaking, Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
External links
- http://www.prairie.org/Films/
- http://www.wttw.com/
- http://www.metroplanning.org/index.asp
- http://www.fullsail.com/film/program/1246-documentary-filmmaking.html