'Black Dog Way' A Documentary.

Hello everyone,

Thank you for taking the time to visit our Crowdfunder page. The video above should give you a bit of an idea of what we’ve been up to over the last few years (with no spoilers). Myself and my producer River started filming the documentary back in the summer of 2019. Our aim was to start a discussion around the issues of inequality, housing and homelessness. The backdrop being the devastating impact of years of austerity upon the country due to the financial crash in 2008. We decided what better way to capture this window in time, of a city, the voices and stories we knew were there. So I picked up my camera and went out into the streets not sure what I'd find.  

“And for me, the movies are like a machine that generates empathy. It lets you understand a little bit more about different hopes, aspirations, dreams and fears. It helps us to identify with the people who are sharing this journey with us.” Roger Ebert, 2005.

Firstly we met Steve, he became our catalyst and guide. An advocate for those without a voice. Through him we began to unpack the issues compounding the homelessness problem. We found the story he had to tell compelling and it didn’t stop there. We met so many of our participants along the way, allowing them all to contribute a line..

 'In the winter of 2016, Steve found himself homeless aged 49, in the wake of a family tragedy. His story is like many others. 219,000 in England alone, every single year. 

Steve was a victim of circumstance and a man suffering from his memories. He became trapped moving through the support system, trying and failing to navigate his way back. Experiencing the system from the inside, he saw it as fundamentally broken. After getting himself back on his feet, he vowed to ensure others wouldn’t go through the same experience. He became a homeless advocate, helping people and asking for nothing in return. In doing so, he became a voice for those in need. He remained determined in the belief that things could and should be better. Steve set out, along with many others in the city of Gloucester, to do just that. This is Steve’s story'.

We aimed to have the film completed the following year in 2020. However, the first covid lockdown put a stop to that idea. So when it was safe and appropriate to do so we carried on. But the pandemic had changed things for our participants and we made the decision to continue on filming past 2020 until now. 

So, why do we need your help? 

Simply put, we’ve finished filming everything we need to shoot and now we just need to start assembling the footage. With your help, we’ll be able to fund the post production phase of the documentary. This will include an original score being composed, by musician Dean Jones, along with editing, colour grading and audio mix by Katherine Glynne-Jones and Tom Crawford. 

https://www.letscreatestuff.com/black-dog-way/ 

The post production team we’ve assembled are of course all freelance, so the financial contributions that anyone makes will go directly to Dean, Katherine and Tom to finish the film. 

In short the more generous you are the more time we can devote to working on the film. Doing justice to the participants and their stories. 

Myself and my colleagues are so keen to show you the finished documentary. We are now more determined than ever to tell this story of the unheard. Getting it out to a wider audience and contributing another line to the ongoing conversation. Championing those who are standing up for truth and justice. An antidote to pessimism and hopelessness. Keeping the dream alive of a better future for all.  

in solidarity,

Sam.  

Find us here for more information.  

https://www.blackdogwayfilm.co.uk

https://linktr.ee/blackdogwayfilm