spoke digital films

As the months of 2008 are rapidly falling off the calendar, I wanted to finish my wrap up of last year. In my earlier post summarizing last year, I discussed some of the major developments in the production of my documentary, Shielded Brutality. Towards the latter part of last year, most of my energy moved towards post-production and planning the finishing of the film. I wish this only involved hopping on the computer and editing the film. Unfortunately, post-production, for my purposes, is even more expensive than production.

I managed to conduct almost all of the filming on my own as a one-man crew. That will not be the case for post-production if I want to do this important story justice. The more help I’m able to get from experts within aspects of post-production (editors, producers, distribution consultants, etc.), the better this story will be served and the more eyes and ears it will reach. As a result, the latter part of 2007 involved efforts towards fundraising. I was excited and humbled that some of my earliest efforts paid off when I was awarded the Crossroads Fund Media Justice Initiative grant. This grant has already been an enormous help, and I again thank the great people at Crossroads for their support. Other grant applications are in the works, and I am keeping my fingers crossed.

All in all, 2007 was a spectacular year. I was blessed with the generous participation of countless individuals who donated their time to submit interviews sharing their knowledge, history, and expertise regarding this very important issue of torture and abuse in the heart of America. Having the year end with support from the people at Crossroads only made the year sweeter. Of course, there is still so much work to do moving forward.

Some important developments have occurred since the new year, including a $20 settlement with four torture victims. We can only hope this is the beginning of further moves towards real justice for victims and their families. I hope that this film can play some part in working towards that justice and preventing future abuses. I am still hoping for a date of completion by the end of this Summer. Until then, I will continue to raise funds, edit footage, and solicit the necessary help to get this story told in the most dynamic and compelling way possible.

For those interested in making a tax-deductible donation, please go here (and thank you!)

-Dustin Ogdin, Director/Producer