Hello, Hearts and Minds Film Community! My name is Dan Collins, I’m a writer and producer with the independent film company TELEDUCTION, Inc. and Outreach/Development Director for the Hearts and Minds Film Intitiative.
I’m glad to announce that after three years of filming, we’re in the final production stages of our latest documentary film, Why I Write: The Twin Poets. Check out the trailer:
The Twin Poets, Al Mills and Nnamdi Chukwuocha, embody the ideal of service to the community. Internationally acclaimed performers, they’ve graced stages around the world with their kinetic, socially focused style of spoken word. On the fast track to commercial success, the brothers decided instead to return home to Wilmington Delaware to dedicate themselves to the children of the Riverside neighborhood, where their father worked as a community leader a generation ago.
The film follows the twins as they try to lead a city full of children through the pitfalls presented by poverty and violence. Their message is essential, their power and purpose undeniable.
I look forward to keeping you updated as we work over the next few months to finish this important film, and to working with you to find ways to bring “Why I Write” to audiences in YOUR communities.
Visit our profile page on Facebook, become a fan, and help spread the word!
-Dan Collins
Where can i find the trailer for whyiwrite, your documentary on the Twin Poets. I would like to show it to my 8th grade students, but it only seems to on YouTube which we can’t get on school computers. Is there another link.
Thanks.
Carla Bloss
McCullough Middle School
Hi, Carla – I believe we only have it on YouTube at the moment. I can upload it elsewhere. Would you prefer Vimeo, TeacherTube…another site?
Here is the link to the trailer on TeacherTube: http://www1.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=224391&title=_quot_Why_I_Write_quot__Trailer
And on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/8844217
I have not kept up with your careers, but you made a lasting impression when you participated with The University of Delaware’s first Festival of Words, organized by the Delaware Writing Project’s Bonnie Alberson, Gwynne Ashe, and Carol Vukelich. I would love to share your work with my middle school students through DVD, Teachertube or any other vehicle acceptable in my class room. I am going back to your site to explore, but if you are able to respond and suggest products, that would be fantastic. Thank you for reading, but thank you more for following your calling and continuing your valuable and inspiring work.
We are currently developing a bundle of classroom materials (DVD, the Twins book of poetry, a teacher’s guide, and more) – we’d love to have everyone interested register here: http://whyiwrite.org/getinvolved.html
The more registrations we get, the sooner I think we can get the bundle produced!
We hope to inspire participation on our forum (submissions of writing and video) here: http://whyiwritefilm.tumblr.com/ and create a pledge & action network around the issues presented in the film.
I’ve also posted the link to the TeacherTube trailer above…if there is interest, we can post more clips there!
where can i see it or buy it
Hi there – we are currently preparing the DVD of the film for sale. I can add you to a mailing list for people who want to be notified when it’s available – would that be all right with you? We also have some screenings coming up in Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio!