You can't dream when you're struggling to survive

RETHINK HOUSING PRESENTS A STILLMOTION ORIGINAL PRODUCTION

EDITEDBY JEREMIAH FLORESSCRIPT

WRITTEN BY MARY LOCKENARRATEDBY JEWEL

DIRECTOR OFPHOTOGRAPHY JOYCE TSANG LINE

PRODUCER LILAH GIVENS ASSOCIATEPRODUCER ANNABEL PIRRIE

PRODUCEDBY MARIBETH ROMSLO DIRECTED

BY PATRICK MOREAUEXECUTIVEPRODUCER PATRICK MOREAU

www.rethinkhousing.org

Where we come from shapes who we are, and how others see us.

Home gives us a sense of belonging and stability. It’s so much more than just a physical structure.

It’s our safety, our refuge, our launch pad.

Yet, so many people in the U.S. face housing instability and homelessness. A shocking 76% of Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck (Bankrate.com Survey 2013). They are just one accident or injury away from losing everything. Losing a place to call their own.

“Our Journey Home” follows three families and examines how their relationship to home has shaped them.

Growing up in public housing, Byron Ellis felt judgment from others about the place he called home. He knew people thought he would never amount to anything coming from behind the tall gates of “the projects” where his family lived. But the doubters lit a fire under him.

Stephanie Graham’s safety and stability crumbled at the hands of an abusive ex-husband. She moved back home with her handicapped father, who was later killed in a hit-and-run. That was the beginning of the avalanche. She ended up in a Skid Row shelter with her children. Stephanie's story shows us that homelessness can happen to anyone.

When Rosalio Galaviz was a baby, his family emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. for a new life. But shortly after arriving, a tragic incident sent his father to prison and left his mother alone to care for five children. Her minimum wage jobs could barely make ends meet. Public housing saved his family from living on the streets and a�orded all of them the stability to thrive.

“Our Journey Home” challenges our perceptions about people in need of supportive housing. The film examines the role we all play in supporting those who struggle in having a stable place from where they can grow and dream.

A place to call their own.

SYNOPSIS

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524 East Burnside #430Portland, OR 97214

(503) 419-6266

855 Boylston StreetBoston, MA 02116

(617) 227-2111

189 Commerce CourtCheshire, CT 06410

(203) 272-8220

FILM SPECIFICATIONSTitle: Our Journey HomeGenre: DocumentaryDuration: 54 minutesScreen Ratio: 16:9 HDSound: Dolby SR Dolby Digital

COUNTRY OF FILMINGUnited States

COUNTRY OF PRODUCTIONUnited States

DATE OF COMPLETIONOctober 5, 2015

DIRECTOR & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CONTACTPatrick MoreauStillmotionpatrick@stillmotion.ca

PRODUCER CONTACTMaribeth RomsloStillmotionmaribeth@stillmotion.ca

PRESS CONTACTKatie GoudeyCone Communicationskgoudey@conecomm.com

RETHINK HOUSING CONTACTCourtney RiceHAI Group crice@housingcenter.com

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PRODUCTION CONTACT

We believe that you need to let the story move you, before you try to move the story. Our approach is to always listen, learn, explore, and truly understand the story before making any creative decisions.

So we dug deep into the world of home — and found a wealth of knowledge. But nobody wants to sit and listen to a bunch of experts talk about home, homelessness, and public housing. How do you communicate that e�ectively and authentically in a documentary?

Our challenge is to use story to connect the audience and bring awareness to the issue.

“Our Journey Home” was made using Muse, Stillmotion’s patent-pending storytelling process. It is based on the core concept of guiding the heart to move the mind. After months of detailed research a set of five keywords was distilled as a representation of the story. Those five words are: Home, Lost, Awareness, Bridge, and Empowerment.

We used these keywords as a guide to inform everything from camera selection and movement to the lighting and color of the film.

We leaned heavily on the keywords and made specific selections based o� which keywords a particular scene represented. In a loving, supportive environment such as a home or school we opted for precise camera movements to reflect the stability home provides, pairing it with motivated lighting that feels bright and airy.

We then contrasted that with the harsh homeless conditions on the street where the light was purposely harsher and often bluer to depict the cold, bleak situation many face without a home. These scenes are then paired with rougher camera movement, either handheld or with a shoulder rig, to mimic the unstable rockiness of living on the streets.

Each creative decision was made based on the keywords that represent the story. Together as a whole this approach will not only move the audience emotionally but also bring them on a journey to better understand the issue at hand.

STILLMOTION’S CREATIVE APPROACH

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What Makes a Good Story?It's the book you can't put down, the campfire that is burned in your memory, and the film that changed the way you see the world.

It's heart. It's sweat. It's patience.

A great story happens when you close your eyes and listen. Not for what you want to hear, but for what it truly is. The best stories swallow you up, send you spinning, and take you somewhere you've never been.

Stillmotion is a Portland-based group of filmmakers and storytellers who, as a rule, always let our curiosity get the better of us. We believe that well told stories can change the world, and we are on a constant search for those that need to be told.

We got our start in the filmmaking biz doing wedding films, and moved into commercial work after getting picked up by the NFL — eventually filming our first feature-length documentary, A Game of Honor, with CBS and Showtime. Working on that film changed our lives as storytellers, and went on to earn us a few Emmys and a substantial amount of storytelling cred. We’ve also been honored to do commercial work with Apple, Callaway, AT&T, and many more.

We’re passionate about empowering others to craft stronger stories (the world could use more great stories). In 2015 we launched Muse, a step-by-step storytelling process that’s been hailed by critics for how approachable and innovative it is. We’ve taught Muse globally and it’s now the o�icial curriculum of several colleges and universities. “Our Journey Home” was crafted using the Muse process which was critical in letting us go from discovery to delivery on a feature-length documentary in less than eight months.

“Our Journey Home” is the 4th feature-length documentary that we’ve been heavily involved in. It’s deepened our understanding of how vital a home is in shaping who we are and where we’ll go. And it’s awakened us to the desperate need for more housing support for those that go without.

We hope it’s a story that does the same for you.

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ABOUT STILLMOTION

Once homeless, Jewel knows firsthand the importance of having a home and the impact it can have on a better future. “The inspiring families and individuals chronicled in ‘Our Journey Home’ speak to the feelings of hope and the dreams that a home can help enable,” says ReThink Ambassador and documentary narrator Jewel. “I hope this film causes people to stop and rethink the positive impact that public housing can have in helping families across the country.”

A storyteller at heart, Jewel has penned hundreds of poignant songs, two children’s books, and a pair of successful children’s albums as well as her most recent project: her memoir "Never Broken," which made the New York Times Best Seller list.

Jewel’s just-released new album “Picking Up The Pieces” is a bookend to her hit “Pieces of You.” To be sure, this is an album about self-awareness: namely, the way it a�ects our evolution, maturation, and acceptance. “It really felt like returning to a part of me that I didn’t mean to lose, but with time and relationships and life and surviving and dealing you take on new things and not all of them are great,” she admits. The 41-year-old singer didn’t come to this place easily however – a rough childhood, a recent divorce, and countless moments of introspection led her here. Still, as when she was a homeless teenager, hitchhiking the country, and finding herself along the way, she persevered.

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NARRATED BY JEWEL

Byron EllisByron is a medical resident at the University of Colorado Hospital specializing in orthopedic surgery. Growing up in an area of Los Angeles best known for its crime rate, Byron aspired to be successful and subvert stereotypes surrounding people growing up in public housing. As a kid, his combined love of science, sports, and helping people resulted in a passion for medicine. Support from his family and the stability of having a home through public housing provided Bryon a chance to concentrate on his education and pursue his love for sports. He earned a full football scholarship to the University of Colorado (CU) and celebrated his graduation from the CU Anschutz Medical Campus in May 2015. For Byron, public housing leads to dreams fulfilled.

Stephanie GrahamStephanie grew up in a safe neighborhood and dreamed of owning a restaurant until an abusive marriage forced her to relocate with her young children to her father’s home. She faced further setbacks after her father was killed in an accident, forcing her and her family into homelessness and finally, into a homeless shelter on the crime-ridden streets of Skid Row in Los Angeles. Determined to get her children out of the shelter and get their lives back on track, Stephanie and her fiancé, Ray worked hard filling out job and public housing applications before finally being chosen for an apartment. Having a place she can now call home, Stephanie is concentrating on fulfilling her dreams of owning a restaurant. For Stephanie, public housing provides families the opportunity to rebuild.

Rosalio GalavizMore than two decades ago, Rosalio’s family moved to the U.S. and soon after his father was imprisoned, leaving Roaslio’s mother, Maria to care for five children. Uneducated and unable to speak English, Maria found home in public housing and fulfilled her dream of sending all of her children to college. Determined to fulfill his mother’s dream to see him succeed, Rosalio is now studying Sociology at California State University Northridge. He aspires to be a police o�icer, recently completing the Police Cadet Program with the Ventura Police Department, to enable change and work to better the neighborhood where he grew up. For Rosalio, public housing provides the hope to become the person you aspire to be.

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FEATURED CHARACTERS

Ray GrahamRay worked as a special education assistant with the Los Angeles Unified School District until one day he resigned to pursue his dream career in music. During this time his finacé, Stephanie lost her home and Ray invited her and her young children to live with him. The lack of work and rapidly depleting finances forced Ray and Stephanie into homelessness. Despite facing dire conditions at homeless shelters in Skid Row, Ray and Stephanie worked to steer their family in a positive direction and after months of applications, the family was finally accepted into public housing. Now, with a roof over his head Ray is furthering his education in music. For Ray, public housing is a second chance and a stepping stone to something bigger.

Sharice DavisSharice is a mother of four who depended on public housing to provide the stability of a home for her young family. She worked tirelessly to ensure her children were educated and able to rise above their circumstances. Through example, Sharice instilled in her sons a strong work ethic and desire for success. Her eldest son Byron recently became a medical resident at the University of Colorado Hospital specializing in orthopedic surgery, while her youngest son Brett is in high school and has been invited to the NBA combine. For Sharice, public housing builds a much-needed foundation for family.

Dr. Tony RobinsonTony Robinson’s life began on the run as his mother escaped his father’s violence. Spending nights in bus shelters, the family finally settled down in public housing. Acquainted with homelessness early on and finally having a roof over his head, young Tony was able to understand the di�erence it made to have a “home.” Tony graduated college, eventually earning a Ph.D. in Political Science from University of California, Berkeley. Believing home to be central to a person’s identity, Tony has become a passionate campaigner for homeless rights. He is currently the chair of University of Colorado Denver’s Political Science department. For Tony, public housing is empowerment.

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FEATURED CHARACTERS

Patrick MoreauDirectorPatrick is on a relentless pursuit to to deepen his relationship with story. With a background in psychology, he’s intrigued by matching up the in-the-field experience with what science tells us about how story works in our brain and bodies. He’s the lead developer of Stillmotion’s Muse storytelling process and had the opportunity to present the core philosophy to global business leaders at the United Nations in 2014. From weddings to the NFL to Emmy’s, all as a filmmaker with no formal training yet driven by an insatiable curiosity.

Maribeth RomsloProducerMaribeth's favorite thing about filmmaking is collaboration. She deeply believes that we can only do great things by working together and she loves telling smart stories that make a di�erence. As an ace producer, she can’t resist the challenge of making the impossible somehow suddenly possible.

Joyce TsangDirector of PhotographyJoyce is always down for an adventure and embraces each story as an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the world. She is a Creative Director at Stillmotion and has won several Emmy Awards for her work as a cinematographer. A road warrior and all-around ninja, Joyce is often behind a camera for commercial or documentary projects and enjoys sharing her perspective through the stories she tells with the team.

Mary LockeWriterMary believes that thoughtful words go a long way, and works everyday to put this into practice. As such, she’s on a constant quest to hone her craft. She recently contributed to the script for the Final Stitch, a piece that was nominated for an Emmy for best feature. “Our Journey Home” is the first feature-length film for which she has written the script.

Jeremiah FloresEditorBefore joining the Stillmotion team, Jeremiah worked in commercial production where he wrote, directed, and edited work for companies including Red Bull, Zappos, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. “Our Journey Home” is his first feature length edit.

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BIOGRAPHIES

ReThink: Why Housing Matters communicates the mission and purpose of public housing – to provide housing and services to millions of Americans who might otherwise be homeless. Since 2013, the national awareness initiative has highlighted the misperceptions that Americans have about public housing through stories of the individuals, families, and communities who benefit from all that public housing has to o�er. Award-winning singer and songwriter, Jewel, has been the national ReThink Ambassador since the initiative’s launch in 2013. ReThink was developed by Housing Authority Insurance, Inc. (HAI, Inc.) with the support of its trade partners in the public housing industry. HAI, Inc. is a part of HAI Group, a family of companies that serves the public and a�ordable housing community with special, niche insurance programs as well as other value-added products and services such as training and software solutions.

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ABOUT RETHINK HOUSING

Relevant Statistics

Housing stability is out of reach for many hard-working Americans. A wage of $19.35 per hour is necessary to a�ord an average two bedroom rental, nationally1. In other words, a renter household needs 2.7 full-time jobs paying the minimum wage in order to a�ord a two bedroom rental unit at fair market rent.

During a time when poverty has increased by 23.6%, there has been only a 2.7% increase in the supply of assisted housing units2.

Only one in four households that qualifies for housing assistance receives it3.

In Los Angeles, “the typical public cost for residents in supportive housing is $605 a month. The typical public cost for similar homeless persons is $2,897, five-times greater than their counterparts that are housed4.

Housing subsidies lifted 3.1M families out of poverty in 20145.

1 National Low Income Housing Coalition (2015). Out of Reach 2015

2 Public and A�ordable Housing Research Corporation (2015). PAHRC Report 2015: Value of Home.

3 Urban Institute (2014). One in Four: America’s Housing Assistance Lottery

4 Economic Roundtable (2009). Where We Sleep: Costs when Homeless and Housed in Los Angeles

5 US Census Bureau (2014) “A Di�erent Way of Measuring Poverty”

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WHY HOUSING MATTERS

“Our Journey Home” premieres in New York City at the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway on October 8, 2015, and will then begin a tour across the country.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about people that are homeless and people in public housing. And the more misconceptions you have, the less compassion and empathy you have for the people who live there.” –Jewel

“The three stories about these individuals is an eye opener to break the stereotypes of getting public help. I was able to connect with most of the characters because I saw a little bit of me in some of them. The number one thing I can relate to in each story is the determination to overcome the di�iculties through perseverance.”

- Rosemarie

“I have grown up hearing people talk about how public housing can be a waste of money and resources. This is the first time I have heard statistics actually showing that a little bit of help can go a long way in helping with a fixable problem. Would be nice if more people could hear this message.” - Jimmy

“I was drawn in [to Byron’s story] from the very beginning, shared his disappointment when he didn't get into medical school, and felt the emotion and excitement when he got in...and graduated! That story is the cornerstone of what public housing can, and does, do.” - Jeremy

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PREMIERE