Join me on a Documentary Journey

Not sure I've thought this all the way through but...

We’re making a documentary.

I didn’t plan on sharing this. I’m second guessing myself even as I write this.

However, I have reached a tipping point and I thought you could learn with me along the way.

For the past couple years I have been thinking about this more and more.

I have plenty of ideas.

Today…I’ve had enough of watching YouTube videos on how to make a documentary. I went ahead and spent a bit of money on a self-paced course from some film makers I trust and who have built a good community. I learned some industry standard fundamentals in that course…good solid basics. Things I can go back and refer to.

I’ve learned A LOT through my work over the years on our own Walk with History YouTube Channel. Each video we made there is kinda like a mini-documentary I guess.

Now its time for the next big step.

Make a documentary

There have been documenaries made with nothing but older cell phones…because story is king.

At a certain point you MUST TRY.

It doesn’t matter what it is.

For me…I have to try making a documentary. Just like reps and sets in the gym make you stronger, the same goes for documentary film making.

What will it be about?

Our last newsletter talked about the event that inspired Ida B. Wells. An 1892 lynching that happened in Memphis, Tennessee that is now known as the Peoples Grocery Lynching.

The local organization that Jenn works with, the Lynching Sites Project (LSP), is working towards getting a historic marker put up where the three men were killed.

I am going to document that process.

Have you ever asked yourself how historic markers get put up?

• Who pays for them?

• Who writes them?

• How are they made?

• Why are they put where they are?

LSP does some interesting things sometimes too…like reaching out to decendants of these events and bringing them together. Sort like a modern day healing process.

Then there is the larger “sub-story” of how America remembers and memorializes its history.

Historic markers are a huge part of that. They’re everywhere!

I have no illusions that I’ll look as cool as this photo or that this documentary will gain mass viewership, but it will be my first of many documentaries.

The first time doing anything is exciting!

(and maybe I do hope I’ll look cool)

Join me on a Documentary Journey

I’ll write about my experiences here, inbetween our regular history and travel posts.

Feel free to share this with someone if you think they would be interested in my journey…or in how historic markers are made. 😊