Spark Media

We're a film & digital media company specializing in meaningful work that educates and inspires – It’s a message that’s more important now than ever.

Spark Media is a Woman-owned business, certified by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. Our most recent documentary, Scattering CJ, explores the devastating effects of su***de, the extraordinary generosity of strangers, and one grieving family’s attempt to heal in the wake of unimaginable loss. Scattering CJ facilitates meaningful and impactful dialogue around the far-too-stigmatized

topics of mental health and su***de prevention. As the world faces a deadly pandemic, we’re also in the midst of a global mental health crisis that claims nearly a million lives annually. Despite the numerous challenges brought on by COVID-19 and thanks to passionate audiences and mental health advocates, Scattering CJ has continued to play a part in raising awareness through a robust virtual screening initiative. Some highlights include: a global screening event with thousands of audience members for International Survivors of Su***de Loss Day, a Capitol Hill program co-sponsored by 16 members of Congress, 8 state hosted programs, and dozens of independent community screenings. To learn more about Scattering CJ visit www.scatteringcjfilm.com. Interested in learning more about our other projects? Go to www.sparkmedia.org.

11/09/2024

To all our friends up near Boston, you should check out a free screening of the new docuseries, Hard to Swallow, on Nov. 19 at 6:30pm at Gund Hall Auditorium at Harvard University. Our good friend Theo Shear is one of the producers of the series and will be speaking at the event, along with Chef Jeff Heard of New Orleans restaurant Heard Dat Kitchen, which is featured in the series.

This sounds like a great event and attendees will even receive a jar of Heard Dat’s blackened seasoning!

Join us for a test screening of Hard To Swallow, an unreleased docuseries from Loeb Fellow Tunde Wey. Essayistic and reflexive, the series describes Wey’s

11/07/2024

A statement from Public Defender!

Restoring humanity goes beyond any election. Now, it’s about rebuilding democracy, one relationship at a time.

We concede the election, but we're not conceding the fight.

11/06/2024

A little election inspiration!

Our journey for equality began over a century ago, with the suffragists demanding the right to vote, and continues today with Kamala Harris on the path to sh...

11/02/2024

In these final days before the elections, we’re trying to stay hopeful and grounded! In a civic rally today served up some helpful tips to direct our energies.

**Limit News Intake: Avoid excessive news and political content before and after the election; stay centered on personal values.
**Community Spaces: Organize gatherings to connect and process the election together.

**Care and Routine: Stick to personal routines and practice self-care (e.g., friend/family time) to stay grounded.

11/01/2024

This was an incredible program Rocky Mountain Women's Film!! Honored to have been able to share Public Defender with the at-risk youth of community.

10/31/2024

New episode now available!

This month, we're doing something a little different. There are some amazing podcasts out there that give us a view of America through a distinctive lens.

One of our favorites is Sidedoor: A podcast from the Smithsonian. Every episode, host Lizzie Peabody sneaks listeners through Smithsonian's side door to search for stories that can't be found anywhere else.

We're excited to share one of those episodes. “King’s Speech” is about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the evolution of his iconic I Have a Dream speech. It’s fascinating to chart the history of his speech and to hear how Dr. King was influenced by poet Langston Hughes, who worked with the Federal Theatre Project in the 1930s and co-wrote a play with one of the writers featured in The People's Recorder, Zora Neale Hurston.

Enjoy the episode! Find it wherever you get your podcasts or at the direct links below:

Acast: https://shows.acast.com/peoples-recorder/episodes/kings-speech
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peoples-recorder/id1693003215
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/72IK20V1a7nNhhbehGBIYm?si=479e79a135be4187
Audible: https://www.amazon.com/The-Peoples-Recorder/dp/B0C88BW4R2
iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-peoples-recorder-117528281/

10/31/2024

We know, firsthand, that the divisiveness and excruciating polarization plaguing our country isn't the only way. It is true that there is another way.

Our film, Public Defender, is a firsthand example of this possibility! We can restore humanity one relationship at a time. Harris' words reaffirm that.

Last night, Vice President Kamala Harris addressed a crowd of over 75,000 in , D.C., on Tuesday at the , with the and Washington Monument as her backdrop. Just a week before , as she stood on the same ground where former President had incited supporters before the Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021, Harris powerfully called for Americans to “turn the page” on an era she described as tumultuous and divisive. She asked Americans to embrace a future of and inclusion.

Reclaiming the Ellipse from the shadow of , Harris spoke purposefully, transforming a space tied to division into a platform for hope. Among signs that read “Freedom” and “USA” and bathed in a sea of American flags, she called on Americans to put aside our political differences, “stop pointing fingers and start locking arms,” pitching herself as a unifying force who would lead with empathy. Invoking E Pluribus Unum — Latin for “out of many, one” — Harris framed this motto as “a living truth about the heart of our .”

We know, firsthand, that the divisiveness and excruciating polarization plaguing our country isn't the only way. It is true, there is another way.

Our film, Public Defender is a firsthand example of this possibility! We can restore our humanity one relationship at a time. Harris' words reaffirm that.

10/31/2024

Public Defender offers a breath of the freshest empathetic air, which is something we could all benefit from breathing as we inch closer to Election Day!

10/30/2024

The scene felt like a festival, streets filled with tens of thousands. The Capitol Police were in high spirits, a bride stepped into the crowd. There was hope in the air, and a quiet, shared feeling of simply witnessing. 🇺🇸

10/29/2024

For more information about upcoming public programs and events call Cliff Laube at (845) 486-7745 or email [email protected].

10/27/2024

It was a busy weekend of screenings for Public Defender, which, after screening on Friday in Arkansas, had its LA premiere today at LA Femme Film Festival!

10/27/2024

Bringing Public Defender to Rocky Mountain Women's Film was special beyond belief!

10/26/2024

We’re thrilled that Public Defender is part of the celebrated Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival!

We are honored to announce that Public Defender was chosen as an official selection for the 2024 Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival — the longest-running all-documentary film festival in North America! We’re thrilled to be part of this celebrated festival! Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival

🎥 Shorts Program: Seeking Justice

🎬 "Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival attracts thousands of visitors to the 9-day multicultural and intergenerational event. Now in its third decade as the oldest all-documentary festival in North America and one of the longest-running non-fiction festivals in the world, the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival remains a prominent champion and protector of the documentary film genre." - Visit Hot Springs

"

10/25/2024

As Public Defender’s main film participant says:
“The only way you can see beyond the prison walls is through access to your family or access to the outside world through books.”

Thank you, THANK YOU Rocky Mountain Women's Film, ! You're an amazingly activated audience. Here's to all of the festival attendees, volunteers, and staff, who were inspired by Heather, the film’s public defender, and her commitment to the power of books. Together, through these donations, we are sharing the joy — as well as liberation — of reading!

10/24/2024

There’s just one day left to contribute to the Lady Kings Of Texas crowd-funding campaign on Seed&Spark.

This is a very cool female filmmaker-driven project that is using comedy to address very serious issues and the potential consequences of a post-Roe future.

One of the producers is our good friend and colleague Elisabeth Ness from Good Porpoise Productions, LLC and the film’s screenplay was lauded as one of the top 20% of Austin Film Festival’s 2024 scripts. We know this film will both entertain and provoke discussion.

Check our their video at https://vimeo.com/1005697110 and learn more about the project at https://seedandspark.com/fund/ladykingsoftexas

www.ladykingsoftexas.com c2024 Lady Kings of Texas, LLC In Association with Good Porpoise Productions and Rilo, LLC Special Thanks: Ed Nescot, Dan Melius, Jane…

10/23/2024

“Are we more than the worst thing we’ve ever done?” Public Defender explores this question & urges you, the viewers, to sit in this question as well.

Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt1Dwtm4fWM

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Videos

Third & final screening of @publicdefenderfilm @bendfilmfestival. Amazing audiences! Amazing experience. At every bend we rise! #publicdefenderfilm #january6neverforget

Enjoying good conversations @bendfilmfestival and audience takeaways of @publicdefenderfilm #publicdefenderfilm #bridgingdivides #empathyinaction

What happens when a liberal public defender represents right-wing January 6th rioters? Watch Public Defender and find out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt1Dwtm4fWM Public Defender, a Spark Media film, is now streaming via The New Yorker. Director/Producer: Andrea Kalin Director of Photography/Producer: Ethan Oser Editor: Thomas Niles Executive Producer: Richard Shiff Senior Producer: Kate Woodsome Field Producer/2nd Cam: David J. Enders Consulting Producers: Janice Engel & Liz Gilbert Cohen Composer: Mike Sayre Featuring: Jessica Hanson Sound Editor & Mixer: Cheryl Ottenritter & Rick Rush of Ott House Audio Singer/Songwriter: Jordan Hart Impact partners: Pulitzer Center & Interfaith America Distributor: The New Yorker Illustrator: Kristian Hammerstad Mountainfilm Commitment Grant Recipient #publicdefenderfilm #humanity #democracy #pluralism #disagreebetter #listentolisten #healthedivide #Election2024 #January6

🌞What a warm and sunny time we had in Central Florida! This year’s Global Peace Film Fest (GPFF), ☮️🕊️@globalpeace.360, did not disappoint. Illuminating stories that address critical global issues and sparking conversations, they truly are a festival transforming the way that people see the world through film. A big and heart thanks everyone who came out to Winter Park Library to screen our film! Libraries play a significant role in our this story, so screening our film in an actual library for the first time, was so extra special. ✨ Thank you, GPFF, for supporting our film-inspired book drive and helping us make it a success. A big shoutout to everyone who participated and helped us support Florida Coalition for Higher Education in Prison (FCHEP), @floridaprisoneducationproject and also @openbookspcola on their efforts to enrich the Florida prison libraries! 📚 Film impact partners: @PulitzerCenter & @interfaithamerica #globalpeacefilmfestival #winterparkf| #orlandoevents #filmfestival #independentfilm #publicdefenderfilm #filmscreening #florida #centralflorida #GlobalPeace360 #bookdrive #prisoneducation #pluralism #incarceratedlivesmatter

Public Defender’s Indy Shorts Midwest Premiere Screening Talk Back

Public Defender shares the stories of Heather, Jack, and Annie, and the relationships they build despite their fundamental differences. Yes, their politics are polar opposites, yet they find each others' humanity: an antidote for the "outrage economy we're all living in." By sharing their stories, we hope viewers will feel more inclined to have deeper conversations fueled by curiosity rather than condemnation. As Ethan Oser, Producer and Director of Photography said at Heartland Film Indy Shorts, there is an alternative: "finding understanding across the aisle rather than just looking for enemies." #publicdefenderfilm #disagreebetter #listentolisten #healthedivide #healthedivide2024 #january6 #election2024 #politics #polarization #film #democracy #democracyfilm #documentary #shortdocumentary #democracydoc

We just heard the sad news that Civil Rights activist and folk singer Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon passed away at the age of 81. She was such an inspiring figure, and a major cultural voice for freedom and justice. We had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Reagon for our documentary Worlds of Sound in 2009. We just wanted to share a short clip from that film, when she started singing a song that had been recorded in the 1930s by Leadbelly. It was an unplanned performance, and one of our favorite moments in the film.

Public Defender Trailer

What happens when a liberal public defender represents right-wing January 6th rioters? Watch the official release of the Public Defender trailer to find out! As part of our #TrailerRelease day, we are excited to officially announce that Public Defender will be screening at the the Academy Award-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival, Heartland Film! We couldn't think of a better way to make this exciting news public knowledge than with the official drop of the trailer. Billed with "Spotlight: The New Yorker," Public Defender will be screening on Saturday, July 27. To get your passes to the largest shorts festival in the Midwest: https://www.heartlandfilm.org/ And, yes, tonight is the #PresidentialDebate! We hope Public Defender's story galvanizes you to tune in. The event starts at 9 p.m. ET, will run for 90 minutes, & will be available on CNN & the streaming platform Max, formerly known as HBO. #announcement #movietrailer #publicdefender #publicdefenderfilm #disagreebetter #listentolisten #healthedivide #healthedivide2024 #january6 #theredandtheblue #connectsmetoyou #film #democracy #democracyfilm #documentary #democracydoc #presidentialelection #presidentialdebate2024 #Trump #Biden #Trump2024 #Biden2024

TOMORROW, 6.27.24 @ 11 AM EST We've premiered the documentary in the mountains of Telluride, Colorado. We've screened the documentary here in D.C., where Public Defender's story unfolded. And finally, it's almost time for YOU, our digital audience, to watch the trailer! See you then. #announcement #movietrailer #trailerrelease #publicdefender #publicdefenderfilm #disagreebetter #listentolisten #healthedivide #healthedivide2024 #january6 #theredandtheblue #connectsmetoyou #film #democracy #democracyfilm #documentary #democracydoc #presidentialelection #presdentialdebate

Behind every song is a story. The story behind the song “The Red & the Blue,” which plays when Public Defender film’s credits roll & which was officially released TODAY (out on Spotify, Apple Music, & anywhere listen to music) is soul stirring. In honor of the song’s world release, the singer, composer & lyricist himself, Jordan Hart shares how the song & our partnership came to be & why he wanted to get the song out ASAP! Public Defender’s director, Andrea Kalin, discovered Jordan on TikToc & was rapt from the first guitar lick. His lyrics speak to universal truths & we seriously could not think of a more powerful or poignant song for the ending of our film! Jordan penned this song after the harrowing day that was January 6, put to words what so many of us have been feeling, & wrote the song long before he knew of our film, & yet his lyrics embody the essence & spirit of our film. We are honored to have Jordan’s music be the film’s closing song! Thank you to Mountainfilm for helping us first share the song at our world premiere. To DC DOX Festival, we absolutely cannot wait for more viewers to experience the power of the song at our East Coast film premiere of Public Defender Film! To Jordan, we thank you for being a powerful force & voice for #unity. And, to everyone else, check out & enjoy the song: https://open.spotify.com/track/6o3zF1QJSbOTFDeEAXEOIS?si=9OL34Cs4R72p2aOAFqaTVA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A5jQ9jIOyG1T0DA7gErM7if #publicdefenderfilm #theredandtheblue #disagreebetter #humanity #bridgethegap #january6 #pluralism #listentolisten #democracyfilm #documentary #democracydoc #healthedivide

What a fun Oscars show last night! Congrats to all the winners. While Paul Giamatti did not win for The Holdovers, his terrific performance does include a line of dialogue which perfectly sums up The People's Recorder podcast. This is why the work of the Federal Writers Project is so important and why it is relevant to us today! The Academy #oscars2024

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About Spark Media

We are Spark Media. From multiple award-winning documentaries to advocacy campaigns to innovative programming on the digital frontier, our work is about creating stories that connect people and ignite social change! Learn more at http://www.sparkmedia.org

FILMS IN PRODUCTION:

Scattering CJ: www.scatteringcjthemovie.com Klandestine Man: www.facebook.com/StetsonKennedyMovie Sonata Mulattica: www.facebook.com/SonataMulattica

FILMS: