James R. Martin

James R Martin or Jim Martin Born 1941, is a writer, independent producer, director, and documentary filmmaker. He is best known for his PBS feature length documentary, "Wrapped In Steel" broadcast nationally in 1984/85, and PBS Documentary "Fired-Up Public Housing is my Home" broadcast nationally in 1988/89. Both "Wrapped In Steel" and "Fired-Up" were nominated for Emmy. Fired-Up won Best Independent Network Docmentary, Chicago. [Chicago Tribune, October 29, 1989] [Chicago Defender, November 5, 1988] [Crain's Chicago Business, December, 12-18, 1988]

"Wrapped In Steel", 90 minute PBS Documentary, was part of the Southeast Chicago Historical Project funded by The National Endowment for The Humanities (NEH), Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) and Columbia College Chicago. The documentary focused on multi ethnic SE Chicago Steel Mill neighborhoods at a critical time for urban America when cities were moving from dependence on a heavy Industry economy. [New York Times, July 22, 1984]

Four years in the making "Wrapped In Steel" was a part of the Southeast Chicago Historical Project which facilitated a community history project in which residents used various media to examine their past and present condition. Project and documentary activities touched the 100,000 resident neighborhoods of South Chicago, South Deering, East Side and Hegewich where a large percentage of the community worked at the Steel Mills located in their area. In addition to the documentary fllm the community history project left tangible reminders of the history and culture of area residents in the neighborhood, after the historical project ended. Some of the results of the project are two years of articles about the history of the area in "The Daily Calumet", 1982 - 1983, a multi-media exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry and a revitalized local Southeast Chicago Historical Society. Prominent scholars and residents examined the culture and history of these working class neighborhoods. Among those consultants William Kornblum, "Blue Collar Community", Sol Tax, Athropologist, Dominic Pacyga, Historian, Tom Cottle, Psychologist, Mike Alexandrof, President Columbia College, Edward Sadlowski, United Steel Workes of America, and thousands of residents. [New York Times, July 22, 1984]

Emmy Award winning "Fired-Up ...Public Housing is my Home", 60 minute PBS Documentary looks at an attempt to introduce the Tenant Management concept to Chicago Public Housing (CHA) developments including Cabrini Green and other developments. The Tenant Maagment model was based on the work of Bertha Gilkey at Cochran Gardens in St. Louis, MO. The program sought to empower tenants to take charge of the developments and their own lives. [Chicago Tribune, June 15, 1984] [Chicago Reader, May 5, 1989]

"Fired-up" follows the residents of CHA Public Housing developments including Cabrini Green, and Ida B Wells developments as they learn about basic concepts like what a lease is and tenant management concepts. Female residents (over 95% public housing residents are women and children) express their fears and problems as they struggle to establish some order to their development buildings and their lives. Residents visit Cochran Gardens in St. Louis where they see a successful tenant managed development. [cite news | author=Harold Henderson | title= "This is not a project"| publisher=Reader-Chicago Vol.18, No. 32 | date=1989-05-05]

The project was sponsored by the Metropolitan Planning Council of Chicago and the Documentary received funding from the Kraft Foundation, American Bank, the Sophia Fund an Columbia College, Chicago. The film was written produced and directed by Professor Jim Martin at Columbia College Chicago, currently Director Documentary Filmmaking, Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida.

References

External links

*http://www.prairie.org/Films/
*http://www.wttw.com/
*http://www.metroplanning.org/index.asp
*http://www.fullsail.com/film/program/1246-documentary-filmmaking.html