Steve Dorst’s Blog
My new reel, entitled “Development Stories on Five Continents” is now live on YouTube.
It includes clips from 10+ countries where I’ve filmed in recent years—every frame here I’ve either shot myself or directed.
It features my work in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, the Philippines, and Zimbabwe. It leads off a playlist called “My Life is Better,” which includes commissioned short documentary films for international humanitarian and development organizations.
Visually, it launches with a bombed-out structure in Kabul, followed by a pre-dawn scene in rural Kenya—children are waking. An aspiring hip hop artist strums a guitar on a rooftop in one of Rio de Janeiro’s sprawling favelas. Then a Lebanese fisherman pulls in his catch.
Music is Tornado, by Jonsi.
Most of these stories are character-based, showing how programs improve the lives of beneficiaries. My clients that send me to tell these stories include USAID and its implementing partners, the World Bank Group and its partners, and other development organizations.
For Rabih in Lebanon, Precious in Zimbabwe, and Sara in Ethiopia, their fortunes have changed. Their health, education, and jobs are improved.
Their lives are better. If you have time, stick around until the end of the 2:50 clip. There’s a graphic that enables you to click through to 15 of the short films excerpted here. You’ll hear the voices of Rabih, Precious, Sara, and dozens of other people — in their own languages, including Arabic, Urdu, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Swahili, Tagalog, Amharic, Meru, and Shona.
Long live documentary!
I’m honored to have received a Joint Service Achievement Medal” for “Outstanding “Achievement” for my recent documentary film, JOBS for G.I.s.
The honor was a complete surprise. Given by former Air Force officer, Aneika Solomon, who is one of the five transitioning service members we follow in the film, the award reads: “Director Stephen Dorst distinguished himself by outstanding craftsmanship as Director and Producer, Z-Channel Films, Washington D.C. by creating the documentary film, G.I. JOBS. While in collaboration with DirecTV and working alongside Producer and Director Doug Gritzmacher, Director Dorst’s keen perspective was instrumental in capturing and melding the stories of five veterans from the services of the Army, Air Force, Navy and the Marines.”
Aneika, like the other four people we follow, was brave to share her story with us. I hope this films helps all of us to pay more attention to this transition out of the service, which is such a critical juncture in the lives of millions of people. Too often, I think, people figure they do their part by clapping for the military at a baseball game or supporting Congressional increases in defense budget spending. But that doesn’t cut it.
We have to do a better job of making the transition work for more people. We need to target resources better for education, workforce training, and other support. If you own a company, you can help out by keeping an open mind and trying to interview former military for every position, not just the ones they’re stereotyped in. If you know somebody that served overseas, try to learn more about Iraq and Afghanistan so you can better appreciate what they went through.
At the policy level, we should all encourage the DOD to share more information with veteran service organizations (VSOs) at the city level. Too often, these VSOs want to help, but don’t find out about veterans in need until they’re already jobless, homeless, or worse.
When you empower veterans, you strengthen communities.
Here are some organizations that Doug and I spent time with during our Los Angeles-based production of JOBS for G.I.s.
Reboot
Vet Hunters
Salvation Army Haven
JVS Los Angeles
USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families (CIR)
National Veterans Foundation
Weingart Center
Veterans in Film and TV
Silhouettes for Vets
New Directions
Goodwill Veterans Employment Program
Operation PAVE (Paralyzed Veterans of America)
LA County Dept of Military and Vet Affairs
Got Your 6
In December, Doug Gritzmacher and I joined Producer T.J. Cooney for a few days in San Francisco to film a bunch of adults that dress up as superheroes.
I was skeptical. What was the catch? Were they Comicon junkies living out a suspended adolescence? Or bored middle-agers with aspirations to be cast in Kick-Ass 3?
As soon as I met Roxanne Cai, however, I got an immediate appreciation for her commitment and true motivation.
Since Roxanne founded the California branch of The Initiative, she’s led efforts to pick up used drug needles around the Mission District. Not just once in a while. But every week for four years. At last count: about 200 trips and about 7,000 needles off the streets.
That’s not all. About once a month, the group hosts a pop-up Street Boutique. They dress up as superheroes for fun and to attract attention to their good deeds. Then they hang up all the clothes on mobile racks so people can consider options in a dignified manner.
Meanwhile, Roxanne’s story is getting some interest on Facebook, with about 1.7 million views.
Way to go Roxanne! If we all followed your inspiring lead in the community, there’d be a lot less pain and suffering.
About Steve
I'm a documentary director, DP, and
filmmaker based in Washington, D.C.
I like cycling, playing piano, epic powder,
electronica, and CA--while sipping an IPA.
Thx 4 reading! What about u? What are u into?
