Making Movies in Prison, with Rahsaan Thomas and Thanh Tran
Jul 16, 2024
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Exploring the decision-making process of when to keep or remove children from challenging environments, emphasizing the importance of individual circumstances, seeking wisdom, and considering the child's well-being and development.
In April, Film Comment published an article by Phillip Vance Smith II, titled “Streaming Behind Bars.” Phillip is an incarcerated writer, and his piece delves into the ways in which people in prison watch movies—the technology they’re able to use, the programming they can access, and the exorbitant costs involved. That piece was facilitated by Empowerment Avenue, an organization that supports incarcerated artists and writers. Empowerment Ave was founded by Rahsaan Thomas, a journalist who launched the initiative while he was himself in prison. Rahsaan is also an award-winning filmmaker who started making movies while he was behind bars—and now works with other incarcerated and system-impacted filmmakers to help them tell their stories.
On today’s episode, Film Comment Editors Devika Girish and Clinton Krute are joined by Rahsaan and fellow filmmaker and organizer Thanh Tran, who also started making films while incarcerated at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center in Northern California. The two of them share insights from their experience of directing films while imprisoned—the resources that made it possible, the unique challenges they faced, and why they felt it was important for them to take their narratives into their own hands. They also discuss Rahsaan’s short film Friendly Signs, currently making its way around the festival circuit, Thanh’s in-production documentary, Finding Ma, and the upcoming San Quentin Film Festival, which is being organized by Rahsaan and will take place at the prison.
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Quick takeaways
Consider child's uniqueness and history before deciding on environment change.
Evaluate developmental appropriateness and impact on spiritual growth when assessing environment suitability for child.
Deep dives
Uniqueness of Each Situation and Child
Each situation and child is unique, requiring careful consideration. Whether to keep a child in a challenging environment or remove them depends on various factors such as the child's unique qualities, past experiences, and emotional history. Seeking wisdom from God and trusted counselors is essential to make a well-informed decision.
Developmental Appropriateness
Assessing the developmental appropriateness of a situation for a child is crucial. Factors like age, exposure to content, and potential impact on their spiritual growth should be considered. Differentiating between what is suitable for a five-year-old versus a teenager can guide the decision-making process.
Strengthening vs. Harming the Child
Determining whether a difficult situation strengthens or harms the child is vital. Analogous to building physical endurance, facing challenges can either build resilience or lead to detrimental emotional patterns. It is essential to discern if the difficulty is preparing the child for life's inevitable struggles or if it could potentially cause long-term harm.
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Determining When to Keep or Remove Children from their Environment
Today's question asks, "how do you know when you should take your children out of an environment or if you should just keep continuing to equip them to thrive within that environment?"
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