Talking Eyes Media Inc

TALKING EYES MEDIA (TEM) PRODUCES DOCUMENTARY FILMS, PHOTOGRAPHY, BOOKS, EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMMING THAT ACTIVELY STIMULATE DIALOGUE AND ADVOCATE FOR POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE. THE ORGANIZATION WORKS TO ILLUMINATE, EDUCATE AND INSPIRE PEOPLE TO BECOME MORE ENGAGED.

PRODUCTION SERVICES IN 2020, TEMS PROJECT NEWEST AMERICANS CONTINUED PRODUCTION AND LAUNCHED THE NEWARK STORY BUS. THIS MULTI-YEAR DIGITAL MEDIA PROJECT EXAMINES IMMIGRATION AND AMERICAN IDENTITY. DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RUTGERS UNIVERSITY-NEWARK AND VII PHOTO, NEWEST AMERICANS PRODUCES SHORT FILMS, RADIO PIECES, WRITTEN ESSAYS, EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLIC EVENTS THAT EXPLORE THE LIVES AND COMMUNITIES, TRIALS AND ASPIRATIONS OF AMERICAS DIVERSE IMMIGRANT POPULATION. THE PROJECT WAS AWARDED BEST ONLINE STORYTELLING PROJECT IN 2021 BY PICTURES OF THE YEAR INTERNATIONAL.TEM CONTINUES TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM CENTERED AROUND OUR MEDIA THAT FACILITATES MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE-AGED STUDENTS IN EXPLORING AMERICAN DEMOGRAPHICS, PERSONAL HISTORIES AND THE CONCEPT OF CITIZENSHIP. TEM IS PARTNERING WITH THE NEWARK BOARD OF EDUCATION TO HOLD A SERIES OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS TO TRAIN TEACHERS TO DEPLOY OUR CURRICULUM IN CLASSROOMS. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND REMOTE LEARNING, TEM WAS NOT ABLE TO CONDUCT WORKSHOPS THIS YEAR AND FOCUSED ON REWRITING OUR CURRICULUM SO IT IS SUITABLE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, FORCING ALL INSTRUCTION TO MOVE ONLINE, TEM LAUNCHED STORIES FROM THE PANDEMIC, A WEB-BASED YOUTH RESPONSE TO LIVING IN QUARANTINE. THE CURRICULUM TEM DESIGNED FOR THIS PROJECT IS BEING USED BY EDUCATORS AROUND THE COUNTRY. TEM ALSO HOSTED A SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM IN NEWARK WHERE STUDENTS EARNED A STIPEND TO DEVELOP THEIR PERSONAL NARRATIVES AROUND THE PANDEMIC EXPERIENCE.THROUGH NEWEST AMERICANS, TEM DEVELOPED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEWARK MUSEUM OF ART, NEWARK PUBLIC LIBRARY, NJPAC AND NEWARK SYMPHONY HALL TO LAUNCH A MONTHLY SCREENING SERIES OF TEM MEDIA AND CONVERSATIONS LOCAL THOUGHT LEADERS. THIS SERIES WILL LAUNCH IN JANUARY 2022. THE CONCEPT IS TO ACTIVATE AND COLLABORATE WITH THE ANCHOR CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE CITY TO PROVIDE COMPELLING ONLINE CONTENT.WITH SUPPORT FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES, NEWEST AMERICANS LAUNCHED THE NEWARK STORY BUS. THIS RETROFITTED FORMER SCHOOL BUS SERVES AS A MOBILE MEDIA LAB TO COLLECT STORIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AT COMMUNITY EVENTS, SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES. IT WILL ALSO BE USED TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ON BASIC MEDIA SKILLS. THE BUS WILL CONTAIN A PORTRAIT STUDIO AND AUDIO RECORDING BOOTH. TEM COMMISSIONED MURAL ARTISTS GERA & WERC TO PAINT THE EXTERIOR, WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN 2020. THE BUS VISITES MULTIPLE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND CONCERTS DURING SPRING AND SUMMER 2021, GATHERING OVER A HUNDRED STORIES. TEM HAS CURATED AND EDITED SOME OF THOSE STORIES TO SHARE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE TEM WEBSITE. TEM FILM, BRING IT TO THE TABLE, CONTINUES TO BE LICENSED BY UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THIS FILM ADDRESSES POLITICAL PARTISANSHIP AND EACH CITIZENS RESPONSIBILITY IN BRIDGING THE DIVIDE.TEM'S FILM, THE SACRIFICE ZONE, HAD OVER 75 SCREENINGS IN 2021, ALL FOLLOWED BY ENGAGING DISCUSSIONS AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, STRUCTURAL RACISM, AND WASTE REMOVAL. THE FILM FOLLOWS A GROUP OF ACTIVISTS IN NEWARKS IRONBOUND NEIGHBORHOOD AS THEY FIGHT FOR CLEAN AIR. TEM INVITES ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACTIVISTS WHO APPEAR IN THE FILM TO ENGAGE IN POST-SCREENING DISCUSSIONS. THE SCREENINGS HAVE BEEN HOSTED BY CONVERSATION COMMISSIONS, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZERS, CONCERNED CITIZENS AND EDUCATORS. TEM RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM THE NJ COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES, THE DODGE FOUNDATION AND THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL TO HELP SUPPORT THESE SCREENINGS. TEM COVERED THE 2020 ELECTION FROM NORCROSS, GEORGIA, WHERE TEM FILMED DIVERSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS GRAPPLING WITH A CONTENTIOUS POLITICAL CLIMATE. THIS FILM IS PUBLISHED BY TIME MAGAZINE IN JANUARY 2021.TEM PRODUCED THE ENIGMA ROOM, A VIDEO INSTALLATION THAT PREMIERED AT PHOTOVILLE IN SEPTEMBER 2019, APPEARED AT THE BREDA PHOTO FESTIVAL IN THE NETHERLANDS IN 2020 AND THE IN CURRENTS NEW MEDIA IN SANTA FE IN 2021.TEM WAS COMMISSIONED BY PRINCETON UNIVERSITY TO PRODUCE A SERIES OF THREE FILMS ABOUT RESEARCHERS IN THE HIGH MEADOW ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE. TEM BEGAN PRE-PRODUCTION ON THESE FILMS IN 2021 AND DO FIELD PRODUCTION DURING 2022. TEM PRODUCED SIX VIDEOS FOR THE JAMES IRVINE LEADERSHIP AWARDS FEATURING NONPROFITS IN CALIFORNIA THAT ADDRESS FOSTER YOUTH SERVICES, FORMERLY INCARCERATED FIREFIGHTERS, CRIME REDUCTION, ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, AND THE SIKH COMMUNITY.TEM PREMIERED SHEILA & JOE ON THE NPR WEBSITE AND HOSTED AN IN-PERSON SCREENING AT THE BRONX DOCUMENTARY CENTER. THIS SHORT FILM ABOUT A FORMER NEW YORK TIMES CORRESPONDENT WHO MET AND MARRIED AN INCARCERATED MAN IS TOLD THROUGH THEIR EXTENSIVE CORRESPONDENCE.

PERMISSIONS PERMISSIONS OR LICENSING FEES GRANT THE RIGHT TO REPUBLISH PHOTOS, VIDEO AND TEXT FROM TEM PROJECTS. AS A RESULT, IN 2021 TEM LICENSED OUR FILM ON NORCROSS, GA, TO TIME FOR $10,000 AND OUR FILM, SHEILA & JOE, TO NPR FOR $500.

HONORARIA TEM STAFF AND CONTRIBUTORS RECEIVED OVER $8,900 IN HONORARIA TO PRESENT TEM PROJECTS TO DIVERSE AUDIENCES. OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JULIE WINOKUR, AND THE PROTAGONISTS FROM THE FILM PRESENTED THE SACRIFICE ZONE AT OVER 75 ONLINE SCREENINGS, WHICH WERE FOLLOWED BY ROBUST POST-SCREENING DISCUSSION.