PORTLAND, Ore., January 10, 2008—Inside a Jantzen Beach coffee shop, two women bent over their notebooks, scribbling furiously and exchanging notes. Their meeting lasted three hours but it wasn’t the usual gossip fest that most women their age are known for indulging in. Instead, the women were planning the launch of their Christian artistic media firm, Rescue the Beauty.
The group is made up of a small handful of photographers, videographers and journalists scattered across North America. They call themselves Revolutionary Media—not because they want to overthrow governments but because they want to radically change the way people think about their lives. They are putting names and faces to needs and showing how everyone can make a difference. Instead of painting the picture dark, they want to show the rays of light and show the viewer what is being done to change the plights of endangered people all over the world. Through the media projects of Rescue the Beauty, the members of Revolutionary Media want to challenge you to reach out to your neighbors and transform the world that you live in.
Christina Dickson, a photographer from Battle Ground, is the visionary founder of Rescue the Beauty and director of Revolutionary Media. “Our mission isn’t to simply go to Kenya to make a cool and unconventional documentary. Our vision involves both those things, but our ultimate goal is to change the world through artistic media by bringing hope and encouragement abroad, and imparting vision at home,” she said.
Rescue the Beauty is an ambitious project designed to last. They have projects in Africa, Asia and the United States lined up over the next year. Their first endeavor will take place this spring. They are scheduled to film three documentaries in orphanages surrounding Nairobi, Africa. These documentaries will show what life is like for children orphaned by AIDS and tribal killings. Depending on what unfolds in Kenya’s current situation of political unrest, the team might have to postpone the trip until things calm down and start with one of their other projects instead.
“The destination really isn’t the key to this project,” said Caitlin Muir, the team journalist. “We’re about showing the hearts and souls of people all over the world. We want to show God-things happening, not just in Africa but in every country. It’s lives, radically changed and filled with hope that drives us on.”
Once their films are out of post production, they will be entered in independent film festivals throughout North America. Some of the photographers work will be entered in art contests and they are planning on selling gallery quality prints of some of their work.
The artistic media group is just getting started.
Written by Caitlin Muir
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Catie... This is really amazing. How does a photographer get involved? (me. lol.)
I am so glad and inspired to see others who feel the same way as I do both about media and Africa.
My family adopted from Liberia, and that was my start in video production.
I would go back to Africa any day if God called me to, hopefully with a script and a camera.
God bless your endeavors.
Shepherd
www.theahlersfamily.com