Side notes:

• I began this when I was in college as a class project in my sophomore year
• After I graduated I UNCG moved to NYC and worked on Independent Films
• I moved back to Greensboro after 8 months to pick up where I left off in class
• I worked as a pizza delivery driver while continuing to produce and shoot this documentary
• I used equipment from GCTV public access cable 8 in Greensboro
• I edited the final documentary on an iMac DV+ (G3) with Final Cut Pro 2
• I sent the film to 10 festivals making 4 and picking up two awards
• There was no outside funding for making this film
• I produced, shot, wrote, directed, edited and scored the entire film

I look back and still can’t believe the story that I told. Telling this story changed the way I looked at politicians and people with power and money.

As a professional I look back and cringe on how I shot this. The first time I ever picked up a camera for an interview was with Willena for this documentary. I had no idea how to compose a shot. I also learned that I can’t do everything and have embraced collaborating with others.

All in all this was a story that lit a fire in me and I had to tell it. “Greensboro: Closer to the Truth,” is another documentary that beautifully tells the story of the survivors of The Greensboro Massacre and how the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission played a part in the healing process years later.

Greensboro residence, on Wednesday, November 4 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. the Greensboro Historical Museum and the Greensboro Public Library are hosting a screening of Adam Zucker’s documentary Greensboro: Closer to the Truth, about the 1979 Klan and Nazi killings. A panel discussion will follow the film with Adam Zucker.

You can also listen to the podcast of Adam and myself talking about our documentaries.

If you cannot attend the screening at UNCG, the film will be aired on public access channel 8 on Friday night at midnight then re-aired on Sunday at 5 PM.

Andy will be participating in a Q&A session following each show. Come on down and support a local, independent filmmaker.

The Commission finds that on the morning of Nov. 3, 1979, members of the Klan/Nazi caravan headed for Greensboro with malicious intent. At a minimum, they planned to disrupt the parade and assault the demonstrators (by throwing eggs), violating the marchers constitutional rights to free speech and assembly. Further, we believe there is sufficient evidence to conclude that they intended to provoke a violent confrontation and that this was broadly understood among those present in the multiple planning discussions. Those who left their cars to engage in violence did so willingly. More importantly, Klan and Nazi members have admitted since the event that they intentionally came prepared to use deadly force in order to be victorious in any violence that occurred.

[...]

Much more to come, as the final report is to be released next week tomorrow morning.

I’m posting this from the screening of Greensboro’s Child. The Q&A after the 7pm screening was very intense. Not in a bad way either. Each person in the audience had a unique perspective and questions that furthered the conversation.

Come on down tomorrow night, 7pm, The Scene on South Elm, and check it out for yourself.

Q&A video to come soon…

UPDATE: Here’s some video from the Q&A following the 5/25 screening:

A preview of the first couple of minutes of Greensboro’s Child.

It’s hard to believe that I started this documentary back in ‘97. I was an amateur, in college, holding a mic and pointing a camera at an interviewee, with a light kit set up in no particular order and no clue as to the importance of white balancing.

Well, you live and learn. And have I ever learned some valuable lessons working on this documentary.

Today is the first public screening in Greensboro since it won, “Best Independent Documentary” at the North Carolina Film and Video Festival in 2002. The current version now has a soundtrack and is 15 minutes shorter than the award-winning version.

I have many people to thank for making this opportunity a reality:

• My brother, Sean Coon — for his amazing blogging skills and great mind for creating avenues that I can take advantage of…
• John Ford — Thanks so much for taking Sean’s design and making this blog functional. We couldn’t have done it without your help.
• Jonathan Daniel – Another brilliant web guru giving some of his genius to help make this site a reality.
• The Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission – For getting my interest back into this subject material and sticking out their chins by taking on this monumental task.
• Dale and Lowell at The Scene on South Elm for screening it.
• Lastly, Willena and Kwame Cannon — for allowing me to stick my nose into their lives.

I look forward to meeting you tonight at the screening.

Tonight, May 25 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM and tommorow night at 7:00 PM

Four years after the final edit, Greensboro’s Child is finally screening in town.

On Thursday, May 25th, following the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission ceremony and release of their report, The Scene on South Elm (604 South Elm Street) will screen Andy Coon’s award winning documentary at 7pm and 9pm.

An additional screening will take place at 7pm on Friday, 5/26. Copies of the GTRC final report will be available, for free, at all screenings.

Hope to see you there!

UPDATE: If the report isn’t ready on the 25th, executive summaries will be passed out instead.