This spring, I was able to focus on the fun stuff & actually work on the film!

I worked with editor David Petersen and animator David Navas to craft a visual style for what the full film will look like. It’s still rough, but  I can use this for future grant applications and pitches as we seek the next stage of production funding.

Early on, I knew that Saund vs Cochran will not be a traditional historical documentary with a narrator and with expert interviews. I wanted to find a way to allow Saund and Cochran themselves to tell their story. I have over 2000 newspaper articles and I have their memoirs. I also have numerous documents and other resources to guide me. And so, I began to write and actually script the story based on all of my research.

What we have created is a hybrid archival and animated style that I’m really excited about!  The film will bring together 1) newly unearthed archival photos and film,  2) actor-voiced animated scenes that dramatize what I have read about in memoirs and newspapers, and 3) current day interviews with a few people who can provide first-hand accounts, context for broader immigrant histories, entertaining anecdotes, and current-day relevance.

These images below are unfinished samples. In the film, they will be in a color palette that matches the archival materials we are working with.

Would love to hear what you think!

CALL TO ACTION: Please consider making a tax-deductible donation here to support the production stage of this film. We have raised all the funds required to complete the R&D stage of the film and are now seeking funds to support 1) filming a handful of interviews, 2) working with an editor and animator to edit the full film.