Beyond the French Quarter: a documentary

"Beyond the French Quarter" is a student-production that captures the unconventional accounts of youths in New Orleans. Follow us beyond the cameras and tourists, as we try to find hope in the areas that still haunt of desolation three years after Hurricane Katrina.

Background of this project

In March 2008, our 8-member production team visited New Orleans. Funded by Williams College, this project is not only about doing community services and helping with the reconstruction in the region; it is about telling our peers stories about the City of Jazz three years after Hurricane Katrina. During our one-week stay, we talked to people -- college volunteers hammering on roofs, ordinary folks, kids in the neighborhood, the homeless in Tent City -- and filmed the interviews. We captured images of the destruction and reconstruction, faces of volunteers and local residents. There are parties, neon lights, tourists, fine dining and jazz in the French Quarter, but beyond that, there is still a lot to be done.

For more information, visit our website at http://www.PurpleValleyFilms.com/nola

Detailed cast and crew credits

Director and editor: Danny Yuxing Huang (黄雨星)
Assistant director: Steven P. S. Cheng
Assistant editor: Helen J. Cha
Written by: Steven P. S. Cheng
Narrator: Robert Amster
Music by: Daniel Brett

Interviews with * Ian Willson (Co-Founder, Michelle's Earth Foundation) * Nate Johnson (Brown University) * Vicky Ferguson (Elmhurst) * Jason Zander (Elmhurst) * Brittany Siegler (Elmhurst) * Rachel Saetre (Elmhurst)


Interviews conducted by: * Steven P. S. Cheng * Thammika Songkaeo * Fatimah Toure * Danny Y. Huang * Ariel Kavoussi


Transcribed by * Helen J. Cha * Steven P. S. Cheng * Ariel Kavoussi * Kwan Young Paik * Thammika Songkaeo


Boom operator: Stevie Luther

Director's Biography

Danny Yuxing Huang (黄雨星) was born in Shenzhen, China and educated in Singapore. He made his first film, using Windows Movie Maker, in 2004, and since then, he has been an avid filmmaker. In 2008, one of his short films, Yang Fan is Born, was selected as the NPAR Animation Series in Annecy Film Festival, France. He is currently an undergraduate student in Williams College, Massachusetts, and is the president of Purple Valley Films, the student film production company in Williams. For more information, visit the filmmaker's website at http://www.rain-stars.com/

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• new
• orleans
• french
• quarter
• volunteer
• apathy
• donation
• hurricane
• katrina
• lower
• ninth
• ward
• community
• service
• reconstruction
• grassroot
• cafe
• du
• monde
• food
• coffee
• tourists
• attraction
• federal
• government
• policy
• policies
• economy
• fema
• Federal
• Emergency
• Management
• Agency

[HeyyyItzTonya]

Awesome video of the great city of New Orleans... I've been watching to see if you had made the video but I haven't check in a while until now... I really enjoyed.

[crazyideas21]

Hi. Yes, I made this video and thank you so much for letting me use some of your footage.

[CajunGodfather]

NEW ORLEANS BIG WIGS WASTING THE FAD MONEY TO REBUILD. I LIVE HERE I KNOW.....ITS ALL BULLSHIT AN HOW MUCH CALL HALL CAN TAKE FROM THE LIL MAN.

[JahiSalaam]

this isnt even what n.o. is like, fake.

[dbwalden]

Thing's still aren't great! I'd LOVE to help re-build and clean up NOLA.

[brownrider56]

that them us mentality is why the NO is not being rebuilt as fast other areas that has been devistaed some higher power dosent want to help rebuild the poor non french quorter & restarunt party areas of NO they want a new demagraphic to move in/take over the city they want the people like the ones who pay for the tours to the 9th ward to move in someday & take the place of all the miss placed folks that once lived in the NO

[chsn09]

Us Creoles need to maintain OUR culture.

[cdltpx]

Dad always said NOLA is a great place to visit. He use to live there then Betsy drove him out it was back to MCLA70380 where they can take a cat 3 storm and have electricity in a few days. Great place to visit then get out cause they have the murder rate lilke no other. That murder rate is slowly migrating to Baton Rouge we know why cause they are moving out NOLA over to Baton Rouge.

[Anushree19]

my goodness din knw all dese thngs really happen...good job dun

[MichellesEarth]

Hi - thanks so much for sharing our perspective by producing your video. You took our viewpoint and portrayed it elegantly and succcinctly. Come back to New Orleans and bring your friends with you! We're still working to make New Orleans a safe place for children with no lead contamination to cause permanent brain damage. Gail Fendley, Ian Willson and Michelle's Earth Foundation

[trevycoley83]

Nice work my friend