Student Speak

Spring 2006

Name: Lauren Waring
Major: Media arts
Year: Senior
Hometown: Charleston

How did you get involved with the documentary Promises Made? In fall 2003, I took a photography class with Professor Susan Hogue. While I wasn't the most talented student in there, I think she was impressed with my work ethic. It showed me that you don't necessarily need to have the best artistic skills for someone to notice your talent. She gave me the chance to be associate producer of her documentary, which means I arranged the production schedule and interviews, and I had a say in what would go in the final product. I also received a grant to do research for the documentary, and I was the chief still photographer. And I developed a Web site for the production, which features a trailer, background information, and crew bios.

What is Promises about? The big question is, "What obligation do we have to keep our promises?" It all starts between 1939 and 1941, when Lake Marion was constructed through President Roosevelt's federal program to bring electricity to rural areas. When the lake was filled with water, two small towns were separated, but many people say a promise was made to reconnect them. Now, some 70 years later, the two are still separated. The issue came across S.C. Congressman Jim Clyburn's desk, and he said, 'I think these people deserve a bridge.' The bridge was projected to cost $80 million. Some people say these communities need a bridge to have access to healthcare and other critical services; some say the bridge would be environmentally destructive; some say it would be a frivolous use of money; and some people believe racism plays a factor, since a large portion of the towns’ residents are black. We interviewed the residents on camera and let them present all sides of the issue.

Why did you want to get involved? The main thing that interested us as a crew is that, thanks to the media, many people think of the South as being very rural, and they picture the residents as being uneducated, poor people. And we all know that simply isn’t true. We were filming in a rural area, but every adult we met was college-educated. So that was the motivation behind it: the frustration of knowing that the South and South Carolina often get a black eye in the mass media.

What were some of the challenges the crew faced? Being accepted and trusted in the community. We went to church services and other events so the people could get to know us. The camera is a powerful thing, but because it has been mishandled, it can hold you back, too. I knew it would be difficult to get some people to talk on camera, but it threw me off when some just flat-out refused. Then you have to go back to the drawing board.

Where has Promises be shown? I presented it as a work in progress at USC's Discovery Day last year. It was shown in Hawaii at the International Conference on the Humanities and in Chicago at the University Film and Video Association Conference. It was invited to participate in the Purple Violet Film Festival at Kean University in Union, N.J. And it has been accepted to air on the show Southern Lens this fall.

Graduation isn't far away. What are your plans? I'll be applying to different graduate schools to pursue a master's degree in media management. I would like to work for one year like my sister did—she graduated from USC in 2001 with a bachelor's in exercise science, worked for a year, and then got a master's in health administration. Promises Made is my first feature-length documentary, although I've done some pieces for S.C. ETV and I work as producer for Connections, an S.C. ETV show hosted by P.A. Bennett. I want to continue to get my feet wet, work for a year, and then go back to school.

2/06