Appalshop Films
- Description
- Appalshop emerged in 1969 as the Community Film Workshop of Appalachia in the midst of local, regional, and national conflicts. A product of the War on Poverty, the founding members of Appalshop were learning about their region, and how to use media and community based filmmaking to participate in local and national issues. By the time the initial Office of Economic Opportunity funding expired in 1971, the workshop had provided training to nearly 30 young people who wanted to remain in eastern Kentucky and make films. They soon incorporated themselves into the Appalachian Film Workshop, later shortening the name to Appalshop. In the early years of Appalshop, these young filmmakers were a part of developing a new regional consciousness devoted to rebuilding pride in mountain heritage, a pride that was often destroyed by poverty, discrimination and stereotypical images in the media. Some of Appalshop’s earliest films can be categorized as folk documentaries, concentrating on the knowledge and skills identified as uniquely Appalachian, while other early films focus on issues of daily life in the mountains. These early documentaries did not address mountain stereotypes directly, but simply by placing their subjects’ knowledge, skills, and creativity on film Appalshop filmmakers tried to represent an alternative image of mountain people. As these young people matured, their knowledge of filmmaking and their connections with local communities and grassroots leaders strengthened. These connections led to a new depth and complexity in the issues they explored in their films. Appalshop also established stronger and more formal links with regional scholars, incorporating their ideas into various productions. Appalshop media producers did not claim to represent the “real” Appalachia in their work, but they began to use their position as residents and stakeholders to present alternative and important viewpoints of Appalachia that were traditionally neglected in the mainstream media. Appalshop filmmakers have created over 100 films and videotapes whose subjects reflect the diversity of experience in the Appalachian Mountains and rural America. Appalshop also produces programs in collaboration with other organizations including community, regional and national groups that contract for promotional or issue-oriented videos.
Projects
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