28 Sep A New Documentary Series Features American Families Filming Themselves as They Navigate Uncertainties of Life Under the Pandemic
As five American families navigate uncertainty, they turn the camera on themselves to share their personal stories.
NEW YORK – September 29, 2020 – Fluent Productions announced today the launch of “Family Strong” — a short- documentary series that tells the stories of five diverse families from across the U.S. as they navigate an increasingly uncertain world. As the family unit becomes a last line of defense in these difficult times, the docuseries provides an unvarnished look into the challenges facing American families and their efforts at keeping their families strong.
With social distancing rules in place, the series is entirely constructed from self-shot footage as each family turns their camera on themselves and invites viewers into their lives.
“This is an unusual way to make a documentary film,” – said Heath Cozens, the award-winning director and producer of the series. “Unlike a normal documentary, where the filmmaker is right there beside you, the participants hold all the cards. Ultimately, they decide what to show us, sharing their stories so that we can create a portrait of the American family together. Making this series is a cutting-edge, collaborative process, and it feels like the future.”
The five families documenting their experiences during the pandemic represent a diverse swath of American society. Each family faces its own challenges and copes with them in their own way. A health crisis, a job loss, an interrupted college life, a move to a new community, the stress of sending kids to school in a Covid-19 hotspot — these are just a few examples of the struggles the protagonists confront, as they try to keep their families strong in the face of adversity.
“Family Strong” is produced by Fluent Productions, the video production arm of Fluent Research, a data-and insights-driven strategic consulting firm. “As researchers, it behooves us to examine the experiences of American families in these unprecedented times,” – said Nellie Gregorian, the executive producer of the series and the president of Fluent Research. “In our recent study, we discovered the devastating effects of the pandemic on American families: one in three families (32%) had had a family member or friend diagnosed with Covid-19; in one in two families (50%), at least one parent in the household had either lost a job, been furloughed or had their salary reduced due to the Covid-19 outbreak; and nearly one in two families (48%) with school-aged children reported signs of anxiety and stress in their child. These are some mind-boggling statistics. Yet, no amount of data can convey these struggles as powerfully as a video can. Getting a glimpse into the experiences of a real American family, taken in real-time, not only makes it so much more visceral, it can build empathy and perhaps even inspire us to extend a helping hand to a neighbor or friend. We are so grateful to the families who let us — and you, the viewer — in, even if only for a brief segment at a time.”
Episodes of “Family Strong” will be released weekly on the Fluent Productions website, on YouTube, and on Fluent Research’s social media channels listed below.
Click here to view the teaser.
About Fluent
Fluent Productions is the video production arm of Fluent Research, a data and insights-driven strategic consulting firm. We harness the power of visual storytelling to bring attention to important issues facing our society, to build empathy and inspire action. We believe that nonfiction visual storytelling has the power to catalyze change and make a lasting social impact.
Fluent Media Contact
Adriana Howell
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BIGfish Communications for Fluent