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PAGE 8
THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FILM
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Proposed documentary will follow 24 hours at KU
Starting next October, Jayhawker Studios hopes to begin production on "KU/24! A Day in the Life of the University of Kansas," a documentary that will feature events around the University's campus in a 24-hour period.
Hoite Caston, founding member of the KU Department of Theater and Film Professional Advisory Board, has been working on this project for more than 15 years. What started as a two-page compilation of thoughts and ideas has now turned into a 15-page proposal. He said he has been working with the vice chancellor, the deans of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications and School of Arts, the athletic department, KU Endowment and the Alumni Association, among many others.
"My first thought was, 'Something is happening on this campus 24 hours a day,' and that's where the idea for the documentary started," Caston said.
Caston graduated from the University in 1963 and majored in radio, TV and film. In 1999, he was asked to be an interim professor in film production for the 1999-2000 school year. He said he was shocked by how much
the university had changed and grown since he was a student — there were 12,000 students enrolled in the University when he graduated and 24,000 when he returned.
Caston's hope is to have volunteers from every department at the University shoot video during a 24-hour period. He is planning to start on the same day as Late Night in the Phog in October.
"I want the documentary to capture all aspects of KU," Caston said. "Of course you can't have a documentary about KU without KU basketball, but I also want to show the arts department, or watch the newspaper production or collect videos from students studying abroad."
According to Caston, the cost of making a documentary on this level is usually about $400,000, but his goal is to have a $200,000 budget. He said he will employ several volunteers to film different events, whether it's with a smartphone or a video camera.
In the next few weeks he said he will open a Kickstarter.com fundraiser, where people or organizations can donate money online. The fundraiser will run for 30-45 days and end toward the end of June. He said he already has several people committed to his cause and is confident that he
Caston
can raise the money.
"Raising the money this summer will determine whether or not this is actually going to come to life in the fall," Caston said.
The documentary will be a PBS-style documentary, that is between an hour-and-a-half to two hours long. However, Caston has also considered making it into a mini-series.
"I have had so many people tell me that this project is too big to take in one bite or that it's not going to happen." Caston said. "But now I am so excited to see it finally coming to life."
Students can follow the progress of the documentary on Twitter @U124Day_in_Life), and are encouraged to email hoieec@yahoo.com if they want to get involved with the project.
Paige Stingely
I have with them, but how much of a connection they have for contributing towards a great cause," Bruce said.
BIKE FROM PAGE 1
This summer, Bike and Build has eight cross-country routes and one regional route, a three-week program which will extend down the eastern seaboard. Combined, these routes include more than 300 participants, according to Villere. Volunteer riders can apply in November and Bike and Build rarely denies anyone, as long as the program has the space.
For Villere, the amount of volunteers the program receives each year is astonishing.
"It's fantastic that they are able to sacrifice their summer to do something to really help other people," he said. "This is a really selfless way to live during this summer. It requires a lot of effort, but they'll be getting a lot out of this trip by way of friendships and building experience. There's something very selfless about the people who do this program, and they're able to connect with people from around the country."
After being accepted, riders are responsible for training
to be able to ride an average of 71 miles per day. Bruce is optimistic of his own ability, although his training has not been what he anticipated.
"There's something very selfless about the people who do this program."
JUSTIN VILLERE Director of operations and outreach at Bike and Build
"It's been really sporadic," he said. "There's been weeks where I literally finish all my homework on a Monday, because there's not much to do, and I just bike Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. I'll hit up mountain bike trails, just to do something different or go on a road bike trip with some friends. Or there's weeks like last week, where I didn't bike at all. It's been kind of all over the place."
In addition to training, all participants are required to complete Sweat Equity, which is 10 hours of volunteering at a local housing program. Participants must also conduct interviews with a housing program other than Habitat for Humanity
and an affordable housing beneficiary. Bruce also had to work with a team partner to research a town that will be one of the stops on the trip.
"To find another [housing program] was really hard for me," Bruce said. "It took a lot of time on Google for me to find one. I ended up going down to Wyandotte County and interviewing Community Housing of Wyandotte County, which was really interesting. They're really cool guys and they're a lot more community-oriented than just building-a-single-house oriented."
While Bruce is looking forward to sightseeing across the U.S., he said the trip means much more to him than that.
"I think affordable housing is really important," he said. "Not only does it provide a house to live in, but a healthier home to live in. With a healthier home, you have a healthier family and with a healthier family, you have more of a positive society. Affordable housing has improved a lot of lives, and that's the most important part of this trip — it's benefitting a nonprofit and helping people improve the situations in their lives."
Edited by Cara Winkley
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