Objective

The Houston Documentary was conceived as a powerful storytelling vehicle to amplify the voices of residents in Houston’s Greater Fifth Ward, an area deeply impacted by environmental contamination and a documented cancer cluster. The project aimed to shed light on the long-standing health crisis caused by industrial pollution, raise awareness of the community’s struggles, and mobilize action from both policymakers and the public.

Our primary goals were:

1. Raise Awareness: Inform residents, health advocates, and stakeholders about the environmental injustices and their dire consequences.
2. Educate: Present data-driven insights while centering real community experiences to humanize the issue.
3. Engage the Community: Encourage residents to advocate for solutions and seek preventive health screenings.
4. Support Elected Officials & Health Partners: Provide a resource that could be used to push for policy changes, funding, and ongoing health initiatives.
5. Document History: Capture this moment in time to ensure that the crisis and community response are documented for future advocacy.

This project was not just about highlighting the problem, it was also about catalyzing solutions. The documentary serves as a bridge between awareness and action, helping to shape the future health landscape of the Fifth Ward and beyond.

Strategy

Bringing the Houston Documentary to life required a deep-rooted commitment to storytelling, community engagement, and logistical coordination.

Planning & Research:
Our team conducted extensive pre-production research, speaking with community leaders, health experts, and affected families. We collaborated with key partners such as MD Anderson, Quest, and the National Minority Quality Forum to ensure accuracy in our health-related content.

Execution:
Filming took place over multiple phases, including on-site interviews with residents, elected officials, and experts. To capture the historical and scientific context, we secured interviews with environmental justice experts such as Dr. Bullard. We also gathered archival footage, conducted B-roll shoots across the Fifth Ward, and included reenactments to depict past events.

One of the key elements of the documentary is its narrative structure, which follows a problem-solution approach. It lays out the environmental crisis, shares personal stories, and then pivots towards ongoing efforts and potential solutions, including legislative action and medical interventions.

Challenges & Overcoming Obstacles:

1. Community Trust: Many residents had been interviewed before but saw little action afterward. We took a grassroots approach—attending town halls, collaborating with local leaders, and ensuring that participants felt heard and supported.
2. Legal & Logistical Barriers: Filming on government property and with agencies like the EPA required careful navigation of permissions and verbal approvals. When official appearance releases weren’t granted, we pivoted by ensuring public access locations and working within media rights allowances.
3. Budget & Resource Constraints: Documentary filmmaking requires funding for travel, equipment, and licensing. We worked strategically with available budgets, leveraging partnerships and community goodwill to maximize impact.
4. Editorial Challenges: The subject matter was heavy—cancer clusters, contamination, and personal loss. Striking the right balance between urgency and hope was key. We used careful editing, color correction, and music scoring to ensure the tone was compelling but not overwhelming.

Innovation & Uniqueness:
Unlike traditional news reports, our documentary is deeply personal, weaving together scientific data with firsthand accounts. We also integrated interactive elements, such as plans for community screenings, engagement forums, and digital distribution, ensuring that this project doesn’t end with just a film—it sparks ongoing dialogue and action.

Results

The Houston Documentary successfully met and exceeded our objectives by creating a meaningful impact at multiple levels.

• Community Awareness & Engagement: Residents have used the film as an advocacy tool, leading to increased community involvement in health screenings and environmental justice meetings.
• Policy & Institutional Support: Elected officials and health organizations have leveraged the documentary to support legislative and funding efforts for continued environmental testing and remediation.
• Health Partnerships & Actionable Change: The film is being used as a stepping stone to future solutions, including cancer screenings and ongoing research collaborations with Quest and MD Anderson.
• Visibility & Media Exposure: We secured interest from media outlets, such as KHOU, for potential coverage, amplifying the reach of the documentary.
• Legacy & Long-Term Use: Beyond its initial screening, the documentary has been structured to have lasting value, with plans for educational use, film festival entries, and community-wide discussions.

By combining real stories with expert insights, the documentary serves as both a powerful educational tool and a catalyst for continued conversations around environmental health disparities. It has provided residents, policymakers, and healthcare organizations with a deeper understanding of the issue and the steps needed to create change. The response from the community and stakeholders demonstrates the film’s success in elevating awareness and inspiring tangible action.

Media

Video for NOWINCLUDED presents Houston's Fifth Ward Exposed