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Videos

Drinks Around the World: The Suffering Bastard is the pilot episode for a series, featuring actress Renee Edd, that mixes intoxicating spirits with a twist of history to reveal the true story behind many of the drinks served at your local establishment.

Cell Phones & Driving

Developed to promote driving safety by demonstrating the challenges of driving and the hazards presented by any type of distraction which takes your attention off the road. The Southern Gas Association gave this video special recognition in the area of vehicle safety. (Written, filmed, edited, and produced by Fred Stawitz while employeed at El Paso Corporation.)

Saving the Planet

Saving the Planet Never Tasted So Good

Highlights Pat Greer who has reduced her carbon footprint by thousands of miles. She fixes and sells delicious vegan lunchtime meals and treats from all natural produce grown four miles from downtown Houston on a community farm. No chemical pesticides! No fertilizers! No around-the-world shipping! All natural nutrition grown with care and packaged with love just miles from where the food will be consumed.

Last Organic OutpostSaving the Planet: Harvesting the Benefits of a Community Farm

Introduces Joe and Marcella Icet who operate The Last Organic Outpost, a community farm located within the City of Houston only four miles from the downtown business district. Utilizing vacant lots in the historic, yet economically blighted 5th Ward, the Last Organic Outpost offers Houstonians fresh grown produce on the vine without leaving the city. No chemical pesticides! No fertilizers! No around-the-world tranportation! Just good healthy nutrition grown in the neighborhood!

Phoenix Commotion Saving the Planet and Money: A New Model for Home Construction

Follows Dan Phillips who builds new houses for artists and low income families. He uses 80% recycled materials which would either end up in a landfill or be discarded to create energy efficient homes and work spaces. Ranchers in the Houston area serve as a source of bone for counter tops and stair treads! Local drinking establishments provide a ready supply of bottle caps for tiling floors! These energy-efficient homes offer both comfort and an aesthetic living environment to the new occupants!

Think Green

Think Green offers an incredibly unique and powerful reason for choosing green power. Featuring actress Renee Edd, this video was inspired by Dr. Helen Caldicott and was shot in Houston's beautiful Memorial Park. Dr Helen Caldicott is the single most articulate and passionate advocate of citizen action to remedy the nuclear and environmental crises. She has devoted the last 38 years to an international campaign to educate the public about the medical hazards of the nuclear age and the necessary changes in human behavior to stop environmental destruction.

Smither Park -- A Fun New Green Space for Houston

Smither Park will be a testimony to the vibrancy and creativity of the city of Houston. Designed by internationally known visionary and builder, Dan Phillips of Huntsville, Texas, the park will follow the aesthetics and philosophy of the world-renowned Orange Show monument. Smither Park is going to be Houston’s first folk-art inspired green space. Located on 1/2 acre adjacent The Orange Show in southeast Houston, the park will provide an artistic venue for leisure-time activity as well as the ceremonies of life; from quinceañeras and weddings, to family picnics, performances and meditation. It is sponsored by The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art which was founded by Marilyn Oshman in 1980. The foundation also owns and operates The Beer Can House and produces the annual Art Car Parade.

Unions

March on Austin: Labor Rally at the Texas Capitol — March and Rally

March and rally at the Texas Capitol on April 6, 2011, by thousands of labor supporters opposing major cuts proposed by the Texas Governor that would have a negative impact on millions of Texans. Moderated by Judi Lugo, President of TSEU and includes segments of speeches delivered on the south steps of the Texas Capitol by Texas State Senator Kirk Watson; Brooks Sunkett, CWA Vice President; Richard Kneupper, Political Coordinator, CWA District 6; Becky Moeller, President Texas AFL-CIO; Rev. Randy Smith, Texas Impact; Debra Walker, TOP Leader; Scott Chase, Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce; and Derrick Osobase, Texas A&M University Student.

March on Austin: Labor Rally at the Texas Capitol — March and Rally - Participant Comments

March and rally at the Texas Capitol on April 6, 2011, by thousands of labor supporters opposing major cuts proposed by the Texas Governor that would have a negative impact on millions of Texans. Participant comments include interviews with CWA Vice President Brooks Sunkett and Texas State Representative Armando Walle.

Communications Workers of America: To Form a More Perfect Union

To Form a More Perfect UNION makes the connection between the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution 'We the People of the United States in order to form a more perfect union' and the important role unions and collective bargaining rights play in giving the American worker a voice to negotiate salary, benefits, and conditions in the workplace. The Communication Workers of America Local 6222 in Houston join with StoryMakers in sending our brothers and sisters in unions everywhere a message of solidarity.

The Mother Lode

The Mother Lode Restaurant and Bar located in Ohio City, Colorado, is housed in a building that dates back to early 1900s when it was known as Hendricks & Company General Merchandise and served the needs of miners and railroad workers in the area of the historic Alpine Tunnel. John Swatzel, proprietor of The Mother Lode, offers patons hometown hospitality and a wholesome meal surrounded by a decor that preserves much of the look the building had around the beginning of the 20th century. Visitors to the Alpine Tunnel usually stop at The Mother Lode for a hearty meal before heading up to the tunnel.

What Can She Teach You About The Flu?

Employs a slightly irreverent approach to a very serious health issue.

Call Before You Dig: Dealing With A Rogue Excavator

Developed to provide guidance to employees on how to approach 3rd party excavators who are caught digging on the company's pipeline right-of-way. (Video script written in-house by Fred Stawitz while employed at El Paso Corporation and produced by Ariella Furman, Framed In 3D, in the Second LIfe virtual world.)

The Lost Boys

Performance by The Lost Boys at the House of Blues in Houston is featured in this music video shot in 2011.

My Experiences of the Liberian Civil War

Features works by artist/teacher/activist Edie Wells in collaboration with a child survivor of the Liberian Civil War and her pictorical recollections of those traumatic times.

Occupy Wall Street

The Day The Bubble Burst

Featuring Benson. This true story, set to music, makes the excess and greed of Wall Street which lead to the current worldwide economic crisis personal. Benson feels the pain and decides he's going to get involved in making a difference.

Occupy Houston Art Fest

Features art work and protest signs produced and displayed as part of Occupy Houston Art Fest held in occupied Tranquility Park next to City Hall in downtown Houston on October 17, 2011.

Corporate House of Horrors

Hosted by OccupyHouston in celebration of Halloween 2011 in occupied Tranquility Park next to Houston City Hall in downtown Houston. This event revealed the real ghouls demons and spectors wearing the skins of corporate personhood while inflicting real horros on real people, real animals, and the planet, often without being held to account.

Las Comadres 3rd Worldwide Comadrazos

Las Comadres 3rd Worldwide Comadrazos brought together nearly 250 Latinas from all over the United States and various parts of the world for two days of networking, socializing, and entertainment in Austin, Texas, on April 29 and 30, 2011. StoryMakers was asked to stream portions of the event live on the Internet and capture the event on video tape. We not only streamed the event live, but were able to move around the event location, powered entirely by batteries, and broadcast interviews with participants and exhibitors live via a wireless connection to the Internet. View video streams recorded live at Las Comadres 3rd Worldwide Comadrazos. View interviews with exhibitors and participants live streamed and recorded at the event.

Exhibitor Interviews 1

Exhibitor Interviews 2

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