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Web Connection
By: Maria Johnson
If there was no such thing as illegal downloads and Americans had to pay for everything they watched or listened to, how much cash would be cranked out to meet entertainment needs?
Americans spend an average of $2,693 a year on entertainment, according to the Department of Labor. That number alone shows how important entertainment is, and it doesn’t include all the free stuff. In paying for movies, music, and whatever else strikes the consumer’s fancy, they are contributing to the salaries of many already-well-off actors and musicians. Many people agree that most of them surely do deserve to be gratified for their work, but what if some of the entertainment indulged in was beneficial to more than just the artist who created it? Many organizations, such as Nadus Films and Reverb, have set out to make a positive difference while keeping people amused all the same.
“We find a social justice issue and we tackle it in a very gritty, raw format,” Nadus Films founder Coury Deeb said.
Nadus Films helps inform people of difficulties around the world. One often obtains only a vague picture of, and has a hard time understanding, people destitute of the necessities. Nadus not only lets viewers know what the problem is, they also help solve it. Deeb and his team research an area of need and find an organization, or partner, who is already there lending a hand. The creation of Nadus Films on these grounds supports these organizations by making the work of the partners known, and 100 percent of the fundraising efforts and donations go to these partners. One example of a partner Nadus has worked with is Water Is Basic. This organization has taught some people of Sudan how to drill wells themselves so that they can drink clean water and less money is spent on outsourcing people.
“Because of our efforts, I think we’ve helped put in about eight wells through Water Is Basic, largely just through the efforts of our first film, which is called The New Sudan,” Deeb said.
Released in 2009, The New Sudan is the only completed film that is available to the public via Hulu, DVD, and a plethora of cable networks. Grace Surpasses was screened with Interstates playing the soundtrack live on Sep. 16 and was recently submitted to film festivals. There is still much work to be done with that project before it is completed for the public. Deeb is scheduled to be in Guatemala in Dec. to begin the next film, a very exciting and overwhelming process.
“For being a small production company, I feel like we’ve done a lot,” Deeb said. “We’ve raised a lot of awareness. We’ve impacted a lot of lives by our work. I know that because people tell us all the time what Nadus Films has done for them, how it has impacted their world view, how it’s brought them to serve.” Nadus has also helped to bring people so much of what they need, from prenatal care to mosquito nets.
Like most organizations, it is helpful to donate a dollar amount. With Nadus Films, it’s also just as favorable to donate a birthday. Supporters of Nadus can set up a campaign on their website, www.nadusfilms.com to invite friends and family to donate money through the website rather than buy gifts for their birthday.
“People are saying, ‘I’ve got enough crap. I don’t need more. One of the things argued against the American people is that we have enough stuff,” Deeb said. “We actually complicate our lives more by getting more. So we just want to throw the challenge out there. Give up your birthday. Give it to Nadus Films. Help us make a difference.”
The need for more green is becoming less obscure to many people, including musicians. Reverb is a non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon that was founded in 2004 by environmentalist Lauren Sullivan and her musician husband, Adam Gardner. Reverb educates and engages musicians and their fans to take action toward a more sustainable future. Each band is worked with individually and uniquely, as every tour is different.”
Tours with Reverb include an eco-village, where many booths are set up to involve fans, as well as representations of non-profit environmental organizations. Fans are encouraged to volunteer, or if they’re going just to enjoy the show, to carpool. The website, www.dimride.com allows fans to set up carpools with other people planning to attend the same show. Reverb makes recycling and composting a big deal at shows, and provides reusable water bottles to the band and crew with a water refill station backstage. Bio-diesel gas is used for fueling all vehicles involved in the tour. Catering for the band and team are often provided from local farmers. A large area that Reverb works to reduce is the carbon footprint made by tours and fans. All cleaning and other products used are biodegradable.
Reverb has worked with over 100 musicians including Dave Matthews Band, Maroon 5, Train, Wiz Khalifa, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Sara Bareilles, Drake and many others. The more artists and fans willing to work toward a sustainable future, the better the environment for all here now and to come.
As long as people are spending money, time, and/or energy on entertainment, they might as well make it advantageous in some way. Whether that means helping people who are hurting, or helping the earth before everyone starts feeling hurt by consequences of our thoughtless actions. No one can use the excuse of not having the ability or opportunity to help. If everyone stays complacent in the mindset that things could always be worse, they certainly will get worse. If everyone grows aware in the mindset that things could always be better, they certainly will get better.
