By Tim Rath
A new documentary produced and directed by Alma College staff and faculty members aimed to shed light into the stories of Michigan agriculture and the lives of people who put food on our table.
“Did You Guys Eat? ¿Ya Comieron?: Stories of Michigan Agriculture” is the latest film produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning documentarian and Alma College Professor of World Languages and Cultures Stephany Slaughter. A sneak peek will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at NCG Cinema in Alma.
“This is a project that has grown over time. At first, we wanted to make a documentary about support services for migrant farmworkers. But after a while, we realized we needed to tell a more complete story,” said Slaughter, who won an Emmy for her work as a field producer on the Oscar-nominated 2009 documentary “Which Way Home.”
“I think that what you’re going to see is a very eye-opening story about how food gets on our tables. It’s a lot of hard work from many different groups of people who take pride in what they do. It’s because of them that we get to eat — and I think that’s a story worth telling.”
“Did You Guys Eat?” is a truly holistic look at life for Michigan farmers and the people who support them, particularly those from the Lower Peninsula. It includes interviews with small and large farmers, as well as food sellers. It also contains interviews with farm workers — some of whom are migrants — and their network of supporters. Significant parts of the dialogue are spoken in Spanish and contain subtitles.
“Agriculture is the type of business that doesn’t allow for many days off,” said co-producer Nick Wracan, an instructor of media, art and design at Alma College. “When it’s harvest season, farmers are the first ones up in the morning and the last to go to bed at night. It’s a little under-appreciated, so we were pleased to be able to give them the spotlight.
“I also felt we were able to showcase the wide variety of Michigan’s agriculture industry. Depending on their situation, the people that we interviewed have completely different life experiences and issues at hand. Yet, they’re tied together by what they do for a living. I feel like this is not just a story about agriculture in Michigan, but about Michigan itself.”
“Did You Guys Eat?” is truly an Alma College production. It’s co-produced by Slaughter and Wracan, with Center for College and Community Engagement (3CE) co-director Benjamin Peterson and Audio/Visual Specialist Jacob O’Brien rounding out the production team. O’Brien also edited and color graded the project.
Assistant Professor of Music Justin Rito, together with student Audrey Merrifield, composed the score. Other Alma College students and alumni worked in the film crew.
“Collaborating with a student on a project like this is a unique opportunity because we’re able to provide real-world experience,” Rito said. “Working on film is different in the sense that the structure is dictated to you. You think about time and function a little differently. It was a great process, and a total team effort between Audrey and I.”
Slaughter is working with a number of different groups from across the Michigan agriculture and nonprofit industries to promote the film in advance of its release.
“We hope that the film is merely the start of something bigger. My colleagues and I, along with community stakeholders — including some who were interviewed in the film — have had discussions about the many different types of research and experiential learning opportunities that could come from the subject of agriculture in Michigan,” Slaughter said. “This could be part of something that turns into positive learning outcomes for students and improvement of our relationship with the agricultural community in Michigan.”
“Did You Guys Eat?” is scheduled for a wide release this summer. For more information on the sneak peek event, including how to reserve a seat, visit its page on Eventbrite.
Source : alma.edu