'One Day On Earth' Invites YOU To Join A Nationwide Documentary Effort

On 10/10/2010, filmmakers Kyle Ruddick and Brandon Litman set out to change the scope of documentary filmmaking forever. Inspired in part by the pan-global work of Godfrey Reggio, the filmmakers created One Day on Earth, the first documentary ever to witness every country in the world within the same 24 hours. The resulting documentary was an award-winning feat not only for the global filmmaking community, but for all of humanity:

One Day on Earth - Release Trailer

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One Day on Earth

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This year, on April 26, the One Day on Earth organization invites you (yes, you!) to participate in a new documentary effort of unparallelled size and scale. Calling on citizens, filmmakers, and anyone with a camera and a story to show, Your Day. Your City. Your Future. aims to capture the future of 11 major American cities, through the eyes and lenses of their inhabitants. Check out the pre-emptive trailer for One Day In NYC below:

One Day in New York City from One Day on Earth on Vimeo.

From One Day on Earth:

The project will result in a geo-tagged archive of footage and a TV series on the future of American cities that will feature select captured footage […] in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Denver, Los Angeles, Lower Rio Grande Valley, New Orleans, NYC, San Diego, San Francisco and Twin Cities. 

“This is a momentous film project that calls upon urban dwellers across 11 cities to capture important stories that matter to the future of their home and celebrate the city they love,” said Ruddick. “You have the opportunity to have your voice heard, to share your personal portrait of the city and to help inform the future of your city.”

The collaboration is open to both amateur and professional filmmakers alike. Ruddick and Litman aim to capture the real, compelling, raw human stories taking place in American cities.

“We’re eagerly awaiting the footage that will be shared on April 26—there are so many inspiring and moving issues and narratives that are already coming to the surface,” said Litman. “We’re expecting to see a range of angles covered in these videos—from breathtaking cityscapes and income inequality, to resilient immigrant populations and vibrant arts and culture collectives, to nonprofit organizations and everyday local heroes that are leading the charge on tackling significant civic issues.”

The project is supported by a coalition of national and local foundations, including the Ford Foundation and the Surdna Foundation and is hosted in partnership with the video-sharing platform Vimeo.

So whether it's an afternoon stroll down Bourbon Street, or a bite into a kasha knish at Katz's, anyone and everyone is invited to join in and take part in Your Day. Your City., through the unique and shared experience of filmmaking.

Below, check out some snapshots from One Day In NYC's New York meetup at the IFP Center. All images by Justin Ho. 

So whether you've already got your story in mind, or need some inspiration, visit Your Day. Your City. online to find out more about how you can participate in this extraordinary event. 

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