SOLITARY is a raw and authentic prison drama centered on Marcus Edwards, a man who has spent more than 20 years in solitary confinement. Moved by Marcus’s story, Elsa, a young human rights lawyer looking to make a name for herself in her field, offers to represent him in his effort to be released from the SHU (Special Housing Unit) and serve out the remainder of his sentence among the general prison population.
As Marcus recounts his grueling experiences in solitary, Elsa begins to wonder if she is in over her head. Graphic tales of self-mutilation, frightful hallucinations, and extreme mental anguish overwhelm her.
Through vivid flashbacks, the harsh realities of solitary confinement and the surprising reasons individuals are placed in it will be brought to the forefront. As audience members follow Elsa on her journey to get to know Marcus and to fight for his release from solitary confinement, they will come to understand why the United Nations calls long-term solitary confinement torture. The mental, physical, and emotional toll it has taken on Marcus dominates the show.
Every aspect of SOLITARY will be based on real incidents. Only by humanizing Marcus, and the tens of thousands he represents, can we create empathy for him. As audience members empathize with Marcus, their understanding of solitary confinement will increase, particularly regarding its cruelty and ineffectiveness. Increased understanding is critical if we are to end the practice of long-term solitary confinement.
Ramon Hamilton and Jennifer Fischer have been a producing duo for over 10 years. Their most recent film as producers, SMUGGLED’s successful film festival run in 2012 included 5 “Best Of” Awards and 15 official selections. Through these festivals and its subsequent release in 2013, the film has garnered impressive media coverage (NBCLatino, ABC, Univision, Fusion, etc.) and has screened for thousands throughout the U.S. and world, through various university campus screenings, film society events, community organization outreach efforts and much more.
SMUGGLED tells the moving story of 9 year-old Miguel Rodriguez and his mother, Hilaria Rodriguz, as the pair are smuggled into the U.S. in the small, hidden compartment of a tourist bus. Most of the film takes place in the tiny compartment, but the film completely engages audiences with moments of laughter and tears, ultimately creating empathy and love for the lead characters.
In 2005, Jennifer and Ramon made their producing debut with their short film, ROGER. In 2007, they followed this film with RACHEL’S FORTUNE, an award-winning short recognized as the Best Film for Youth at Toronto’s COMMFest (Community Film Festival). The film was accepted to several other film festivals as well.
RACHEL’S FORTUNE led Ramon Hamilton and Jennifer Fischer to their first feature-length film as producers in 2009. With this film, THE HIDING, they worked with the award-winning cinematographer Yasu Tanida, named one of the Top Ten Cinematographers to Watch by Variety Magazine in 2008. THE HIDING received DVD distribution and was recognized by the Independent Film Channel as one of their top DVDs to look for in 2009.
In 2009, Ramon also produced GRANDMA’S HOUSE, an intriguing short film from award-winning European filmmaker Arend Steenbergen. GRANDMA’S HOUSE received acclaim at several film festivals in the U.S. and Europe winning the award for Most Disturbing Film at the Chicago International REEL Shorts Fest. Additionally, Ramon served as a Project Facilitator for the Discovery Channel show DOING DAVINCI in 2009 as well.
Ramon received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst where his first student film, WHY 2K, was an official selection to the school’s Italian Film Studies Film Festival. He has served on the American Federation of Television and Radio Actor’s (AFTRA) Equal Employment Opportunity Committee. He has also produced and shot promotional and/or educational videos for The Broad Stage, City of Santa Clarita, Newhall Elementary School District and AFTRA.
Jennifer Fischer received her Masters of Arts from Harvard University and her Bachelor of Arts from Sarah Lawrence College. Her article, “Coffee Can Change,” about her commitment to social justice, was published in It’s Not All About You: Young Adults Seeking Justice. She writes regularly for SCVNews and The Good Long Road, her blog about mindful parenting and literacy.
Jennifer and Ramon’s production company, Think Ten Media Group’s Digital Arts education division, Generation Arts, teaches filmmaking, photography, photoshop, graphic design and other digital arts to youth throughout Los Angeles County.
Ramon will be on our live on our show tonight at 6:30 p.m. Eastern/3:30 p.m. Pacific. He will be talking about his and Jennfer’s latest project, SOLITARY.
All you need to do watch our conversation live is to go The Dr. Vibe Show Homepage at http://thedrvibeshow.com/ tonight at 6:30 p.m. Eastern/3:30 p.m. Pacific. You can also provide your comments and questions during the event via Twitter (@drvibeshow#DrVibe) and at our Facebook Fan Page at “The Dr. Vibe Show” Facebook Fan Page.
You can connect with Ramon via:
Website
Twitter – Ramon Hamilton
Twitter
Twitter – Think Ten Media
Facebook – Think Ten Media
Email
Phone: (661) 600-6320
You can find out more about SOLITARY – An Original Web Series by clicking on the following link:
Solitary – An Original Web Series
Please feel free to email us at info@blackcanadianman.com
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God bless, peace, be well and keep the faith,
Dr. Vibe
info@blackcanadianman.com
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