BACK IN THE DAY, Stone Castle Pictures was simply a name we chose to label our efforts at producing films for friends whom we felt needed help in the publicity department. And we did it for free. In 2008, after following two buddies from Kenya attempting to build their village's first clinic, we released the feature-length documentary " Sons of Lwala," which has since raised over $500,000 to finance their dream.
We believe strongly in the life-sustaining nature of film and in its power to motivate and inspire. We are also aware that some of the best and purest art is given away in the name of love. Perhaps not the keenest business model, but it works for us. A certain percentage of our time is spent on projects within our community that reflect our struggle against cynicism, our search for heroes, and our own hopes for change. Sharing these stories with you feels not so much like a gift -- as a responsibility.
In 2009, our friend (and celebrity photographer) Jeremy Cowart used his extensive Twitter network to organize a global event called "Help Portrait," which called on professional photographers to spend one day offering free portraits to the poor, the forgotten, and the un-pretty. But Jeremy needed a way to illustrate his vision, so we held a dry run in Nashville, filmed it from beginning to end, and posted it on YouTube. Several months later, on the appointed day, over 8,000 photographers in 42 countries picked up their cameras and captured some of the most lovely and heart-breaking expressions on the planet.
Stories like these are what drive us. They serve as reminders to us all that there is power in a vision, there's hope still if you look for it, and -- as far as we're concerned -- there's plenty of room in a business model for compassion.
To see some of our COMMUNITY stories, click on one of the titles to the right.
div
This is a video we produced for a health clinic that has done phenomenal work for the uninsured in Nashville, particularly those in the international community. The staff at Siloam and their singularity of vision for better healthcare for the working poor compelled us to provide them with a video that captured it for others to see.
Visit the website | Buy the DVD
Milton and Fred Ochieng' are two brothers from Kenya whose village sent them to America to become doctors. But after losing both parents to AIDS they are left with a heartbreaking task: to return home and finish the health clinic their father started before getting sick. Unable to raise enough money on their own, the brothers are joined by students, politicians, and a rock band who launch a fund raising drive among young people across the United States. SONS OF LWALA follows Milton and Fred on their incredible journey as they find a way, despite all odds, to open their village's first clinc.
This is a video we did for our friend Jeremy Cowart, who convinced a small group of photographers to spend one day giving away free portraits to those who can't afford it. The idea apparently caught on. Thousands signed up in cities around the world to participate on Dec. 12, 2009.
This is the story of our return to Lwala, Kenya, to show Milton and Fred's village SONS OF LWALA. It was the first time many had seen a film -- not to mention seen