Tuesday, May 23, 2017

An Image of Plainfield

A chance comment on Facebook led me to a web series filmed in Plainfield. In the genre known on IMDb as "hood" movies, it included drug dealing, gun violence, murder, jail, poverty and general social dysfunction.

I had two reactions (well, three) after seeing this production. It depicted Plainfield as a dangerous place, with crime part and parcel of the residents' lives, a shooting in a downtown alley, and a cameo appearance by one of Park & Seventh's prime disrupters - in other words, just the image that people say outsiders wrongly pin on the city. As a  Plainfielder since 1983, I was horrified.

Another reaction was to wonder how the series was filmed. Was it all freelance, without any city permissions or knowledge? I know nowadays practically anyone with a camera is their own auteur, but I remembered how "The Messenger," "Basket Case" and "Kinsey" all required approvals for use of city locales.

I will reserve my other reaction for a later date, but let's just say the series had an unexpected (to me) political coda.

Comments on YouTube showed the series had a lot of fans, and I guess overall it was no worse than some thriller filmed on the streets of New York City. It was just disconcerting to see someone "shot" just a few steps from a downtown bank I use, among other juxtapositions of the familiar with the unthinkable.

I know some will say it is not my place to say anything on this topic. It recalled to me a time when as a reporter I stopped at Clinton School on election day to get a comment on turnout, and a woman said, "What are you doing here?" There are divides and lines in the sand here. But I am a Plainfielder too, and this is just how I feel today.

--Bernice

18 comments:

  1. Come on Bernice please don't put a political spin on that YouTube video. I know what your alluding to.

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    1. Anon 4:39 are you serious? Bridget Rivers put the political stamp on it the moment she spliced her speeches into the endings. Give me a break.

      Bernice - I agree with you 100% - these films are made to scare people and promote Bridgets agenda.

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    2. So I guess the Godfather movie gave lower Eastside a bad name. You talk about art and the freedom of expression. But if you don't approve of its a problem.

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    3. You people are hypocritical. Just clasp your pearls.

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  2. Location is part of a story, as we all know Hollywood and the media as a whole will focus on sensational images. Would it not be amazing if someone produced a piece that showed what Plainfield is truly about. The faces of our city, from the west end to the east end showing our diversed and beautiful residents.

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    1. Timothy - maybe you can fund such a project with Bridget after the election when she has time on her hands.

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  3. Hey Bernice, you aught to see "Episode 6" of Bridget Rivers campaign gangsta video. It's also on YouTube. If you can't find it, I sent it to you via text message.

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    1. For the record siddiq Bridget doesn't have a gangsta video. And also remember Allah is against the spreading of mischief. So stop it she doesn't have a gangsta video. Will you condemn every believer who appear in Haram movies or sing Haram songs?

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    2. Anonymous 3:17 PM, if you will send my your phone number I'll text you the video. Fact, not spreading mischief.

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    3. I can assure you the Bridget, nor any other politician, has anything to do with this web series. Unfortantly, the seres depicts the side of Plainfield that the elitist do not want to acknowledge. Instead of watching in horror, you should watch to educate yourself on the side of Plainfield no one wants to discuss. The city is only as great as its weakest link.

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  4. I bet yaall watched "the wire"..smh

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  5. Okay I just viewed all 6 episode of Every City Every Hood and all I can say is WOW! Should I be ashamed to say I enjoyed it, because I did. Although it paints Plainfield in a negative light my hope is if they continue they add a little more diversity. Since we all know how ignorant some people can be and assume this is all Plainfield is about I hope the producers can inject some positivity into future episodes. Do you think the Campbell’s realize they’re renting to murders, gangbangers and drug dealers (LMAO). Does Bridget really want to be Mayor so bad she would solicit votes from murdering gangbangers and then promise to give the city back to them if she’s’ elected (still LMAO) Thank heavens this is just a scripted web series or we would really be in big trouble.

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  6. Plainfield's got a brand new bag-

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmEq2_XIzqtPujKC1nfjmAQ

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  7. I watched the series some weeks ago. I thought it an amateur version of The Wire in a Plainfield setting. It's rather interesting (although sad, in a way) that there was a drug raid at the home featured in the videos a few weeks ago. Dang, they should have used props, not the real thing! If you keep filming front shots of the house, the neighborhood, the house number, scenes of packaging drugs inside the house, etc ... don't have real drugs there! (Alleged, of course. Innocent until proven guilty and all.)

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  8. Tim they did short one last year you can see it here, be nice if they continued with more
    https://youtu.be/6JYgchXjHGE

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    1. thank you Rich, this is a lovely piece. I wonder who did this? QCP needs to produce a collection for our site. for each resource that is shown.

      I do love this one also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1hDNlyzQNY

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  9. Rich, that video has been taken down by YouTube.

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