About the speaker
Taboo Storytelling
Using juxtaposing imagery in documentary filmmaking to understand heroin addiction, alter perception and motivate change.
Michael is a writer, director and producer whose background in music led him into the film world.
He made his directorial and writing debut in 2010 with the short film âDark Scribbles.â Michael went on to produce and co-direct the award-winning feature documentary film âIn Danger of Being Discoveredâ in 2012.
In 2014, he wrote and directed a series of music videos for singer/songwriter Elytta, who is now placed on the Official Ballot for the 59th Annual Grammy Awards by The Recording Academy.
In 2015 Michael began production on his latest project âThe Heroin Effectâ inspired by the epidemic that is currently plaguing the New England community where he and his son reside. The idea for the documentary was born after having a chance encounter with an old friend who confided in him about his struggles with heroin addiction. That combined with the current headlines about rapidly increasing overdose deaths, both locally and nationally, inspired Michael to tackle this issue.
Most recently, he was nominated for an Emmy for his work on the PSA, âItâs time, letâs talkâ about the heroin and opiate crisis.
You can connect with Michael Venn here:
Favorite quotes from this talk See all
We cannot arrest our way out of this.
Every headline in every newspaper was about Heroin.
Itâs sons, daughters, friends, people that you know and people that you donât expect.
I wanted to tell real peopleâs, real stories and a lot are in recovery and some of them are not. I wanted it to have that really personal feeling.
I wanted to make the audience really like and to know these people and their stories and know them as people because I think thatâs the first way of breaking that stigma.
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The Music Hall Loft
131 Congress St
Portsmouth, NH United States 03801
Date
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The Music Hall Lounge
Popovers on the Square
Infinite Imaging
PPMtv