Sarah Colt Productions

05/15/2019

Excited to announce that True Believer is headed to the Nantucket Film Festival. Visit www.sarahcoltproductions.com for screening times and ticket information. Hope to see you there this summer!

05/14/2019

Happy Birthday to the lady in the driver's seat, Sarah Colt! #birthdayvibes

05/13/2019

Opinion | A C.E.O. Who’s Scared for America

Concerned about the state of capitalism today, retired CEO Peter Georgescu spoke to the NY Times about when the system shifted for the worst and what companies could do to fix the problem.

Capitalism, he says, is slowly committing suicide.

05/09/2019

Uber’s IPO Disclosures Leave One Big Unanswered Question

"The most important remaining mystery—for the future of the company, others like it, the global economy and, frankly, society—is how this company is reshaping the concept of a job."

In one week, anyone will be able to buy stock in Uber Technologies Inc. The run-up to this long-awaited initial public offering has revealed a lot about its business that we did not know and some things we did know. (Getting charged with a crime is bad, for example.) But perhaps the most important r...

05/07/2019

Strike by Uber and Lyft drivers Wednesday has potential to disrupt travel for thousands

Tomorrow, you might have a hard time hailing an Uber or Lyft in Washington, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Uber and Lyft drivers will be going on strike for 12 hours to protest working conditions and low wages in advance of Uber's IPO this Friday (the company expects to raise $9 billion).

The strikes are being organized by a number of grassroots groups, including Gig Workers Rising NY Taxi Workers Alliance and Rideshare Drivers United

The work stoppage could mean longer waits for service and surge pricing — if you can hail a ride at all.

04/26/2019

After a recent cancer scare, the farmer we're following had to go to The University of Kansas Health System for a CT scan.

04/23/2019

Netflix

Our short, "True Believer" followed US congressional candidate Robb Ryerse--who was recruited to run for office by Brand New Congress.

The campaigns of several other Brand New Congress candidates, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are featured in Rachel Lears' Sundance Award-winning doc, "Knock Down the House." Catch it on Netflix starting May 1st. #truebelieverdoc

529 women ran for congress in 2018 — Meet four of them in Knock Down The House on May 1.

04/23/2019

Is Gig Work a Job? Uber and Others Are Maneuvering to Shape the Answer

In the debate over how gig workers should be classified, a recent NY Times piece details how lobbyists for companies such as Uber and Lyft have found ways to bypass local legislatures, providing them with a more direct hand in shaping this determination from state to state.

Lobbyists are pressing legislatures, and sometimes working around them, to keep workers from being deemed employees and save the companies billions.

04/18/2019

A Cinematic Celebration: Announcing the Feature Film Lineup for the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival | Tribeca

Congratulations to Barak Goodman and the Ark Media team on having two films premiering at Tribeca! If you're attending the festival next week, be sure to check out Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation and Slay the Dragon.

Vital and visionary work from emerging and established filmmakers is at the heart of Tribeca's most eclectic feature filmmaking slate yet.

04/16/2019

And that’s a wrap on Ashland Independent Film Festival. Thanks again to the AIFF team and everyone who attended a screening of True Believer. #truebelieverdoc #aiff2019

04/13/2019

True Believer

Thank you to everyone who attended the first two screenings of True Believer at Ashland Independent Film Festival. There's still one more chance to see the film this Monday, April 15th via the rush line. Be sure to get in line early to try and claim a last minute seat.

In the aftermath of Trump's election, Arkansas evangelical Republican Robb Ryerse was one of the many first-time candidates inspired to run for U.S. Congress. In his grassroots campaign to topple an incumbent congressman supported by some of the largest corporations in the country, Robb discovers th...

04/12/2019

SCP’s Josh Gleason kicked off Ashland Independent Film Festival today with a stop at Southern Oregon Digital Media Center to talk about True Believer. #aiff2019 #truebelieverdoc

04/10/2019

78th Peabody Awards Nominees: ‘Barry,’ ‘The Americans,’ ‘Steven Universe,’ and More

The nominees for the 78th Peabody Awards have been announced. The list includes Minding The Gap, Shirkers, and a number of PBS's documentary programs.

Also nominated: "Pose," "Shirkers," "Killing Eve," and “Hannah Gadsby: Nanette.” Ronan Farrow will host the May 18 awards ceremony.

04/09/2019

True Believer

We're just two days away from the premiere of True Believer at Ashland Independent Film Festival. For more info on screening times or to purchase a ticket:

In the aftermath of Trump's election, Arkansas evangelical Republican Robb Ryerse was one of the many first-time candidates inspired to run for U.S. Congress. In his grassroots campaign to topple an incumbent congressman supported by some of the largest corporations in the country, Robb discovers th...

04/08/2019

OBON

It was a great Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Huge congrats to the directors of the animated documentary Obon, Anna Samo and André Hörmann, which won the Jury Award for Best Short. You can find out more about the film here: www.obonfilm.com.

We also loved Life Overtakes Me, directed by John Haptas and Kristine Samuelson, which won the Audience Award for Best Short. The film will be coming to Netflix soon: www.lifeovertakesme.com

04/04/2019

Ashland Independent Film Festival

If you missed the Jefferson Exchange segment on True Believer yesterday, it's now posted on their website.

AIFF was back on the Jefferson Exchange this morning with the filmmakers of 'True Believer'.

About the film: In the aftermath of Trump's election, Arkansas evangelical Republican Robb Ryerse was one of the many first-time candidates inspired to run for U.S. Congress. In his grassroots campaign to topple an incumbent congressman supported by some of the largest corporations in the country, Robb discovers the steep price of breaking into politics.

Tickets for the film are still available at ashlandfilm.org.

04/03/2019

The Jefferson Exchange

Josh Gleason and Robb Ryerse will be on JPR's Jefferson Exchange today at 11AM ET/8AM PT to talk about True Believer. Listen live at the link below.

JPR's live interactive program devoted to current events and newsmakers from around the region and beyond. It airs on JPR's News &

04/02/2019

2019 Lineup - Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

Heading to the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival? SCP's Josh Gleason, the co-director of True Believer and American Dreams, will be attending this year. Some films on his festival watch list: Knock Down the House, One Child Nation, and American Factory.

Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert’s American Factory selected as Opening Night Film.  Amazing Grace selected as Closing Night Film.   Full Frame is proud to announce the lineup for the 22nd annual festival, to be held April 4 – 7 in Durham. The 2019 lineup presents 83 documentary films. Of th...

04/02/2019

We're excited to share the official trailer for our documentary short, True Believer. The film follows progressive evangelical pastor Robb Ryerse as he runs for US Congress in bright red Arkansas, home of the highest ballot access fees in the country. An intimate, underdog story, it captures what it’s like to run an amateur political campaign—and raises fundamental questions about the health of our democracy. #truebelieverdoc

To purchase a ticket to a screening at Ashland Independent Film Festival: https://aiff2019.eventive.org/films/5c79bad6ebca5f00234968f6

04/01/2019

True Believer trailer launching tomorrow, April 2nd. Pictured here is the protagonist, Robb Ryerse, preaching at Vintage Fellowship—the church he co-pastors with his wife, @themosaicbutterfly #truebelieverdoc #ashlandfilm

03/27/2019

Inquiring Nuns: "Are you happy?"

The Ashland Independent Film Festival is only two weeks away! For screenings of True Believer, we'll be paired with the vintage Kartemquin Films movie Inquiring Nuns. “Inquiring Nuns captures the attitudes, fears, and dreams of everyday Chicagoans, giving insight into the political and social climate of 1960’s Chicago.”

Tickets to screenings will be available to the general public on March 31st.

http://www.kartemquin.com Two young nuns explore Chicago, from a supermarket to the Art Institute and in front of churches on Sunday, confronting people with...

03/25/2019

‘It’s Probably Over for Us’: Record Flooding Pummels Midwest When Farmers Can Least Afford It

Still recovering from the administration's trade war and falling crop prices, farmers in the Midwest have yet another issue to contend with—flooding.

Midwestern farmers were contending with freezing floodwaters and dead livestock, only the latest crisis in farm country. “There’s no harder business to be in,” one Nebraska man said.

03/21/2019

We're thrilled to announce that our short film True Believer is an official selection of the 2019 Ashland Independent Film Festival. It will premiere on April 11th, with additional screenings on the 12th and the 15th. We’ll be releasing a trailer soon. #truebelieverdoc

03/19/2019

Final mix review for "True Believer." On screen is Robb Ryerse driving to Little Rock, Arkansas to file as a candidate for US Congress. The fee to appear on the ballot in the Republican Primary was $15,000–the highest ballot access fee in the country. #truebelieverdoc

03/19/2019

The Gilded Age | American Experience | PBS

You can now stream our film THE GILDED AGE on the PBS website (linked below) and app!

Meet the titans and barons of the glittering late 19th century, whose materialistic extravagance contrasted harshly with the poverty of the struggling workers who challenged them. The vast disparities between them sparked debates still raging today.

03/18/2019

POV: Season 32 Announcement | American Documentary Inc.

POV announced the lineup for their 32nd season, with over half of the feature films being created by women. Be sure to tune in when the season kicks off in June!

From city streets to the halls of Congress, women are reasserting their voice and power in 2019. As history unfolds, women are also documenting it.

03/15/2019

Editor Rachel Shuman putting the final touches on “True Believer,” our documentary short about Arkansas pastor Robb Ryerse's unorthodox run for Congress. News about the film will be coming soon! Stay tuned...#truebelieverdoc

03/14/2019

Opinion | Antitrust Returns to American Politics

A new opinion piece from The New York Times puts a spotlight on how monopoly power in the US could become a key campaign issue. Often centered around the tech industry, agricultural monopolies have also led to greater economic hardships within rural communities—including stagnant worker wages, decreases in local property values, and crop financing struggles for farmers.

Thankfully, monopoly power is shaping up as a central issue in the 2020 campaign.

03/12/2019

President’s Budget Yet Again Neglects Severity of Farm Economy

The proposed fiscal year 2020 budget was announced yesterday featuring cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. With crucial farming programs likely to lose funding as a result, the National Farmers Union issued a statement calling out the administration's neglect of the farm community.

"Passing the 2018 Farm Bill was an important, bipartisan accomplishment. Rather than turning right around and proposing cuts to farm programs, the President should be working to build on that success by providing needed additional support for family farmers and ranchers."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2019 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202.314.3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump today revealed his proposed fiscal year 2020 budget, proposing cuts t…

03/07/2019

Some Uber, Lyft Drivers to Get Stock in IPOs

As we've mentioned, one of the subjects in our upcoming feature documentary is a Florida-based rideshare driver. The recent news surrounding Uber and Lyft's pending IPOs brings up the question of whether these companies will give shares to their drivers. According to The Wall Street Journal, some drivers could get stocks pending each company's guidelines for eligibility.

Uber and Lyft are planning to give some drivers the chance to take part in their initial public offerings, a rare move that would grant them access to two of the most hotly anticipated IPOs ever.

03/06/2019

A Cinematic Celebration: Announcing the Feature Film Lineup for the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival | Tribeca

The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival lineup has been announced. Documentary features this year include a film about Florida's mudding culture, a vet who utilizes holistic treatments on animals, and China's "leftover women."

Vital and visionary work from emerging and established filmmakers is at the heart of Tribeca's most eclectic feature filmmaking slate yet.

02/28/2019

A Town Designed to Make Them Remember

We can't stop going through this amazing photo essay from The California Sunday Magazine. Photographer Michelle Groskopf captures "Alzheimers Village," a facility utilizing reminiscence therapy to help people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia try to recall some of their most important memories between the ages of 10 and 30.

"We are trying to create an experience that’s consistent with where their strongest memories are.”

02/27/2019

Suicide rate for farmers in Northwest Kansas is up 64%, higher than national average

As we’ve been following our Kansas-based subject for the past year and a half, an alarming crisis has been growing within the state’s farming community. Per an official at the High Plains Mental Health Center, the suicide rate for farmers in Northwest Kansas from 2014 to 2017 was up 64 percent. 2017 alone saw 23 deaths by suicide in the region compared to 13 nationally.

The suicide rate for northwest Kansas is up 64 percent over the past four years and above the national average.  

02/25/2019

We completed our own #Oscars ballots before the live telecast and the results are officially in. The winner of our office #Oscars poll is our amazing production assistant @t.isaree!

02/21/2019

PBS’s ‘The Amish’: In this world, but not of it

On this day in 2012, our film THE AMISH premiered on American Experience | PBS. Here's a look back at what The Washington Post had to say about the film when it aired. https://buff.ly/2NlZPxv

A fascinating new documentary explores the lives and customs of people who, by shunning progress, found an elusive peace.

02/20/2019

‘This One Here Is Gonna Kick My Butt’—Farm Belt Bankruptcies Are Soaring

Years of declining commodity prices coupled with the ongoing trade war has led to a huge increase in bankruptcies across the Farm Belt. "In the Eighth Circuit, which includes states from North Dakota to Arkansas, bankruptcies swelled 96%. The 10th Circuit, which covers Kansas and other states, last year had 59% more bankruptcies than a decade earlier."

Throughout much of the Midwest, U.S. farmers are filing for chapter 12 bankruptcy protection at levels not seen for at least a decade, a Wall Street Journal review of federal data shows. Trade disputes over agriculture are adding pain to low commodity prices that have been grinding down American far...

02/13/2019

Tears for Ears

Today in recommended viewing, "Tears for Ears" from Topic. Mengwen Cao's photo essay highlights the fear, the tears, and the subsequent smiles of young girls getting their ears pierced for the first time.

At a family-run jewelry store in Texas, a rite of passage happens every weekend.

02/11/2019

Opinion | The American Dream Is Alive and Well

One of the central ideas explored in our upcoming feature is what it means to achieve the American dream today. A new opinion piece from the The New York Times features the results of a recent study with some interesting findings.

Most people in this country say that they are living it — but what they mean by the phrase might surprise you.

02/07/2019

Our directing duo stepped in front of the camera last week to shoot a statement video for our feature.

02/06/2019

"The Gilded Age" reflects upon our divisions then, and now

Today marks the one year anniversary of our film THE GILDED AGE. Set in the late 19th century, its exploration of expanding national wealth coupled with increasing income inequality still rings true in today’s political and economic landscape—a necessary precursor to our upcoming feature on what it means to attain the American Dream today. As Salon wrote about the film:

“The Gilded Age is…stunning…This time period stands as proof that we’ve been to this brink, tumbled over its cliff, survived and returned. Perhaps we’ll learn from the mistakes of yesteryear’s titans. But that requires scratching beneath the veneer of gold that seeks to distract us, even now.”

"American Experience" examines another point in history when the wealthy few trampled upon the will of the many