“In Irma’s Wake; Those Who Stayed and Those Who Came” is a Documentary Short that shares the sights, sounds, and stories of the Florida Keys community one week after Hurricane Irma made landfall as the most destructive storm in their history.
This film explores what life in the Keys was like one week after the storm and how a multitude of people who’s lives were upended; the residents who stayed for a myriad of reasons, despite imminent dangers and the ones who came to help from near and far to enact a positive change for those who needed it most.
Produced and Directed by Ethan Lew and Isaac Perez of Sleeping Alligator Studios, two Childhood Friends from San Diego California who volunteered to fly out to the keys and produce a fundraising video for Coalition of Hope, a Non-Profit that Coordinated Relief Efforts between NGO’s, Private Donors, and the Local, State, and Federal Government.
While working onsite from a FEMA Trailer at the Relief Center, they were tasked with producing a 3 minute fundraising video for Coalition of Hope and their partners to distribute in order to raise funds for the center, but upon completion, they still felt like there was more work to be done and more stories to tell in order to paint the most potent picture of the Keys post-Irma.
Throughout the production process they were confounded by the cache of unbelievable stories and moving anecdotes from Residents and Volunteers alike, inspiring them to create a more detailed and cinematic film: In Irma’s Wake.
The cinematic nature of this gritty documentary was brought into focus by NYU Tisch Alumni John Case, who edited the project and helped piece together a story that not only made sense, but made the most of the footage captured over 3 Days of Run and Gun Filmmaking.
Although 2.5 years have passed since Hurricane Irma, the relevance of this film cannot be understated. Natural Disasters are not only a prevalent and devastating reminder of mother nature’s power, but also torrential test of man’s compassion and kindness towards one another, prompting perseverance in the face of all odds.
It is Perez Lew and Case's goal that this piece will remind viewers to help however they can when disaster strikes and that even when the news cameras leave, the struggle to return life to normal just begins.
Their debut Documentary short, In Irmas Wake: Those Who Stayed and Those Who Came, will Premiere on Vimeo, and will be submitted to a myriad of Film Festivals, this Spring and Summer. Selections and Premier will be announced upon selection.
Director, Producer
Isaac Perez
Producer, Cinematographer
Ethan Lew
Writer, Editor
John Case
Composer
Rachel Taylor
Our Featured Documentary
“In Irma’s Wake; Those Who Stayed and Those Who Came” is a Documentary Short that shares the sites, sounds, and stories of the Florida Keys community one week after Hurricane Irma made landfall as the most destructive storm in their history.
We Help Good People Tell Great Stories
Sleeping Alligator Studios - Aka Sleeping Alligators - Is a multifaceted digital media company dedicated to helping good people tell great stories. No matter the medium. No matter the magnitude. The Sleeping Alligators are committed to helping tell the stories that alter society for the better. Whether it be documentary films, commercial videos, music videos, events, book covers, audiobooks, podcasts, and everything in between, the team at Sleeping Alligators will stop at nothing to tell inspiring stories in however they need to be delivered.
We go from farm to bottle with Suja Juice, Sunny San Diego's Organic, Better-for-you, Beverage Company, learning about their evolution from a startup selling Organic Juice Cleanses to one of Forbes ' Fastest Growing Food Companies, and the integrity, transparency, a cool SoCal Culture that has propelled them to the forefront of their field.
Make sure you watch til' the end to see how we squeezed every ounce of Suja's personality to supply viewers with a unique and unpasteurized look at why they want people to drink plants and take their power.
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