A Former Federal Agent Examines Chronic Homelessness in ’30 Seconds Away: Breaking the Cycle’
Here’s your daily dose of an indie film, web series, TV pilot, what-have-you in progress — at the end of the week, you’ll have the chance to vote for your favorite.
In the meantime: Is this a project you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.
30 Seconds Away: Breaking the Cycle
Logline: Go from the streets to the courtrooms, as Harold Sloan and fellow homeless men struggle to survive in Milwaukee, WI.
Faith Kohler, J.D, (Director/Producer) is a graduate of Marquette University Law School and Wellesley College. A former federal agent who worked extensively in Milwaukee’s high crime neighborhoods, Faith recently joined the enterprise security team of a Fortune 100 company. Throughout her law enforcement career, Faith served as a volunteer within Milwaukee’s homeless community. Her interest in understanding poverty and researching solutions led to the creation of “30 Seconds Away: Breaking the Cycle,” which was filmed between 2010 and 2015.
Jessica Farrell (Producer) is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a BFA in Film and Photography. Jessica has also produced, directed and edited her own films. Her short documentary on the U.S. Postal Service screened at the 2013 Milwaukee Film Festival.
Andrew Swant (Editor) attended film school at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and art school at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. Swant co-wrote and starred in “The Jeffrey Dahmer Files,” which premiered at SXSW and was distributed by IFC.
Alex Block (Cinematography) is a graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a BFA in Film. Alex has directed and photographed short documentary films. “30 Seconds Away: Breaking the Cycle” is his first feature documentary film.
Quinn Hester (2nd Unit Cinematography) is a graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a BFA in Film. He has done additional cinematography and lighting for documentary films including “The Jeffrey Dahmer Files,” “The 414s” and “USPS.”
About the Film: In 2010, Harold Sloan was homeless and slept outside Milwaukee’s courthouse when he wasn’t in jail. He spent his days seeking shelter in the public library and panhandling his way between meal sites. Harold was not a fan of police officers when he met Faith, a federal law enforcement officer at the time who volunteered at one of the shelters. Harold shared his story and it resonated with Faith because it destroyed any preconceived notions she had about how people become homeless and why they often stay homeless. As Harold began expressing his frustrations, Faith began documenting his story.
