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Ira McKinley: Passionate Storyteller

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Ira McKinley: Passionate Storyteller

 

 




Introduction to Ira McKinley.   2:53 min.  Interview:  Raymond Elman.  Post-Production:  Javier Romero.  Music: Billy Torello.  Recorded via Zoom:  3/11/2022, Miami.

 

IRA MCKINLEY is a filmmaker, activist, and the director/producer of the award-winning documentary “The Throwaways.” Born in upstate New York, he is now based in South Florida where his most recent film, “Outta the Muck,” is set. McKinley started his activism in the 1980s when he participated in Act Up in Ithaca, NY. During the winters of 2007/2008 he started a Homeless Arts Showcase in Northampton, MA’s Pulaski Park, which was inspired by his fifteen years being homeless himself. McKinley is the recipient of the 2014 ACLU Carol S. Knox award, 2013 MLK Storytelling + Activist Award from Siena College, 2009 Northampton Arts Council’s Emerging Filmmaker Award, and was the 2009 Producer of the Year for Northampton Community Television. His current film, “Outta The Muck,” tells the story of his family roots in Pahokee, FL and was produced with support from ITVS, JustFilms, Sundance, and Southern Documentary Fund.

The videos below were recorded via Zoom, are organized by Success Factor, and run between 20 seconds and 4 minutes. Click on any video. You must be connected to the Internet to view the videos.

 

 

DEVELOP A VOICE:   4:17 min.




What was your first awareness of art of any discipline, and how did you become interested in film?

 

SERENDIPITY:   0:40 sec.




When you moved up North during the Great Migration, what city did your family move to?

 

INSIGHT & INSPIRATION:  0:31 sec.




When your family migrated North, were they following the crop cycles?

 

COMMUNITY VALUES:  2:57 min.




New York Times columnist Charles Blow wrote a book called “The Devil You Know,” which explores the concept of reversing the Great Black Migration North, and changing the voting dynamic in 9 Southern states.

 

COMMUNITY VALUES:  2:59 min.




How are you hoping to impact Pahokee with your film, “Outta the Muck”?

 

CREATES A UNIQUE PERSONAL BRAND:  1:18 min.




Describe your approach to filmmaking.

 

OVERCOMES CHALLENGES TO SUCCEED:   1:36 min.




My father was born in Ukraine in 1894 and experienced the Russian Revolution in 1917. I remember a few of his stories, but most of them are lost forever. So like you, I am motivated to video record the story of my life.