Red Line D.C.

The Red Line D.C. Project is a story about the relationship between public space, public art and public transit.

For me, that story is personal. And I hope it will be for you, as well.

As a native of Washington, D.C., and everyday metro rider, I became curious about my commute when one name -- "JU" -- started appearing on the outdoor portion of my Red line route. The unknown assailant and his colorful, spray-painted pieces began to define my ride. And what began as graduate research soon evolved into a graffiti documentary like none other, an exploration of everyday aesthetics and shared space in the capital city.

For the past two years, I've been working behind the scenes as director/producer of this project and been riffing about the Red Line online, using documentary and social media to explore the significance of the space. To graffiti writers, like JU, "the Line" is a time-honored tradition; to commuters, it is a means to an end destination. And for business owners, developers and city officials, the space along the Red line is rapidly changing real estate. With the help of a skeleton crew and kind supporters (like you!), I've been doing my best to capture the visual history and experience of the Red line from the perspective of those who interact with it the most. 

Are you up for joining the ride?

What We Need & What You Get

Your generous investment will make this transmedia documentary project a reality by covering post-production costs and expanding the documentary’s reach. The initial phase of the project was made possible by a $1,500 planning grant awarded to us by the Humanities Council of Washington D.C. And now that we've wrapped production, we need your support to promote and distribute the final products: two 20-minute films, one about the indirect human connections created by Red line graffiti and the other about the history of the space. (Watch the rough cut of pt. 1 at the top of this page.)

We need to raise $5,000 to pay for art design and materials, DVD production and promotional perks for Red line enthusiasts like yourself. What remains of the funding will be used to pay the marketing director, cinematographers, production assistants and designers, basically all the fine folks (below) who tirelessly labored for love, simply because they believed this sort of conversation was worth having. 

The Impact

To us, the Red line represents the unsteady pulse of the city, as transient as the graffiti on the walls and the people on board. So it's a sense of purpose, as opposed to profit, that I ask you to help support this campaign.

The Red Line D.C. Project is about more than what appears on film. Open discussion and renewed interest is essential. Documentary is just the vehicle to bring more bodies, more eyes and more inquiry into the Red line and others public spaces around the city. I'm using this project as a way to re-engage other commuters with the environment and aesthetics that we so often take for granted. 

Other Ways You Can Help

If you can't give us funding, we’d love for you to poke around this page, visit our website [redlinedc.wordpress.com] and check out the awesome local resources that we've teamed up with to make The Red Line D.C. Project happen.

Contribute your voice to the conversation by leaving a comment and using Indiegogo's share tools to pass the word on about our campaign via Facebook, Twitter, etc. You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram, too! [@_RedLineDC_; @redlinedc]

However you get on board with us, we appreciate your interest and support. THANK YOU for checking out Red Line D.C.!

HUMANITIES COUNCIL | http://www.wdchumanities.org/ 

CHEZ HAREG | http://www.chezharegpastries.com/

HONDO COFFEE | http://www.hondocoffee.com/  

TIM CONLON | http://www.conoperative.com/