An interesting story about a retiring locksmith and his travels in the city of Brooklyn is currently seeking additional funding through Kickstarter.
This unique story is quite heart warming and shown through the eyes of native Brooklynites.
Special thanks to Tom Lynch, founder of The Society Of Professional Locksmiths for making us aware of this undertaking.
Consider throwing your support behind this ambitious project to shine some light on the daily struggles of an American Made Locksmith. Kickstarter link in the source below.
From the producer...
About this project
MY CONNECTION
I think most people have experienced the gut wrenching situation of locking themselves out of their home or apartment. Two years ago I was just another person who foolishly locked himself out of his apartment...
Naturally, I panicked and felt a tremendous weight of anxiety from not being able to get into my space. I eventually called a locksmith to unlock my door. After much stress and anticipation, the locksmith came and was able to unlock my door. My feeling was sincere gratitude towards this complete stranger I just met and so I invited the man in for a glass of water.
Though my experience simply reflected deep gratitude, I soon discovered that beneath this seemingly ordinary working class job, was a vault of incredible encounters and stories inside the homes of real New Yorkers. Unlocking and entering the homes of all types of people, this locksmith had stories the were too absurd, strange and hilarious to believe. After my lock out experience I set out to find a story around this rare perspective.
A year later I walk into "All Brooklyn Locksmith", where I met my subjects and central character, Matthew Ballard. I developed a real bond with the guys at the shop and saw an opportunity to not only capture the story of a retiring Locksmith, but also the story of a rapidly changing Brooklyn.
We all want to know our place and who we are; we want to be a part of a community, however when the values and identity of our community are challenged and become unfamiliar, how does this affect us?
- Ian Moubayed
STORY
Keys to the City tells the story Matthew Ballard, a 70-year-old Brooklyn locksmith, who has unlocked and entered the homes of New Yorkers for 47 years. Amidst a time when gentrification rapidly pervades Brooklyn, and the cultural landscape of the city is rapidly shifting, Matthew has distanced himself from the people around him and now seeks to escape the place he once knew. Before retiring and pursuing a peaceful life in Savannah, Georgia, Matthew discovers that he must first teach George Goga, a young and bold first generation Armenian immigrant, about what it takes to be a New York City locksmith. Between training his replacement (George) and coming to terms with the changes he experiences in both the city and his life, Matthew must see that he already holds the key to a fulfilling life.
Keys to the City follows Matthew and George not only into the spaces of real New Yorkers, but also into the depths of their emotional and dramatic pasts. This poetic journey of an aging locksmith focuses on complicated themes of trust, alienation, and loss against the background of a changing urban landscape.
BROOKLYN
In the past two decades Brooklyn has drastically transformed from the rough borough across the river from Manhattan to a worldwide phenomenon and brand. The global perception of Brooklyn as a “hip” “edgy” New York place to live, has grown as a result of the influx of often young, white, outsiders moving into various neighborhoods within the borough.
From just 2000-2010 Williamsburg has grown nearly 30 percent in size. Keys to the City is coming out at a crucial moment when the tensions between long-standing residents and gentrifiers continue to grown as result of the rapid economic and cultural changes happening within the borough. The film captures a unique perspective of the culturally rich and diverse borough that defies the popular, telescopic perception of Brooklyn. Keys to the City exposes the real Brooklyn inside and out through the perspective of two New York locksmiths as they travel across the city into the most intimate spaces of all types of people.
PHOTO PROJECT
To accompany the film, we'll be launching a photo documenting project. The narrative behind the photo project will be directly informed by themes in Keys to the City. Each series of 3 photos captured inside the homes and spaces of real Brooklyn natives is designed not only to offer rare access into people's most intimate physical spaces, but also take viewers deeper into their metaphorical space (perspective) within the larger narrative of Brooklyn. Collectively the wide spectrum of Brooklyn voices will contribute to an honest narrative around peoples' relationship to Brooklyn and perspective of what it was, is, and becoming.
Source...
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ReplyDeleteIf your locked out, need a lock repaired or just need your security updated to the latest insurance standards, then Kings Security are your local Kingston Locksmiths.
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