Honorable Mention
Making videos a boon for community
By Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| Jody Dilgard, founder and executive director of FLICK Foundation Inc., edits video on her iMac. The nonprofit organization uses film and video to serve the community.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser Jody Dilgard Age: 57 Hometown: Kokomo, Ind.; now lives in Kahuku Family: Bude Martin, 33, son; Tiful McLaughlin, 31, daughter Occupation: executive director of FLICK Foundation Inc., or Filmmakers Locally Involved in Community Kindness Accomplishment: Dilgard founded FLICK in 1997 to use film and video to serve the community in various ways, such as by helping other nonprofit organizations with their film and video needs, working with at-risk youths and producing issue-based documentaries. Quote: "I've pretty much given my life to it." FLICK Foundation Inc. Filmmakers Locally Involved in Community Kindness 585-0950 |
"I was a dancer, I was in Hollywood
... I've had all of that, and that can be so hollow," said Dilgard, a 57-year-old resident of Kahuku.
"Now, basically I think, as a lot of people my age (may think), you feel like it's time for you to give back a little bit," she said. "So that's what I'm about right now."
Dilgard founded FLICK Foundation Inc., which stands for Filmmakers Locally Involved in Community Kindness, in 1997.
"Our mission is to use film and video to help out in communities," said Dilgard, executive director of the organization.
FLICK, supported entirely by donations, serves the community in three ways, one of which is by helping other nonprofit organizations with their video and film needs. So far FLICK has done video work for seven organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu and Sisters Offering Support.
FLICK has also produced videos for the Arc in Hawai'i, an organization that serves as an advocate for the mentally retarded. The videos, each of which were 10 to 15 minutes long, were shown at the organization's 1998 and 2000 fund-raising dinners. One of the videos was a "feel good" video about the organization, and the other was a tribute to a woman who dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of retarded people.
Garrett Toguchi, executive director of the Arc in Hawai'i, said that if they went to a for-profit company elsewhere to have the videos made, it would have probably cost them between $6,000 and $10,000. But thanks to FLICK, they paid about $2,000 and $2,500, which mainly covered editing, labor, transportation and equipment costs.
"Nonprofits like us really appreciate what she offers us," Toguchi said.
FLICK also works with at-risk youths through its Kids Shoot Cameras program, formerly called Cameras Not Guns, which was developed in 1999 out of a concern over violence in public schools. Dilgard said there was a need to refocus students' energies toward self-expression rather than self-destruction. Since the program was created, it has served between 30 and 40 youths.
The program, a series of eight preproduction classes and two days of film shooting, covers the filmmaking process, everything from developing a story idea and writing a script to doing hands-on production and editing. Kids Shoot Cameras also offers students professional mentors in the filmmaking field.
The third way FLICK aims to serve the community is by producing issue-based documentaries.
"This is the hardest group for us because it takes so long, unless you have a major backer or a lot of money," Dilgard said. "Even then it can take a long time."
Dilgard said that FLICK has not yet completed any of its documentary projects. For the past four years, the organization has been working on separate documentaries about homeless people and Cambodian refugees. Although the issues are important and "need to be told," Dilgard said, both projects are on hold because of a lack of funding.
Behind the scenes
Dilgard said that FLICK focuses on "creating."
"That's what it's all about," she said. "It's a form of art."
Art, in different forms, has always been a part of Dilgard's life. She recalled one of her earliest memories of being fascinated with filmmaking. In the early 1950s, her mother and father, who was a minister, filmed a Sunday-school-type television program in Los Angeles.
Dilgard and her siblings, who were part of the program, had to sit on stools and watch their mother give lessons. But Dilgard said she didn't pay attention to her mother like she was supposed to do.
"I'd be watching the cameras and the lights and everybody behind (the scenes)," Dilgard said and laughed. "So I had that interest right away in behind-the-camera things."
Dilgard studied dance as she got older, including ballet and jazz, and went to Hollywood where she danced for various television shows. Shae then went to college and majored in chemistry, and eventually settled down to raise her family. These days, Dilgard focuses all of her time and energy on her organization.
Dilgard said that founding FLICK was an indirect result of her being inspired by a program of the Waikiki Health Center called Care-A-Van, in which she saw volunteers distributing various necessities and supplies to homeless people.
"That's how the homeless documentary got started and that's kind of how FLICK got started," she said.
Scott Doctor, a copywriter for ADWorks, said that he became involved with FLICK because he graduated from film school about 10 years ago and thought the idea of a nonprofit organization using film and video was "unique and groundbreaking."
"I was blown away by her commitment and enthusiasm for what she's doing, and have seen her continually battle dozens of obstacles for no money or glory," Doctor said, "just personal gratification and a strong belief in her cause."
Although her work with FLICK may be satisfying, Dilgard said, it does come with its hardships, th biggest of which is not having enough money to complete certain projects, such as the documentaries.
Toguchi said she admires Dilgard for continuing despite the obstacles she faces.
"I think it shows how dedicated she is to her cause," Toguchi said. "I hope she keeps up with it."
Dilgard said that she loves what she does and has no intentions of quitting anytime soon.
"I've pretty much given my life to it," she said.
Zenaida Serrano Espanol may be reached at the zespanol@honoluluadvertiser.com.
