DOCUMENTARY FILMS
House Painter Media collaborates with a various companies and producers- sometimes as lead producer and other times as production and post-production support. Many of the films are available to stream, so please check them out!
RECENTLY COMPLETED
Walkable USA
For centuries, cities around the globe developed in basically the same manner. Commerce, housing and socialization all existed within a short walk. The rise of the automobile in in the 20th Century, however, led to a dramatic and fundamental shift in how we designed and planned communities- especially in the United States. Interstates, bedroom communities, and shopping centers became the norm, and today many Americans can no longer easily walk to a corner store, workplace, or the a local watering hole. Studies have shown that our dependence on driving has cost us our money, our health, and our natural environment. It has made our neighborhoods less equitable, and even undermined our sense of community. How did we get to this point and what can be done? Walkable USA will tackle these questions through a hybrid approach of human-interest story, history lesson, and walkable design primer.
Producers: Tom Desch & Pat Wisniewski
Airing in March on Lakeshore PBS (Chicago/Northwest Indiana) & PBS Michiana (South Bend/Southwest Michigan)
IN PRODUCTION
THE HOUSE OF TOMORROW: AN EARLY LEADER IN SUSTAINABLE DESIGN (In Production)
The House of Tomorrow: An Early Leader in Sustainable Design will trace the story of architect George Fred Keck’s design of the House of Tomorrow in 1933 for the Chicago Century of Progress Exposition, and how unexpected results from that design led Keck to design and build solar-heated homes throughout the 1940s and 1950s- innovative designs that may offer a path forward to help reduce residential energy consumption in years to come.
Producers: Tom Desch and Jim Laukes
THE FIELD(In Production)
For more than 30 years, a political battle has been waged for the fate of two communities. An ambitious airport plan centered near the small town of Peotone, Illinois pits rural residents fighting to save their homes against suburban politicians desperate to jumpstart their region’s failing economy. Ineffective government, economic forces, and political corruption have stalled the airport development for decades, leaving these two communities in limbo.
Producers: Tom Desch & Brian Kallies
PAST PRODUCTIONS
An American HOME
Famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright redefined architecture with his design of the
B. Harley Bradley House in Kankakee, Illinois. This commission helped launch Wright’s Prairie School period where he experimented with open floor plans, long ribbons of art-glass windows, horizontal elevations, and other elements that forever changed how homes were designed. An American Home: Frank Lloyd Wright’s B. Harley Bradley House spotlights the story of this architectural treasure and explores its uncanny connection to the rise, fall, and resurgence of its designer and the community in which it resides.
Producers: Tom Desch & Pat Wisniewski
Director: Tom Desch
PRODUCED FOR MICHIANA PUBLIC MEDIA
A Century at the Morris: 100 years of inspiration
WNIT tells the story of the Morris Performing Arts Center as it celebrated its 100th birthday in 2022. This historic theater was almost lost the wrecking ball. Fortunately, it was saved and continues to host world class entertainment.
Producers: Tom Desch & Pat Winiewski
Then, Now, and Always: The St. Joseph River Story
WNIT tells the story of the St. Joseph River, including the people, history, and life along this storied river from Hillsdale to Lake Michigan. We celebrate how it has shaped the region and continues to be an integral part of our community.
Producers: Tom Desch & Pat Winiewski
FILMS BY OUR PARTNER FOR GOODNESS SAKE PRODUCTIONS
FROM SUNDOWN TO SUNRISE
Trace one man’s journey from sundown to sunrise as he and his family integrate an all-white Indiana town in 1968. By breaking the color barrier, they also helped transform the town and place it on a trajectory of inclusion.
This short film is part of INseparable Film Series created by Indiana Humanities.
Producers: Pat Wisniewski & Tom Desch
Director: Pat Wisniewski
The Lively ONE
Do you remember your first car? Hall of Fame Drag Racer Dick Brannan remembers his. It was a '32' Ford 500 Coupe and it didn't even run, but that didn't stop this young man from Indiana from changing American motorsport history. Narrated by Emmy winner Peter Coyote, this half hour film tells how an underdog, with a little bit of help, reinvented one of America's most iconic brands at the drag strip.
Producers: Pat Wisniewski, Tom Desch, Phil Zwickl
Director: Pat Wisniewski & Tom Desch
Shifting Sands
Produced by For Goodness Sake Productions, Shifting Sands: On the Path to Sustainability tells the story of how one region, where rare plants grow in the shadows of smokestacks, sparked a movement for a national park; a movement which eventually led to game-changing environmental policies with worldwide impact and unique partnerships on the path to a more sustainable world.
Producers: Pat Wisniewski, Lee Botts, Rana Segal, Tom Desch
Director: Pat Wisniewski
Everglades of The North
A production of For Goodness Sake Productions, Everglades of the North: The Story of the Grand Kankakee Marsh reveals the diverse ecology, illustrates the astonishing history, and explores the controversial saga of the Grand Kankakee Marsh, once one of the largest inland wetlands in all of North America.
Producers: Pat Wisniewski, Jeff Manes, Brian Kallies, Tom Desch
Director: Brian Kallies