Projects in Production or Development

Hometown Bravest: The William Cameron Engine Company
(1 x 60')

Hometown Bravest looks at life inside a small-town volunteer fire company as it struggles to recruit and train new members, pay the bills, and provide emergency services to the citizens of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and surrounding communities. The program examines the impact of recent social and economic changes on the viability of local volunteer fire departments and asks what will happen if the supply of volunteers should ever run dry.

Backstory Shorts Series (6 x 10')

Pennsylvania Backstory is Arbour Media's project for producing in-depth coverage of issues and trends in Pennsylvania. Backstory Shorts are series of 10 minute online documentaries focused on various current topics.

The Backstory Shorts series "Agents of Change" profiles previously overlooked organizations or individuals working to bring about social, cultural, or economic change in their Pennsylvania communities.

The "Minimum Wage Interviews" series presents the uncensored views of Pennsylvanians from all walks of life on issues of the day. The title is taken from the fact that participants are paid the minimum wage for their participation in a 20 minute interview at malls, fairs, and festivals across the state.

Honest Graft: Pennsylvania's Struggle for Political Reform
(1 x 60')

At around 2:00 am on morning of July 7, 2005, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed pay increases for state lawmakers, judges, and top executive-branch officials. The action occurred without debate of or opportunity for public comment on the measure. Governor Ed Rendell quickly signed the bill into law.

Passage of the pay raise, which would have increased the salaries of state legislators and other officials from 16 to 34 percent, was the catalyst for an unprecedented grass roots movement for political reform in Pennsylvania. It lead to the unseating of Supreme Court Judge, defeat of senior legislative leaders in the primaries of 2006, and the election of a record number of freshman lawmakers in the general elections of the same year. "Reform" became the most-used legislative buzzword of 2007.

Yet, by 2008, the reform agenda seemed largely exhausted. While there had been minor rules changes in the Pennsylvania House and the passage of one piece of legislation dealing with public integrity, wholesale reform of the political system that seemed possible in 2006-07 had not occurred.

Honest Graft: Pennsylvania's Struggle for Political Reform examines the reasons why political reform ran aground in the Keystone state and asks if reform will ever be possible.