Scene Selects: Total Time – 20:50 Role - Mary Anne Benner: Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Interviewer and Producer History of the Project: In 2008, I started a film project about one street artist in Portland, Oregon, whose art is what has kept him alive and is his way out of the situation he's in. It was always my intention to interview additional street artists to fully explain what it means to be a street artist. I knew for certain that the sound bites from their interviews, when placed around the main artist's story, would provide a deeper understanding about why people end up where they do and reveal how they survive once there. I never swayed from my original premise of the first documentary: however; in those interviews I found more than what I was looking for. I found more than just an understanding of being on the streets performing for basic needs, and I found more than just one story of perseverance. I found individuals, who, in my own moments of financial and emotional struggle, would provide shelter, food, and comfort. I found souls connected by common experiences, wounded souls attempting to heal, and souls willing to give more to the community than they receive. In looking for sound bites, I found five other artists whose stories are equally compelling and waiting to be told. “The 'Artbeat of the City” will be their venue. Each of the five artists will have a section of the 90 minute documentary devoted to their personal story. Their common experiences and the themes addressed in the movie will be used to tie each artist’s story together. The moments I've already spent with each of them, many times without the camera, allowed a trust and closeness to develop and created a bond of friendship that will be felt by the viewer.

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