Kickstart This: New Documentary Uses Comics to Explore Stereotypes

A worthwhile Kickstarter campaign that could use your contributions… It’s already passed its base goal as you can see below, of $12,000. with a total thus far of $16,000. But the ultimate goal of the filmmakers is to raise as much as $65,000 (although not necessarily all at once), to not only complete the film, but also to market it, tour the film festival circuit and an eventual commercial release. So their next goal after meeting the first one, is now at $35,000.

So take a look at the sales pitch and video below, and if you’re sold, visit the project’s Kickstarter page to make a contribution.

Here is the post straight on Indiewire.

Meet Harleen Kaur, Who Is Taking On Stereotyping Like A Superhero!

You are being stereotyped every single day. And let me break the suspense. You are stereotyping others too. Every. Single. Day.

Surprised? We all build our own sets of beliefs and notions based on our experiences. There are some, which are based on our individual experiences since the time we are born. And then there are some, which develop collectively as we experience life in a society. Just try this – Picture in your mind, in sequence, a black man, a blonde woman, a Sikh, a Tamilian, a pregnant woman, a government official. Didn’t preconceived ideas on their attire, their behavior, their body shapes, their food habits – all come unbidden into your mind? These assumptions come into play irrespective of whether someone is looked at through the lens of race, gender, religion, profession, or simply a stage of life.

What started as the human mind’s intrinsic way of slotting people in order to ease our understanding of our surroundings has evolved into being this humongous barrier all around us. Here’s an indie film that hopes to shatter these stereotypes and let us look at life with innocent eyes once again.

We caught up with the creative force behind the making of the film, Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes, Harleen Kaur. This MBA & business professional and mother of two kids (one is 2 years old and the other is just 2 months old) in her early 30s, is defying every single stereotypical image that popped into your mind when you read this sentence. She herself has experienced ethnic and gender stereotyping as an Indian woman living in the US. She’s had people refusing to join her crew for her first film for, well, being pregnant with her first child at that time! She feels that the only way to deal with it personally is to have a solid belief system as a guide and do our bit to start the conversation at the societal level.

Image courtesy: Kaur Films

She is out to raise $65,000 for her Kickstarter campaign, of which about $14,000 has been raised. It is an ambitious film set to be shot in 6 cities across 3 countries. How widely this story reaches is quite simply in your hands, dear readers. We believe it is a story worth being told and told very well.

Excerpts from an interview with the gutsy lady:

Tell us a little bit about your childhood?

I grew up across India as my father served in the Indian army, from which he retired as a Brigadier in the Infantry division. We moved often, and I ended up studying in about 10-12 schools during my formative years. Imagine this – my father is a Sikh, but he led the Madras regiment – to the uninitiated, the cultural difference is as stark as night and day. Simply by being part of this life, we were exposed to people from all strata of society, different religions, and cultures in our childhood. Discipline, adjusting to your environment, making conversations with strangers, everything becomes second nature. For example, living in the small town of Damdim, our school was 60 kilometers away. There was no room for “No, I can’t go to this school,” because that was the only one close to where we lived. That was the school, and one simply went there without complaining. Towards the end of my school years, my father got posted at Delhi where I graduated with a degree in Economics (Hons) from Jesus & Mary College in Delhi University.

What happened after the studies? How did your career get its start?

After graduation, I worked with National Geographic Channel’s History Channel. My experience and interest in media originated from there. A few years later when I went to the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, I leveraged my experience in the domain and was the founding president of the ISB Media Club. The diverse experiences during the management program were challenging and kept things interesting. At the end of the program, I joined Colgate Palmolive as Associate Brand Manager in New York where I managed brands in the US and Latin America. Also, living in New York, you get to be a part of this very diverse melting pot which is a tremendously enriching experience professionally and personally. From there, I moved to Bolthouse Farms (now bought over by Campbell Soups) in Bakersfield, where I helped establish their marketing division. These two jobs gave me a perspective from two opposite ends of the spectrum – working for a large, well-recognized firm and living in a metro like NYC, and then working out of a trailer for a small, niche brand and living in the countryside.

How did filmmaking happen in the midst of such a growing career in Marketing?

I have always wanted to do something that involved storytelling. A few years ago, I was nominated to the jury for United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF). I became a part of a world where I saw so many different stories from countries all over the world. There were amazing films from Iran, Palestine, Africa, Colombia, Poland, and of course wonderful independent films from the US. I realized that there are hundreds of stories just waiting to be told. I realized that if I don’t do this for myself, nobody else will. So I quit my corporate job to make documentary films at Kaur Films, with a vision to “create to inspire.”

My first film was “The Odd Couple,” a moving tale of two triathletes, each with their own difficulties and how they inspired each other to never give up on their dreams. One is a below-the-knee amputee, while the other is a Sikh. I did not have many expectations from the film and was pleasantly surprised when it made it to various film festivals in the US and Australia and received much love.

Tell us about Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes, your next planned movie.

After the first film, I wanted to do something different. While we know that there is a lot of stereotyping happening around us, the challenge was to find the right tone to get more people to accept and digest the ideas. Lecturing on such a serious topic is most definitely not the best way to reach out to a larger audience. Secondly, media consumption has changed a lot in the past few years, and we need to creatively adapt to these changes.

Think about this – as a child, did anyone teach you how to read your favorite superhero comics? No. You just picked one up and immersed yourself in that world. Comics and superheroes have a universal appeal. They cut across age, gender, cultural dimensions and have a similar interpretation of values by almost all readers. But, are there superheroes who are multicultural? How many female protagonists are in the mainstream superhero universe? Why aren’t there many African American superheroes? Or Sikhs? So that had me thinking – what if, these same thoughts could be conveyed in a humorous manner to have its own universal appeal, wouldn’t that really stir the conversation on stereotyping? That was the genesis of the idea.

Tell us about the three protagonists in the movie?

Keith Knight – He has been drawing cartoons for more than 20 years. He was chosen as the NAACP History Maker of 2015. His work also often deals with political and social issues. He’s also one of the funniest and most highly regarded cartoonists in America, and the creator of three popular comic strips: the Knight Life, (t)hink, and the K Chronicles.

Eileen Alden – It is interesting because conventional wisdom says that a white woman would NOT be stereotyped. But it did happen to Eileen when she was living in Asia when she set up an independent record label. Yet, she embodies an amazing spirit that is always pushing the boundaries. She has directed films, been in a rock band right after having her first child while juggling a career in the male-dominated financial services sector. Now, she is creating an action-packed comic book while most people assume a woman superhero creator would probably choose a more emotional storyline.

Image courtesy: Kaur Films

Vishavjit Singh – He is an editorial cartoonist based in NY and more popularly known as the Sikh Captain America for his costume role playing. Vish is pushing the limits of how a much-adored comic book superhero should look. In his own creative way, he challenges the appearance of Captain America – an iconic superhero. This encourages people to think – is the idea of Captain America a person who wears the costume? Or is it someone who embodies a set of noble values and stands up for them?

On screen, you will also see experts who bring a neutral perspective to the storyline and talk about why this issue is so important now. While the story may be set in the US, we see similar issues in India and other parts of the world.

Andrew Farago is the curator of the Cartoon Art Museum who talks about why comics are important and brings to bear his authority in the field. Prof. Arvind Singhal has been researching entertainment education for 30 years. He talks about how media can be a creative force and educate while entertaining. Adam Elrashidi is a producer at Al Jazeera network and brings in the perspective on how media can help in creating as well as shattering stereotypes.

All these protagonists shake and stir the conversation about stereotypes.

Why did you put it on Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is a great platform to raise funds for creative projects. At the same time, it starts the conversation early in the creative process. So we can listen to the conversation the audience is having and include these perspectives. Without a crowdfunding platform, these inputs would be lost. When the community feels empowered, change is inevitable.

I’d encourage everyone to go to the Kickstarter campaign and contribute to the making of Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes, not only financially, but also with their thoughts and ideas.

Featured image courtesy: Kaur Films

There are quite a few stereotypes in comic books. One documentary is aiming at discussing stereotypes in the comic book industry and how the industry is working to become more inclusive. Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes, directed by Harleen Singh, features Eileen Kaur Alden, co-creator of the comic book Super Sikh, Vishavjit Singh, also known as Sikh Captain America, and cartoonist Keith Knight.
Singh told NBC News one of the reasons why comic books are the subject of this project. “Comics are an excellent lens on the society,” he said. “The incorporate storylines that reflect the times, but they also propagate stereotypes for their super heroes. It’s the perfect back drop for getting the message across about how generalization is not the best thing.”

Alden also told NBC News how comic book creators are now empowered to create more diverse stories. “It’s not just about slapping a diverse character into an old trope. I think what people are really craving is really diverse stories, something that’s not quite so focus-grouped or old and familiar.” Alden said that comics featuring diversity were once considered “outsiders,” and now these properties are part of the mainstream.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Here is an excerpt from the page:

Do you ever wonder how stereotypes propagate? That’s the question filmmaker Harleen Singh wants to answer with her new film, “Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes.” The documentary, which started its crowdfunding campaign this week and has already broken 80 percent of its goal, will examine racial and gender stereotypes through comic books.

“Comics are an excellent lens on the society,” Singh told NBC News. “They incorporate storylines that reflect the times, but they also propagate stereotypes for their super heroes. It’s the perfect back drop for getting the message across about how generalization is not the best thing.”

Check out the full story here.

Education: MBA in Marketing and Strategy from the Indian School of Business, ISB, in Hyderabad, India.

What inspired the creation of Kaur Films?

I am a big fan of story telling and it is fascinating to watch characters in a story come to life. When I was working for National Geographic and The History Channel, I helped produce, pick and market documentaries. Watching and understanding the craft behind story telling definitely piqued my interest. However, I got lost on the corporate side of things when I started working as a brand manager for a few consumer product companies and my personal creativity took a backstage. But, somewhere at the back of my head I always wanted to go back to films and film making.

A couple of years ago, I quit my traditional corporate job and started to seriously think about film making – and started to learn the process of being an independent film maker. It was during this time that I was invited to be a member of the United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF), San Francisco as a jury member. For my first 2 years at UNAFF, we probably went through 1000+ films on a wide variety of subjects and from different parts of the world. I was quite surprised that none of these stories had a Sikh perspective. The story teller in me woke up and said, “If we don’t tell our own stories then no one else will.” We ought to make our own stories, market them and showcase them to the world. That’s the genesis of Kaur Films.

What is your mission? vision?

At Kaur Films we Imagine, Create and Inspire – our stories are for everyone. There are hundreds of contemporary Sikh stories waiting to be told and we want to bring inspirational stories to life. In a way, our stories are no different from any other human story, but being a Sikh itself provides a different perspective and color to them. There are lots of heroes around us and it is their stories that we try and weave into the mainstream story telling platforms. The best way to do that is to integrate other cultures into our stories.

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

As I said earlier, the unique Sikh perspective is lost when it comes to mainstream media – and in today’s world, media drives everything – it not only tells us the content of our thoughts but also how to think those thoughts. It is no wonder that Sikhs have been stereotyped in the media – and Sikhs everywhere are battling those very stereotypes. In order to change the culture of a society, we need to change the stories that we tell. Kaur Films is changing the stories and if we do this persistently, we will be able to change the culture of stereotyping that precedes us. Hopefully, we can inspire others to tell their own stories along the way. Here is some more information on our forthcoming project, Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes. 

How can others get involved or contribute?

Historically, Sikhs have been at the center of creating amazing real life stories and we have been wonderful story tellers as well. We need to revive this art and liberally use modern tools in doing so. So my advice to everyone is to search for stories that excite you, that you want to be a part of, where you can bring your own unique perspective and go full throttle in making the story happen. Share, contribute, inspire, change – that’s the best way to get involved. If you like something that Kaur Films is doing, do get in touch. More information here: www.kaurfilms.com.

What do you enjoy most about working on Kaur Films?

Each day is new, different and offers an opportunity to learn and create and that is what I love most about working on documentary films. My first film The Odd Couple taught me a lot about sports, athletes, triathlons, challenges and struggles that a sportsperson goes through.

My second film Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes is about combating stereotypes and racism – the story is told with a backdrop of comic books. It has been a steep learning curve – about comic books, the portrayal of superheroes, about struggles of African Americans and even how entertainment can have a role in educating people. What I really enjoy is piecing diverse elements to create a good story. Kaur Films is a one woman show and I am grateful that I get a lot of help from my family to do the work that I am doing.

When and how did you realize this was the career path for you?

I am sort of an accidental film maker. Ever since I was involved with the National Geographic channel, I knew that somewhere down the line this is what I would want to take up as a career. In 2013, I stumbled upon the story of Parvin and Jeff and decided to go with the flow and made my first short film The Odd Couple. The film went on to be screened in many film festivals in US, Canada, and Australia and the overall response has been very encouraging. So, in a way, I am still going with the flow – and as long as I can find compelling stories I will continue to weave them into films.

How do you feel Sikhi inspires your work?

Every aspect of my life, work or otherwise is inspired by Sikh values. Before I started with films, I also did a podcast series on Sikh History (available free on iTunes here.) That’s when I truly realized how rich our own history has been – 500 years ago, Sikhs were talking about equality, tolerance, equal rights for women etc. It is almost surreal to imagine the political, religious social discourse back then and yet the solutions that came out of the Sikh teachings were so farsighted and as we call them today – liberal and progressive. These lessons continue to be inspiring and uplifting – and I derive my motivation from those very stories of our heritage. There are times when I am really drained out and feel completely done – this happened on occasions as I was filming while being 7/8 months pregnant. But then remembering these stories carries the day for me.

What elements of Sikh values are in your work?

While there are various elements of Sikh values that are in my work, but two that stand out for me are being in a state of Chardi Kala (eternal optimism) and the concept of Nirvair – without malice and prejudice. Treating everyone equally and with dignity is something that all generations have to learn for themselves. Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes has people from all walks of life and from all cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. But to see them as equals and understand them as persons first have helped me immensely in giving them their due part in the film.

What advice do you have for young Kaur’s may want to pursue film but are trepidatious?

My advise to anyone who wants to pursue their dreams is to first be confident that if this is what really excites you and you really want to do it – put in the time, energy and effort to make it happen. Obsess about it. Research and do your due diligence so that you are aware of what you are getting into and while there will be plenty of surprises – you are equipped to handle them. There will be missteps and puddles in between, learn from those but don’t regret your decisions.

For it was by sheer accident that bored of making sales calls in New Delhi, I called up the offices of National Geographic, asking for a job on a Friday and started working with them a week later. One fine monsoon afternoon, a chance meeting with Steve McCurry, the photographer of The Afghan Girl, taught me two things that I would always carry with me: to be intensely aware of the world around me and to live life passionately.

Years later, now in San Francisco, another set of happy coincidences matured into a role as a jury member of United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF). I met diverse filmmakers from across the world, telling their own stories — of pizzas in Iran or baseballs in Havana or why the bread I eat is not what I think it is. Some of these are so far removed from our lives, yet provide a perspective — to learn, to think and to keep me alive.

So, in this spirit of being alive, I simply want to tell my stories. Stories that may originate from where I live, where I travel and the people I meet. Surely, not everyone is going to feel the same way as I do or understand where I am coming from, but that’s ok. It’s ok to have a diversity of thought and opinion, because in this diversity lies the accidental discovery of things that matter. Diversity is necessary for serendipity, and chance discoveries make great stories.

I may not know what inspires me — for it is a fleeting moment, if I am aware, I may recognize it, else it is gone forever. But I do know that inspiration does not come when we build walls around ourselves or isolate people and their lived experiences because they look or appear different to us. Inspiration lurks somewhere in appreciating these differences as the richest form of human experiences. As a Sikh, I have been outside these walls many times and I often ask myself, “If I don’t tell these Sikh stories, who else will?” and perhaps more importantly, “How?”

Which brings me to write about my current project, Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes, in which I challenge gender, racial and appearance biases, but with a backdrop of comic books and superheroes. Here is a sneak peek:

Comics are everywhere, in all cultures, in all countries and are for all ages. Turn on television or Netflix and chances are you will see some show inspired by or adapted from a comic book. Go shopping at the mall or a department store and you will be guaranteed to find comic boom memorabilia and merchandise for sale. Movies based on comic books are some of the highest grossing films each year.

Comic books have the ability to instill important values and life lessons into its readers, such as protecting the weak, believing in hope, and a rare combination of simultaneously having the courage and a strong moral ethic. For all of the good, comic books have a tendency to perpetuate stereotypes among people, especially gender and racial ones. Almost all the superheroes are anglo American male wearing a cape, with super human powers and often depict women in minor roles. There are no Sikh Superheroes or role models in this genre. Disney has a history of bringing racist/sexist characters to life. Black, Latino, gay characters are all underrepresented, and women are just reduced to sex symbols. The gap is too glaring to ignore and since I wanted to make a film on stereotypes, this provided a perfect opportunity I don’t think anyone has attempted such an audacious story before this.

In the film “Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes” I challenge such stereotypes. The film weaves together stories of three comic creators Eileen Kaur Alden, Keith Knight and Vishavjit Singh, who share their perspective of being stereotyped and how they constantly challenge this notion through their work and in their personal lives.

On the face, Keith, Vish, and Eileen look like they are worlds apart — when you see them onscreen together, you immediately think — what are these disjointed set of people doing together? So subconsciously, as an audience, you have already bucketed them — rightly or wrongly. And that’s I want you to place yourself as the film begins.

Over the course of the film, I also interview voices in academia (Dr. Arvind Singhal), media (@Adam Elrashidi) and an expert on cartoon art (Andrew Farago). With hard evidence, they explain how consciously or unconsciously we box people and make generalizations based on race, color, gender or looks. Through their voices, we get a perspective on how our lead artists are creating and curating new stories to counter the deeply negative subculture of stereotyping. So in effect, I am telling a story of how other artists are telling their stories.

And we all ought to tell our own stories, for they may uncover another superhero.

Perhaps David Bowie anticipated it in his song Heroes:

We can be heroes, forever and ever

What’d you say?

I know I’d say Drawn Together- Comics, Diversity and stereotypes.

Imagine a world where everything is the same – one kind of plants, trees, animals, only one color, identical homes, all the streets with same names, homes with same numbers. Imagine a world where you only have one kind of pots and pans and you eat the same food for every meal, every day, we do the exact same tasks every day – day in and day out and are surrounded by people who all look the same.

SARABJIT SINGH, WATERCOLOR, THE ART OF DIVERSITY