‘There just has to be a way in this very wealthy state, in this very wealthy county, for people who work full-time to be able to have a safe place for their children to live.’
By: David Campbell
Princeton resident Seth Mellman’s award-winning video has put a face on Trenton’s homeless.
In its April issue, "Videomaker" magazine awarded Mr. Mellman the national grand prize in its 15th Annual Videomaker/Panasonic Short Video Contest for his short piece, "Find My Way Home," calling the work "compelling."
"There just has to be a way in this very wealthy state, in this very wealthy county, for people who work full-time to be able to have a safe place for their children to live," said a narrator of the five-minute video, which was commissioned by HomeFront, a Lawrence-based housing assistance organization.
"A home is fundamental, and without a safe, affordable roof over someone’s head, they can’t begin to maximize their potential, they can’t begin to flourish," the narrator continued. "They can’t begin to put together the kind of life that we all want for people we care about."
"Find My Way Home" is an emotionally charged chronicle of the plight of the homeless in Trenton featuring interviews with three homeless women.
One, a high school student, described the misery of not knowing where her next meal will come from.
"It’s hard because you’re a kid in school and you feel that you’re the only one who has no food to eat," the student said.
Another, a mother of three, described the hardship of trying to put her family’s life back together after losing her home to arson.
"We have to start all over with three kids," she said. "We can’t find a place to live in the city of Trenton. And all the subsidized housing, he (her husband) makes too much money.
"I’ve just about had my fill of trying the put it back together," the woman said as she broke down crying.
"The cost of living in New Jersey is too expensive," said another young woman in Mr. Mellman’s award-winning video. "I mean, you are living with rats and roaches and you’re paying $600 a month."
HomeFront Executive Director Connie Mercer said the video, which Mr. Mellman produced free of charge to the housing-assistance organization, has been shown at the state Legislature, churches and schools to raise public awareness of the plight of New Jersey’s working homeless.
"We have found the video has been terribly useful in helping folks really understand what it’s like for a homeless family, to understand how it happens to so many people for absolutely no fault of their own," Ms. Mercer said.
The HomeFront director said around 85 percent of homeless adults work 40-hour-per-week jobs and "still can’t put a roof over their babies’ heads."
"We’ve found (the video) has been very useful with legislators who have seen the figures but now are seeing the faces of people living the horror of family homelessness," Ms. Mercer said.
Mr. Mellman began his career in Los Angeles as an associate director and stage manager for network television and a freelance video producer.
He now runs SMP Video on Adams Drive in Princeton and continues to do work for television on shows such as "Good Morning America," "Hollywood Squares" and the MTV Video Music Awards.
Mr. Mellman’s move to Princeton was a gradual one, he said, and followed his marriage to Mara Isaacs, producing director at McCarter Theatre.
"My freelance schedule allowed me to make frequent trips to visit my wife in Princeton while she established herself at McCarter, and sparked our soon-to-be love affair with the Princeton community," he said.
SMP Video produces programs for corporate training and promotion, TV commercials, documentaries and special family and business events. Local clients include McCarter Theatre, HomeFront, the Girl Scouts of Delaware-Raritan Inc. and Urbahn Architectural Associates Inc.
"What separates our work from other production companies is our up-close documentary shooting style, combined with the time we invest in the editorial process," Mr. Mellman said.
Ms. Mercer said that though Mr. Mellman shot the video on a pro bono basis, "He never made us feel like we were pro bono clients, which was a real gift. Seth was a joy and a delight to work with."
The award-winning video, "Find My Way Home," may be viewed online at www.videomaker.com or www.smpvideo.com. Mr. Mellman at SMP Video may be contacted at (609) 279-0172.