Digital Scholarship and Initiatives

Gazda, who was a cast member in the film, gives a detailed account of the production of Through Native Eyes in the spring and summer of 1999. She is careful to mention the names and credentials of numerous persons involved in the film - actors, writers, director of photography, composer, and more. She gives enough details of the Henry Berry Lowry story to provide the necessary context for readers not familiar with the Lumbee folk hero. The film, produced at a cost of $35,000 was a student project for Van Coleman (formerly an actor and productions manager) who was completing a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film and Video Production at UNC-Greensboro. The film received support from UNC-Pembroke and from various North Carolina individuals, businesses, and communities. The funding was used for editing, distribution, and equipment rental. The time of everyone involved was donated. Fifty-six scenes were shot in ten days - most in Robeson County. Over 500 people auditioned for the 25 roles. As of this writing, over 600 copies of the film had been distributed to high schools and libraries, mainly in North Carolina.