Great interview Tracie. The article appeared on my flipboard, the day it was published, and I was waiting for you to mention it. I've yet to watch Steven's newest documentary myself. If you've seen Vanguard's "Gateway To Heroin", how do you feel Heroin: Cape Cod compares?
While the subject matter in Vanguard's documentary was more relateable to me, as my city has also seen the effects of Rx opiate abuse, I was more drawn to you, Oreo, Alice, Jessica, and Jake, in BTH, as people. There was a genuine interest, in your well being, and empathy for the struggles you were going through, living on the streets. Steven did a great job of making the viewer connect with the subjects, of BTH. I'm hoping Steven's newest film, a balance of his former work, and the Vanguard depiction.
Finally just watched this, Steven did it again. Despite knowing who makes it, and who doesn't, thanks to reading many different interviews/articles, I felt no less heartbroken, when learning the fate of the subjects, from Heroin: Cape Cod. While Okazaki didn't follow these subjects, for as long as he followed you all in BTH, he still manages to form a relateable narrative, for the viewer. I was no less drawn in and invested in these guys, than I was you and the rest of the BTH cast. Both documentaries are equally important views at opioid addiction, for their time in history.
Addiction has touched my family. My uncle is in recovery from alcohol, and coke, while my Dad, from gambling. For my Dad, helping others, is what supported his drive to abstain from gambling. Matt Paxton, who is one of the cleaners from A&E's Hoarders, is also in recovery from Gambling. He has spoken often, on how his occupation of helping others, is his positive way of feeding his addictive behaviors. Instead of gambling, he helps.
I should already know this, but did you go straight into your field of work, after your recovery? Did you find it was a positive driving force for you? Do you have any statistics to support the likelihood of a recovery success, when it's followed up with helping others attain a sober life, vs those who go into non-service work?
I want to get this in one place. Here you go When was the film made? The film was made from Dec 1995 to Dec 1997. Originally the film was supposed to be for one year but I believe when HBO picked up the film they wanted two years. How were you picked for the film? Steven met a bunch of different people at the youth needle exchange. He wanted subjects that were slightly younger than me. He filmed a few other people that never made it into the final film Were you paid for the film? No. I was not paid for the film. he bought me a hotel to stay in for a week and bought me lunch a few times. I think they left some money for me when I was in jail too. Documentary film makers, in general, don't pay their subjects. Was I friends with the other people from the film ? Sort of. I never knew Alice. I met Oreo when he was 15 or 16. He was VERY young when the film was made. His mom used to work the desk in one of the hotels I lived in. Jake and I used to hang out. At one point he had
Being able to fall apart is a luxury many people don’t have. They carry their burdens until it breaks them. Miss Jamie was one of the most aesthetically pleasing women I had ever seen in my life. She simply glowed. When she entered a room, everyone had to stop to pay attention. She took that space over. Her smile was radiant. Her energy was infectious. She was a fireball of a human. Her petite frame was always draped with carefully selected skirts, dresses, and form fitting sweaters. She paired this with her signature plum lipstick and acrylics. She always came late in the day, usually when I had the lowest energy. Yet, I never refused her entrance. I was happy to see her. Happy to listen to her while she held court in my desk area. On this day, Jamie was wheeled into the clinic by a person I had never seen before. Instead of scrubs, he looked as if he had woken up on the streets. He looked left like a caretaker, more like a person in need of our services. Our patients i
"Hand me the alcohol wipes" I reach over the bed " this is finally starting to drain" He hand me two packets of alcohol pads. "Damn Tracey. How many fucking times are you going to do this to yourself?" That question rang in my mind for a month to come. I had been performing surgery on myself. I was laying on the bed of our hotel room. We had hustled all day to get the $35 we needed to stay here tonight plus money for dope. Soon, we will have to do the whole thing all over again. For now, I needed a place where I could take off my pants. I needed to lance this abscess to get the pressure off. It wasn't getting all that red or hard but it hurt to walk. I knew the signs. I knew when to go to the doctor. I had been there many times before. The clinic would slice me open and send me on my way with some sterile water and gauze to pack my wounds. I was quite the amateur doctor, at least in my mind. I had taken a new syringe and stuck in the middle of
Great interview Tracie. The article appeared on my flipboard, the day it was published, and I was waiting for you to mention it. I've yet to watch Steven's newest documentary myself. If you've seen Vanguard's "Gateway To Heroin", how do you feel Heroin: Cape Cod compares?
ReplyDeleteWhile the subject matter in Vanguard's documentary was more relateable to me, as my city has also seen the effects of Rx opiate abuse, I was more drawn to you, Oreo, Alice, Jessica, and Jake, in BTH, as people. There was a genuine interest, in your well being, and empathy for the struggles you were going through, living on the streets. Steven did a great job of making the viewer connect with the subjects, of BTH. I'm hoping Steven's newest film, a balance of his former work, and the Vanguard depiction.
I have not seen gateway to heroin. This film covered more people in a shorter time span so it is more of a snapshot that a study over time
DeleteFinally just watched this, Steven did it again. Despite knowing who makes it, and who doesn't, thanks to reading many different interviews/articles, I felt no less heartbroken, when learning the fate of the subjects, from Heroin: Cape Cod. While Okazaki didn't follow these subjects, for as long as he followed you all in BTH, he still manages to form a relateable narrative, for the viewer. I was no less drawn in and invested in these guys, than I was you and the rest of the BTH cast. Both documentaries are equally important views at opioid addiction, for their time in history.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good one
DeleteI hope Colie can be you, in 18yrs.
DeleteAddiction has touched my family. My uncle is in recovery from alcohol, and coke, while my Dad, from gambling. For my Dad, helping others, is what supported his drive to abstain from gambling. Matt Paxton, who is one of the cleaners from A&E's Hoarders, is also in recovery from Gambling. He has spoken often, on how his occupation of helping others, is his positive way of feeding his addictive behaviors. Instead of gambling, he helps.
I should already know this, but did you go straight into your field of work, after your recovery? Did you find it was a positive driving force for you? Do you have any statistics to support the likelihood of a recovery success, when it's followed up with helping others attain a sober life, vs those who go into non-service work?
Yes I volunteered almost right away
Delete