How much did New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) spend on a documentary about a 26-year-old prison music program?
New Jersey media received a press release this week from the NJDOC announcing that a short documentary titled “Be Not Afraid” “spotlighting an extraordinary music program inside a prison for men” had received an award at the 22nd Annual Garden State Film Festival.
“The documentary, produced by the Department’s Office of Public Information in conjunction with the Division of Programs and Reintegration Services, focuses on an immersive music theory educational program at Garden State Correctional Facility in Chesterfield Township, N.J.,” the release explains.
“The public perception of incarcerated persons is all too frequently one-sided, failing to consider their journeys toward self-improvement, and my hope is that the public will embrace their struggles, fears and triumphs,” explained filmmaker Chris Carden, Deputy Director of Public Information for the NJDOC. “While conveying the young men’s emotional narrative in this unique setting, I also wanted to show that we, as a Department, are dedicated to providing creative, progressive opportunities to help make those journeys possible.”
It stands to reason that the doc cost at least somewhere in the thousands of dollars range, but the press release naturally didn’t disclose the price tag.
Here it is (you paid for it, so you might as well check it out):
