Joseph Lawlor

Human trafficking is a pressing issue across the world, even in the United States. With Ohio being 4th in the nation for human trafficking, Dayton is not immune to this crisis. Widely known as “modern day slavery,” human trafficking can happen to anyone due to traffickers targeting basic human vulnerabilities. The media production students at the University of Dayton are working to create a documentary aiming to educate and start a dialogue in regard to this issue. Breaking the Silence: Uncovering Ohio’s Human Trafficking Crisis seeks to give survivors of human trafficking a voice. Through both interviews with the survivors and experts on the subject, the team will attempt to uncover the complexities of human trafficking. Hearing the stories of survivors and those affected by the issue will help audiences have a better understanding of how this happens right in front our eyes, and how to better combat this national problem. Our documentary seeks to increase the awareness of this seemingly voiceless issue. Anyone could become a victim of human trafficking, and it is important for everyone to come together in order to help fight this relatively unseen problem.

It’s no secret that the heroin epidemic is a nationwide problem, but it seems to have impacted Ohio, especially Dayton, disproportionately. Media Production students at the University of Dayton are creating a documentary that educates and enlightens people as to the reality of living in the epicenter. After examining and presenting a scope and history of the problem, we are concentrating specifically on addiction as a disease, not a choice. During the course of our research, we have determined that most addicts do not use drugs to get high - they use them to avoid feeling sick due to their chemical and physical dependency. We have interviewed former addicts, treatment specialists, coroners and law enforcement officers for a comprehensive analysis of a problem that has existed for decades and likely will continue for many more. Presenting several points of view in the hopes of sharing how opioid addiction impacts different people, our documentary examines what different demographics of people believe could be the solution to mitigating an ongoing crisis. Our documentary is a call to action for the community at large, and we want to break the stigma of addiction. Whether you are married to an addict, lost a parent to addiction, or are a politician capable of spurring change, addiction does not discriminate.

Sunday Scaries is a short film created by students at the University of Dayton in consultation with Hollywood director and University of Dayton alum Jonathan Judge. Sunday Scaries follows three college students, Cody, Johnny, and Tom, who are your run of the mill college students just trying to get through another Sunday. This Sunday however, will be a lot different from any that they have experienced so far. They have to overcome obstacles like being hungover, failing economics and surviving a zombie apocalypse. The trio, along with Tom’s girlfriend Jessica, battle zombies on their way to free burritos at Chipotle. The gang realizes that Chipotle tastes even better with hard work and when your life is on the line.