How Media Is Starting to Take a New Look at Families
Online, April 11, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Only recently has the media begun to publicly discuss women who do not feel the tug to produce children, and the large numbers of college-educated couples who choose to delay having children, or not have them at all. Dozens of articles have been popping up on sites such as the National Review and the Atlantic filled with statistics about today's couples. Several factors contribute to the trend, such as a desire for stability, fear of repeating their parents' cycle of divorce, and escaping the burdens of college debt. Beyond that, many women fear a loss of self, in spite of a culture that can't accept the reality of a woman who does not want to be a mother.
The entertainment media has just barely scratched the surface of this topic to date. This year a feature film entitled "The Glass House" will take a deeper look at the emotional, moral and practical impact of the decision to bring children into today's world. Hereditary genetic abnormalities, infertility, and emotional deficiencies weigh in on such a decision that is also fraught with social and cultural pressures. The film, written and directed by Steven Summers, follows three groups of people who struggle to make this choice for their futures while facing theregrets, burdens, and mistakes of their pasts. Without a particular ethical, moral, political or religious point ofview, the film reflects the universal significance of this decision on a couple's relationship, as well as the otherpeople in their lives.
Summers was raised in a happy household in suburban Pittsburgh, and continues to value the bonds of family. Now in his 30s, he has noticed many of the people in his life are at the point where they are making decisions about marriage and family. But he also recognizes that families don't always work out, that there are a lot of unknowns in the future of a family.
"The bigger question I wanted to ask is why have children? Is it for your happiness? Is it to pass on your bloodline? Is it to continue to live through someone else after you are gone?" Summers wondered about these questions and more while writing the script. He anonymously surveyed friends with questions such as these to keep his characters grounded in reality. Summers found that there are as many reasons as there are people, there is no one answer. "I've found that it is very complicated. This film has only brought up new questions for me. But I hope that people really think about why they should have children, instead of doing it because we have been told it's something we should do."
Tired of trying to go through the traditional channels of film production, Summers brought his vision to life as writer, director and producer. After three years of planning, a Chicago-based crew and a cast of many of Chicago's best-known acting talent completed the filming of "The Glass House" in July 2013. Now Summers looks to raise funds for post-production processes such as color grading, sound mixing, and festival entry. "The Glass House" film is excited to announce its final push campaign for post-production at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/finish-the-house