'Avatar' Star Stephen Lang Endorses Video Volunteers
Channel: VideoVolunteers
Date: 2011-01-31

Avatar star endorses Video Volunteers: Actor Stephen Lang films video supporting global media initiative. Says Stephen Lang, "Video Volunteers is creating a kind of grassroots Reuters. They have created an alternative media in places that don't have cinemas or TV or even regular electricity. As an actor, it is amazing to see people who have so little producing such interesting media." Mr. Lang's endorsement is one of a series of endorsements Video Volunteers has recently received from the cinema industry. Famed Indian cinema actor Abhay Deol is the organization's "ambassador" in India, the country where, in addition to Brazil, Video Volunteers carries out most of its activities. Stephen Lang is a distinguished Tony-award nominated actor of stage and screen, "an actor's actor" according to the New York Times. His many works include the films Avatar, Public Enemies, Tombstone, Gods and Generals, and broadway performances starring in A Few Good Men, Death of a Salesman (with Dustin Hoffman), and the Speed of Darkness. Video Volunteers has built the largest media network anywhere in the world of poor people making news and documentaries on critical community issues, giving a voice to thousands of unheard people in slums and villages around the world. The people trained by Video Volunteers make videos that are shown on widescreen projectors in hundreds of villages, online and on broadcast TV. The work has created significant impact, reducing corruption, getting teachers to come on time, increasing participation in elections, and creating extraordinary leaders out of people who use to be farm laborers or Muslim housewives but who now are their villages' local journalists. The organization's work has been recognized by the Knight News Challenge, Echoing Green, TED, Waldzell, the King of Belgium, UNDP, UNESCO, Youtube and others who have helped us elevate the voices of these rural communities.

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