I was beyond honored to learn that The Story of Plastic was nominated for an Emmy in Outstanding Writing for Documentary! Crafting a story out of real people's words, expressions, and lives is a privilege and responsibility, and I believe that in its best form is also a collaboration of shared authorship. Any spotlight on the film needs to also be on the amazing group of on-the-ground heroes for the work they do, for sharing their stories, and for making the film what it was. And here's to the film team made up of artists and activists who I'm incredibly grateful to have worked alongside. I’m grateful Discovery not only programmed the film but also felt strongly enough to submit it for this category. I’m also grateful to the film’s director and producer, Deia Schlosberg, for recognizing the writing role that is inherent to most documentary editing and for listing co-editor Brian Wilson and me as writers.
The Story of Plastic aimed to center the voices of fenceline communities and activists, while utilizing a diverse array of archival sources for context and also original animated vignettes to illustrate complicated systems. On top of that, it was a story that interweaved multiple through lines: an historical overview from the 1930s to the 2020s, a detailed explanation of the linear plastic production/disposal system, and an emotional progression of activists’ work. Moreover, the most dramatic reveal in the story happens at the beginning of the linear production system, so the story had to balance all these elements in a way that allowed the film to move between them fluidly while still achieving both clarity and dramatic impact.
