Affordable Housing Music-Driven Short Film

Team Members

• Kiersten Johnson, Dramatic Art
• Gage Austin, Media and Journalism & Communication Studies

Our project is a music-driven short film that highlights the realities of affordable housing challenges in North Carolina through the voices of four individuals experiencing different struggles. The song is structured around the perspectives of a single parent renter, a man experiencing homelessness, an elderly homeowner facing rising costs, and a young professional struggling with rent and student debt. Each character shares their personal experience, leading to a climactic overlapping section that underscores the shared nature of the housing crisis.

We chose this topic because housing instability is a growing issue in North Carolina, yet many people do not fully grasp its widespread impact. By telling these stories through music and visual storytelling, we aim to make the data more personal and engaging, helping audiences connect emotionally with the issue.

We hope viewers take away a deeper understanding of how housing instability affects individuals and families from all walks of life. We also want them to recognize that this crisis is solvable through policy change, investment in affordable housing, and community action. The final section of the song introduces real solutions and calls to action, encouraging a push for meaningful change.

For this project, one team member developed the concept, wrote and produced the song, and directed the film. Another team member planned filming logistics, operated the camera, and edited the final film. Together, we combined our skills in music, storytelling, and filmmaking to create an emotionally compelling and visually engaging submission.