The "Home" Supplement
Big news this month, including full-length documentary announcement and introducing Off Season.
In between One Word documentaries, I offer a supplement — a dose of news and bits that constellated during last month’s word.
This supplement follows the word “Home.” If you haven’t watched it yet, do so here.
Today, I’ve got a few special updates that I’m excited to share.
One Word Is a Substack 2023 Featured Publication!
Last month, the Substack team added Home to their weekly highlights post, and sent me a 2023 featured publication badge. To be honest, it was quite a surprise.
I posted a Note about how the One Word community was crucial for getting featured, and you can find it, along with all the supportive comments, here:
One Word Full-Length Documentary by End of 2023
Creating a full-length documentary feels, for the first time in my life, achievable. So that’s what we’re going to do: cut an approximately 60-minute version of Season 1 and send it to a few film festivals.
My first choice is one of the world’s biggest documentary film festivals, Hot Docs. Submissions run until December, so the timing, fingers-crossed, should be perfect.
I’m still very early in this process, but the big news here is that I’m now working on each Word as chapters in an unfolding narrative. So if you haven’t watched the previous three video episodes, now is a great time to catch up:
I’m still working out what I can and cannot do with the feature-length version — film festivals are particular about premieres — but I’m planning to host a private viewing of the One Word feature documentary on Substack.
I see this as an opportunity for feedback before we finalize the edit and send it off as a submission. To keep the experience contained within the rules set out by the film festivals, the viewing will be paywalled. Anyone with a paid subscription can watch and comment.
We’ll talk details of what this would look like in another supplement, but for now, just know that no matter how you’ve supported One Word, be it a single month of membership or a full year, you’ll get access to the video and have your name in the credits.
Anyways, this is all down the road — we’re six months away from the fruits of this project. More details to come at the end of Season 1.
Let’s look at a revised calendar for the year.
We have five more documentary videos on the way, with the finale releasing at the end of October. Then, November through January, I’ll be working on the feature-length cut and figuring out what I want to do in Season 2.
June: One Word #8
July: One Word #9
August: One Word #10
September: One Word #11
October: One Word #12
November: Off Season
December: Off Season
January: Off Season
As you may have noticed, we have a three-month gap without One Word videos. I’m calling this the One Word Off Season.
Open to Submissions for One Word’s Off Season
During the One Word break, I’m introducing a special kind of guest post. The idea was pitched to me a few weeks ago by
, and I think it’s genius.Each guest post will include the creator’s piece plus a 10-20 minute podcast where we chat about you, your piece, and how it connects to themes in One Word.
It doesn’t have to be an essay, either. I’m open to music, videos, illustrations, comics, recipes, stories - whatever. Just pitch me the concept and let me know how it connects to One Word.
We have plenty of time to plan Off Season, but I’m guessing competition for a spot is going to be tough, so I recommend putting some thought into your idea before sending it my way.
Email me your pitch at: 1wordnewsletter@gmail.com or let me know you’re interested in the comments.
Next Word Premieres Friday, June 30th
Whew. Lots of updates this month!
Thanks to everyone who has supported One Word. Whether you watch, comment, pay for a subscription, or share my work, you’re making a positive impact on the direction of this project.
I’m hard at work on the edit for the next word, so don’t forget to check your inbox Friday, June 30th.
Till then,
- T
Fantastic idea, Taegan. You go get that doc out there. Wishing you the best of luck!
Absolutely cannot wait for the viewing of the feature documentary, that’s so exciting. Your success is so, so well deserved. The content you’re producing is of such a high standard and is so deeply moving, so thoughtful. It makes this whole human experience thing significantly easier for me, and I’m sure for many others, too, and for that I’m truly grateful. Congratulations, Taegan, and sincere thanks for all that you do.