Hope in the Heartland
Graduate student Gabrielle Steenberger produced a short video on the topic of the 2024 total solar eclipse for Susanne Schwibs’ Media Production Practicum. The video was screened at the Eclipse Symposium at the Gayle Karch Cooke Center in Maxwell Hall.
In the heart of rural Indiana, a tight-knit farming community celebrates the spectacle of a total solar eclipse as more than just a celestial event.
The extraordinary cosmic phenomenon not only serves as an indication of the passage of time, but for the town of Hope, a poignant reminder of how their tradition of communal gathering has helped the area thrive for generations.
Through bucolic vertie landscapes and anecdotal narratives, “Hope in the Heartland” invites viewers to experience the nostalgia-Americana, and observe the culture of collective care integral to small-towns across the nation.
Description of the video:
[Video fades in to an establishing shot of a church in a rural town. Text on screen reads, “A G.S. Riley production.” The next shot is of the backboard of a basketball hood, with the words, “Presented by the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement.” The video cuts to a shot of a road down the town of Hope, Indiana. A speed limit sign reads 35, and below it is a sign for Hope. Text on screen reads, “In association with Main Street of Hope.”] [Title screen: Hope in the Heartland. In the background is Hope’s water tower. The next shot is of a barn on farmland. A tractor is pictured. Additional shots of farmland and cows are shown.]Voice over: Agriculture is the staple industry in Hope and in Bartholomew County, farming is just in people’s blood. And I think it’s wonderful that there still are family farms handed down from one generation to the next.
[Older photos of Connie Kiviniemi-Baylor, the executive director of Main Street of Hope, are shown. Older photos of the town of Hope are also featured.]Connie: I think early on with the families that established the town, there weren’t a lot of people, so they had to count on one another to survive and thrive.
[A large white barn is shown. Text on screen reads, “The town of Hope occupies less than a square mile and has a population of roughly two thousand.” Establishing shots of Hope’s rural land. The voice of Susan Thayer Fye, Hope resident, is layered over shots of farm animals, old photos, and land.]Susan: Our family came to the Northeast Court of Bartholomew County in about 1840. When I grew up, you didn’t go to a lot of places. When you lived on a farm, and you were part of that agricultural community, which is still huge, you didn’t see a lot of people. If you got together, it was for some major event. The town square was the meeting place, and that’s where important things happened.
[The camera follows the point of view of a car driving down Hope’s Main Street. Multiple shots of the businesses and buildings along the street follow.]Voice over: Main Street of Hope is a nonprofit organization. We focus on historical preservation, economic development, and promotions. We highlight the best that Hope has to offer, and I think that’s demonstrated during all of our festivals.
[The camera focuses on a table for two people inside of a local diner. Text reads, “In April of 2024, the Town of Hope was projected to experience a total solar eclipse. Continuing their tradition of community events, Main Street of Hope organized a town festival to celebrate.”] [Posters for the eclipse festival, children doing eclipse-related activities, and chalk art of eclipse themes are shown. Multiple shots of Hope residents engaging in community events out in the center of the town.]Voice over: And this Eclipse festival that we’re doing is a three-day event to help folks gain some more understanding about the eclipse and why this one is so important. Hopefully it’ll bring lots of visitors into Hope and people have a wonderful time and experience small-town America at its best.
[More community shots of Hope residents interacting in several events together.]Voice over: People come from outside of Hope for a reason. They wanna belong. They wanna feel like they’re part of something bigger. They wanna be part of a community. We all like to show off Hope, you know, and how makes you feel. But I love this event because I think it’s a uniting effect.
[Establishing shots of Hope, people having fun, and nighttime activities.]Voice over: Coming to those events and celebrating builds relationship, and that’s what makes a community stronger. Hope is a caring community that welcomes everyone. We pride ourselves in the history of our community, and we want to keep the legacy of Hope and its founding families alive.
[The final shot is of a house on a rural land. The person behind the camera talks to an orange cat walking toward them.]Camera person: Hi buddy. Oh, he’s pretty. You’re so pretty, kitty. Oh, he’s coming right for you.
[The cat meows multiple times, then walks offscreen.]Offscreen voice: He’s camera shy.
Camera person: Oh, I got it.