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Redistricting isn’t about lines.
Redistricting is about power.
Voting Rights
In Michigan
Documentary filmmaking is all about discovery, and that’s exactly what director Rick Flynn experienced while exploring Michigan’s fight for equal voting rights.
In 2018, Michiganders voted to amend the state constitution, ending a system where redistricting was controlled behind closed doors. The amendment created the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, made up of 13 citizens, which took power away from legislators and made the process fully public. The commission drew the 2022 maps, receiving over 30,000 comments, and produced some of the fairest maps in the country, reflecting the state's electorate for the first time in a generation.
"Power Lines" traces this journey from the amendment's passage through its challenges in the Michigan Supreme Court.
Behind the Scenes
Advancing the Rule of Law in US Elections
In making this short film, we were fortunate to partner with The Carter Center, a not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization that has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
The Carter Center's Advancing the Rule of Law in U.S. Elections (ARLUSE) program provides educational opportunities for lawyers to increase their understanding of election law, processes, and procedures, enabling them to counter misinformation and narratives that undermine the electoral process and perceptions of its integrity. ALRUSE also encourages lawyers to develop a "citizen lawyer" mindset, understanding their legal skills not only as professional qualifications but as tools that can strengthen democracy.
Meet the Creative Team
A Film by
Rich Media Play
The Carter Center
Directed by
Rick Flynn
Executive Producers
Randolph Kent, Sean Gralton, Erica Phillips
Edited by
Thomas Pistor Eisenman
Produced by
Rick Flynn
Rich Adler
Featuring
Civics Teacher
Briana Sky Riley
Also Featuring
Melinda Billingsley
Catherine J. Dumke
A. Nzere Kwabena
​Steven T. Lett
Jerron Totten
Rebecca Szetela
Edward Woods III
Michigan Production Team
Production
Director of Photography
Camera Operator
Camera Operator
Sound Operator
Photographer
Get Super Rad
Christopher Rosik
Rob Cousineau
Aaron Schillinger
Chris Breest
Zac Clark
New York Production Team
Line Producer
Director of Photography
1st Assistant Camera
Art Director
Production Assistant
Production Studio
Sabbeth Garcia
Danny Feighery
Saksham Bharti
Lyndsey Smith
Keith Lee
Ogami Studios
Post-Production
Sound Services
Sound Design
Sound Mixing
Colorist
Music
Full English
Kieran Kaye
Charles Atangana
Ben Steiner
Nicholas Lareau
Jingle Punks
Special Thanks
Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission
Voters Not Politicians
LGBT Detroit
Edward Woods III
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