Episode 1: Sprawlanta

AmericanMakeover.tv

Enough with extreme kitchen remodels and plastic surgery - what really needs a makeover is the American city! Our towns, neighborhoods and public spaces have are overrun with ugly sprawl, with huge consequences for our health and environment.

American Makeover is a six-episode web series taking you to six cities across America in search of the antidote to suburban sprawl.

Click here to watch our pilot episode about Atlanta, Georgia and the Glenwood Park Neighborhood built by Charles Brewer.

Sprawl: American Dream or American Nightmare?

Sprawl is devouring farmland and destroying wildlife habitat. It traps us in cars and makes us lazy. Today, the average American spends about three hours per day driving - three hours stuck in traffic, emitting carbon, burning oil, wasting time. The harmful effects of sprawl are well chronicled in recent news stories, books, and documentaries. But what is the alternative?

New Urbanism: The Alternative to Sprawl

New urbanism is about creating interesting and wonderful places to live, work, shop, eat, and play. They are towns and neighborhoods designed so you can get to most places you need to go by walking.

Where are these new urbanist towns and neighborhoods, and what is it really like to live there? That's what we hope to show you in this new series, American Makeover.

All six episodes will be broadcast FREE on our youtube channel.

DVD Coming Soon

The special edition DVD will feature the entire American Makeover series plus our award-winning short film "Built to Last" and many other bonus features.

Sponsorship Opportunities

We're offering a limited number of sponsorship packages. If your company or organization is interested in this unique branding opportunity, contact producer Chris Elisara.

With ugly sprawl almost everywhere you look in America, it's time for a makeover...

Use the above links to connect with us and follow this project from concept to completion.

The producers of American Makeover thank our many generous supporters:

 

PATRON SPONSOR:

Notre Dame

 

 

EPISODE SPONSORS:

green party kits

 

placemakers

 

 

ADDITIONAL SPONSORS:

Josh Paget
Padriac Steinschneider
Steve Mouzon
Planning Commissioners Journal
Dave and Diane Paget
Sandy Sorlein
John W. Olsen
Mike Wells
Jeff Leach
Jessica Haller
Karen Pritchard
Steve Arnold
Stuart D. Post
Margot Eyring
Chris Desilets
Tina Kayne
Eliza Harris
Myrna Canin
Marvin Miller
Mary Vogel
Jeni Key
Stephen Filmanowicz
Phil LaCombe
Dan Cotter
Dave Munso
Daniel Olson
Eduardo J. Castillo Cortés
Mitchell Wittenberg
Charley
Robert H Voelker
Andrew Remick
Victor Brandon Dover
Mike Hathorne
Chelsea Allinger
Ted Timmons
Andrew Graceffa
B. Jackson
Todd W. Bonnett
Joseph Steindam
George Grasser
Michael Kersten
Kevin Clark
Bryan Aja
D. Del George
Drew Ward
Michael McCarty
Congress for the New Urbanism

Built to Last award-winning short film

"Built to Last" explores the connection between the environmental crisis and how we design and build cities and neighborhoods.

Winner of The Congress for the New Urbanism CNU17 video contest in 2009.

Produced by John Paget, Chris Elisara and Drew Ward.

 

American Makeover is created and produced by award-winning filmmakers John Paget, Chris Elisara, and Drew Ward.

Longtime friends and creative collaborators, the three recently founded First&Main Media, a film and multimedia creative agency.

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New Urbanism is the antidote to suburban sprawl - a way of building traditional neighborhoods and cities that are walkable, healthy, diverse, and wonderful places. Check out the links below to learn more:

 

contact details

Chris Elisara, Ph.D.
chris@firstandmain.tv

John Paget | Paget Films
john@firstandmaint.tv

Drew Ward
drew@firstandmain.tv