Dan Habib To Leave Concord Monitor For Filmmaking
CONCORD, NH (February 7, 2008) - Concord Monitor photography editor Dan Habib said today that he's planning to leave the newspaper to take a job with the University of New Hampshire as a filmmaker in residence.
"The paperwork at UNH is still being finalized, but I expect to leave the Monitor and start at UNH in mid-March," Habib told News Photographer magazine today.
Since it's debut last November, Habib's film "Including Samuel" has received national acclaim. He directed, produced, and shot the documentary that was edited by Rikk Desgres. "Including Samuel" examines the educational and social inclusion of youth with disabilities and was built on the efforts of Habib and his family (wife Betsy, and son Isaiah, 11) to include his son Samuel, 8, in all facets of school and community. The documentary also includes four other families with varied inclusion experiences plus interviews with dozens of teachers, youth, parents, and disability rights experts.
"Including Samuel," which also has a companion Web site, can be purchased as an individual version for $35 or as an educational package that comes with a teacher's guide for $180. The film has been featured in the national media, it has screened across the country, and Habib says there are many more events planned for "Including Samuel" in 2008.
"Making the film was an incredible experience," Habib said. "It has taken off nationally faster than I expected. That led me to think that perhaps I could really make a go of this documentary film career." Habib's wrote about his first-person experience of making the documentary in a feature article in the September 2007 issue of News Photographer magazine, and he's also working on securing a national broadcast for "Including Samuel." Habib says that he will continue to make more films on disability related topics, including a follow-up to Samuel's experiences as he heads toward middle school.
The photojournalist said that about a year ago he started thinking about what would come next professionally after the film was released and the New Hampshire presidential primary race was finished. "So I designed my dream job," he said.
In early January, Habib pitched his "dream job" description to the Institute on Disability, part of UNH and a key partner on "Including Samuel." He says they were excited by the prospect. "'Including Samuel' embodies their mission and it's a win-win for us to be closely aligned." Habib may also do some teaching in the future, and will advise the Institute on Disability on their communications strategy and help them improve their visual archive.
"The Institute on Disability has about 40 staffers and a $4 million budget. It is based in Durham, New Hampshire, but they have a satellite Concord office so we are not moving and my commute goes from 5 minutes to 10 minutes."
"I'll miss newspapers, where I've spend most of the last 20 years of my professional life," Habib said. "But I'm incredibly excited for this new stage in my career." He's been the photography editor for the Concord Monitor since 1995, and was a staff photographer there from 1988 to 1992. In 2006 he was named Photography Editor of the Year for newspapers with circulation less than 100,000. As a freelancer he created a multimedia documentary, "Teen Sexuality in a Culture of Confusion." Habib has been an NPPA member since 1985.
Habib said that shortly he'll be listing the Monitor's photography editor's job on the National Press Photographers Association's Job Information Bank, and that the deadline to apply for the job will be February 20, 2008.
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