When the Light's Red

Although Keith Wilson's WHEN THE LIGHT'S RED starts off on an annoying note with the Austin, TX filmmaker's dueling stereophonic stream-of-consciousness inner thoughts regarding panhandlers at stoplights, before long the viewer is forced to admit that Wilson's comments - ranging from "should I give him money?" to "don't make eye contact" - are uncomfortably familiar. Struggling with a situation that many are confronted with on a daily basis, Wilson decides to do a little research: he makes a cardboard sign that reads "what do you think of panhandlers?", stakes out a corner, and talks to motorists and fellow solicitors (among other things, Wilson discovers that panhandlers refer to themselves as "flyers" after the signs they hold). Many four-wheel-interviewees believe that panhandlers are a) nuisances and b) should get jobs (no small feat in recession-stricken America), while the two-legged flyers say they're just trying to get by day to day. Kenny, a man with a busted elbow who suffers from chronic pain, says that "pain will make you do things you don't want to do," and then promptly takes Wilson's proffered five dollars to the nearest liquor store - a walking stereotype. But then Wilson meets Terry, a woman with "wild hair" who keeps a stash of one dollar bills in her car to hand out to people who she feels are trying to make a connection. Wilson ends up still feeling uncertain about how to deal with panhandlers, but he decides that he will "try to at least acknowledge that person," maybe not always with a buck, but at least with a nod, a wave, a nice word, or an apple. Not many 11-minute videos change the way you think: WHEN THE LIGHT'S RED is a thought-provoking short on a troubling social issue. Including both the original and a bleeped version for classroom use, this is highly recommended.

My students thoroughly enjoyed delving into the narrator's innermost thoughts as he examines how to respond to people often perceived as undeserving. This short, poignant film elicits important discussions about the corrosive effects of social inequality, not only on those at the bottom but also on those in positions to help.

A quick, humorous and very thought-provoking look at our internal struggles with, and external reactions to, encountering the human faces of social inequality and poverty. It is ideal for use in Sociology courses such as Intro, Social Problems, Social Psychology, and Social Stratification.

I love this film! A great tool for opening up discussion on homelessness and our response as citizens. I use the film in my Introduction to Social Work class as an icebreaker and conversation starter.

WHEN THE LIGHT'S RED provides a view into the commonly experienced but often avoided subject of giving money to panhandlers. This is a wonderful video for generating discussion among college students as the thoughts expressed in it will bring up feelings and opinions we have all had on this controversial subject.

Poignant and often hilarious take on one man's response to panhandlers...the director has taken an intractable problem and given it a lot of humor while still looking at the serious side.