Open Call: Pitch Reels

The Pitch:

Every now and then, someone stands out of the crowd and makes people take notice. In this case, he happens to bear a striking resemblance to Uncle Sam, oh wait, it is Uncle Sam!

At 66, Uncle Sam Rounseville, who legally changed his name to Uncle Sam in the early '90s is a real estate agent as well as a community activist. Under the patriotic guise and garb of Uncle Sam, Rounseville, a resident of Quincy, MA, has toured dozens of states to promote the right to vote, raised about $1 million for veterans of the Gulf War in the early 1990s and continues to visit states and schools advocating political awareness and community service. On top of his public appearances, Uncle Sam maintains a 20-by-30 billboard on a busy corner in Quincy that he uses to promote a local charity every month and he dutifully donates his social security checks to charity as well.

My film will be character driven, examining how one civic-minded individual has taken it upon himself to promote the public’s involvement in politics. Uncle Sam will share how and why he began touring as the character popularized by James Montgomery Flagg, who used Uncle Sam to help promote the war effort during World War I, how the public’s involvement has changed over the years as well as his observations of the 2008 election. One definite stop will be Merrymount Elementary School in Quincy, MA where he is active with the Kids Voting Program. Here, Uncle Sam will chat with some political-savvy 5th graders about the 2008 election cycle.

About the director: As a documentarian, I focus my attention on revealing the authentic personality of my subjects and enjoy creating compositions that transform seemingly ordinary environments into visual art.