Monthly Video Series Celebrates Everyday Chicago

By Jessica Mlinaric in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 12, 2014 6:00PM

How did you get here? To Chicago? Wherever you are? Local filmmaker Justin Harenchar demonstrates his answer in three second intervals with his monthly video series “How We Got Here.”

The series honors everyday life in Chicago, from the outstanding to the mundane, by compiling daily three second clips into a film each month. The 24-year-old filmmaker aims to, “find a unique daily moment, regardless of scale, to put together a unified story of just how a life leads up to its present state.”

“How We Got Here” celebrates Chicago’s little moments in a manner that feels simultaneously personal and universal. Stunning architectural shots are punctuated by stolen moments among strangers and seemingly banal snapshots of urban life.

Harenchar began contemplating his course after moving to Chicago from his small Pennsylvania hometown. He’s been recording daily vignettes with his iPhone 5S since the beginning of 2014.

"I tend to like the ones that are unique things that I know only will happen once," Harenchar told DNAinfo Chicago. "I wanted to make something more cinematic or more theatrical ... and I think Chicago is one of the best cities [for] that."

Sample some of the video series below, and check out Joyland Films on Vimeo to view the rest of "How We Got Here."