Forced to abandon their home with only a few personal belongings, NIU graduate Tim Ryan and wife Heather joined thousands of other evacuees leaving New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the Big Easy.

While waiting in the endless traffic to leave the city, the two began interviewing each other with a video camera to pass the time. They soon realized their footage would be the beginning of a heart-wrenching documentary about the painful experiences of those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

“We feel very strongly about the wonderful city and people of New Orleans,” said Tim, executive director of the New Orleans Video Access Center. “All of us who have been forced to leave our city and homes have been challenged in such a way that we have no choice but to lift and encourage one another.”

The goal of the documentary is to capture the rebuilding of lives and the city of New Orleans on film.

“We anticipate working on this project for the next year as we follow the rebuilding efforts of the lives, businesses, organizations and culture that make New Orleans such a unique city,” Tim said.

Tim and his wife have spoken with many others affected by the hurricane. They have visited shelters and followed people as they applied for food stamps and unemployment relief. The Ryans also witnessed people seeking religious support at a Baton Rouge Southern Baptist church.

“I’ve both felt and witnessed people go through a variety of emotions including shock, anger, despair, hopelessness and hope,” Tim said. “I think the biggest surprise has been the strength of the human spirit and the ability to rise above extreme challenges.”

Heather, a New Orleans actress, came up with the project idea. Many people are quickly getting involved.

In addition to local filmmakers, artists across the country have been approaching the Ryans about the project, including an award-winning composer in New York, an award-winning actress and writer in Los Angeles and several other documentary filmmakers, Tim said.

The names of interested parties cannot be disclosed at this time.

The Ryans anticipate receiving more footage from locals as people begin returning to their homes and city.

The project is now being funded by small donations from people across the nation, but as a long-term plan is established, applying for grant funding from corporations will be necessary.

Tim hopes to have initial footage and story lines completed in the next year, but the actual completion of the film depends on how quickly rebuilding begins.

“Walking to New Orleans” is the current working title of the documentary. It shares its name with a song by rock and roll pioneer Fats Domino, who was rescued from New Orleans Sept. 1, as reported on cnn.com.

Tim graduated from NIU in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance. In 1987, he began selling ads for the Northern Star and in 1988 became assistant advertising manager for the Northern Star.