What options are there for young Appalachians considering whether to make a life in the region? That was the question Appalachian Media Institute interns Elyssia Lowe, Jaydon Tolliver & Joshua Collier wanted to explore in Go Your Own Way, the short documentary they created during the 2016 Summer Documentary Institute. These young filmmakers decided to focus on telling the story of four individuals -artisans, artists and visionaries- who are working to build an equitable and unique future for themselves in the hills of eastern Kentucky.

AMI’s Summer Documentary Institute is an 8-week internship for central Appalachian youth aged 14-22 in which students learn filmmaking through a hands-on approach that encourages collaboration, team building, leadership development and community engagement. The 2016 SDI was made possible with generous support from PhotoWings, Making Connections News, JPB Foundation, the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, and the Appalshop Production & Education Fund.