“Most of my childhood memories are along the PCH”
…and…I see bread crumbs of challenges across the major cities that echo the historical forces that shaped Detroit and its ruins.
Ive learned in Detroit, issues are talked about openly and without ego.
Below are themes I am researching and approaching in my documentary.
Depopulation
Loss of Core Industry
Fire/Global Warming
If Detroit went through all the above, can it be seen as a blueprint?
Image: Scene from the film
Stephen McGee's 20 year archive of Documenting Detroit and his story telling studio.
Resurgo explores how the West Coast is potentially experiencing a transition similar to the Rust Belt in the 1960s, when industrial power began dispersing from concentrated hubs. As tech and Hollywood decentralize, rising costs and shifting opportunities push people and production elsewhere, signaling a broader cycle of economic redistribution and urban reinvention.
Depopulation -
Resurgo explores how West Coast population growth followed the rise of tech and Hollywood, mirroring Detroit’s industrial boom. As technology companies decentralize and film production leaves traditional hubs, rising costs and shifting opportunities drive residents outward, illustrating a familiar cycle of migration, economic transition, and regional reinvention.
Decentralization -All major cities on the west coast have been called, “The Next Detroit”.
Resurgo explores the decentralization of technology and Hollywood by comparing today’s shifts to Detroit’s industrial history. The film shows how remote work, digital tools, and global talent networks are breaking the dominance of Silicon Valley and Los Angeles. Using Detroit as a lens, it argues that decentralization is not decline but transformation—where innovation spreads across new regions, allowing emerging cities and communities to reshape culture, industry, and creative production.
In 2010 there were 4000 structure fires in Detroit. The fire hydrants were turned off. California fire departments watch “Burn” a documentary about Detroit fire departments as inspiration just to understand how hard a fire team can work.
Climate
The Colorado River is drying up, the dams in Southwest US are at record lows, many believe Sea Levels are rising, the California fires get worse every year.
Michigan is called the number one place for climate refugees and yet there are communities a few miles off shore losing their well water because of the growing demands of aquifers.