The Noble Homes Video Competition challenged filmmakers to showcase the true reality of living in a manufactured (not mobile) homes. 
Too often, these homes are unfairly characterized as housing of “last resort.” In reality, this housing stock is a vital source of unsubsidized, affordable housing. In many of these neighborhoods, hard-working members help themselves, their community and their neighbors.
With 30 videos to judge, owners of manufactured homes voted on which ones they felt best depicted manufactured homes and the people who live in them.
There were two categories filmmakers could enter. The first was for social media videos, which were 30 seconds to a minute long. The second short video contest allowed videos up to three minutes.
The first place winners are Roger Michel for the Social Media Video portion and Robert Uth for the Short Video portion.
“I was inspired by my childhood summers visiting my uncle,” Michel said. “He lived in a manufactured home community and I remember the neighborhood being very close and welcoming. I have many good memories of playing outside in the summers with some of the other kids and it was just a great atmosphere to be in.”
After starting work on his animation, Michel said he saw firsthand how far the misconceptions and stereotypes were from the truth.
“These are communities built with hardworking people in mind, and it’s disappointing to see people generalize,” he said. “I hope I illustrated that with my submission.”
Uth said he had a similar experience. Having Laurie Westendorf show him around her Kalispell, Mont., home was an experience that stuck with him.
“I was struck by the joy her home gave to her, and the importance of ownership to her,” he said. I had never been in a manufactured home before, and I was also struck by the attractiveness and openness of the living space. To this day, I still think of how proud Laurie was of her home, it really impressed me, and my goal with the film was to make others feel that way.”
Brett Hansen was voted the second place winner for both the Social Media and Short Video contests.
Hansen said he truly enjoyed the work he did on the project, and getting to hear and share the stories of two residents in Halcyon Mobile Home Park in Seattle, Wash.
“I was inspired by the community at Halcyon and how they really take care of each other,” he said. “I was touched by the compassion they had for their neighbors even though they may be dealing with health problems or financial issues of their own and I am grateful to now consider them as friends.”
The winning films were selected by more than 70 homeowner-Members from the 2018 class of the ROC Leadership Institute. That group unanimously wanted to tackle stigma and took the role as judges.
The videos will be shown at this year’s ROC Leadership Institute.
You can view the winners via the links below: