What does a city do when it loses it's primary employer? In the case of Eau Claire, when the Uniroyal Tire Plant announced that it would close after 75 years and put about 1,300 people out of work, the city adapted, bounced back, and embraced change.
When Rubber Hit the Road is a new documentary film that shares the story of one Midwestern city’s attempt to reinvent itself in the wake of America’s manufacturing decline. Storytellers and filmmakers BJ Hollars and Steve Dayton explain on the film's website, "As the city struggled to overcome the loss of its largest employer, the former employees struggled to find their footing in a quickly changing world." Part history, part human-interest story, the documentary uses historical footage and photographs alongside new interviews with former employees and insiders. The city’s response to this devastating loss of high-paying manufacturing jobs required creativity and a willingness to change. In making this film, BJ and Steve have come to believe that Eau Claire's story is a viable blueprint for how a mid-size community can shape it's own future.
Watch the trailer of the new documentary film!
Wisconsin Humanities awarded a Major Grant to 'When Rubber Hit the Road: The Loss and Legacy of Uniroyal" in 2023 and has been proud to support this project. Our grant program is singular in Wisconsin and has been helping to fund the ideas and dreams of communities and organizations since 1972.
The World Premiere of When Rubber Hit the Road will be in downtown Eau Claire at the Pablo Center at The Confluence on May 3, 2024!
We caught up with co-producer and project director BJ Hollars to learn more! He is also founder and executive director of the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild and the Midwest Artist Academy, as well as a professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a columnist for The Leader-Telegram, and the author of several books.
WH: How did the project that resulted in the documentary film When Rubber Hit the Road start? What is the origin story?
BJ: For the past several years, Steve and I regularly stood around a backyard campfire as our families played and pitched each other documentary ideas. We asked ourselves: What stories haven’t been told? What unique opportunities might we have to tell them?
While everyone in western Wisconsin knows a bit about the Uniroyal story, few know the story in full. And as we soon learned, there were plenty of aspects of the plant closure that we didn’t know ourselves. After some archival research, we learned we had access to several never-before-utilized photos and videos from the early plant days. Next, we reached out to several of the former plant employees, all of whom were willing to chat with us. One bit of good fortune led to another until we began to craft a narrative focused on change and resiliency.
The 1992 Uniroyal plant closure impacted our entire region from both economic and cultural perspectives. Obviously, jobs were lost, but also, families were uprooted. The community changed dramatically. While the initial impact was devastating, perhaps the best part of the story is how our community bounced back in the aftermath of the closure.
WH: What kinds of impacts do you feel came out of "Everyone is Welcome" or other projects?
BJ: Perhaps the greatest lesson we’ve learned is to allow projects to evolve. Steve and I had a pretty tightly wound script at one point, but the deeper we researched and the more interviews we conducted, the less important our “tightly wound script” became. The interviews offered new access points to parts of the story never told. We had to let go of portions of our original idea to make way for the new opportunities.
In terms of the Uniroyal story, we learned that every plant worker has a story, and they’re all worth capturing. While we were limited by the number of stories we could capture in full, we strived to gather a pastiche of stories that illustrate the larger experience.
WH: How has the project impacted the community of former workers? In Eau Claire or the region in general?
BJ: We’re profoundly grateful that the former workers (many of whom call themselves “Rubberheads” and who still meet regularly) have been generous with their time and knowledge. Folks like Darrel Wekkin, Dennis Miller, Jack Zais, Bill Hable, Arlene McAdam, John Ahnefeldt, Cleo Janish, and Clarence Murrell collectively tell their part of the story. Their stories are all quite powerful on their own, but when paired together—with some great music, B-roll, and transitions courtesy of Steve’s video editing work—we’ve created something special that we hope will be a testament to the workers.
Ultimately, we hope this documentary serves as a coda to the Eau Claire Uniroyal story. We want people to understand the importance of Uniroyal in western Wisconsin and the many livelihoods that depended on the factory. However, we also want people to recognize what was lost because of the plant closure. We want to confront the hardship that so many endured and honor those who fought fiercely to protect the workers and the city in our path forward.
WH: For anyone attending the film opening or seeing it for the first time, what can they expect? What did funding from WH allow you to do?
BJ: Folks can expect to learn a version of the story never told. While previous books and films on the Uniroyal closure have skillfully recounted the experience, as outside observers with no direct connection to the plant closure, Steve and I are able to work toward a broader portrait of plant life and beyond.
While we’re thrilled to share the film, we’re equally excited to make space for the former employees, many of whom will be speaking at our world premiere. No one knows the stories better than them, and they’re excited to share their firsthand experiences directly with the crowd while also taking audience questions.
Wisconsin Humanities funding took a dream and made it a reality. It’s as simple as that. We’ve been able to tell this story fully and properly due to Wisconsin Humanities support. Without Wisconsin Humanities, we’d never have been able to delve as deep as we must tell the full story. It provided financial support for regular film shoots, design work, a professional narrator, additional photo usage rights, and so much more.
WH: What is next for the project? Anything else you would like to share?
BJ: Steve and I are back at the campfire, pitching one another more ideas. We’ve got two or three that would make great regional films. We don’t want to say too much just yet, but if we can garner the support necessary for a second film, we’re excited to get back to work. Our region’s stories are so important, and they’re often overlooked. We want to capture as many as we can with community support.
WH: How can people support your work?
BJ: We are always on the lookout for sponsors! For more on Fireside Productions, LLC, the production company we’ve formed in the service of this documentary, visit us at firesideproductions.com.
Additionally, we would love for you to attend our world premiere on May 3 at 7 PM at Pablo Center at the Confluence. Tickets are available here.
Soon, we’ll have DVDs and merchandise for sale. You can also pick those up on our website!
We invite you to learn more about Wisconsin Humanities grant program here!
