The “Empty Not Closed” trailer was created as a preview for the forthcoming documentary Empty Not Closed: Disappearing the Workhouse for Good, scheduled for release in 2026. The Workhouse, a now-closed St. Louis jail, was long regarded as a blight on the community and a symbol of systemic injustice. While it had been decommissioned, its physical presence still cast a shadow over the city. The goal of the trailer was to capture the urgency, emotion and historical context of the grassroots movement — led by ArchCity Defenders and allied advocacy groups — to ensure the city fulfilled its promise to demolish the facility. The work aimed to both honor the years of activism that made closure possible and to rally public awareness in the final push toward physical demolition, reinforcing that the fight was not over until the building was gone.
The strategy was to create a cinematic, emotionally compelling trailer that distilled years of advocacy into a concentrated call to action. This meant balancing historical context with the immediacy of the demolition deadline. Archival footage of protests, interviews with advocates, and stark visuals of the decaying facility were paired with a clear narrative: empty didn’t mean harmless, and the building’s presence continued to symbolize harm.
The video’s pacing was deliberate — starting with quiet, haunting imagery of the Workhouse, then building toward urgent, activist-led chants and calls for accountability. The visual style used a muted, gritty palette to reflect the seriousness of the issue, while dynamic editing created a sense of momentum toward justice.
Distribution focused on social media platforms, the ArchCity Defenders website, and partner advocacy channels to reach both local residents and national audiences interested in civil rights causes. The trailer acted as both a piece of standalone storytelling and as a promotional asset for the future documentary, laying the groundwork for continued audience engagement.
Challenges included condensing a complex, years-long movement into a short, digestible format without losing nuance, and navigating the sensitivity of telling a story that was both a victory (closure) and an ongoing battle (demolition). The creative team overcame this by centering the voices of those directly involved in the fight and using the building itself as a central visual metaphor.
The “Empty Not Closed” trailer succeeded in amplifying the demolition push, garnering strong engagement across advocacy networks and keeping public attention focused on holding the city accountable. It became a rallying point for community members and partners, sustaining momentum until the Workhouse was finally demolished. The piece now stands as both a record of a hard-fought civil rights victory and a teaser for the upcoming feature-length documentary that will tell the full story of the movement.
