Hanwell’s ‘In My Own Words’ documentary now streaming

Outgoing Medina Mayor Dennis Hanwell has a lot to say. After four consecutive terms, who could blame him?

A new documentary titled "In My Own Words" is available for free viewing on the city of Medina’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/@cityofmedina) and periodically on local cable access.

The hourlong feature follows Hanwell walking down memory lane — sometimes literally — starting with his earliest days growing up in Brunswick in a family where church and neighborly service were central. His story moves through a decorated law enforcement career to the present day, as he prepares to leave office as the longest-serving mayor in Medina’s history.

Medina TV Operations Director Miles Reed walked alongside Hanwell, camera and microphone rolling.

“It’s a relaxed Dennis. He’s downshifting,” Reed said of the documentary, which was shot earlier this year. “I thought he did a great job with it.”

Reed’s documentary on Hanwell is the latest in a growing body of work covering local history topics, including Amos Ives Root, the revival of Public Square, local Black history figures, and the comprehensive eight-part series "An American Story: Medina, Ohio."

“At some point we are all going to be history,” Reed said. “It’s going to be nice to have pieces to be able to reference in the future. I’ve never regretted gathering these stories.”

This time, instead of compiling interviews with others to help paint a picture of the subject, Reed chose to focus solely on the subject — in his words alone.

“If I had an opportunity to interview Abraham Lincoln, I wouldn’t bring a bunch of other people in,” Reed said. “How many times do you get to have a conversation with someone and say, ‘Tell me about your whole life story as far back as you can remember?’ It’s an interesting exercise.”

Reed, who estimates he shot roughly eight hours of footage of Hanwell, said he and the mayor have worked closely together for many years on a variety of projects, beginning with the 1996 local cable access program "Behind the Badge," in which then-Police Chief Hanwell reported on community policing news and views.

“I am really sad to see him leave office,” Reed said. “I have been very lucky to have people like Dennis around me — people who still have integrity.”