Andrews was visiting family and planning to fly back to New York City when the quake struck. The performer was stuck in her Tokyo hotel on the 48th floor while the floors below her caught fire. After two hours of being trapped in a stairwell with other hotel guests, Andrews made it to safety only to be stranded again, weathering several major aftershocks and the threat of tsunamis.
Unable to reach friends or family by phone, Andrews began documenting the tragedy through social network sites such as Twitter and Facebook. She finally made it out of her hotel and to the Narita Airport after two days and a seven-hour taxi ride. Then she was stranded again at the airport with thousands of others. Aftershocks and threats of nuclear power plant explosions loomed over her and the other travelers while they awaited the chance to board the next flight. Andrews set up camp on the cold airport floors and began filming interviews with others stranded around her.
When Andrews got back to New York City, she decided to put her two years of film school to good use and compile her footage into a documentary feature about the tragedy.
“My heart goes out to Japan and everyone still there — including my family. So many lives were lost and it is going to take years to rebuild," she said. "If my story and the footage I was able to capture can do something to build awareness and help then it’s the least I can do. I lived in Los Angeles for many years and I don’t think that the city would be able to handle such a devastating quake so if this can encourage people to start preparing themselves then hopefully this could also save lives.”
