"you don't know what i got" Visits Manteo, North Carolina

  Manteo, North Carolina.  This was the perfect spot to end my tour.   It was a wonderful beach with  weather to match.  With only my shadow to keep me company, I headed out to explore.  I found great inspiration in the site of the first flight of Wilbur and Orville Wright.  To see that famous airstrip was fascinating and so familiar.   The photograph of the Wright brothers first flight is so engrained on my memory, I felt if I had been there before.

The little town of Manteo was a step into history and the Roanoke Island Festival Park provided a great opportunity to screen my film.  We showed to a small but interested crowd that asked great questions.

It was a perfect ending to a wonderful day and tour!

"you don't know what I got" Visits ORANGEBURG, S.C.

 artist: Leonard Edward

My visit to Orangeburg was the most surprising I had on tour.   I knew it would be interesting to screen in a planetarium and I was looking forward to staying  in a "local's" home instead of the sterile Holiday Inn Express But I had no idea... The films looked and sounded amazing in the Planetarium!  I would personally travel back to Orangeburg just to screen in that space.  I was also impressed with the students at  SCSU. They were engaged and asked great questions, not to mention the excellent introduction I was given by a fellow student. 

But my surprises were far from over.  After a reception my host Ellen Zisholtz,  the Museum Director and a Professor at SCSU, took me to a delicious Thai restaurant.  We were joined by her other house guests - a visiting artist for Atlanta Donna Jackson and her son from California.  They were in town for the La Biennale 2012 Exhibit at the Stanback. A fabulous collection of art including works by Donna and Ellen. 

The night continued, as we all went back to Ellen's home for a celebratory glass of champagne and I shared my last remaining "Gimme Jimmie Lemon Bars" with the group.   Southern hospitality oozed out of ever inch of Ellen's northern soul.  A transplant from the big apple/New Jersey she was a wonderful host and brought a very rich experience to my stay in Orangeburg, one I will not soon forget.

"you don't know what i got" visits Madison GA

Cultural Center

MADISON GA.    I knew of Madison’s reputation before I arrived.  I was looking forward to seeing this little jewel of the south and I have to say it did not disappoint.  Madison is a beautiful town and the people are as lovely as the architecture. I was traveling alone on this leg of the tour, so it was tough to grab candids at the actual screening but I still managed to capture some of the sights.  The theater we screened in was absolutely amazing.  Once again it was great to share the films with the community and soak in scene.  I went back to the Cultural Center the following day just to take in the art and get some pics of the theater.   

Theater 

The following day, I had a lovely conversation with Mamie Lee Hillman, the curator of the African American Museum.  She shared her stories on Greene County and gave me a personal tour of the museum.  She also taught me a new expression "That's a cutie".   Not sure I can pull it off like Mamie Lee but I’m going to try... Thank you Mamie Lee and Madison for an unforgettable experience.    

Mamie Lee Hillman, Curator of African American Museum

"you don't know what i got" in Hapeville

Historic Church In Hapeville

HAPEVILLE, GA.   The screening in Hapeville was just magical.   It was such a treat and honor to have Julie Brunzell, one of the "wise five" women featured in the film,  on hand.  The Church was beautiful and the community gave a warm and wonderful reception.

The great thing about screening with the Southern Circuit is each screening is different  and you learn something new about a community and your film as it seen through their eyes.   The mayor of Hapeville laughed the loudest and longest whenever Jimmie came on screen.  It was a treat to see someone enjoy her stories and is always interesting to see which characters people connect with in the film.

Julie Brunzell on hand at reception and screening

The Mindflow Media Posse made it down for the show

 

Linda Duvoisin from Gainesville, GA

Gainesville Screening

 GAINESVILLE GA.   We had our first screening last night in Gainesville GA.  Our beautiful evening started by getting a little lost on campus until a very kind professor offered to jump in our car and direct us to the proper venue.  No surprise to find out that Charles was a professor in philosophy.  It was wonderful to screen the film again and to have some of my family and friends on-hand - a great posse for the first screening!

Family and Friend Posse

Q & A with Jeff Marker

GSU film professor Jeff Marker led the Q&A and had some wonderful insights into the film.  On the whole it was a fantastic start to the series.  I look forward to our next screening on Saturday.  Julie Brunzell, a woman featured in the film, will be on hand - so it should prove to be another eventful evening.

Lemon bars and DVDs a killer combo

Its the Cake, not the Icing...

In a year's time much has happened in our world and community.  There have been employment gains and job loss, the graduation rates rose or fell  and income levels have shifted.   In many ways, these are the statistics we use to measure the well-being and health of a community.  As a whole, humans seem to like to measure progress with numbers.

But what about the number of creative ideas that gave birth to new jobs or the inspiration from a story heard, seen or read that kept a student in school?  It is very difficult, if not impossible to accurately measure the impact of creativity on a community.  Although many have tried over years to attach a number to it,  my guess is that for every art project that we have "measurable statistics" there are thousands of immeasurable benefits that go unnoticed.   And that is no small thing.    Art feeds our imagination and opens our minds. Our greatest problems are solved through innovation. Art is not the icing on the cake for a community, it is the cake.

"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will." - George Bernard Shaw.

This past year makework grantees filled our community with art and creativity, some of their efforts are measurable but the impact of the inspiration created by their work is not.  As a one of the makework grantees, I felt lucky to be among such a inspiring group of artists.   And although I can't measure the impact their work, I know I am better for it and so is our community.

THANK YOU.

Leroy Phillips 1935-2011

Last month, as I sat working on a the Ed Johnson documentary, I received an email that Leroy Phillips had died.   Leroy was the reason I began the Ed Johnson documentary and he was also the reason I continued to work on the film.  His passion for the subject was contagious.  It was something we had in common.

I liked Leroy not just because he was a great interview with a natural gift to tell a story.  He was a nice man and always willing to help out or give me encouragement just when I was about to give up.  Independent films are hard to make. Inevitably you reach a point in the project where the money is dwindling or gone and the choice to continue on or quit  is before you.  I'm sure Leroy faced similar choices when he decided to defend a client that he knew would never be able to pay the bill. I never talked with Leroy about those choices, although I wish I had.   I do know that he would encourage me to keep working on the film.  


And I will.   I just wish he could have had a chance to see it....

Working on what I love...Yahoo!

The last few months have been a grind.  I have been mainly occupied with work for hire jobs.  Last week after a west coast sprint with a stop in Chicago to pick up a couple of interviews I am back in Tennessee.  I am setting aside the next six weeks to focus on the Ed Johnson film with the goal to hold a screening in early June.    I have much work to do, but it is a welcome relief to sink my teeth into a project I truly love.  I'll send updates about the film and its screening in the month to come.   For now its back to the edit - Oh happy days!

Wheels in motion...

I have put into motion my grant money with the purchase of a MacBook Pro.  Oh how sweet it is!  Last weekend while on a shoot I could watch footage from the field and start the editing process.  It was wonderful.  I have several shoots coming up in the next month and will be on the road and “editing on the fly”  Will keep you posted on my progress and hopefully include a couple of clips along the way. 

TV Premiere on WTCI We Shall Not Be Moved

I am thrilled that at 8 tonight on WTCI two films I made on the sit-in movement will air back to back.   They both document the important sit-in protests that took place in Chattanooga and Nashville. The Nashville piece was made for the Tennessee State Museum to accompany an exhibit last year and this will be the first time it has premiered on TV.  Several PBS stations across the state will be airing the films as well as a few film festivals.  It was a very rewarding experience to do both films.  I am happy that they are being show to a wider audience.

Hibernation - not a bad concept...

As snow fell in Chattanooga and everything came to a stop, it occurred to me that hibernation is not a bad concept. I had my own retreat in a way - the edit cave and I was happy, warm and quietly at work. The first few weeks of January was spent wrapping up two pieces on the Benwood Speakers - one on Malcolm Gladwell, the other on Cory Booker. Both proved engaging and challenging. I’ve also been hired by National Geographic to develop two stories loosely based in the south and hope to complete that research by the end of this month. So for the moment, I’m staying in the cave, when I emerge I’ll post a couple of videos and head out to do some more filming. Stay tuned, stay warm…and when in doubt HIBERNATE.

Open Letter to Mayor Booker...

Dear Mayor Booker,

I was hired by the Benwood Foundation to document your trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee. In the course of filming your speech and visit, I saw a contagious energy spread in the crowd. So in an effort to go beyond that “feel good” moment you left us with and build on your inspiring visit, I’m posting this letter to you on my blog to further a conversation not on community building but rather on community inspiration and the power of our own stories.

When you stand up before a crowd and retell the stories of your grandfather, father or neighbor, you harness their strengths. The neighbor who fought for civil rights, the bus driver who survived the war, and even everyday lessons of work, hope and life that bind us all together are an untapped resource. There is nothing really new in this thought, indeed it is the backbone all great books of faith. And behind every great minister is a great storyteller. But in a world where technology can send a story around the world in seconds, you would think we would be up to our eyeballs in inspiration, but we are not. Our children grow up unaware of the ordinary people all around us that do extraordinary things. But think of what would happen if we actually turned off the “reality” TV show and stopped to listen to the real life stories of our own community.

There is a deep spiritual fuel locked up in a remembered story of a treasured life. They are perhaps our greatest untapped resource. And I believe in much the same way that Malcolm Gladwell explains the tipping points of social trends that all humans have tipping points as well. Moments that can forever change our path. They can be stories or acts of kindness or words of encouragement – the slightest push can make a monumental change. Now, of course, this is my own theory and the social scientists may prove me wrong, but time and time again I experience human “tipping points” in my work as a filmmaker. A simple box of crayons given to a child, a teacher who connected with a student or as I discovered during your visit, a documentary about you so inspired one man that he became active in our community and now serves on our city council. What seems to be a fleeting and insignificant moment in a day, can alter the course of a person’s life forever.

I have actually given this search for sustained passion, and the tipping points in life that create it some thought. The enclosed film is my best answer to that search. And if you are looking for new material, look no further than Jimmie Woodruff…She is always a great way to kick off a New Year and like you, is a great disciple of storytelling. It is just a small thank you for bringing your stories to our community and filling us with inspiration. My hope is our community can discover ways to unlock our stories and harness the inspiration or the fuel we need to sustain our passions. May you have a safe and warm New Year.

Best Regards,

Linda

The cutting room floor…

It’s a title that dates me. But to explain, in the days when films and yes, even TV shows, were cut on film the moments that did not make it into the final cut were left  “on the cutting room floor”and most of the time for good reason.  I am a firm believer that less is more when it comes to filmmaking.  I have no use for those treasured “director's cuts" resurrected, repackaged and sold once a director's career has reached a status that supports his or her leftovers.  My exception is Ridely Scott’s director's cut of Blade Runner. In his version, there is no narrator and somehow for me, that makes the film much better.   

There is another over-used saying - documentaries are more fun to make than watch.   Which I hate to admit is probably true. Many times the moment the camera turns off are your most memorable.  Or perhaps, it is in that moment that you allow yourself the time to take it all it.  I remember sitting next to a volcano on the isle of Stromboli as it began to rumble and my interviewee grabbed my shoulders and told me not to run or as a young associate producer when I was setting up for a shot in the Queen's Robing Room in the House of Parliament when the guard turned his back, smiled and let me sit in Her chair, or sitting at Jane Austen's desk as the crew wraps the gear.  

But even more significant are the stories that are left on that floor.   I remember in one interview,  I was asking an expert questions about communication and its importance in sex education.  And after the interview she pulled me aside and said "I think its really important that you are doing this because I’m an expert in this field and I just discovered that my ex-husband was abusing my daughter while we were married and if I can be fooled, anyone can. "  In that moment, I truly felt as if a weight had landed on my shoulders. What should I do with this information?  The camera's weren’t rolling and I knew she consciously waited until we had stopped.  So, I kept our conversation private, but I have never forgotten it.  Once while filming in a school for learning disabled kids, I was profiling a wonderful and brilliant teacher and afterwards she told me the story of her brother and how she saw him struggle with learning disabilities his entire life.  As tears streamed down her face, she said "this is why I do what I do".   I can't help but feel that even though those stories didn't make it into my final cut, they influenced the choices I made in the edit room. 

Today in the world of reality television and scripted documentaries, the edit room has become a place where "story" is created.  What happened in real life has very little to do with what we see on screen.  Producers are often told to coach soundbites and create drama to fit a "script".   I think most viewers are savvy enough to know this and they watch because they are entertained.  But what happens when the drama is real, the pain is palpable or the beauty breathtaking?   Unless its in the script, those moments will land on the cutting room floor.  The only exception may be in nature films - wildebeest, whales and lions don't take direction and they never will.   Perhaps that's why I never tire of watching them. 

My "sit down" moment.

It's fall.  The time of year  I always feel a sense of urgency and purpose mixed with an unsettling gnawing in my gut.  I am restless and queasy all at the same time.  Its not an all together pleasant experience.  Maybe, for me, this is when my year begins. Having just finished a grueling summer of travel and work, I am ready to tackle the work I love.  For whatever reason I have several rituals of fall.  I read the poems How to like It by Stephen Dobyns and In Praise of Dreams by Wislawa Szymborska.  I question the balance between making a living and living for your passions.  And I wonder if it is possible for those two objectives to merge into one.

I must confess I have never had an "aha moment".  I've heard of them but somehow this moment of clarity has never happened to me.  The closest I've come is the night my editor and I finished the scene posted.  Nothing in my mind said aha but something loudly screamed "sit down!" and listen to the people around you, perhaps the answers are there for the taking.

ART vs.TV

Linda edits on the fly is the title of my grant and in a way, a subtitle for my life. This week I will travel from Chattanooga to Arizona to Portland, Oregon up to Alaska and then back home again - all in a span of five days.  It’s a long and winding road and as I travel it, I will try to complete my first blog by answering the question “why art matters to a community.”   It’s interesting to ponder such philosophical thoughts as my own world and work whirl around the fringe of so many different communities.  On the road, my days often begin and end either in airports or on highways. Art is present in both. Found in display cases on terminal E or as the landscape wheezes by at 75 miles an hour.

 

Art is all around us, it is there for the taking…but does it matter?   Is a community less without it or are we less without it?  Everything in me screams yes!  But the reality staring me in the face is hard to ignore.  I must look at the work that consumes all of my energy at the moment.  It’s good work by most standards.  Certainly the type of “TV” job that people want to hear more about - a “true crime” television series that takes well-known stories of serial killers and sensationalized crimes and tells them again, with a “new” spin. I have no illusions about the task at hand.  I am creating TV not art.  A widget, like any other, that comes off the assembly line.  

But I am lucky to be working with competent, highly educated professionals from all corners of the country.  On this one episode, which began last Thursday in Georgia, the production crew has consisted of two different cameramen, one from Los Angles, the other from Sacramento, a sound capturist from Seattle, an associate producer from Washington DC, a sound recordist from Atlanta and two production assistants from Cleveland Tennessee.  It is an ad hoc group of professionals that at the end of the day will deliver what is expected of them.

Tonight at dinner, my blog deadline loomed ahead of me. Desperately hoping for inspiration or possibly a volunteer ghostwriter, I posed the question of art and community to the crew.  Knowing the caliber of talent at hand, I thought they might give me the insight I needed to complete my task. There was a brief flurry of chatter on the topic but no clear vision emerged.   So I walked back to my hotel, exhausted and empty of ideas. 

But then I realized that in the course of our work day on a yet another TV show that the world does not really need, we had shared photos taken from the road and listened to obscure Cambodian music, we discussed the art of food and films, of community art projects in Seattle and their impact on a city.  We talked about how art appreciation must be nurtured by family and community.  Someone suggested that maybe I should make the argument that art did not matter to community but that it should matter a great deal.  But, in the end we never seemed to answer my big question, more interesting topics intervened.  It’s tricky to articulate and even tougher to measure art’s impact and importance in our daily lives.  All I really know is that tomorrow I will wake and do my job and somewhere in the mix art will creep into my day.  Traversing another airport terminal or inspiring conversation, art will make the day more than routine, more bearable, more than it is…forever and sometimes even painfully putting into perspective what matters most.

The final purpose of art is to intensify, even, if necessary, to exacerbate, the moral consciousness of people. - Norman Mailer

 

And so it begins...

This is my first blog, just to give the site a little test run.  My official post is still brewing in my brain but will be posted very soon - Stay tuned