People who attend film festivals—especially those featuring student work—would probably agree that there's a plateau above which very few films (or videos, of course) manage to rise. The explanation seems self-evident—after all, how many can be "best"? But the divide online, I think, is less one of professionalism than of emotional effectiveness. Very few films really and strongly connect with an audience's emotions: this is particularly true for short fiction. The dearth is often explained as a talent issue: "You either have it, or you don't... and few do. Don't expect too much." So goes the
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EDITOR'S NOTE: In 1976, having just become editor of The Journal of the University Film and Video Association , I felt privileged that my second issue could include "Ultimately We Are All Outsiders: The Ethics of Documentary Filming ," written by my graduate school colleague and mentor, Calvin Pryluck. The article 'finally placed ethics on the agenda of serious debate," as Alan Rosenthal correctly noted when he reprinted the piece in his New Challenges for Documentary (1988). A month ago, as I accepted the editorship of International Documentary , I asked Cal if he'd be willing to update this
The National Film Board of Canada, a unique cultural organization, was established by an Act of the Canadian Parliament on May 2, 1939. John Grierson, the pioneer documentary filmmaker and visionary, founded the Film Board and was the first Government Film Commissioner. His dream was to make the NF BC "the eyes of Canada'' and to ensure that it would, "through a national use of cinema, see Canada and see it whole: it's people and its purpose." Now almost sixty years later, and with 9,000 film s to its credit, the National Film Board of Canada is internationally recognized for the quality of
It's that time of year again, when the IDA celebrates the outstanding documentaries of the past year, as well as saluting individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to non-fiction filmmaking. The IDA Awards were conceived 12 years ago by former IDA president Harrison Engle to reward creative excellence in the documentary form. This year, three dedicated juries screened over three hundred documentary films and videos to select six films to honor (also, please see the list of the films receiving honorable e mention). Each jury noted the high quality of submissions
"It is my ambition to walk to the edge of the world and the end of time and fall into an absolute nothingness for ever and ever-no feelings, no dream is. But one always has to be back for tea—alas!—at least at this time of year." -Angela Thirkell Several members, who have just joined our organization, have expressed interest in the genesis of the IDA awards. Th is being an appropriate issue of the magazine, a short history of the awards is in order. The IDA was founded in 1982 th rou gh th e efforts of a gifted, determined young woman, Linda Buzzell. However, the concept of the IDA awards did
His name is synonymous with entrepreneurship, with global communication and extending the availability of news into a realm never dreamed by the three broadcast networks. He is also responsible for preserving classic films, making them available to new audiences, in restored and contemporary versions. He is someone whose tireless dedication to exploring issues of the past and the present has opened exploding opportunities for documentarians throughout the world. He is R.E. Turner, "Ted" to almost everyone. Born in Cincinnati, and a native of Georgia since the age of nine, he graduated from
JUST FOR THE RIDE Camera, Editing, Production: Amanda Micheli Cast: Fern Sawyer, Jan Youren, Jean Bell, Candy Jacobsen, Amanda Micheli Additional Camera: Allison Humenuk, Karen Gottfried, Maria Rivarola 53 min. Just for the Ride is a personal documentary born out of a young woman's desire to find the heroines of her childhood-cowgirls. The film investigates the past and present of women's rodeo through the filmmaker's experiences with two inspirational women, Fern Sawyer and Jan Youren. Fern is a legendary rodeo cowgirl who runs her own ranch at age 76 and whose extravagant rodeo clothes grace
A recent issue of THE JOURNAL (Writers Guild of America West, August 1996 ) featured the important article "Documentaries Exposed: Writing Real Life " by Lisa Chambers, with six writers of documentary discussing the reasons they chose to work in nonfiction, how the programs are written, where funding is obtained and the growing popularity of documentary (the writers are Joan Owens, Barbara Jampel, Carl Byker, Carol Fleisher, Jim Milka and Melissa Jo Peltier). As a "sidebar " to the lively discussion were quips from contemporary filmmakers whose documentaries have recently attracted
1995 America and Lewis Hine Produced by Daniel Y. Allentuck and Nina Rosenblum; Directed by Nina Rosenblum George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey Written, produced and directed by George Stevens, Jr. Sixteen Days of Glory Written, produced, and directed by Bud Greenspan The Times of Harvey Milk Produced by Richard Schmiechen; Co-produced/directed by Robert Epstein 1986 Jacques Cousteau: The First 75 Years Produced by John Soh Las Madres: The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Produced and directed by Susana Munoz and Lourdes Portillo Shoah Produced and directed by Claude Lanzman Soldiers in Hiding
Winning an award was not what I had in mind, when it instituted its production workshops; but that is exactly what happened. The Documentary Production Workshops were created as part of IDA's Outreach Program to local high schools. And, Larry Shapiro's Filmmaking Class at Venice High, under the supervision of Project Director Ed Landler and Technical Advisor Rich Samuels, won 1st place in the 12th Annual Visions of U.S. Home Video Competition—Young People's category, for Code 594 in Progress, a nine-minute documentary about graffiti tagging from the perspective of teenagers. The competition