Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Voices
I've been enjoying the music programming on my Internet radio since I got it on Christmas day, but when I got home tonight the first thing I did was search for a radio station still on the air in Haiti. I spent about 10 minutes listening to two deejays there taking calls from earthquake victims. I couldn't understand anything anyone said, as it was all in Creole. But I heard screams, sobbing, shouting, pain. It was one of the most compelling things I've ever heard and it made me feel terribly sad.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Peace Corps: JFK's Bold Legacy
Stella Sung and Chris Wilkins watch the film on their mobile devices.
This blog post is for all of the nice folks who are attending the Baltimore Womens Film Festival the weekend of October 23-25th. Stella Sung and I wish we could be there for what sounds like a wonderful event, but our day jobs teaching at the University of Central Florida prevented us from making the trip. However, we would like to use this blog to tell you a little bit more about the making of Peace Corps: JFK's Bold Legacy.
How the idea for the music came about. The Orlando Museum of Art was planning to host an exhibit of Norman Rockwell's illustrations in the spring of 2008. Maestro Christopher Wilkins spoke with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra's Composer-in-Residence, Stella Sung, about the possibility of her composing some music inspired by any illustrations in the exhibit of her choice. The result was Rockwell Reflections, a suite with five movements, each inspired by a different illustration. Peace Corps: JFK's Bold Legacy was the last movement of the suite. When the OPO performed the suite as the final work for its concert on March 1st, 2008, the audience was extremely enthusiastic and gave the OPO and the work's composer a standing ovation.
The music on film. Meanwhile, backstage, Lisa Mills and one of her documentary students were filming Dr. Sung pacing nervously as her work was performed in Orlando for the very first time. Dr. Mills actually had several cameras in the Bob Carr Auditorium that night for a documentary she is filming about the OPO's Young Composers Challenge. The footage from the performance was so stirring, she and her husband/editor Tim Brown edited the entire concert together as a gift for Stella Sung and Mastro Chris Wilkins. When Sung and Wilkins received the gift they were delighted, and suggested that something else be done with the footage.
Winning Outstanding Cultural Achievement a MOFILM. Maestro Wilkins suggested that Mills edit together a special five-minute film and submit to the Mobile World Congress Film Festival in Barcelona, Spain. This film festival receives submissions from filmmakers who believe their short works would be good choices for cell phone subscribers to view on their mobile devices. Dr. Mills felt that the film about the birth of a new music piece should say something about the creative process. She was editing the film during the election of the Fall of 2008, and was inspired by its outcome. In January, 2009 actor Kevin Space presented the Outstanding Cultural Achievement Award at MOFILM to Peace Corps: JFK's Bold Legacy. Dr. Mills, Dr. Sung and Maestro Wilkins hope that anyone who views the film will be inspired to make connections between creativity and leadership.
Thank you for reading our blog post, and enjoy the festival!
This blog post is for all of the nice folks who are attending the Baltimore Womens Film Festival the weekend of October 23-25th. Stella Sung and I wish we could be there for what sounds like a wonderful event, but our day jobs teaching at the University of Central Florida prevented us from making the trip. However, we would like to use this blog to tell you a little bit more about the making of Peace Corps: JFK's Bold Legacy.
How the idea for the music came about. The Orlando Museum of Art was planning to host an exhibit of Norman Rockwell's illustrations in the spring of 2008. Maestro Christopher Wilkins spoke with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra's Composer-in-Residence, Stella Sung, about the possibility of her composing some music inspired by any illustrations in the exhibit of her choice. The result was Rockwell Reflections, a suite with five movements, each inspired by a different illustration. Peace Corps: JFK's Bold Legacy was the last movement of the suite. When the OPO performed the suite as the final work for its concert on March 1st, 2008, the audience was extremely enthusiastic and gave the OPO and the work's composer a standing ovation.
The music on film. Meanwhile, backstage, Lisa Mills and one of her documentary students were filming Dr. Sung pacing nervously as her work was performed in Orlando for the very first time. Dr. Mills actually had several cameras in the Bob Carr Auditorium that night for a documentary she is filming about the OPO's Young Composers Challenge. The footage from the performance was so stirring, she and her husband/editor Tim Brown edited the entire concert together as a gift for Stella Sung and Mastro Chris Wilkins. When Sung and Wilkins received the gift they were delighted, and suggested that something else be done with the footage.
Winning Outstanding Cultural Achievement a MOFILM. Maestro Wilkins suggested that Mills edit together a special five-minute film and submit to the Mobile World Congress Film Festival in Barcelona, Spain. This film festival receives submissions from filmmakers who believe their short works would be good choices for cell phone subscribers to view on their mobile devices. Dr. Mills felt that the film about the birth of a new music piece should say something about the creative process. She was editing the film during the election of the Fall of 2008, and was inspired by its outcome. In January, 2009 actor Kevin Space presented the Outstanding Cultural Achievement Award at MOFILM to Peace Corps: JFK's Bold Legacy. Dr. Mills, Dr. Sung and Maestro Wilkins hope that anyone who views the film will be inspired to make connections between creativity and leadership.
Thank you for reading our blog post, and enjoy the festival!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
The Friedrich Farm
It's rainy and chilly but I could care less. This morning after a farmer's breakfast I followed Joachim out to his garden and pulled weeds for a while. It was wonderful. The tomato plants inside his hothouse are already 3 feet tall and loaded. There are mounds of potatoes, rows of strawberries and cucumbers and heads of lettuce inbetween it all. He showed me the bulbous celery that will be ready to harvest in the fall. Right next to the garden is the orchard yard that has trees with about 5 different kinds of fruit, plus about 7 kinds of berry bushes and... oh yes... some grapevines.
Behind the garden is the chicken coop and pigeon house. I got to hold some baby pigeons but you can't get too attached because they'll be the centerpiece of meals one day. They are Joachim's pride and joy. He's been raising pigeons for food since he was 10, taught by his uncle.
After the morning in the garden, Angela and I walked to a neighbor's house where we bought about 10 jars of local honey. The elderly many has a collection of taxidermied animals that is out of this world. I suggested to Angela that she ought to make a documentary about him.
Right now I'm in the kitchen watching Ute prepare Sunday dinner. So far she's peeled and trimmed white asparagus from the garden. I think there are also potatoes on the boil. She begins cooking each vegetable with water, salt, a little sugar and butter. That's basically the way she prepares all of their fresh vegetables, then they are served hot with more melted butter and perhaps some bread crumbs sprinkled on top.
I am absolutely in love with this family, their farm, their little village and rural (East) Germany. Later today we'll drive around Brandenburg and tomorrow Angela is taking me to Pottsdam.
Friday, June 5, 2009
In Germany
I've left Sweden for a visit with Angela Friedrich, a young woman I met while teaching in Jonkoping three years ago. We became friends and she came to stay with us in Winter Springs two years ago.
Germany day 1 June 5, 2009
When I arrived at Angela’s family home in Weseram Ute and Joachim seemed excited to see me. For dinner, Ute had prepared a soup of potato and kholrabi and sausauge. It was delicious. We also had bread and ham and cheese. I like the way Ute keeps the cheese and meats in separate Tupperware containers in the refrigerator. Refrigerators over here are much smaller. Tupperware is very valued over here, because it just arrived in the East in the early 1990s. We watched Barack Obama on the German newscast and then I slept very, very well in the guest room.
Germany day 2 June 6, 2009
I woke up early and Joachim took me for a walk in the garden. It was beautiful. They have a new flock of chickens that are very cute. The rooster is actually smaller and prettier than the hens. For breakfast I enjoyed Ute’s plum preserves and she made the key lime coffee I had brought. Angela mentioned that I had remarked about the 80s band Spandau Ballet. The next thing I knew Joachim had brought up Spandau Ballet’s “This Much is True” on YouTube. Today I think we will go out on a boat and drive around their county, Brandenburg.
Germany day 1 June 5, 2009
When I arrived at Angela’s family home in Weseram Ute and Joachim seemed excited to see me. For dinner, Ute had prepared a soup of potato and kholrabi and sausauge. It was delicious. We also had bread and ham and cheese. I like the way Ute keeps the cheese and meats in separate Tupperware containers in the refrigerator. Refrigerators over here are much smaller. Tupperware is very valued over here, because it just arrived in the East in the early 1990s. We watched Barack Obama on the German newscast and then I slept very, very well in the guest room.
Germany day 2 June 6, 2009
I woke up early and Joachim took me for a walk in the garden. It was beautiful. They have a new flock of chickens that are very cute. The rooster is actually smaller and prettier than the hens. For breakfast I enjoyed Ute’s plum preserves and she made the key lime coffee I had brought. Angela mentioned that I had remarked about the 80s band Spandau Ballet. The next thing I knew Joachim had brought up Spandau Ballet’s “This Much is True” on YouTube. Today I think we will go out on a boat and drive around their county, Brandenburg.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Week 3
My trip to the glass shop went great. I think I got some pretty decent footage, although when I look at what I shoot I'm always annoyed with myself and wondering, "what was I thinking?" Shooting a guy flinging around molten glass at about 1000 degrees was challenging and a bit scary at times, but the guy was very nice and protective of me and gave me great access. The couple that ran the glass shop were wonderful and insisted on giving me all these glass animals that Gunne made. I'm going to do somethings special with them for the film.
After I left the Nybro glass district I drove to Kalmar on the coast and spent the weekend there, all by myself, and had a great time. There were some lonely moments but only because I wished I could share all that I was seeing. Saturday morning I went to Kalmar castle and the local modern art museum. Great exhibit on Munch. Then in the afternoon I drove over to a barrier island on the Baltic sea. I found one of the widest beaches in Sweden and went for a run. It felt great.
Driving back from the coast was fun on Sunday. I got used to the traffic circles quickly. But when I got to the gas pump I realized I had no idea how to use it. A nice lady helped me.
I had some trouble with the PAL settings in FCP, but today I finally figured it out and got about half of my footage in the computer. I can't wait to start cutting.
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