by Rebecca Fasanello
Office Manager, Content
WNET.ORG

Latin music permeates the air of New York City: It’s in the streets, the clubs, the subways, the classroom, the concert stage, in our homes and schools. Like all the arts, it’s at once a stimulus, a playground, and a reflection of humanity. It can fire up our souls and send us soaring. Why does it have such wide appeal?

In order to explore this appeal, I helped produce these four short “interstitials” as locally-aired companion pieces to PBS’s Latin Music USA series, which premiered nationally in October 2009.

Read More …

The artist Jeanne-Claude, who created the 2005 installation “The Gates” in Central Park with her husband Christo, has died at age 74. Her family says the artist died Wednesday night after suffering a brain aneurysm. “The Gates,” a series of metal archways bearing bright orange drapery, was viewed by more than five million people and is credited with bringing more than $250 million to the city’s economy.

Watch a interview with Christo and Jeanne-Claude about their 26-year effort to bring about “The Gates” on New York Voices.

“Woody Guthrie: Ain’t Got No Home” airs Wednesday, November 25 at 9pm

Essentially every American who has listened to the radio or gone to summer camp knows Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.” The music of the nation’s signature folk singer/songwriter has been recorded by everyone from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to the Irish rock band U2. Originally blowing out of the Dust Bowl in 1930s Depression-era America, he blended vernacular, rural music and populism to give voice to millions of downtrodden citizens. Guthrie’s prolific music, poetry and prose were politically leftist, uniquely patriotic and always inspirational. He joined music with traditional oral history and was central to the folk music revival. His is a complex story filled with frenetic creative energy and a treasure trove of cultural history - as well as personal imperfections and profound family tragedy.

Read a timeline of Woody Guthrie’s career and more at the American Masters website.

Watch a preview of “Woody Guthrie: Ain’t Got No Home” now:

No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos tells the story of two Hungarian film students who escaped communist Hungary in 1956, with little more than a camera and a shopping bag full of film. Over the next 50 years, Laszlo Kovacs and Vilmos Zsigmond would reinvent Hollywood movies for an entire generation, shooting some of the most notable films in American cinematic history: The Deer Hunter; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; Deliverance; Paper Moon; Five Easy Pieces; What’s Up, Doc; New York, New York; Heaven’s Gate; Frances; and dozens more. The two also maintained an iron-clad friendship along the way.

No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos premieres on Independent Lens on Tuesday, November 17th at 9 p.m. Inside THIRTEEN spoke with the film’s director, James Chressanthis.

Q. Was it intimidating for you to film two men who practically defined a genre of American cinema?

A. Though I am an experienced cinematographer (2 Emmy® Nominations, Additional Photography on the Oscar-winning Chicago) it was a daunting task. I felt a great responsibility to get their story right while doing justice to their amazing canon of work.

Q. So why profile Laszlo and Vilmos? Why now?

A. I met Laszlo first as a student then apprenticed to Vilmos early in my career as a cinematographer. I saw them together during the filming of The Witches of Eastwick (1987) commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution and said to myself: “What an amazing story, someone should do that.” However, the stars and circumstances did not align until twenty years later when I decided to do the film in 2006. I believe their fiercely independent artistic approach, coupled with an optimistic faith in themselves, was the reason they had such an impact on American cinema. In their story, I believe young people can see a path to their own future in these uncertain times which is ripe for new innovative ways of making films.

Q. Laszlo and Vilmos worked on classics like Easy Rider, Deliverance, Paper Moon, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, to name a few … which of their films inspire you the most, and why?

A. McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Paper Moon, Close Encounters of The Third Kind, Frances, The Deer Hunter are some of my favorites. All share the trait of portraying unique individual stories without romanticizing their characters and without sentimentality. At their best, the films of both cinematographers achieve what Vilmos Zsigmond calls Poetic Realism.

Q. What challenges did you face making the film?

A. Dealing with the staggering number of masterpieces or notable films they each shot; structuring the film which has several layers/storylines: The Hungarian Revolution; the struggle of two outsider immigrants trying to achieve the American dream; the change in American cinema and how Laszlo & Vilmos were critical to the “American New Wave”; and most importantly the evolution of a deep friendship that spanned more than fifty years.

Q. How did you get access not only to Laszlo and Vilmos, but all the other big names featured in the film – Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdanovich, Peter Fonda, Jon Voight, and others?

A. All these film artists have a great love of their craft and for their two colleagues and they were very generous with their time. All participants wished to correct the record, so that history will recognize the terrific contribution Laszlo & Vilmos made to our movies.

I wish to thank not only the those mentioned but also give a shout out to Sandra Bullock, John Williams, Richard Donner, Graeme Clifford, Allen Daviau, Owen Roizman, Haskell Wexler, Sharon Stone and the late “Grindhouse King” Ray Dennis Steckler. For me the unanticipated pleasure was having so many wonderful conversations with filmmakers I have been influenced by and admire.

Ev’rybody’s talkin’ ’bout
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism, ism ism ism
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

- Lyrics from Give Peace a Chance, John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band

John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous song was written and performed during their “Bed-In” in a hotel room in Montreal in June of ‘69. But it didn’t become a true anti-war anthem until Pete Seeger led nearly a quarter of a million people to sing the song during the largest anti-Vietnam war protest in America in November of that year in Washington, D.C.

This is just one example of the power that music, and the artists that create it, can have to change the world. And it’s the message of How The Beatles Rocked the Kremlin, a documentary coming to THIRTEEN on November 9th. The film tells the surprising story about how The Beatles and their music instilled rebelliousness in Eastern Bloc youth, ultimately bringing down the Soviet Union.

To celebrate music as a force for social change, THIRTEEN is asking viewers to go online – www.thirteen.org/beatles — to nominate bands or musicians that have changed the world. Read More …

Allan Miller has produced and directed over 35 films and television programs around the world, documenting some of the most important musical events of the last two decades. He has won 2 Academy Awards: best Feature Length Documentary for his 1979 film “FROM MAO TO MOZART - Isaac Stern in China,” and in 1975 for “THE BOLERO,” best short feature, with Zubin Mehta and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. “SMALL WONDERS,” the story of a violin program in the public schools of East Harlem, was nominated for an Academy Award in 1996. His newest film, YOU CANNOT START WITHOUT ME – Valery Gergiev – Maestro, a co-production of Thirteen in association with White Nights Foundation of America and WNET.ORG premieres at Symphony Space on November 2nd thru Nov 7th 2009 with Sunday screenings on Nov 8th, 15th and 22nd. The film is an intimate portrait of Russian dynamo Valery Gergiev, one of the leading conductors of our time. The film moves between rehearsal and performance sequences in major capitals around the world, and provides a glimpse of Gergiev’s demanding life as administrator of the enormous Mariinsky theater in St. Petersburg. Read More …

In the latest installment of New York on the Clock, Carlos Sarabia starts work when most people are asleep. He drives to Long Island City to pick up his breakfast cart and sets it up down the block from Thirteen’s offices. Among his faithful customers is Daniel Greenberg, executive producer of New York on the Clock, who realized the crucial but often unnoticed role coffee plays in the city. After talking with Carlos and hearing about his long hours and his efforts to raise his son, who is headed into the U.S. Air Force, Daniel suggested the New York on the Clock team go out and conduct an interview.

Thirteen.org: How long have you been going to Carlos?

Daniel Greenberg: I’ve been getting coffee every work day from Carlos for nearly four years.

Thirteen.org: What do you order from him?

DG: I start every morning with a large coffee, “light and sweet.” I can’t resist his pastries; they’re all delicious, and I have a sweet tooth. On Mondays I order a chocolate glazed doughnut. On Tuesdays I order a chocolate chip muffin. On Wednesdays I order a bear claw. On Thursdays, a French cruller and on Fridays, a blueberry muffin. Occasionally I order egg and cheese on a roll when I want something healthier…lol!

Thirteen.org: Why is Carlos important to New York City?

DG: Coffee is integral to the daily life of practically every New Yorker. Without coffee, the subways wouldn’t run, teachers would fall asleep in class, cops wouldn’t catch robbers, dogs wouldn’t chase squirrels - the city would grind to a halt. Coffee’s what makes the city run on time. Carlos supplies the fuel.

Thirteen.org: Why did you choose Carlos as a subject for New York on the Clock?

DG: After going to him every morning for 4 years, Carlos is, as they say in Spanish, “mi hermano” - like a brother. He and I talk everyday, about our families, our work, everything. Choosing to film Carlos was insprired by a conversation about his workday. I was blown away by his dedication to his business and to his family - he wakes up every morning at 1:30 am and doesn’t get home until 3pm - I have a lot of respect for Carlos.

Thirteen.org: What’s in store for upcoming New York on the Clock episodes?

DG: We have so many great and diverse New York characters coming up. We’re very excited about all of our profiles, including a hairdresser in Brooklyn, a street artist in Greenwich Village, and a tech-savvy mohel.

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Watch Carlos Sarabia and more original videos about the people who make New York tick at New York on the Clock.

The second season of the Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning series Craft in America , a filmed journey of the history, artists and techniques of the nation’s rich craft culture, continues the excursion into the diverse and ever-evolving world of American craft. Season two premiere on THIRTEEN on Wednesday, October 7 at 8 pm with “Origins” and “Process.” Inside THIRTEEN spoke with Carol Sauvion, the creator and co-executive producer of Craft in America, and a potter in her own right.

Q. Many of the crafts that you explore – pottery, beadworking, blacksmithing – are rooted in hundreds of years of American history. What are some ways that these craft traditions are passed down from generation to generation?

As potter Mark Hewitt says in the “Origins” episode of the new Craft in America series, the best way to pass craft traditions down is through family. He is referring to Jugtown Pottery on Seagrove, North Carolina, where Travis Owens, a fourth generation potter receives information from his father. Through working with his parents and being surrounded with early North Carolina pots, Travis will learn methods of making pots and firing the kiln that are the product of generations of experimentation and knowledge.

This method of passing down information exists in many craft practices, from bead working to quilt making to woodworking.

Q. You do you own craft, in a way, by creating the “Craft in America” series; but is there a craft you’ve come across during your production work that you wished you could do?

After producing two seasons of Craft in America, I know that filmmaking is definitely a craft and I have enjoyed learning it. Filmmaking reminds me of craft production because several people – the producer, director, director of photography, assistant cameraman, sound recordist, gaffer, grip, and editor - collaborate on a film, each bringing skills and artistry to the project. The collaboration and dedication to the final product are reminiscent of the processes craft workshops have used for thousands of years.

I have made pottery since 1969, when I learned to throw on the wheel and fell in love with clay. However, producing the Craft in America series has brought me into the studios of many artists working in the other craft mediums of wood, glass, metal and fiber. I have felt a strong attraction to weaving after visiting the studio of Jim Bassler, who is featured in the “Origins” episode. Jim pares weaving down to its most simple form. I would love to learn discontinuous weave, the technique he is now using, which, as he says, only requires two sticks and thread. It is quite different from the complicated, and I think, difficult process of setting up a loom. If I could learn to weave, I would also want to learn wedge weave, anther technique Jim uses that allows for diagonal weaving. Jim learned this technique from studying Navajo rugs.

Q. We live in an age where most of the everyday objects around us are produced quickly and cheaply. Do you think that the traditional ways of handmade crafting are in danger of dying out?

Rather than dying out, I think there are several reasons why traditional crafting techniques are experiencing a rebirth now, at the beginning of the 21st century.

The first and most important reason is the universal urge to create that seems stronger than ever in this time of political and financial uncertainty. People, and especially young people, are turning to handwork for emotional and economic reasons.

Making something by hand gives one a sense of accomplishment and individuality that buying something does not. As Scott, the violin maker in the “Process” episode says, it is amazing to start with a piece of wood and end up with a violin.

In this time of disconnection with the sources of the objects we use, it is wonderful to make something by hand and incorporate that personal expression into our lives.

Q. So what inspires people in this day and age to pursue a career in craft? Is there a particularly inspiring story from your series that comes to mind?

There are several factors that inspire people to pursue a career in the crafts. A person who decides to work with their hands has the satisfaction of being able to express their creativity in a life that offers independence. In the “Process” episode of the new Craft in America series, Miguel Gomez Ibanez at the North Bennet Street School says it is quite different to finish a workday having made something as opposed to finishing the day having returned any number of phone calls.

Craft objects, the physical manifestations of the artist’s creativity, stand as a positive force that enriches the lives of the people who acquire them. If the objects are functional, the owners interact with them in a way that changes and humanizes their lives. The sense of touch is important to both the maker and the user of these objects. Touch is the one of our seven senses that is all but missing from contemporary experience.

Additionally, artists making craft objects are a part of the continuum that started with the first humans who learned to use tools to make things to improve their daily lives. This continuum, which is present in the pots, quilts, glass vessels, jewelry, ironwork, furniture, books and clothing being produced by craft artists today, is a vital part of who we are as a culture. In addition, the traditions of ornamentation and embellishment that accompanied the earliest crafts also exist today in objects that may not have a functional purpose but are created to inspire or satisfy emotional needs.

Eudorah Moore, who was instrumental in presenting the crafts in California in the last decades of the 20th century, commissioned a book entitled Craftsman’s Lifestyle: The Gentle Revolution. The last thing I’d like to mention is the importance of the lifestyle that accompanies a career in the crafts. Independence and an environment filled with beauty are essential elements of the craft artist’s world. The relationships a craft artist has with friends and family are the cornerstones of a community that thrives on creativity and independence. That means a lot nowadays.

In the latest installment of New York on the Clock, Chris Baker pilots tugboats for Staten Island-based McAllister Towing, one of New York City’s two towing outfits. Back in May, New York on the Clock producer Daniel Ross joined Captain Baker as vessels from the United States and Canadian Navies called to port for Fleet Week 2009. Captain Baker’s tug, the Rosemary Ellis, helped dock the U.S.S. Iwo Jima, an 844-ft Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, and the U.S.S. Roosevelt, a 500-ft Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.

Q. In the film, there are scenes that take place from sunrise to sunset … so how long were you on the boat?

We met the McAllister crew at their headquarters on Staten Island around 3 in the morning. An hour later we motored out into the harbor to meet inbound ships. We stayed on the boat the rest of the day, and called back to headquarters around 7pm.

Q. How busy is Captain Baker’s workday? Were there long periods of just sitting there, waiting for boats to dock?

Captain Baker was asleep when we boarded the Rosemary McAllister. His first mate piloted the boat until about sunrise, at which point Captain Baker took over. He remained in command throughout the day.

Q. What kind of ships does Captain Baker dock? How long does it take to dock a ship?

The range of ships that Captain Baker docks varies. Like he says in the video, he never really knows from day to day. He gets a call and goes out to meet the ship. His ship, the Rosemary McAllister, was like the top of the line boat, so he can really tow almost anything. Of course, the really big ships require more than one tug to guide them to port.

Q. Was it very difficult filming on the water? What kind of challenges did you face?

It wasn’t difficult filming on the water. The tugboat was large enough that it didn’t pitch much. Nothing like trying to film from a dinghy like we did for The City Concealed: North Brother Island. In hindsight, I think the biggest challenge — or maybe oversight on our part — was getting a variety of sounds. The engines on the boat are extremely powerful and extremely loud, so throughout the piece you get a constant drone that doesn’t offer much in the way of dynamic audio.

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Watch Captain Chris Baker and more original films about the people that make New York tick at New York on the Clock.

“Tito Puente: The King of Latin Music” explores the life and career of one of the most recognizable names in the history of Latin music, the percussionist and bandleader Tito Puente. Inside THIRTEEN spoke with producer and director George Rivera about his documentary. “Tito Puente: The King of Latin Music” airs on THIRTEEN Thursday, September 24 at 8 pm and Friday, September 25 at 1:30 am.

Q: Did you know Tito Puente personally? How did you get involved in doing this film?

Tito was an acquaintance, though I did not know him well, and he was familiar with my work as a producer and director. Over a period of time, others had asked to do a biographic film and he always refused. Eventually, through a mutual friend, he let it be known that he would do one with me.

Q: So what was Tito Puente like off the stage? What kind of access did you have to him?

For Tito, being off-stage was very much an extension of being on-stage.
He was lots of fun and at the same time a real leader. He was a member of the community, who cared very much about his family and where he came from. He was an ordinary guy: He didn’t project “star” or was a prima donna, and he didn’t expect or ask people to treat him like one. He was very cooperative. We had complete access. Tito made himself available before, after and during performances.

Q: Tito Puente and his music is beloved all over the world – was there a lot of pressure in how you approached the film?

I don’t think there was any pressure except what was self-imposed to get the story right and give the music the respect that it deserved.

Q: Tito Puente passed away in 2000 while you were making the film; what challenges did you face as you finished the film without him?

Originally, we had planned to travel with him to Europe later that year and to record much more footage. We had no idea that the interview that we did with him in San Juan and the performance recorded that evening would be his last. When Tito died a few weeks later, we had to think quickly and change the scope of the project. Fortunately, so many celebrities who knew and admired Tito, as well as his family members, were willing to step up and be interviewed. In the wake of his loss, everyone felt such a tribute was important, and we were able to get the documentary done fairly quickly.