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.

Season premieres Tuesday, October 13 at 9pm on THIRTEEN

FRONTLINE examines U.S. counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan — a fight that promises to be longer and more costly than most Americans understand — through interviews with top commanders on the ground, embeds with U.S. forces and fresh reporting from Washington.

Watch a 24-minute rough cut of the first act of FRONTLINE’s season premiere,
“Obama’s War.”

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?

“Kiowa Princess Beaded Shoes” by Teri Greeves

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.

By Daniel T. Allen
Community Engagement Coordinator
Friends of Thirteen, Inc.

Watch National Parks: New Yorkers’ Memories

In 2007, as an intern for Friends of Thirteen, I was the first line of defense in screening the 1,500+ user generated war stories for our producer to use in a local companion to Ken Burns’ The War . From that experience I learned the ropes of “localizing” a national program and the potential for such projects to engage new communities.

So when WNET.ORG President Neal Shapiro asked Friends of Thirteen to help recruit college students to help produce a local program related to Burns’ latest, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, the answer was a resounding yes!

Film student Daniel Cowen hangs around on location in a Brooklyn rock climbing gym.

Daniel introduced me to Andres F. Otero from Hunter College, an accomplished documentarian who has free-lanced for the NY Daily News and NY Post, and Davi Santos, another MHC Scholar who hosts a TV program at Lehman College in the Bronx.

At our first pre-production meeting with producer Cyndee Readdean and project researcher Michael Skocay, the students were charged with creating a pilot video that would illustrate how each National Parks interview would flow.
Read More …

What’s the #1 issue in New Jersey’s race for Governor?

On October 6 at 10 p.m. TUNE in for On the Line: Decision 2009. Emmy Award-winning anchor Steve Adubato will be joined by Governor Jon Corzine, Republican candidate Chris Christie and Independent candidate Chris Daggett. Broadcast LIVE on THIRTEEN, NJN Public Television , WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM and on the web at NJ.com and NJN.net.

Submit your question for the candidates below.

Former WNET President Bill Baker surveys the many threats to trustworthy news, and examines how print news is adapting to new technologies and a tough economic environment.

For further reading on this topic, see Bill Baker’s article “How to Save the News” in this week’s edition of The Nation.

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.

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.

This year, “American Masters” received the 2009 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Nonfiction Series awarded by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) at the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. This is the series’ seventh Primetime Emmy win in this category in the past decade. “American Masters’” winning entrant for this category is Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About. Inside THIRTEEN spoke with the creator and executive producer of “American Masters,” Susan Lacy.

Q. This is the seventh time that “American Masters” has won the Emmy for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series, a record for any PBS series … How do you feel? Where are you going to put the statue?

It feels gratifying to be honored so many times by one’s peers. This is our 7th win for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series in the last 10 years, but prior to submitting for the series, we used to submit individual show for Non-Fiction Special, for which we were also nominated almost every year since the series’ inception. We also won many times, although I can’t remember the exact number of wins. I believe this speaks completely to the quality of our films, as well as the fact that our subject matter has always stood out from the majority of television fare. So, our Prime Time Emmy history has been truly unprecedented, at least in terms of public television series. It makes me feel proud on behalf of public television, as well as all the talented directors, writers and post-production individuals we work with who contribute to the high quality of the series.

The Emmy will join the others, as well as the Peabodys, Grammys and assorted other honors on shelves in my office. It’s pretty crowded up there and everyone worries the shelves will cave in someday.

Q. Since you created “American Masters” in 1984, a lot of programs that profile American artists have come and gone … How do you manage to keep your program relevant to today’s audience?

I think when you are focusing your programs on people whose cultural contribution was significant and whose body of work is defining, the films are always relevant. I have always made it a point to balance so-called “high” art with popular culture to reach as broad an audience a possible. Not everyone will be interested in every subject but, taken together, they cross the boundaries imposed by traditional means of measuring demographics. I also feel strongly that if we remain true to the mission of public television and, therefore, not bow before the ratings gods, we will always stand out, attracting a loyal audience not necessarily drawn to reality television and sitcoms, but who will stick with us year after year and, in fact, continually grow.

Q. What are some of your favorite “American Masters” programs, and why?

It’s difficult to pick my favorites, as I choose the subjects, put the teams together and often direct an episode myself, so there are many children in my stable. I can say that my favorite film to direct was Leonard Bernstein. In general, I am drawn most to those films which successfully transcend the traditional straight-ahead, narrative format to achieve layers of complexity and texture. This isn’t easy to do and not every subject lends itself to this, but when we do hit it, I am ecstatic. I would love to hear from our audience what their favorites are.

Q. What artists can we look forward to seeing on upcoming episodes of “American Masters”?

We have incredible subjects in development for future seasons, including John Lennon, Miles Davis, John Muir, Dustin Hoffman, Johnny Carson, Odetta, Jack Kerouac and Ken Kesey, Mel Brooks, Jackson Pollock, Jessye Norman, Stephen Spielberg, Robert Altman, Helen Keller, Alvin Ailey, August Wilson, Joe Papp, Bill T. Jones, William Buckley, Cachao, to name but some of the films we are working on.

Funding remains our biggest challenge. Everyone loves and values the series, but it is very difficult to raise the money to make these films. The high cost of the rights associated with them, as well as our high standards of filmmaking, makes it impossible for them to be produced inexpensively. But, that’s another story.

The folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary defined the 1960’s protest era with their earnest renditions of ballads like “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” and “If I Had a Hammer.” The group appeared many times on public television since then, lending their vocal talents to numerous concert specials. The 2004 PBS special “Peter, Paul & Mary: Carry It On, A Musical Legacy” chronicled their lives over a four-decade career in the music business. Read more about Mary Travers and her legacy at Great Performances.

On Wednesday, September 17, female vocalist Mary Travers passed away at the age of 72 after a battle with cancer. Watch a clip of the group performing “Blowin’ in the Wind” in 1966.