#from the ken burns country music doc | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

anne-with-an-evangelion · 3 years ago

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Grace, i really enjoyed/still enjoy reading your fic feat. britney spears LOL --- this fic is a treasure...! but i'll save my rants for comment section on ao3. why i'm here: i'm about to start on your western au, but i'm not familiar with the genre so my question is, do you have any list of movies/shows that might help me visualize while reading it? also, check your kofi page >:D

Oh my goodness YOU ARE TOO KIND AHHHHH !!!!!!!!Thank you from the bottom of my heart !!! Omfg I was in shock when I saw this message I am in such gratitude and I’m kissing you as we speak 🗣

I’m so so glad you enjoyed the fic and I hope you like RNR too !!! Western films are all over the spectrum and they’re often about revenge, community, and fighting corruption (those are the best ones IMO) Classic spaghetti westerns are still considered some of the best films ever made for a reason but they can also be super long, with little dialogue, very dramatic, very gripping and violent. The land around the character is always a character itself in these stories, def one of the tenets of the western genre, BUT…… it’s a nonsensical white myth that the ‘frontier’ was untamed and uncivilized, and it really functions as revisionist history in the worst way sometimes. As usual, media affects and reflects our reality and history, but people have to create that media, and most of the people creating these, Wild West, empty frontier, battling with ‘scary tribes’ films were white men (or Italians..) who wanted and needed people to think the west was empty, uncivilized, and needed to be protected and claimed by white people.

Writing RNR has led me to learn so many new things and I think once you get interested in the time period and keep digging, you will learn so much you might have never been taught in school or seen in a movie. But I also keep in mind this time period was not that long ago and what I can research for fun is real shit that still affects people today. When you start thinking about the horrible genocide, displacement, murder, and slavery that America was founded on, the western genre starts looking pretty… out of touch, honestly. The experiences of both enslaved and free Black people, Mexican people whose land we were taking, and Chinese immigrants who basically built the railroad system that allowed more travel to the west- they’re pretty much completely ignored in this genre, and Indigenous tribes are very cruelly represented, if they are at all, despite the objectively horrible way white Americans treated (and treat) them. And forget about gay or trans people! I would love to see WAY more films/media in general that really centers the people who weren’t lone gun slinging womanizing white cis cowboys (also a myth, most cowboys were Black or Mexican, and they were frequently, secretly fond of each other) so if anyone ever has any recs….. please drop them to meeeee!!! I heard The Good The Bad and The Weird is a really good non-American western, that’s next on me list. That being said here are a bunch of movies I’ve watched that influenced me in some kinda way. They’re not all ‘great’ or historically accurate but….. neither is RNR LOL. Posse for example is pretty infamous for that but it’s totally worth a watch for its story about Black cowboys! And you’ll also notice a trend of like, the white savior and ‘noble savage’ stereotype if you start watching westerns. Hostiles is a good example of this, I think they wanted the story to be inclusive of the Cheyenne Nation POV/history but then they should have actually centered those characters instead of the white people trauma but I digress……I put an asterisk next to the ones I personally think are most accessible as far as plot/general vibes. I’m not like endorsing these all as Amazing Historical Films obviously but here they are!

(I put Seven Samurai on there as it is formative in general if you haven’t seen it yet. I think I was also watching a lot of Westworld when I first started writing RNR, and that has some beautiful settings and costumes, [I deleted a long rant about westworld here lol], and True Grit was actually the film that set off my whole RNR writing experience.)

Many western films or what we think of as the ‘wild west’ time period overlaps with the American Civil War. A lot of people point to the Ken Burns doc as the definitive place to start and I certainly watched it in school but again, it’s a very white man-centric doc and even actively sympathetic at times to the Confederacy so.. don’t bother with that. This article discussing it is worth a read.

Honestly, scrap this entire list and just watch Blazing Saddles. It will explain everything.

Some other good resources to start with

Read about BASS REEVES!! The legend - the Lone Ranger!

Western Violence, Law, and Order

What Wild West saloons were really like

How did westward expansion impact the Native Americans?

Black Cowboys: the overlooked heroes of the west

The true origin of country music

We Shall Remain

The Forgotten Trans History of the Wild West

Ok this is getting super long but I hope that is a good place to start!!! Also here is my huge 350+ song playlist I listen to when I write, has a large mix of different genres and artists. You can also check out my rnr stuff tag or just the rivers and roads tag, I’m working on consolidating them into one but that’s where I sequester the vibes as I find them. ENJOY I LOVE YALL SOOOOOO MUCH

#rivers and roads #ask tag #I hope all those links work #sorry this took a while my computer broke and doing everything on my phone takes forever🥲#*charger. computer charger not my computer thank god lol #the Wow!! cool cowboys !! to The Wild West Is a Myth Perpetuated By White Supremacy to Wow !! Cool cowboys !! pipeline

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ifjanetranit · 5 years ago

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Ken Burns’ Country Music

I just finished Ken Burns’ Country Music documentary, and I have so much to say I don’t even know where to start. Anyone care if I just do a stream of consciousness type deal while I pretend to watch football?

I had no idea Hank Williams was only 29 when he died. Also, is the Woody doll from Toy Story based on him?

I saw Coal Miner’s Daughter in the theater three times as a kid. The only other movie I’ve seen that many times in the theater is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. I have always thought Loretta Lynn is a national treasure. Her album with Jack White is amazing.

My brother bought a banjo when he was in high school, so I was 7 or 8 when I tried to pluck out Tom Dooley. I know that’s folk music. Don’t @ me! Anyway, that shit is hard. I spent 7 years playing the flute, and I wasn’t half bad, but I never really liked the instrument. I liked being in a band. If I have one regret in life it’s that I didn’t learn how to play piano or guitar, which is why I am sure I forced my own kid into piano lessons. But now he can play piano (sort of), and he’s an amazing drummer, so that’s why you have kids. And don’t tell me there is still time. I’ve tried (plus I did learn one instrument). I clearly don’t care that much or have the innate talent.

I have a new fondness for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Marty Stuart.

I have always had a hard time telling Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, and Hank Williams, Jr. apart. Don’t @ me. This special helped tremendously.

If I look at the Country Top 40 from 1978-1983 I know all the artists and most of the songs (certainly the Top 10) as well as I know the Rock/Pop songs of that era. For example, I've never owned a Ronnie Milsap record in my life and neither did my parents, but I know several of his songs by heart. This all stops in 1984. I can't sing one song of The Judds. Was it the death of AM radio or country going away from the Countrypolitan sound they discussed in the doc? Or was it because I was 15 and most kids my age were getting most of our music from MTV? All I know is the country music Top 10 after the mid-80s is a bit of a mystery to me.

Urban Cowboy and The Dukes of Hazzard were clearly a big deal.

Vince Gill was a singer in Pure Prairie League? Mind blown.

My mom loved Johnny Cash, The Statler Brothers, and Charlie Pride. She saw George Strait in concert and said, ‘He just sat there and sang. I could have played the record at home and saved money.” To this day that’s how I feel about a concert. Tell me a story, blow something up, make me not regret staying up late and paying too much for parking.

I love Dwight Yoakam and Lyle Lovett. Dwight is all over this doc, Lyle is hardly mentioned.

Cried through the last episode. Between Vince Gill, Kathy Mattea, Roseanne Cash...oof.

#country music #ken burns #you should watch it

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real-fakedoors · 6 years ago

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You must have gotten this question a lot but... how did you get the idea for star-crossed? And how’d you develop the world? I was really inspired by how you detailed your story to create such an amazing image for us readers of the world; especially when it got down to politics, the watches, characterizations and the planets-turned-countries. I’m currently writing (or trying to write) a book of my own, and I’ve been struggling with how to incorporate those kind of details. Do you have any advice?

hello & thank you for the ask! what a wonderful question, and an even more glowing compliment!! my heart is so full :,)

it’s a mixture of a few things, and I’m happy to break it down further if you’d like, but allow me to lay out my basic approach to writing in general & this fic specifically. I’ll try to address each question the best I can!

1. Ideas born from ideas

Music - I’m one of those people who draw on other sources of inspiration – especially music. All three of my most popular stories were at least first thought of by songs. (star-crossed was inspired by Constellations by The Oh Hellos).

Reference material/research - I’ve tried to be as explicit as possible in star-crossed when I describe/utilize the design of another creator for the basis of my work (like all of Lance’s pretty outfits), but in general, having reference material is the MOST IMPORTANT thing. I’ve done a ton of research on medieval culture, cuisine, buildings, and courts. A good example of this is from Chapter 16: The Prisoner’s Dilemma, I had no freakin’ idea how to describe a battlement, or what that even was – hence me googling “what is the top of a castle wall called” > they’re called battlements, got it! > google image, battelments

There, I found this:

and from that, I wrote this:

Quietly, they climbed until the highest reaches opened around them, a large plane of dark stone, stained by ombre rust to near-black on opposing ends of the terrace. A very small amount of snow had gathered, but most of it had blown away in the wind – some small catches had gathered in pockets of shade, where the perimeter wall was buttressed by columns of scaffolding that each came to a point. They were massive structures, like stone arrows pointing towards the heavens; vaguely, Lance remembered one of his mother’s stories about a fletcher’s workshop for the gods; the sweep magnificence of the architecture, certainly lent itself to a sense of the divine and otherworldly greatness.

Linear plot - In terms of figuring out what I want to accomplish in the story, and in the chapters, I quite literally depend on my notes. I tend to get over-eager and want to do a lot in one chapter, so I force myself to map things out in accordance to time rather than events, and that helps me maintain something of a regular pace.

There are a few things I knew I had to have happen in the story, and some of it filled in naturally as I began writing. Here’s a picture of my office from the week I began writing star-crossed.

(the text on the sticky notes doesn’t really matter; but pink are plot points and yellow are narrative themes)

If you squint – an example – Tuesday was supposed to be the day of the bombing, originally. All of the tension and build up and worries about the murder plot were never actually going to happen, as it was going to be wrong-place/wrong-time as a bomb went off in the city. Lance was always intended to get caught up in it instead of Keith as the target, but that obviously didn’t end up happening.

Why? As I wrote the beginning chapters, I had to remind myself that Keith is the Prince of Marmora, of which their expertise is spy networks and information. It didn’t seem feasible to me that such a large scale attack could occur in Marmora without the Blade knowing about it, which is why the attention ended up shifting towards the ball specifically.

Prompts - I am also of the belief that there is no reason to reinvent the wheel. There are wonderful, wonderful authors and writers out there who generate material specifically designed to help writers kickstart ideas; I collected a huge Google Doc of these when I first started star-crossed just to keep my head in accordance with the right themes. Rarely do I use a prompt word-for-word because they never really fit exactly what I’m writing, but the tone of the language often helps me in moments when I’m stuck. Here’s a sampling (and I am sorry, I didn’t think to mark the original blogs I took these from:

“The world was in flames. People were in need of laughter.”

“The world was in flames” helped me to derive some of the terrible disaster that came on the third night of the ball. I just really like that visual, so much orange and red light, and the unbearable heat.

“You can feel the world blooming and withering around you while you’re in prison.”

This sort of… live-and-die, questioning mortality thing, while in “prison” helped me to build Lance’s internal monologue while he was in the cellar.

“If I ignored destiny, so can you.”

Because Klance.

“I was waiting for a chance to ask you to dance with me, but you were gone.”

A knife-twist of how, though this was loosely inspired by the premise of Cinderella, Keith only got to ask Lance to dance twice over the course of three days – in part because Lance was always gone or with someone else, but also because Keith was equally tied up in the expectation that he was to dance with anyone who asked him.

The watches - That was my hope of tying in the paladin’s bayard. It was theoretically impossible to have a magical weapon appear in the hands of four teenagers and an adult without it raising many conspicuous questions, so I needed something a little more subtle. There’s still some… [redacted] about time that has to [redacted] before [redacted] can [redacted], so I can’t say much more than that. :,)

Pomp, Circumstance & Politics (oh my!) - okay, sorry, I couldn’t resist. heh. but, yeah, I don’t know if I can point to one specific thing in particular that gave rise to the political quagmire of this story. It’s definitely been inspired by an array of existing media – Downton Abbey certainly helped shape the “upper class” vs. “lower class” treatment. I also really enjoy historical readings. fiction or nonfiction, pertaining to wars: Ken Burn’s Vietnam War, for instance, helped remind me of the massive impact the decisions of few can have on the many. Whether or not you support a war, or a policy in Marmora’s case, can have devastating after-effects for the people beneath you. Keith and Krolia happen to be very conscious of this. But even so, there will always be a level of detachment from their view of the “many” (in which Lance, Hunk and Pidge fall), and this is never so apparent as when things are told from Lance’s POV. He’s just another person. He’s just one person. One of the hundred of thousands that would be effected by the daily decisions of Keith or Krolia, and it is that constant tension between “big picture” and “small picture” that I try to draw out in the on-going struggles had by the characters.

2. For me, the character’s are the world.

That’s not me being poetic or anything – let me explain.

Imagine this: Suppose there is a person who has been devoid of all of their senses, all of their life – no touch, no smell, no hearing – nothing. Then suppose, one day, they are shaken from this catatonic state for the first time. Their senses now free, how would they experience this scene I am writing? What is so prevailing to the senses that it demands to be included in the narrative?

That is how I write my my worlds, at least descriptively. I try to pick out a few key things someone wouldn’t be able to help but notice.

This is great for characterization, too, because I can tweak the premise of the “feelingless individual” to suit how I imagine my characters.

Keith, for example, from star-crossed – a few things I keep in mind when writing him: he is constantly frustrated by his inability to act on his impulses, so when he does it is extra satisfying. He’s keenly aware of the mannerism of others because of his upbringing in the court – if they have a weapon on their hip, for instance, is something he would notice in a heartbeat.

There were certain ticks to look for in a person trying to get too close: the ways their eyes moved, where their hands sat, what sort of clothing they wore. Was it something trim and fitted to make for an easy escape, or something bulky with a dozen pockets to hide any manner of weapon? Were those chemical burns on their hands from working with unstable materials? Did they look restless, liked they’d been up all night debating with themselves to go through with such a monumental act?

Maybe it was just learned paranoia, but these were the small enough traits that most people wouldn’t notice.

Keith, however, was trained to notice.

Lance, on the other hand, is a little more indulgent but easily overwhelmed; he has been restricted his whole life, so he indulges often and easily, but that puts him in a vulnerable position that can (and has) left him open to being hurt by the world around him. He’s one who is going to notice the weather, the quality of the air, because those were things that held meaning to him when he lived in the mountains – he’s one to fixate on his own mistakes, because he’s used to them being pointed out to him.

Lotor wanted to take off his mask so it was one less thing getting in the way, an obstruction to peeling back Lance’s sense of self, his ideas and interests and beliefs balled up in and thrown in a bin, along with his name and his past, so that he could be some fucked up little prize for the guy’s own enjoyment.

The fucking betrayal of his own body, too. The flushed cheeks, the friction of his hips over Lotor’s… ugh. It wasn’t — he didn’t want it, it didn’t feel good, but the physical sensation was demanding and his body literally could not do anything but respond, and the memory of that alone was enough to have him clutching his head between his knees, legs drawn up to his chest.

Why was this so confusing? It shouldn’t be, and that only made Lance more frustrated. Lotor was a selfish asshole who tried to use his title to his advantage and force Lance to do things he didn’t want to do. Lance had even succeeded in pushing him away and standing up for himself, but the triumph was bittersweet.

This mindset was especially critical when writing Chapter 14: Twenty-Six Hours, because it was the first time we delved into the consciousnesses of the other characters! (I’m just really happy with the way that one turned out *sob*)

Also, a note on villany: I really dislike one dimensional villains. I prefer when my evil comes with a healthy dose of “fuck I sort of agree with that… to an extent?”

Which is why writing Lotor’s big monologue in Chapter 16: The Prisoner’s Dileema was such a challenge. I had to make his treatment of Lance seem, in some fucked up version of reality, justifiable. Because really, Lotor is a product of circumstance; he was raised with his beliefs of the poor and especially of someone of Lance’s “status,” and was acting in such a way that reflected that up-bringing. Now, Keith was raised in similar circumstances and isn’t a huge piece of shit, so there’s no excuse for Lotor’s behavior – but it’s at least logical. You can imagine buying an ox that’s for sale at the market, and then using said ox to plow your fields; we don’t see that as cruel or as mistreatment. Lotor sees Lance as little more than that, and so, in giving him lots of attention and “validation” (something that we know canon-Lotor was unfortunately lacking), it stands to reason that he was in fact trying to be kind to Lance, to treat him with a warped sense of respect.

…okay, that’s all for now! I really hope this helps and wasn’t too long-winded, like everything I do. you’ve effectively made my morning, anon, and I hope you have a wonderful day. my best wishes and luck to you while writing you story!

#writing things #writing inspiration #ask answered #inside my head #klance #klance fanfic #keith kogane #lance mcclain #vld fanfic #voltron fanfic

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bonnieprincegnarly · 3 years ago

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I spent money on the blu ray set for the Ken Burns doc series Country Music. Real country music fuckin slaps y'all. And I say this as a goth mestizo raised in Texas who was always aware and made aware by others that he was different from the white mainstream. Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, these people are fuckin rock stars.

Everyone may *think* they hate country music, but when Jolene, Before He Cheats, Take Me Home Country Roads, or Life is a Highway comes on, everyone is suddenly a liar.

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nyfacurrent · 6 years ago

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Business of Art | Music Licensing for Documentary Films

Create the perfect atmosphere with music.

Music can have an enormous influence on the mood and impact of your film, but you need to remember that virtually every piece of included music, no matter how long it is played, will need to be licensed and paid for.

During a workshop that took place at The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) in November 2018, Peter Miller, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker and music supervisor, shared his experience and philosophy on how to tackle licensing music for documentary films. Among other helpful advice, we learned that music clearance should be considered at the beginning of creating your film, not just in post-production. We also learned that it can take the wits of a “music historian” to find the right license. Read on and learn more via this helpful step-by-step guide to getting music cleared for your films.

Step 1: Consider Your Budget (and Potential Alternatives)

Having a very particular song in your film can be rewarding, but considering your budget (and your time) is an important first step. Licensing a song, even if it only plays for five seconds in your film, can be quite expensive. Ask yourself if the specific piece of music you want is vital or if there might be an alternative, such as:

Hiring a musician or creating your own score. Creating your own score will add an element of uniqueness to your film by composing a song that follows the emotional structure of the film (rather than vice versa). It gives you the freedom to use the song in any way that you like, in any medium, for all eternity. It is also cost-effective.

Using library music. Library music, also known as production music or stock music, is recorded music that can be licensed to customers for use in a film or other media. Although library music can be seen as generic or less authentic, it’s decent quality and written and recorded by professional musicians. You might be surprised by how many T.V. shows use library music in their episodes. You can find information about and links to music libraries by doing a basic internet search.

Step 2: Know What Kind of Rights You Need

Music licensing requires acquiring two types of rights (typically from two or more different entities that will need to be cleared). There’s a ‘master license’ and a ‘synch license.’ A master license is a license that gives you rights to use the original recording of that song. This is typically derived from the music record label. A synch license is the actual written song (lyrics and notes) itself. The license will be issued by the entity that published the song. In most cases, you will need both licenses. If you use, for instance, Adele’s Rolling in the Deep, you will need to acquire both.

There are a few exceptions where you will only need one license over the other. An example of this is when you have filmed someone singing a song and used that recording in your film. In this circumstance, the recording is yours, but the actual lyrics and composition are not. You will only need a synch license.

In all cases, whenever there is music or singing, do your research and acquire the appropriate rights to have them in your film.

Step 3: Is the Song in the U.S. Public Domain? It’s Not Likely.

Don’t bet that a song is in the public domain. Music that was written and recorded before 1923 is considered to be in the public domain in the United States. All music created after 1923 is, in most cases, protected by copyright. If it’s a song deeply embedded in our culture, or even a protest song, don’t assume it’s in the public domain—always double-check!

Sometimes a published song is in the public domain, but the version that you will be using in your film is a brand new recording, sung by a different artist. You will need to acquire a license for the recording. (In this case, you would only need to acquire a master license, rather than the synch license).

Step 4: Do Your Music History Research!

Based on Peter Miller’s experience, it is a tricky endeavor to find the right entities that produced the original recording or published the actual song. Thankfully, Miller provided tips!

To find the right recording entity and publishers will require the skills of a music historian. Here are the best sources to find the respective music licenses you will need to ask for from the correct entity:

The Search for a Master License

The search can get convoluted. As copyright law is different in Europe and music rights are more freely available there, European countries are often the producers of various compilation albums like “Best Rock ‘N Roll Hits of the 70’s” or “Most Romantic Pop Songs.” If you look at the distribution details, a specific music distributor will be listed. But, that’s not the original recording or publishing source.

Believe it or not, when it comes to knowing who recorded an album for an artist at a given time, Wikipedia is often your best source. Do a search with the artist’s name and see which record labels they were affiliated with when they originally recorded the song.

Allmusic.com is another great resource to assist your music history search. The downside to this website is that it will list all of the European labels that produced a compilation album, in addition to the original label, which can get confusing to sift through.

The Search for a Synch License

Performing rights societies ensure that songwriters are compensated for their music and provide the public with easy-to-search databases to find what entities own the publishing rights.

The difficult part about acquiring a synch license is that there can be multiple publishers that own various percentages of shares for the song. When this is the case, you will need to request the license from each publisher.

The two most popular societies are:

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)

Roughly half of all songs are controlled by ASCAP and the other half are controlled by BMI. If a song is not found in their databases, check the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC).

Step 5: It’s Time to Request the License!

Once you’ve found the right entities to request licensing, remember to keep your request simple, as companies are sifting through multiple requests at a given time.

Get straight to the point and be logical about your request based on the life of your film. In your request, include the following information:

Synopsis: what is your film is about? (1 sentence!)

Term: For how long you will need the license?

Territory: U.S. or worldwide?

Rights: Will you need rights for film festivals, TV, video, streaming or theatrical, wide-release, etc.? Do you need rights for your trailer?

Timing: how much of the song will you be using and where in the film? End credits or title?

Proposed fee: there are no set fees in music; always specify a number to give and offer what is credible.

Options: If you are not sure you will participate in film festivals yet but would like to, it is best to build this option into your contract to ensure you understand the costs of using the song upfront.

Step 6: Ways to Negotiate and Determining the Right Fee

Fees in the music industry are negotiable. To request a good rate, you will need to do some research to ensure that what you are asking for is not too high or too low. While a feature film could easily cost $25,000 each for a master license and a synch license, a documentary film license could potentially go for less.

When proposing a fee, you can also utilize what is called the “Most Favored Nations (MFN)” clause. Using MFN, you are proposing a price for a piece of music and guaranteeing every distributor and publisher that you will pay the same price for every piece of music in the film. If they accept MFN, you are bound to the promise: if one distributor happens to license their music for more, you will either need to go back and pay all of the distributors the same price or reject the offer and seek an alternative.

If you received a “no,” you can navigate the negotiation on these points:

Shorter term, or ask for an option to renew

Fewer rights for distribution options

Less territory coverage

Build in options

Do you have access to the artist and songwriter, and have received their approval? Tell the distributor!

Additional Helpful Articles:

"Legal FAQ: Facing the Music," International Documentary Association (IDA)

"A Filmmaker’s Guide to Music Licensing," Film Independent

“Attention, Documentary Filmmakers: Tips for Getting Music Rights,” Indiewire

About Peter Miller

Peter Miller is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker whose documentaries have screened in cinemas and on television throughout the world. His films include A.K.A. Doc Pomus (about the legendary songwriter); Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story; Sacco and Vanzetti; the musical short The Internationale (Oscar short-list); and Robert Shaw: Man of Many Voices, about the celebrated conductor, for which he won two Emmys. With Carlos Sandoval, he made A Class Apart for PBS’s “American Experience” series, which is being adapted as a feature film executive produced by Eva Longoria. With Ken Rosenberg, he is currently producing Bedlam, a documentary feature about the crisis in care for the severely mentally ill, which will air on PBS in 2019. He has been a producer on numerous documentaries by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, including the PBS series The War, Jazz, and Frank Lloyd Wright. In addition to his work as a producer and director, Miller has supervised music clearances for Ken Burns’ Baseball and his upcoming Country Music series for PBS; Stanley Nelson’s The Black Panther Party; as well as other landmark documentaries. Learn more about Miller’s work at www.willowpondfilms.com.

Are you an artist or new organization, and interested in increasing your fundraising opportunities through NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship? No-fee applications are accepted on a quarterly basis and the next deadline to apply is December 31. Click here to learn more about the program and to apply.

Are you a filmmaker interested in finding, growing, and engaging with your audience? Click here for insights from three early-career filmmakers on audience-building. Sign up for our free bi-weekly newsletter, NYFA News, for the latest updates and news about Sponsored Projects and Emerging Organizations.

- Priscilla Son, Program Associate, Fiscal Sponsorship & Finance

Image Credit: Jadina Lilien, Sounds of Peace, 2017 (Sponsored Project)

#fiscal sponsorship #nyfa fiscal sponsorship #business of art #professional development #filmmakers #peter miller #priscilla son #documentary film #documentary filmmakers #music licensing #musiclicensing #instagram

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steamedtangerine · 4 years ago

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From Ken Burns’ Country Doc:

Despite having professionally produced songs, Clement and Pride’s manager had trouble finding a label to take him. Then, in 1966, Chet Atkins convinced RCA executives to trust their ears – and not worry about racial politics. Charley’s first singles were released without any mention of his race and early publicity photos were withheld. Audiences were surprised at his live shows, when he would walk out onstage for the first time. Often, he remembers, the venue would fall completely silent.

You could drop a pin. I’d say, “Ladies and gentlemen, I realize it’s kind of unique, me coming out here on a country music show wearing this permanent tan.” The minute I said that, big applause. I guess they said, “Well – let’s sit back and see what he’s got to offer.” Once they heard me sing, (they said), “I don’t care if he’s green. I like his singing.”

Another singer that was always a standard in the 8 track player of my old man's Chevy C-10.

RIP Charley Pride.

#rest in peace #tunes

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letterniece8-blog · 5 years ago

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Black Films and Artists Thrive at 2019 Tribeca Film Festival

By NNPA News Wire Film Critic Dwight Brown

The 18th annual Tribeca Film Festival featured films, docs, shorts, TV, tech seminars and immersive experiences. It was a 21st century gathering place for filmmakers, artists and fans.

Black films, directors, actors and artists shared the glory and attention with other contemporaries who were proud to have TFF as an international venue. As the festival inches towards the two-decade mark, it’s only getting better and maturing like a fine wine.

Black Films, Filmmakers, Actors and Artists

17 Blocks (****) Life expectancy in the U.S. averages out to around 79 years of age. That statistic skews much lower in this poignant and profound documentary about a Washington, D.C. family that’s on a different path. In 1999, nine-year old Emmanuel is given a movie camera. He uses it to chronicle the exploits of his mom, older brother, older sister and extended family. His lens captures the love in the air, the danger outside and the hope he brings to his family for a son who could be the first in their brood to go to college. Drugs, gangs and violence lurk. Emmanuel’s destiny takes a turn that will leave viewers spellbound. Over a 20-year period, this family’s dynamics, conflicts, breath throughs and tribulations are recorded like an urban allegory. The span of time is reminiscent of the Oscar-nominated drama Boyhood. The soul of a young man gets an enduring legacy thanks to the power of film.

The Apollo (***1/2) The Apollo Theater was always so much more than a performing arts venue. Since 1934, it’s been a community center, talent scout hub, training ground for countless artists and a mecca that is destined to be both a shrine and a progressive cultural home—for years to come. Director Roger Ross Williams helms this ambitious project, Lisa Cortes is a producer and the perceptive writing by Cassidy Hartmann and Roger Ross Williams pays respect to the hall’s past and its extended family. The footage is most exciting when it depicts performances by legendary artists (Ella, Duke, Dinah, Billie), Motown (Smokey, Supremes, Temptations) and comedians (Moms Mabley, Richard Pryor). Veterans (e.g. Patti Labelle) share their anecdotes. The late Ralph Cooper recollects starting Amateur Night. Rarely has a history lesson been so damn entertaining.

Burning Cane (***) And what were you doing at age 17? Phillip Youmans was writing his first script, which he turned into this Southern Louisiana melodrama about a mother (Karen Kaia Livers) who deals with an alcoholic adult son (Dominique McClellan), his boy (Braelyn Kelly) and a recently widowed and stressed-out preacher (Wendell Pierce). The sun beats down on this luckless family, who grinds itself into a deeper and deeper hole. Youmans’ premise and maturity go well beyond his years. He puts his characters in an angst that hovers over the entire production. For tone and drama, he gets an A+. For storytelling, a B-. For tech elements a C. The gritty feel is reminiscent of a John Cassavetes movie. Youmans’ cinematography needs developing; camera placement is questionable as is the lighting. If the footage has a Beast of the Southern Wild synergy, it’s because this movie’s executive producer, Ben Zeitlin, was that film’s director.

Devil’s Pie—D’Angelo (***1/2) Lots of musicians attract a following, but D’Angelo’s fans can be classified as an avid cult with extremely good taste in soul music. Part of the Grammy winner’s mystique centers around his 14-year-absence from recording (Voodoo in 2000; Black Messiah in 2014), which stunned his admirers. That mystery, his childhood, resurgence, live shows, recording sessions and musings are on view in this wonderfully crafted homage. Home movies and photos depict his upbringing, influential grandmother and days as his church’s organist. Personal anecdotes reveal his problems with alcohol and drugs. Attesting to his musical savvy and eccentricities are Questlove, Dave Chappelle and Erykah Badu. Though many put D’Angelo in his own niche (R&B, soul, funk, sexy songs with a hint of jazz), Prince’s influence is quite obvious when the singer wails. Thank documentarian Carina Bijlsma for the candid glimpse at a musical innovator who should be called a genius. Get ready to tap your toes and sing along to “Brown Sugar.”

Gully (*1/2) Music video director Nabil Elderkin steps into the deep end of feature filmmaking and flounders. His technique is solid, especially the ways he moves the camera (cinematographer Adriano Goldman) around on evocative shots of palm tree-lined streets in Los Angeles. However, he’s wasted his talent on a misguided script (Marcus Guillory) that focuses on three unlikable and aimless adolescents (Jacob Latimore, Charlie Plummer, Kelvin Harrison Jr.). The trio go from playing violent video games to assaulting people on the streets—without any obvious motivation. Yes, they each have troubled pasts, but nothing that warrants physical attacks. Never believable. Never compelling. Pointless. Kids have excuses for making bad decisions. Adults, like the ones who made this repulsive drivel, do not.

Inna De Yard: The Soul of Jamaica (***) Showing admiration for reggae musicians from the ‘70s and ‘80s is this very inspiring doc’s goal. Shot largely in the hills above Kingston, British director Peter Webber gives a comeback platform to senior reggae stars like Ken Boothe, Winston McAnuff, Kiddus I, and Cedric Myton. Long past their heyday but still able to sell a song. Their stories of past triumphs are riveting and it’s a joy to watch them record again. They’re backed up by young musicians eager to play with their heroes. Judy Mowatt, legendary former Bob Marley backup singer, is a revelation. Reggae music, like Jamaica, is all about peace and love. That’s the takeaway. That’s what the audience will remember about this rousing, heartfelt documentary.

A Kid from Coney Island (***) We’re well-acquainted with basketball’s most successful players who soared into fame and fortune (Kobe, Magic, Michael, Larry, LeBron). We’re less familiar with hoop dream athletes who struggled. Stephon Marbury grew up in the Coney Island projects, where the only choices for rising above the fray was becoming a rapper, drug dealer or basketball player. Obsessed with the sport from a young age, he was influenced by his dad and brothers and nurtured by his older sis and mom. Steph was destined for greatness. He became a city champion, college star, draft choice and NBA legend. Only fate tossed him curve balls. Under the prying eye of doc directors Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, viewers watch a very talented man withstand the death of a parent, depression, a career that stalls and a surprisingly spiritual path to redemption. In this eye-opening and sobering documentary, we see how an eight-pound orange ball can take an inner-city kid to the other side of the world. More ups and downs and as exciting as the Cyclone roller coaster ride on Coney Island.

Lil’ Buck: Real Swan (***) The kids in Charles “Lil’ Buck” Riley’s low-income outer Memphis neighborhood flocked to the local roller rink at night and waited for the skating to stop and the dancing to begin. Jookin’ is the local dance form, akin to Crunking, Gangsta Walking and Michael Jackson’s stop-start-twirls. Lil’ Buck won a scholarship to a Memphis dance school, and added ballet to his mix. His blend of urban dance and classic technique is amazing to watch. Equally entrancing is this beguiling look at a young kid who blossoms as a person and a dancer. A career in L.A., performances with Yo-Yo Ma and touring the world are like a dream come true. Director Louis Wallecan doesn’t miss one step. Interviews with family, friends and admirers highlight a hybrid street dance, an art form created by an innovator who transcends life and description.

Only (**1/2) What if? What if after the apocalypse a virus became a plague that only killed women? That’s the premise of writer/director Takashi Doscher’s ultra-modern and very scary sci-fi nightmare. The focus is on a couple, Eva (Freida Pinto, Slumdog Millionaire) and Will (Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton) who survive indoors using hazmat suits to stave off danger. Every scene is as creepy as the premise. Nice performances from the two leads. Ugly cinematography (Sean Stiegemeier) done in shades of gray, greens and browns make footage dreary. Can’t say Dosher is an accomplished filmmaker—yet, but this movie hits a nerve. Also, coming from a male director there is a misogynist undertone that just doesn’t feel right.

Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project (***) Saying she liked keepsakes is putting it mildly. Librarian, TV producer and political activist Marion Stokes had an obsession: capturing the news as it was depicted on TV. From 1979 (Iranian hostage crisis) to 2012 (Sandy Hook tragedy), she recorded newsfeeds from the networks on 70,000 VHS tapes. For an enlightening and somewhat somber history lesson, view this documentary to see how far society has evolved and what it has left in its wake. Documentarian Matt Wolf handpicks clips, adds in the essence of Stokes’ personality and interviews witnesses to her hobby. He creates a thought-provoking look at the upheavals, controversies and conflicts that have shaped this country. Racial and social issues come to the forefront.

Roads (**1/2) Actor turned director and writer Sebastian Schipper (Run Lola Runand Victoria) examines immigration with this vibrant road movie. British teen Gyllen (Fionn Whitehead, Dunkirk) steals his stepfather’s RV while in Morocco and heads towards France to visit his father. Along the way, he picks up a fellow traveler, William (Stéphane Bak), who is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s interesting to watch the way they are treated differently as they travel. Gyllen makes his anger known and is oblivious to danger. The more reserved William knows danger way too well and can smell it before it happens. Their divergent points of view and cultural differences speak more about race relations than a college course. A thoughtful script (Schipper and Oliver Ziegenbalg), nice performances from the teens. Final scenes that depict refugees’ confined lives in France are solemn.

Skin (***1/2) Tsotsi was the 2006 Oscar-Winner for Best Foreign Film and it chronicled the evolution of a hoodlum who seemed beyond redemption. This very daring and similar drama by writer/director Guy Nattiv is equally emancipating in its own way. Bryon Widner (Jamie Bell, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool), a twentysomething skinhead is bullied by his adoptive parents (Vera Farmiga, Bill Camp) who are violent white supremacists. Life changes for him when he meets a single mom (Danielle Macdonald, Patti Cake$). It takes an even greater turn when he comes under the watchful eye of social activist Darlye Jenkins (Mike Colter, Luke Cage), whose foundation, One People’s Project, specializes in converting neo-Nazis. This is possibly the biggest character arc you will ever see in a film. Tense, suspenseful, dramatic, romantic and cathartic. Excellent performances from all in this stick-to-your-ribs true story. Watching human garbage turn into human beings can be extremely gratifying. Excellent.

What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali (***) Oscar-winner When We Were Kings focussed on Muhammad Ali’s “The Rumble in the Jungle” match. Does this doc have that much majesty? Almost. Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) takes a more all-encompassing approach. Using never-before-seen archival footage, and with a great sense of pacing (editor Jake Pushinsky), Fuqua highlights Ali’s pinnacles and low points. He explores the champion’s social activism and personal life. Details about his entry into boxing, teenage years, relationships with Malcolm X and Sam Cooke are on the screen. The most surprising revelation is that Ali’s decision to flaunt a larger-than-life egocentric persona was influenced by the flamboyant wrestler Gorgeous George. Most of the memorable quotes come from Ali’s lips. It’s like he’s reaching back from the grave to remind us how brash and brave he was. Illuminating.

Films of Note

After Parkland (****) Rarely if ever does a film put a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye for its entire length. Be prepared to be awed, humbled and inspired by the Parkland, Florida victims, survivors and activists. You’ve seen their faces on the news, now you get a close-up look at the people behind the headlines and the indomitable spirit they’ve collectively created that is bound to bring about change. The kids and adults are so bright and articulate that their words carry the film: “Someone was hunting my classmates.” “Bullets shred anything in sight. Tissue, walls, desks, backpacks.” “We’re going to change the world.” Expert technique and sensitive filming by directors Emily Taguchi and Jake Lefferman make this an Oscar-caliber documentary.

Crown Vic (***) The cop/crime/thriller genre gets a healthy dose of personal drama in this L.A.-based film noir that’s rough around the edges. First-time feature film director/writer Joel Souza pairs up two L.A.P.D. cops. The older crusty patrol officer Ray Mandel (Thomas Jane, Boogie Nights) shepherds the naive rookie Nick (Luke Kleintank, TV’s Bones) on an overnight shift. Meanwhile, two bank robbers/killers are on the loose. Mandel’s chilling words: “Take your badge off and put it in the glove box.” Their policing takes a turn towards the gutter. The beginning of the film is marred by too much dialogue in a claustrophobic patrol car, which kills momentum. Souza adds in a funny scene with a drunk lady, friction with undercover cops (Josh Hopkins, David Krumholtz) and a search for a missing kid to spice up the night. Jane is the glue and mortar. The dialogue is strong too. Mandel: ‘People Sleep peacefully in their beds at night because rough men do violence on their behalf.” Someone call 911!

The Kill Team (**1/2) Dan Krauss made a doc about a true-life incident involving an infantryman in Afghanistan in 2010 who dealt with a commanding officer who was violent to innocent locals and his platoon too. He’s turned that project into a feature film, with varied results. Actor Nat Wolff plays the soldier and Alexander Skarsgård stars as the disturbed leader who doles out harsh reality to his men: “We kill people. That’s what we do. Do you have a problem with that?” The enlistee is in a quandary that could take his own life. How would you react? That intriguing premise saves the film. Edited down to 87 minutes (editor Franklin Peterson), the footage is never attractive (Stéphane Fontaine), the performances are only decent and the emotion never runs deep. Still, this film tells a powerful story.

Linda Ronstandt: The Sound of My Voice (***1/2) Singing in Linda Ronstandt’s family was as common as Sunday dinner, and she had the best voice, too. As a teen in a sibling folk group she developed a sense of harmony and a performance presence that kick-started her career in L.A. In the music industry, she stood out as a woman in a man’s world. She led her own band, made her own career decisions and went through a world-famous metamorphosis: Folk, pop, rock, soul, light opera, big band and Mexican folk music—she did it all. Directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman bless the footage with childhood photos, concert video and insights by Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Bonnie Raitt. The very well-read Ronstandt herself pipes in with anecdotes and philosophies that underline her intelligence shed light on her battle with Parkinson’s disease. A trip down memory lane, done to the tune of Grammy-winning songs by rock n’ roll’s first female superstar. A visual and audio retrospective that sticks with you.

The Quiet One (***1/2) The meek shall inherit the earth—and other stuff. Bill Wyman, the quietest musician in the Rolling Stones, is a historian. Director Oliver Murray gives the group’s bass player all the room he needs to shed light on his role as the band’s sober member. Fortunately for Stones fans, he was an avid collector of footage, photos and other memorabilia. You could almost classify him as a hoarder, except his stunning collection is so damn neat and organized. He’s stockpiled his knick-knacks in the most orderly filing system with documentation so elaborate it would shame a librarian. Hearing him talk about his idols Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, Muddy Water and Howlin’ Wolf is heart-warming. Behind-the scenes details about the Rolling Stones’ tragedies, fiascos and creative process are equally fascinating. Oddly, the film does not cover Wyman’s controversial relationship with a teenager. Special shout out to Tim Sidell’s gorgeous cinematography and Anne Perri’s astute editing. Wyman is a quiet treasure and so is this doc.

Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation (***) “Well I came upon a child of God, He was walking along the road, And I asked him, Tell me where are you going, And this he told me…” Director Barak Goodman and his co-writer Don Kleszy take audiences behind the scenes of Woodstock to the muddy fields, horrible weather and peace/love vibe that became the legend of the occasion. It’s an event that has never been repeated successfully. Still, from the viewpoint of the common people who went, we get a new perception that those “highly” spiritual and heady days were more than a one-time phenomenon, they spawned a vibe that far outlived the concerts. On the stages, in this temporary city of 400,000 hippies, musicians like Richie Havens, CSN, Jimi Hendrix and the bunch look like heroes, though not as quite as gusty or adaptable as the venue’s stunned promoters: John Roberts and Joel Rosenman. Refreshing and a complete joy to watch in this day and age of hate mongering.

Tribeca is building a solid reputation as a film festival that values diversity, inclusion and new voices. It’s a champ at spotlighting emerging talent from around the U.S. and the world.

It’s no wonder black films, artists, their fans and others are supporting the fest with their work, participation and attendance.

For more information about Tribeca Film Festival go to: https://www.tribecafilm.com

Visit NNPA News Wire Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com.

This article originally appeared in the Charleston Chronicle.

Source: https://www.blackpressusa.com/black-films-and-artists-thrive-at-2019-tribeca-film-festival/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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newsnomadblog · 6 years ago

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Ken Burns: New doc will 'redefine what people think of as country music'

Ken Burns: New doc will ‘redefine what people think of as country music’

From left: Burns, Giddens and Stuart photographed on April 26, 2019 at Printer’s Alley in New York. Eric Ogden

09 May 2019 | Melinda Newman | Billboard

Ken Burns reaches into his front-right jeans pocket to retrieve a small, burnished silver heart, then a coin awarded to learning-disabled students who memorize The Gettysburg Address. Next he pulls out a button from the uniform of a soldier who…

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#country music #Dolly Parton #ken burns #Merle Haggard #PBS

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rustbeltroadwarrior · 5 years ago

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Favorite tweets

The Ken Burns Effect: How ‘Country Music’ Doc Surged Sales for Country Legends https://t.co/z33pegVxi5 via @RollingStone

— Paula Nelson (@PaulaNelsonBand) October 2, 2019

from http://twitter.com/PaulaNelsonBand via IFTTT

#PaulaNelsonBandIFTTT #Twitter

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lorrainecparker · 8 years ago

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ART OF THE CUT with a trailer editor

Recently I asked readers of Art of the Cut about what types of editors they wanted to hear from. The poll numbers showed: doc editors, trailer editors, indie editors and then blockbuster Hollywood editors, in that order. I’ve done several documentary interviews, including one recently and another coming in the next couple of weeks. Also, I’ve done interviews with several recent indie film editors, so trailer editors seemed to be the natural choice to fulfill the readers’ desires. Please enjoy this interview with Doug Brandt who is CEO and Executive Creative Director at Ant Farm, a leading agency in Hollywood, and Industry Creative, the theatrical trailer division of Ant Farm. Doug started as a trailer editor and also created a sound design and music house – Phantom Power – that caters to trailers and the film and TV industry

HULLFISH: Does everybody in the world want to be a trailer editor? That’s what I want to know.

BRANDT: I think if they knew the hours that you put in: It’d be no. I think a lot of people think it’s an easy job.

HULLFISH: I know it’s not easy. I’ve cut a few trailers myself, but not at the scale you’ve done. How did you get in the trailer business and where are you in the trailer business now? You kind of evolved into your current position, right?

BRANDT: I got into the trailer business, like most people did 20 years ago by accident, because nobody really knew it was a job. I spent more than a decade being an editor, now I’ve evolved into a CEO / Executive Creative Director. I had a friend who helped my girlfriend (now wife) get a job at a trailer house. Coincidentally, the trailer house that evolved into the one I’m running right now. She used to work here as an assistant editor. That led to her hearing about an assistant editor job at another company and that as my entrance into the business. I spent a lot of time editing in high school and in college, we were one of the first schools to get Avid. I went to Ohio University. I think we were the 3rd College to become an Avid licensed training center in the country. I think the others were NYU, USC or UCLA film school and then Ohio University became the 3rd one. It was a huge advantage for me when I came out here. There were editors that had been editing for years who were just getting into how to run an Avid. I was coming in with that experience and that was a huge help.

Ant Farm Industry Creative common area.

HULLFISH: What year was that?

BRANDT: I came to LA in ‘95, I started doing P.A. work on commercials, then worked as a video game tester, then entered the trailer business in ’96. I got an assistant editor position at a small trailer house. As an assistant, I was also doing the finishing and chores like ordering tape stock. I had a bit of a graphic design and animation background and I saw that they had a very good print department but they weren’t doing motion graphics, so I knew some After Effects and was able to take the print work and make motion graphics for the trailers that we were working on. One of the first trailers I was involved with, not as an editor, but motion graphic designer was Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet. I was kind of hooked after that. It was a lot of fun working on trailers. I became a full-time editor there after 6-months and worked on movies – mostly TV campaigns at first. When you’re getting into trailer editing your first assignment is 15-second spots and review spots, before you start working on the longer form stuff because it is a higher level of difficulty. After a few years I went freelance and worked on some TV pilots. Then I landed on a show on MTV called BioRhythm. I was actually a fan of the show and sought it out because I really loved the editorial style of it. When you look at it now, it’s very 90s: images with pans and zooming in on things all the time, it was like Ken Burns on steroids and speed. But it was a half-hour show where you were telling someone’s life story through interview clips and music videos and motion graphics. I met some of the best editors I have ever known on that show. Many of us continued on to another TV show after that one ended and then I brought some of them over to trailers because I thought they’d really like it. Some of them have become the best editors in the business. Now, I’m a CEO / Creative director so my job is to help guide editors. I really do enjoy helping to develop talent and I’m fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of very talented editors.

HULLFISH: Tell me a little bit about the editing process for some of these bigger trailers. What is the team like, as far as a writer, a producer, a creative director and editor? Who is helping the process? And how does the process really begin?

BRANDT: We collaborate with the entire team at the beginning of the process. A great idea can come from anyone, but It really begins with a conversation with the clients. We really interface with the studio marketing department, because the studio is the one who is really trying to figure out what message is going to make people really want to see this movie more than any other. So we begin the conversation with them. That can range from “make it cool,” “do your thing on it” to “here’s the position we want to take on this movie” and be very detailed about what’s important and what not to do.

HULLFISH: Do you get a lot of creative briefs? The couple of trailers I’ve done, I got a creative brief of who the audience was, what they felt the main messaging was in the movie or in the video that they were trying to support, or is that something you’re getting from the conversation?

BRANDT: We’re getting that in the conversation basically.

HULLFISH: I know from a couple of trailers I’ve cut and from editing some features that oftentimes the trailer editor is working with a film that is only partially edited. So what do you do to cut a trailer for an unfinished film? Definitely VFX aren’t done yet.

BRANDT: Sometimes the VFX will get accelerated for marketing and that’s why you’ll see different versions of the shot over the course of a campaign so it might appear as a teaser and it was the best that they could get it for that release and then over the course of the trailer and final film – especially if it’s a difficult shot that keeps improving over time – we’ll get updated VFX on that shot over the course of the campaign. Sometimes we are getting dailies as they’re shot.

One extreme example would be the Cloverfield teaser. That script was not complete yet when we started the teaser process. They have had a long treatment written, about half a script written. We read it and got the jist from conversations with the filmmakers and with the studio, which was Paramount. We had a meeting to talk about what the film would be like. Since they were doing “found footage,” we took clips from YouTube of kids at parties and filming their friends and then clips from creature movies, disaster movies or even real disasters without getting too gross. Just something where people are reacting scared to something and did a real rough cut with YouTube videos first to get a feel of what this thing would be like. Then they did a special shoot for that teaser. That teaser was all a special shoot, but they also knew they were going to have this party scene in the movie and they knew that the characters running up on the roof and running outside and seeing the Statue of Liberty head rolling in the street. They knew that is how they wanted to end the teaser.

HULLFISH: That’s one extreme right? You’re shooting stuff just for the teaser. On some of the films I worked on, they accelerate the VFX on certain shots based on what the trailer guys want, not necessarily about what we want. Could you talk to me a little bit about that process? What level of the movie completeness are you actually seeing where you think, “Oh that will be a cool shot eventually. I have to have that in the trailer?”

BRANDT: A lot of times we are working with dailies as they come in and Animatics. We are getting the early version of the film where we are given access to all Animatics to try to help figure out what those memorable trailer moments are. Of course it all depends on how it fits in with the story. The story is the main thing that we always want to sell. As we go through our creative process, we’ll sometimes get feedback from VFX like “no that’s not going to be possible” knowing that the trailer has to come out by Christmas or something. So sometimes the challenge is to make the best thing that you can make out of what you have. Sometimes we’ll be cutting something on a tight deadline and maybe a week or two before we’re supposed to be done a new shot comes in that works great for the trailer then the studio and director figure out how to get at least part of the shot done in time for the trailer.

HULLFISH: Two of the things that I think trailers are known for — especially looking at some of the trailers, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – is relying on a fantastic music track. Talk to me a little bit about. Does that music get chosen first? What’s the process?

BRANDT: A lot of what we do is finding that right tone and music is key to that. A music cue can make or break a marketing campaign, so we spend a lot of time trying to figure out what the right music is. A lot of times we find something that is in the ballpark and sort of move ahead to get the cut going, but we’ll continuously be looking for other options for what we feel is going to meld with the material correctly. That’s the thing about songs in film. There are some combinations that they just make each other more magical. We’re always searching for that combination – whether it’s a lyric or the style of the song that complements the footage and story you’re telling. That’s always extremely high on our list. Sometimes we find it close to the end and sometimes we find it right at the beginning.

We are blessed to have an amazing music department. We have 3 music supervisors and 2 full-time composers and sound designers on staff. A lot of what you see with trailers now-a-days is doing cover versions of famous songs or just stripped down versions where it’s just the minimal recognizable lyric of it and then the song is heavily modified. That’s definitely trending right now.

HULLFISH: That’s what your composers are doing?

BRANDT: Absolutley, a great example is our trailer for “The Woods” aka “Blair Witch”. That was recorded and composed completely in house. One of our music supervisors has an amazing voice so she sang on it. Our supervisors are also working with outside library companies. A lot of them are putting out cover songs, because it’s so popular now they have albums of cover songs that could be used for trailers. Things like a pop song, that when you strip it down and put it into a minor key becomes something that is good for a horror movie or just makes a pop song feel more cinematic and dramatic.

HULLFISH: You mentioned sound designers. That’s obviously the other huge thing with trailers. Do you have a sound effects library? (I ask sarcastically)

BRANDT: (laughs) We have many. I started my own sound library back about the time I started working on Transformers. When I watched the Texas Chainsaw Massacre trailer that had the middle section with the repeating photograph sound to it and it inspired me and reminded me of one my favorite teasers of all time: the original Alien teaser. Alien has a repeating sound that evolves through it. And so I started experimenting with sound. For the Transformers teaser I made the entire sound bed for it with drones and sound design and hits and things, after that I started a sound design company: Phantom Power. We make all kinds of music for trailers and advertising.

HULLFISH: Let’s talk about the video editing. You said the story is very important. With some of the trailers that I’ve cut – It’s not necessarily the story of the movie that is the story of the trailer, correct? Tell me a little bit about figuring out what the story can be once you watched the movie? Is there an example where you could say, “here’s the story of the movie and here’s the story of the trailer” or how you make those decisions about what you’re trying to tell people?

BRANDT: The main goal to marketing is to put butts in seats. And the challenge for us, a lot of the times, is not to just make it about the lowest common denominator, don’t just appeal to that, but also stay true to the film’s intent. Over the last few years especially, there was a lot of backlash, lets say 8 years ago, of people being very vocal that trailers were being deceptive. Nowadays, there’s a desire to stay true to what the film is, but yet sell its best parts. We don’t do a lot of bending, I think we do positioning, we try to focus on the best parts, but we don’t try to out right lie about what it is.

HULLFISH: I was thinking about the Transformers trailer that I saw. It doesn’t tell you too much of the plot. You don’t want to give them everything, because that’s a big reason why people want to go see the movie. They want to know the story and if you tell them the story in the trailer they’re like “great I just saved myself 2 hours and 10 bucks.”

Timeline for a trailer. Clip names have been removed to protect the innocent.

BRANDT: Exactly. What we ideally do is create intrigue and make people want to know the answer to questions that we bring up in a teaser or trailer. That’s the best place to be, to feel like you gave the audience the set up, the basic idea, maybe the feel for the characters and show what sort of conundrum they’re in and make you want to see how they’re going to get out of that. Do they get out of that? What happens? If we’re leading an audience to want to know more, than we’ve done our job.

HULLFISH: When I’ve cut trailers I go through a movie and pull sound bites – mostly exposition that I might need to start telling the story. What does the audience need to understand what the dilemma is? And then I pull great visuals: “this is a perfect little motion, that’s a great action, that’s a perfect head turn, here’s some emotion.” Plus additional quick emotional or propulsive soundbites… like one-liners. Talk to me through that process of watching the film and deciding what your elements are that you’re going to work with.

BRANDT: When we break down a movie, we categorize our dialog, do a master string of all the dialog and snip out all the air and break it down by character. So if you’re looking for a line by one person, because you need them to respond to something, you can quickly go through their entire dialog. I sort of pull my A+ favorite lines as a separate one as well. We also sometimes transcribe it so we can easily search for dialog. We do the same for the visuals. A lot of times editors will actually turn off the audio and play some music or something and go through the movie and just organize the shots by wide shots, action shots, character close ups, emotions, things like that and categorize them so that as they’re making the trailer they can quickly see what their options are for that character. It’s nice to see the movie and by turning off the audio you can think of other ideas of how this shot can be used to explain some other idea.

HULLFISH: That’s something else in trailers that is key. That there are usually two things going on at once. The audio is almost never the synced video. You almost never see anyone speaking an entire line of dialogue. We hear him speaking, so let’s show him doing something else. Talk to me a little bit about that process of starting to build the trailer.

BRANDT: It all starts with the audio bed and the dialog structure and we end up filling in picture last. I would say that is the traditional way trailers are built. I always like having a process, but it’s also important to know when to break it. There’re trailers that I’ve done linearly from beginning to end. I get the dialog and the music going and fill in the picture for that scene and I feel like I can’t move on till I know exactly what goes there. The Battle of Los Angeles trailer, I did it that way. I had to have those beats lay out and feels the emotion to know where to go next. So that was one where I broke the way I usually do it.

HULLFISH: Someone was just telling how good the score was for the Battle of Los Angeles movie. Someone used it as temp score. I’m assuming you don’t have access to the score when you’re cutting the trailer.

BRANDT: Usually it has not been done yet. Sometimes we’ll get the composer’s work-in-progress. I do a lot of work with Michael Bay and he loves what Steve Jablonsky does for the movies, we’ve worked with Steve a few times on the trailers for Transformers movies.

HULLFISH: Jablonsky’s trying to do a score for the movie and score for a trailer at the same time?

BRANDT: We’ll get an early version of the movie score and If there is a track that works we might ask him to add more drums or something so that we can make the intesity build in the trailer. He’s modifying what he did for the film to work for the trailer it’s not completely from scratch. If I could cut every trailer with a click track then have Steve Jablosnky score it my life would be much easier, he’s amazing.

HULLFISH: Is there anybody actually writing it? Or is the editor constructing the trailer without a script?

BRANDT: It varies. Most of the time we are roughing out the basic moments in a conversation: “This is a good opening moment. Here’s the general story we want to tell in the middle. You’re building to the big action packed end. Or we want to leave the audience with this thought.” But I would say overall, with trailer editing, the editor has a lot more freedom than a lot of other forms of editing that I have experienced. We’re not given storyboards. We’re generally not given paper cuts. But if we feel like we’re struggling, we’ll all come together as a team and have producers help write it out. The way it usually works best, is that the editor is bringing some storytelling skills to it and some style to it. Working as a creative director now I’m hopefully giving them the general idea and letting them express themselves.

HULLFISH: What about pacing? One of the things I liked a lot from the 13 Hours trailer was the slow burn build into the more and more danger. Not every trailer has to be “killer speed” from beginning to end. Talk to me a little bit about pacing in trailers.

BRANDT: A lot of that is about the emotion you want to express. That trailer in particular, is a about the tension of what’s about to happen. Those are always some great trailer moments and great movie moments when you know the danger is there and you’re seeing the characters expecting this and waiting to see how they react to that. Pacing on a trailer, the thing that I like to do most, is do the unexpected. We zig when you think we’re going to zag and give you something that you never thought would have gone that way. For example, in the early Transformers, they sound more like horror movies when you listen to them. It has to feel natural to the footage as well, the pacing of it. You want to have audiences excited. You hear all the time that trailers tend to build in the back end. You’re given all these plot stories and get invested in the characters and see something amazing happen to them or see them face incredible odds. So a lot of times we’re planting seeds early on and really ramping up the pace in the back end of a trailer sort of build excitement and feel exhilaration.

HULLFISH: And the thing with the 13 Hours movie is everybody knows how it’s going to end, so it’s more anticipation that you’re trying to build.

BRANDT: Right, It’s about experiencing a side to the story that you don’t know, even if you know how it ends. I think that in editing in general, the things that are most interesting are when people bring influences from unexpected places, whether it’s from some piece of art or a song that is not the norm. That is sort of our consistent challenge: “don’t do the expected thing” or else no one is going to be impressed. You can’t just support the movie. You’ve got to elevate the movie to its best possible form.

HULLFISH: I was thinking of one of the trailers that I watched that had an unexpected lack of sound: it was in the middle of a huge gun battle and there’s no gunfire sounds. Or the Transformers crushing the city and there’s just silence as somebody looks around in awe but there’s no sound effects. Talk to me a little bit about that idea: the lack of sound sometimes is powerful.

BRANDT: That allows your imagination to take over a bit more. Being selective and focusing on the emotion in a close-up of a character. It’s about pointing the audience in a certain direction or leading them to a void to fill in. A lot of times we use the phrase “theater of the mind.” Sometimes black is more interesting than any shot could be, if combined with the right dialog and the right sound. Having a character’s dialog line under black. If they’re just an in ordinary room or something, like you’re seeing fantastic on either sides of that line. Having their line in black sometimes makes it even more impactful. That allows your imagination to take over a bit more.

HULLFISH: Did you think there will ever be a return to the Don LaFontaine voice-over guy?

BRANDT: That’s something that’s gone away. Audiences became more educated about advertising and more aware of when they’re being sold something. That was a tool that was always in the trailer toolkit that we basically had to take away. So that’s made it more challenging. When you look at the more old-school trailers, it’s narration from head to toe with a few lines with the characters here and there, because that narrator is telling you the message they want you to hear. We’re one of the only forms of advertisement where you’re really getting a free sample of what you’re going to be buying, but it’s not going to be exactly the same when you go see it. I don’t think we’ll ever go back to voice over. If we do it, it’s more in a cliché, fun, retro type of way, but I think that form of storytelling is not really working right now, because audiences feel like they’re being sold something and back away.

HULLFISH: Graphics also seem to have gone away. I don’t see a lot of those “in a world” on the screen kind of thing. For a while big text replaced the voice over, but that’s gone too.

BRANDT: We used to do much more complicated motion graphics. Big 3D intricate graphics. Now it’s more about embracing what’s in the movie and being simple and letting the film speak for itself, because that way people feel like they know what they are getting. I do still love it when we get to devlop the graphic brand for a film, we have an amazing motion graphics department. I’ve thrown them some big curveballs and they always manage to make it great. They work on everyting: main title sequences, brand content, large scale projection you name it they can do it.

HULLFISH: Any little tricks of the trade?

BRANDT: Part of making trailers is keeping up with trends or ideally creating new trends. It’s always about not just copying what someone else has done and always trying to make something fresh and new.

HULLFISH: What are some of the favorite trailers you’ve seen lately? And what did you like about them?

BRANDT: I did really like the campaign for The Witch. The campaign for that movie was very scary and very unique. I also really liked the red band trailer for Don’t Breathe; I thought it was really solid. Kong: Skull Islnad had a really sharp final trailer. That recent Transformers trailer with the epic score is a really good one (wink wink).

HULLFISH: What are the editing trends in trailers right now?

BRANDT: I think the biggest thing is still is how much it’s about the music. The music is so important.

HULLFISH: Does everybody edit in Avid? Or are some people in Premiere? Or nobody cares?

BRANDT: Most shops are moving to Premiere. Some are hanging on to Final Cut 7 for dear life. Any of the major shops have moved over to Premiere by now. We’ve been with Avid the whole time and not moved over but we’re always looking to see how the tools are evolving to evaluate what’s best for us. Avid and Premiere are definitely the two top right now. We are a big shop so having that large network environment and the media management of Avid is what’s been key for us.

HULLFISH: Are you usually working on multiple editors on one campaign?

BRANDT: It depends how big the movie is. The big tent-poles, yes. We’re cutting teasers where we’re usually doing two or three versions, so we’re working with two or three editors and by the time we get to the TV campaign for something like Transformers, we have a dozen editors working on it.

HULLFISH: It’s been great talking with you. Thanks for shedding some light on trailer editing.

BRANDT: Absolutely I love talking about trailers, they are a very demanding but highly creative form of editing that’s unlike anything else. Thanks for having me it’s been great!

To read more interviews in the Art of the Cut series, check out THIS LINK and follow me on Twitter @stevehullfish

To hear Phantom Power music and sound design check out THIS LINK

The first 50 Art of the Cut interviews have been curated into a book, “Art of the Cut: Conversations with Film and TV editors.” The book is not merely a collection of interviews, but was edited into topics that read like a massive, virtual roundtable discussion of some of the most important topics to editors everywhere: storytelling, pacing, rhythm, collaboration with directors, approach to a scene and more. Oscar nominee, Dody Dorn, ACE, said of the book: “Congratulations on putting together such a wonderful book. I can see why so many editors enjoy talking with you. The depth and insightfulness of your questions makes the answers so much more interesting than the garden variety interview. It is truly a wonderful resource for anyone who is in love with or fascinated by the alchemy of editing.”

Thanks to Abraham Contreras from Moviola for transcribing this interview.

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80,000 participate at MerleFest

Banknotes: (left to right) Billy Gee, Jeff Pardue, Wes Tuttle, Mike Palmer, Donnie Story, Randy Gambill, Tony Joines,and R.G. Absher performed Thursday on the Cabin Stage. Photo By Gordon Burns

MerleFest, presented by Window World, has wrapped up its 30th year, closing out with a raise-the-roof acoustic performance from Zac Brown Band. Early estimates show that from its start on Thursday, April 27, to its close on Sunday, April 30, aggregate participation over the festival’s four days exceeded 80,000 participants. MerleFest, held on the campus of Wilkes Community College, is the primary fundraiser for the WCC Foundation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.

From the Watson Stage, Zac Brown talked about growing up coming to MerleFest and watching his musical idols on stage, artists he saw as heroes. He spoke of what a privilege it is to be in the “batcave” with them now, meaning the Watson Stage. He also spoke nostalgically of how he used to lie in the grass field at MerleFest listening to all the music as a young man. He said that he does not get to do that anymore, but he is happy that everyone else at MerleFest can still enjoy doing that at the festival.

Over 100 incredible performers contributed to the success of this year’s festival, nearly all of whom had performed in previous years and were invited back to be part of the 30th celebration. These artists included Zac Brown Band, Transatlantic Sessions hosted by Jerry Douglas and Aly Bain featuring James Taylor, The Avett Brothers, Béla Fleck, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Del McCoury Band, Leftover Salmon, Sam Bush Band, The Earls of Leicester featuring Jerry Douglas, Peter Rowan, Steep Canyon Rangers, Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, Jorma Kaukonen, Sarah Jarosz, Jim Lauderdale and many more.

The Del McCoury Band on the Watson Stage. Photo by Bob Alexander

Every year, music fans experience what has become known as “MerleFest Moments” – special groupings of performances, jam sessions and events that get the whole festival talking and add to the festival’s rich history.

Thursday night’s MerleFest Moment came from bluegrass pioneer Del McCoury. Even though he was reportedly suffering from laryngitis and was planning not to sing, he was carried away by the emotion of the moment onstage and sang his entire set in his uniquely powerful voice. The Avett Brothers were wildly anticipated Thursday night and took the stage with an explosive performance that echoed across the grounds. Their cover of Doc Watson’s “Country Blues” went from a close-quarters fiddle and banjo duet into a wonderful extended jam.

Friday afternoon, MerleFest was buzzing with excitement for folk-rock legend James Taylor, who was scheduled to perform with The Transatlantic Sessions Tour hosted by Jerry Douglas and Aly Bain. Taylor opened his set with his hit song “Carolina on my Mind,” joking, “I might as well get this out of the way!” Aside from James Taylor, the Transatlantic Sessions set was an unexpected delight for many MerleFest attendees, featuring a parade of some of the best Celtic musician in the United Kingdom. Earlier on Friday, programming ranged from Sierra Hull’s quietly sublime mandolin and bass duet with bassist Ethan Jodziewicz to Wayne Henderson’s blazingly fast bluegrass twang, featuring 12-year old flatpicking guitar prodigy Presley Barker.

James Taylor with The Transatlantic Sessions Tour. Photo by Jim Gavenus

On Saturday, the Avett Brothers returned for an especially powerful set on the Hillside Stage entirely made up of songs from Doc Watson, a key influence to their music. "We feel Doc's presence here, even three years after his death, and he's everywhere in our music," said Scott Avett. The Avett Brothers invited Doc Watson’s brother, David Watson, to the stage for a special introduction. "I was 15 the first time I came to MerleFest. It doesn't feel different now. The authenticity seems to stay here," said Seth Avett. Other surprises of the day included Sarah Jarosz’s hard-edged cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry" complete with stunning bass solo from bassist Jeff Picker. Late in the evening, Ireland’s I Draw Slow showed their love for the region with a rousing Appalachian stringband tune on the Dance Stage that had people spinning and twirling. Closing out the Watson Stage on Saturday night, Donna the Buffalo was joined by Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, and young bluegrass mandolin powerhouse Chris Henry for their all-star Saturday night jam.

The Kruger Brothers

Sunday at MerleFest opened to more beautiful sunny weather. Sunday’s programming sponsor was Lowes Foods. On the Watson Stage, The Kruger Brothers mastered the difficult combination of bluegrass and classical music, premiering their “Roan Mountain Suite” with The Kontras Quartet, and in a virtuosic turn, brought the group together on Sting’s "Fields of Gold." Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy, two of Canada's best fiddlers, brought out four of their young children for a rousing round of fiddle and step-dancing that had the MerleFest crowd on their feet for their first of three standing ovations for the family. Toward the end of his set, country and roots music star Marty Stuart paused to remember Doc Watson, who he “missed with all his heart,” dedicating a beautiful hymn to Doc. Closing out the evening and the festival, Zac Brown Band presented a special all-acoustic set, just guitars, bass and fiddle, including songs off his upcoming album, “Welcome Home.”

MerleFest has always been known for discovering emerging talent in American roots music. From Old Crow Medicine Show to Gillian Welch and the Avett Brothers to Tift Merritt, careers blossom from breakout performances on MerleFest stages. The 2017 MerleFest lineup continues this trend, presenting breakout and up-and-coming artists like Megan Nash, Front Country, Lydia Luce, 10 String Symphony, Mountain Heart, Locust Honey, Ken Tizzard and more.

The Avett Brothers on the Watson Stage. Photo by Whitebox Photography

The great MerleFest tradition of The Hillside Album Hour, hosted by The Waybacks, returned with guest vocalist Celia Woodsmith (of Della Mae). MerleFest's bucolic Hillside Stage filled out with crowds for the unveiling of the classic album, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band” by The Beatles. After the triumphant opening, Woodsmith grooved to “Getting Better,” and later Sam Bush and guests joined The Waybacks for cuts like “Within or Without You” and “Lovely Rita.”

The Midnight Jam: Photo by Willa Stein

The Midnight Jam, hosted by Mipso and sponsored by The Bluegrass Situation, is always a source for one-of-a-kind moments and unexpected surprises. Opening with Mipso’s Americana and bluegrass roots, Sierra Hull and Peter Rowan sang a beautiful duet on the classic Doc Watson song “What Does the Deep Sea Say.” Jim Lauderdale put together a wonderful set of Ralph Stanley songs that compelled Peter Rowan to run back to the stage to join him on harmony vocals for the song “White Dove.” Surprising the whole crowd, Mipso had invited four brass musicians to start up an impromptu parade through the crowd playing “When the Saints Come Marching In,” ending in an old-time stringband jam with Sierra Hull, Mipso and Front Country.

MerleFest continues to celebrate the life and music of Doc and Merle Watson because the legacy of their music is the artistic center of the festival. Musician, composer and storyteller T. Michael Coleman joined Doc and Merle to tour the world and help create countless Grammy-nominated and Grammy-awarded recordings. Coleman has joined the festival in its mission to keep Doc and Merle at the heart of MerleFest. His popular annual Saturday “Memories of Doc & Merle” set is part of that mission.

Sand Sculpture by Hilda Smith

The Chris Austin Songwriting Contest on Friday, known for discovering the finest aspiring songwriters, brought a new group of talent to the festival. Winning bluegrass songwriter Linda Jean Stokley from Kentucky, Nashville country songwriter Mary Bragg, and more performed their award-winning songs on the Cabin Stage on Friday evening.

The Band Competition, another point of discovery for great new artists, brought together 12 bands of various ages and genres on Saturday at MerleFest. The Trailblazers, an emerging progressive bluegrass band from North Carolina picked up the first place prize, an honor they can add to their already accomplished career for such young pickers, including opening spots for Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder and Blue Highway.

In addition to promoting "traditional plus" music, a term coined by Doc Watson to describe the wide variety of musical genres and styles celebrated at MerleFest, the festival also featured heritage crafts demonstrations, instrument picking lessons and jam sessions, dancing, and music education workshops.

“We’ve had an incredible weekend,” Festival Director Ted Hagaman said. “With over 100 artists on 13 stages over the four days, we again feel we succeeded in providing a quality and successful event for all involved. Preliminary numbers show we attracted thousands of fans from all over the world. We appreciate their support. This event could not happen without the work and dedication of our 4,000-plus volunteers and the many great safety and service agencies in Northwestern North Carolina. We’re already looking forward to MerleFest 2018.”

“Giving back is one of Window World’s core values,” said Window World Inc. Chairman and CEO Tammy Whitworth. “And what better way to embrace the community than MerleFest, the single largest fundraiser for Wilkes Community College? We’re proud that Window World is headquartered in Wilkes County, North Carolina, and we consider it a privilege to support exceptional educational opportunities in the community through our sponsorship of MerleFest.”

MerleFest 2017 is presented by Window World. MerleFest is grateful to the 100+ sponsors and advertisers for their support in making the event possible, including Window World, Lowes Foods, Birthplace of Country Music, Burger King, Carolina West Wireless, Curtis Media Group, Explore Boone, G&B Energy, Knee-Deep in Bluegrass, Pepsi Bottling Ventures, Ray’s Weather, The Law Offices of Timothy D. Welborn, Tyson, Vannoy Construction, WAME 92.9 FM / 550 AM, WBRF 98.1 FM, WFNZ 610 AM / 102.5 FM, Wilkes Communications, Wilkes Regional Medical Center, Winston-Salem Journal, WLNK 107.9, WNCW 88.7 Public Radio, WOXL 98.1, WPAQ 740 AM, WSMW 98.7, WTQR 104.1, WXII 12, Yes! Weekly and many more. A complete listing of all MerleFest sponsors and additional information about all aspects of the festival can be found at www.MerleFest.org.

The Ralston Family: Cindy, Rich, Adaline, Gracie, Corin, Elijah Ralston and Larry Skipper at the Acoustic Kids showcase. Photo by Gordon Burns

About MerleFest

MerleFest, considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of renowned guitarist Eddy Merle Watson, the son of the late American music legend Doc Watson. MerleFest is a celebration of "traditional plus" music, a unique mix of music based on the traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music and expanded to include Americana, country, blues, rock and many other styles. The festival hosts a diverse mix of artists on its 13 stages during the course of the four-day event. The annual event has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Foundation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.

About Window World

Window World, headquartered in North Wilkesboro, N.C., is America’s largest replacement window and exterior remodeling company, with more than 200 locally owned offices nationwide. Founded in 1995, the company sells and installs windows, siding, doors and other exterior products, with a total of over 13 million windows sold to date. Window World is an ENERGY STAR partner, and its window products have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal for nine consecutive years. Additionally, through its charitable foundation Window World Cares, the Window World family provides funding for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where it was named New Corporate Partner of the Year in 2010. Since its inception in 2008, the foundation has raised over $7 million for St. Jude. Window World Inc. also supports the Veterans Airlift Command, a non-profit organization that facilitates free air transportation to wounded veterans and their families. For more information, visit www.WindowWorld.com or call 1-800 NEXT WINDOW. For home improvement and energy efficiency tips, décor ideas and more, follow Window World on Facebook and Twitter.

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