Documentary Faculty & Alumni Inspire Social Change

Filed under Features, Videos by Naomi Kothbauer on September 5, 2011 at 12:07 pm {no comments}

Documentaries are primarily made to educate and entertain.  But in some special cases, the impact of their content goes much further.  As faculty member Jeff Spitz would say, “The outreach and impacts from a documentary film can ripple across a decade or more, inspire congress and move mountains.”

After the earthquake in Japan, Navajo protesters remind Americans that nuclear poisoning is happening in their own backyard.

Jeff’s feature documentary “Return of the Navajo Boy” has been out for a few years now.  It was featured at Sundance in 2000.  But even with the actual film complete, Jeff and his staff at viagra Educational Films (including Viva Doc alumns Arlen and Mitch) continued documenting the challenges in Navajo country (mainly, the pollution and sickness caused by local uranium mining).  They spread the word through screening the film at community centers and periodically uploading new video content to the website and Facebook page to keep audiences engaged.

Finally, just over 10 years after the film was initially released, the EPA has announced that they are going to clean up Monument Valley (where the film primarily takes place) and compensate the featured Cly family for the costs incurred because of the pollution.  An article from Navajo Times with more information can be found here.

Certainly the story of the film and the events inspired by it are remarkable.  They remind us that when an issue, and the story around that issue, are strong enough, it is our duty as documentarians to continue harnessing our filmmaking powers to promote social change.  It takes a lot of work and a lot of time, but the results are priceless.

Jeff Spitz currently teaches two documentary classes at Columbia: Documentary Research & Writing, and a documentary topics class called Chicago: My Kind of Town.  For more information on how to enroll in Jeff’s classes, or get involved in Groundswell projects, email him at jspitz@colum.edu.

You can watch the trailer for his film here:

Viva Doc Alumn Wins Student Academy Award

Filed under Features, Post Archive by deborah on September 4, 2011 at 12:53 pm {no comments}

There was no doubt in anybody’s mind that Wonjung Bae is one of the rising young stars in the documentary production field.  She has a considerable knack for capturing emotions and tones, while always having a realistic mindset about what logistics productions will entail.

Wonjung accepting her Student Academy Award

We were so happy for Wonjung when, over the summer, we got on update that she had received a Student Academy Award (probably the highest award a student filmmaker can receive) for her documentary “Vera Klement: Blunt Edge.”  The short film covers the artistic process and inspiration of Vera, a painter living in Skokie, surrounding the events of her 80th birthday party.  It includes Vera’s quirky, yet serious mannerisms, while the gorgeous cinematography mimics Vera’s art itself.  You can watch a previous cut of the film here, and another artist portrait film of hers here.

We would like to congratulate Wonjung on her success, and wish her the best in the future.  She completed her masters degree and graduated last May.

Watch her acceptance speech here:

Viva Doc Alumns at Kartemquin Films

Filed under Articles, Features, Post Archive by deborah on September 4, 2011 at 12:38 pm {no comments}

One of the advantages of being involved with Viva Doc is meeting industry professionals and other great networking opportunities.

Recently, Viva Doc is proud to announce that a number of our current members and alumns have found themselves interning and even working for esteemed, award-winning documentary production companies (including Towers, Kurtis, and Kartemquin).

Viva Doc alumns Naomi Kothbauer, Jeff Perlman, Mary Horan, Patrick Lile, Jonathon Vogel, and Orion Pahl are among some of those who have interned with Kartemquin Films.  Jeff was recently hired on  for part-time outreach work, and Patrick has been also hired on to do outreach for The Interrupters, a new film from the makers of Hoop Dreams which is already being called a potential Oscar contender.

We interviewed Naomi Kothbauer (last year’s Viva Doc president) about her experience interning for Kartemquin Films.  If you are considering getting an internship, there are some great tidbits of advice below.  And as always, please come to our meetings this semester for more workshops and networking events that can prepare you for an internship.

Jeff Perlman (right), Viva Doc alumn, has been helping out at Kartemquin

Viva Doc: So, tell us about your general experience with internships?

Naomi: Well, I’ve had three so far…my senior year, I interned at Towers and Kurtis, and I just wrapped up a summer internship at Kartemquin.

Viva Doc: What is the internship application process like?

Naomi: Well, it really depends on the place.  No matter what, though, it’s important that you follow the directions they supply.  Deadlines, references, application forms…all that.  Violate anything and you are automatically disqualified.  Internships are highly competitive, so if they see something wrong, they will usually toss that application just to thin out the pile.  Same thing with film festivals, usually.  And as far as Kartemquin is concerned, I (and many others) had to apply twice or even three times to finally get an internship.  The first time I applied, I didn’t even get an interview because over 200 people had applied for just 5 positions.  So, don’t get discouraged if you don’t get a call back after your first time applying somewhere.  Just consider it to be a chance to strengthen your resume for the next time you apply.  The more you apply, the more they know that you’re really serious about the internship and about committing yourself to their work.

Viva Doc: What did you like most about the Kartemquin internship?

Naomi: There was so much, honestly.  In general, internships can kind of drag when you’re stuck doing a lot of the tedious work, but with Kartemquin, they tried to get the interns involved with a lot of different processes.  I got to go on shoots, transcribe, help with social media/marketing/PR, and every week they had workshops where the interns got to learn from Kartemquin filmmakers.

Viva Doc: What are you experiences with internships and pay?

Naomi: Well, due to the economy, most internships don’t offer pay.  But it’s important that you communicate clearly with them from the get-go so that you reach a mutually-beneficial agreement.  You interning is important, but you working and being able to pay your bills is also important.  Especially if you’re interning, working, and taking classes…try to not overdo it.  You’ll get burnt out really fast.

Viva Doc: What kind of advantage has Viva Doc given you and others when it comes to getting internships?

Naomi: Well, Viva Doc has always offered a lot of opportunities for students to interact with people working in the field.  Networking is so important.  Also, Viva Doc has hosted a few industry professional peer-review sessions where professionals come in and rate student films, and so far many of the Viva Doc members who have shown their films to Kartemquin folks have also gotten internships there.

Viva Doc: What are some tips for those who are looking to build their resumes/filmographies?

Naomi: One of the best things you can do is to consider yourself a brand.  You’re essentially selling yourself to them, so think about what kind of imagery you want on your website, your resume, your business cards, etc.  It should be unique and speak of your skills.  Also, for those folks who don’t have a lot of work or film experience, just think about the transferrable skills you learned from various things and infuse that language into your resume.  For example, I worked as a shift manager at McDonald’s in high school, so in my resume I put a short description like “managed a diverse group of people and helped them perform their best in a high-stress environment.”  I told them what I accomplished at that job, not just what I did.  Nobody cares that I made burgers or handed food out of a drive-thru, or at least, not literally.  My accomplishments, however, could be easily related to a film/production environment.  If you’re looking to get an editing gig, try to highlight your organizational skills, no matter the job.  If you’re looking for something that involves a lot of interpersonal interaction, try highlighting social skills and group settings in job descriptions.  You know, that sort of thing.

Viva Doc: Thanks for your feedback, Naomi.  We hope to continue our tradition of connecting Viva Doc members to internship and job opportunities!

7 Questions with Jonathan Olsheski

Filed under Events by Andrew Rosinski on March 12, 2009 at 2:35 pm {one comment}

7 questions with Jonathan Olsheski

Johnathan Olsheski, an up-and-coming Philadelphian filmmaker, hit the streets during the midnight hours to follow and film the nightly routine of a “scrapper” ― you may know them as those drifting individuals who push shopping carts filled with metal scraps ― these vagabonds forage around searching for discarded waste, collecting junk with little to no value, in hopes to sell it and turn a profit. The result of Jonathan’s followings is The Scrapper, a 32 minute documentary short, which recently played at the Chicago Underground Film Festival and will also be screening at Viva Doc on Tuesday, March 17.

1. What initially sparked your interest and/or influenced you to pursue filmmaking?

My journey towards documentary film was a long and winding one. I’ll give it to you in chapter form:

I. Loathley Lady Skate Company

It started out in the mid-’90s making skate videos and ridiculousness vignettes containing some mixture of blood, poop and insanity (http://llscfilm.com). Back then it was purely social, purely fun, an excuse to hang out with friends and actually do something.

II. Boring Art Fart

I graduated from high school in 2000, intent on being a garbage man, but somehow found myself studying film at Temple University. My focus shifted from energetic, social spontaneity to weird, serious, personal projects as self-therapy. EXPERMENTAL! I got bored and added English literature as a second major and found my way into still photography and new media design. I graduated with no desire to pursue filmmaking. I continued to shoot stills of abandoned buildings and work low-wage construction.

III. Wendy Stabs Peter Pan

I always struggled with the desire to create and the desire to do something noble and worthwhile. I thought I would end up being a nurse, social worker, or teacher. I met a southern photojournalist (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alymae/) and after a short, tumultuous romance I was left feeling incredibly rotten, but also inspired to pursue photography as a means of storytelling/connecting. Rather than exploring empty spaces I would explore the humanity in Philadelphia.

IV. CommuniTEA – Pass the Tea around

Two friends living from an intentional community called the Bruderhof introduced me to Sister Margaret and the good people of New Jerusalem Now (http://newjerusalemnow.org), a community of recovering addicts, and found my first story. Portions of this interaction can be found at Whispers in the Storm (http://whispersinthestorm.com). Magically, photography became of means to connect and to build relationships with people I previously wouldn’t relate to. From there I began teaching photo classes to recovering addicts and feeling like my two passions (aesthetics & social justice) were finally coming together.

V. Sell Out Versus Drop Out

So, while I was doing all of this fun stuff I was also balancing being employed and being unemployed. I’d make a chunk of money then quit and try to live as long as possible on what I had made while pursuing projects that I was excited about. Then I started to make good money at a job I actually liked and I felt like I was beginning to lose my passion for documentary storytelling, so I had to decide whether to try and keep the job and balance it with everything else or just quit. I decided to quit. Then I had to decide should I just be unemployed and do projects, or go back to school and do the same kind of work in an atmosphere where I will be challenged and exposed to things I wouldn’t be exposed to on my own. So, I went back to Temple’s film school for my MFA and started shooting video and film to coincide with my stills. That’s where I am at today. The Scrapper was a product of my first year of grad school.

2. There’s the film school route and countless other routes. Which have you pursued and how would you describe the experience?

See above. School is fun. I like my classmates. I like getting access to equipment that I don’t have to buy myself. I like teaching undergrads…but it’s a tool and it is working for me right now. By no means is it a prerequisite for good work.

3. What most immediately struck you about making a film about a scrapper subject and how does your film about a scrapper differ from the countless other documentary shorts that have been made about homeless individuals?

I’ve always been interested in scrapping and the guys with the carts. My Grandpap scrapped all of kinds of things for me when I was a kid in Pittsburgh. That’s how I got my first Night Rider big wheel. Me and my friends used to scrap every Tuesday night to get things to break and set on fire for the movies we made in high school.

For me, it’s all about exploring. The Scrapper actually came about as I was doing an observation assignment for a screenwriting class. I was sitting in this wild beer store in my neighborhood taking notes on everything that I was observing. Joe (the scrapper) came in and sat next to me and we talked about hockey for the next hour and he bought me a $1.25 24oz Bud Ice. It wasn’t until later that I found out the he scrapped. Later I saw him with his cart and told him I always wanted to do a project on a scrapper. I asked him if I could do a project on him and he was happy to have the company.

How does my project differ? It is my project. My experience. Joe is a quirky, unique guy, but there are tons of documentaries about quirky individuals and their daily activities. He isn’t homeless actually. I guess that question shouldn’t be: why is it different?, but why does it matter? I think portraits of the lives of unseen populations are incredibly important as long as they are done collaboratively with the subject and with sensitivity. I believe that greater understanding leads to greater empathy. I would hope that this would develop into some sort of practical, beneficial change for these populations, but I am struggling with this concept right now. After passively consuming a story about someone different from you, do you treat people in similar social conditions any differently? Or, is it just another form of reality TV entertainment? …but ethics gets boring. These days I go with my gut, not my head.

4. How would you describe your guiding set of film making principles?

Explore, listen, have fun, participate, respect, collaborate, learn, share.

5. The Scrapper screened at the 2008 Chicago Underground Film Festival. Did you attend the the festival? What’s your short-list of favorite films you watched?

My wife gave birth to our baby boy, Caleb Lee, just three weeks before the Chicago Underground Festival, so I didn’t make it out.

6. Reconsidering your previous festival experiences and submission processes, what have you learned not to do, what to do, and how do you intend to improve your future submission processes? Name three festivals you have particular regard for.

I’m new to the festival thing…I think it’s a little bit weird. I’d say start your own festival. Screen your own stuff. Create community actively. Don’t just pay $35 a pop through withoutabox and hope someone likes your work. If you feel good about your work, promote it yourself. I get rejected mostly, so I have a biased opinion.

7. Your top five documentaries are:

Top five docs:
· Julien Donkey-Boy ;)

· Panola

· Radek

· Dark Days

· Children Underground.

The Scrapper(2008) will screen with Heavy Metal Jr. (2005) on Tuesday, March 15th at 5:15pm. The event is free and will be held in 1104 S. Wabash Ave. in the Michael Rabiger Center for Documentary Film. For more visit Jon’s website http://thescrapper.org

In Order Not to Be Here (2002)

Filed under Reviews by Andrew Rosinski on March 2, 2009 at 2:22 am {no comments}

Deborah Stratmans \"In Order Not to Be Here,\" (2002).
In Order Not to Be Here is the inspired, award-winning vision from Chicago-based experimental filmmaker and artist Deborah Stratman. Rife with creepiness, In Order feels like a bad-dream—or a leaked surveillance video from a lurking shadow government—it’s a dreamy, objectively-haunting, quasi-surveillance video. It’s also a film that poses many questions, one being the inevitable query of categorization: docudrama or experimental narrative?

In Order opens with an aerial, infrared intelligence video of a k9-team, who is in the midst of a hunt; following radio command from a offscreen surveyor, the dog-team slogs through darkness to capture an unknown figure.

A more subdued middle-passage succeeds this gripping opening, shifting focus to an indexing of familiar suburban imagery (e.g. fast-food, fences, street-lights); alas, we confront the bleak reality of our consumer-driven milieu—and, yes, it’s also a reminder that we know the characteristics of a McDonald’s building far too well (!).

A memorable chase scene book-ends this and, again, Stratman experiments with the aerial point of view camera. In fact, Deborah employs a handful of experimental film techniques throughout, including modified usage of the Kuleshov Effect, which proves to be sharply effective in a small number of instances, the most notable being audio from a news report (or quasi-news report) detailing a fire, which plays over this concluding chase, and, in turn, bestowing new meaning upon the image—altering a unknown runner into a fleeing arsonist, adding a sense of suspense and story.

Subversive and soigne, subterraneous and shadowy, In Order Not to Be Here is trenchant proof that Deborah Stratman is a trail-blazer clearing her way to the forefront of contemporary experimental film. ▲

Deborah will screen and discuss her newest work, an 55 minute experimental doc, O’er the Land (2008), on 4/15/09, part of Viva Documentary’s Winter Film Series. Deborah’s doc, The BLVD (’99), examines Chicago’s the subterranean street-racing culture, and will screen at viva doc on 4/7/09).

Deborah Stratman’s website, Pythagoras Film

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